Dr. Steven Bourgeois and Mr. Ross Miller lead an informal discussion between a current and a former teacher on topics that challenge "best practices" in contemporary education. In keeping with Neil Postman (1979), we support the conserving function of education: “Its aim at all times is to make visible the prevailing biases of a culture and then, by employing whatever philosophies of education are available, to oppose them.”
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Sep 27, 2026 · 41:56
The boys are back and today, in a rather muted but still fascinating episode, the gurus discuss the merits of grumpiness. What does it mean to be grumpy? What it is not? How and…
Sep 5, 2026 · 1:04:59
Your two intrepid hosts enter the choppy waters of politics but not directly. Mr. Miller brings up a topic for discussion where he bemoans the inability of people to discuss…
Aug 24, 2026 · 56:22
Your two hosts tackle the subject of American football. While the podcast has spent considerable - some would say too much - time discussing baseball and soccer, the hosts have…
Aug 15, 2026 · 1:09:35
The highly rated "State series" has returned and this time, with Mr. Stanton Cole - history teacher extraordinaire and Washingtonian. The hosts and guest discuss the state of…
Aug 3, 2026 · 55:56
Your two musically adroit podcasters tackle the notion of live music in the aftermath of Mr. Miller's experience at a concert. The hosts discuss their first concerts, how they…
Jul 20, 2026 · 51:03
Your two aging podcasters defy their age and speak about all things books - reading them, carting them around and moving them from one residence to another. Evidence to our stage…
Jul 15, 2026 · 51:44
During this episode, your two sports-loving hosts take a look at the cultural and athletic phenomenon that is the FIFA World Cup. The hosts dive into exactly why Dr. Bourgeois is…
Jul 6, 2026 · 56:10
Your two lovable hosts have returned to talk about the state of Ohio and the two hosts' experiences with the state. Additionally, the hosts will get into the success and meaning…
Jun 29, 2026 · 54:41
Your two wonderful hosts have returned to talk about memory - losing memory as well as preserving it. The hosts start with the worrisome idea of losing memory as two ageing but…
Jun 8, 2026 · 51:57
Yet another hiatus comes to an end, but this time the Old School re-emerges with the dynamic Dan Albaum. Mr. Albaum speaks on his new book, The Giving Edge: Why Putting Others…
May 25, 2026 · 51:11
Your two intrepid hosts explore Dr. Bourgeois' recent trip to the Big Apple - his very first trip there in his life. The hosts first tackle perceptions and Mr. Miller, of course,…
May 12, 2026 · 1:05:31
Your two loveable hosts draw on a topic that is near and dear to their hearts - the wonderful culture of the Germans. Using an episode of the German language podcast Easy German…
Apr 28, 2026 · 58:06
Your two favorite podcasters tackle the deep and complicated issue of rootedness. The United States has one of the most dynamic social mobility of any other country in the world…
Apr 7, 2026 · 53:18
Your two masters of the message (whatever message that may be) take a look at volcanoes, with a particular attention to the one whose last eruption will soon be observing its…
Mar 30, 2026 · 1:05:22
Your two jet-setting hosts take a deeper look at plane travel. Dr Bourgeois and Mr. Miller consider the pros and cons of traveling by plane. They recount our favorite and least…
Mar 23, 2026 · 1:15:47
In this episode, your two favorite intrepid podcast hosts tackle the spine-tingling topic of fear. As they attempt to define it, the two learned gentlemen speak first of phobias…
Mar 14, 2026 · 53:38
Your two forward thinking, future loving hosts celebrate the podcast's 150th episode by looking at changes in language. Inspired by an episode of Words Unraveled with Rob Watts…
Mar 3, 2026 · 51:52
Your two favorite curmudgeons set their sights on doctors in particular and the health care system in general. While there is much to love and admire about our health system,…
Feb 22, 2026 · 53:38
The Old School podcasters celebrate the Olympics as the final events conclude in Milan on 22 February. There is a great deal of talk on what makes it special, what makes it…
Feb 15, 2026 · 54:07
Your two intrepid podcast hosts tackle the subject of mysteries and conspiracies. Theories are debated regarding John F. Kennedy, fake pigeons and dodgy mattress stores. There is…
Feb 2, 2026 · 54:33
Returning to the field of education, your two favorite podcasters delve into a subject that has been touched on before but never elaborated upon and that is the hiring of…
Jan 26, 2026 · 43:20
As snow and temperatures fall on North Texas and nearly the entire eastern half of the country, your two intrepid hosts battle the conditions within their warm, cozy offices to…
Jan 20, 2026 · 52:45
Your two favorite podcast hosts tackle one of the touchiest subject they've ever discussed - a midlife crisis. In the course of the discussion, there is a great deal of digging…
Jan 10, 2026 · 51:47
The two loveable hosts welcome back the great Dr. Alex Fingers to discuss the idea of collecting things. From sports cards and comics as kids to music and more refined items as…
Dec 29, 2025 · 45:36
Your two loveable hosts, in the midst of bowl games and the soon-to-begin NFL playoffs, talk about being a sports fan. The two attempt to draw out its positives but also the…
Dec 20, 2025 · 49:25
The Old School Podcast welcomes Mr. Ferrell Yeokum to discuss classroom management and his new book, Mastering Classroom Discipline for New Teachers: A Practical Guide to Create…
Dec 4, 2025 · 30:11
This week on the podcast, Mr. Miller reports live from the most magical place on Earth — and no, he’s not entirely sure how he got there. Join us as we unpack his family’s…
Nov 24, 2025 · 48:15
Your two favorite hosts are back as we discuss the nature of building and fixing things. With Mr. Miller's recent foyer into woodworking and carpentry, the two gentlemen discuss…
Nov 17, 2025 · 56:26
Your two favorite hosts are back to talk about the advantages of taking the hard road. What are the lessons, what is the value of not seeking the easier path but one filled with…
Oct 27, 2025 · 1:07:50
Your two loveable hosts go back to their bailiwick and speak to the dynamic Dr. Ericka Johnson who details her journey from teacher to education consultant and the traits needed…
Oct 20, 2025 · 48:53
Building on the previous episode on dinner parties, Dr. Steven Bourgeois and Ross Miller tackle other bygone ideas, these stemming from the 1970s and whether we are better off…
Oct 6, 2025 · 44:08
Your two favorite podcasters tackle a dying art - the dinner party. The hosts discuss the qualities of a good dinner party, drawing on the experiences growing up in a socially…
Sep 28, 2025 · 49:12
Your two favorite podcast hosts tackle the notion of resiliency and the ability to stay focus in the face of leisure and relaxation. The allure, the benefits and the drawbacks of…
Sep 22, 2025 · 45:18
Your two favorite hosts dive into a product of their times - albums. They discuss the nature of albums, how they were used and what we've lost or not from their disappearance.…
Sep 15, 2025 · 39:59
Weathering a series of technological issues, your two tech-savvy hosts managed to encapsulate some of the brilliance that is Dr. Alex Fingers. It is a shorter episode than most…
Aug 18, 2025 · 1:04:58
The great Dr. Matt Post rejoins the Old School podcast to discuss the research that he and Dr. Bourgeois are conducting on the notion of character and virtue among…
Aug 11, 2025 · 49:57
After an unexpected break, brought on the thousands of miles and week-long ailments, your two intrepid heroes seek to come to a better understanding of the North - the…
Jul 19, 2025 · 58:09
In the next installment of our state series, the Old School hosts take a look at Oregon - the home state of Dr. Bourgeois. The hosts take a look at the history, topography and…
Jul 13, 2025 · 52:04
Your two amicable hosts look into a topic that has plagued parents for centuries - what to do with the kids during the summer break. Since the hosts do not have the great minds…
Jul 6, 2025 · 1:01:00
Your two favorite hosts peal back the curtain to unveil the happenings in a school prior to and after the school day - as well as a few things during the day. From custodians, to…
Jun 29, 2025 · 47:26
Your two estimable hosts address the events of this week - the birthday of the United States of America. While plenty of people are commenting on the problems the country faces,…
Jun 22, 2025 · 42:12
In the aftermath of Mr. Miller's surgery, your two friendly hosts discuss the operation as well as the notion of growing old. The two discuss limitations, changes in latitudes…
May 26, 2025 · 49:15
Your two gregarious hosts take a look at Mr. Miller's return to retirement - for the umpteenth time. There is also a discussion about the possibility of working in a lighthouse…
May 18, 2025 · 54:41
Your two loveable hosts tackle a couple of stories coming out regarding schools, technology and the hijinks that follow. From AI teachers to the cumulative effect of technology…
May 13, 2025 · 55:29
Your two favorite amicable hosts tackle the thorny and omnipresent problem of procrastination. Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller explore the notion of procrastination, what causes it,…
May 4, 2025 · 54:39
Your two favorite hosts welcome Dr. David Baillargeon from the University of Texas at Arlington to discuss the importance and impact of the British Empire. Dr. Baillargeon…
Apr 27, 2025 · 52:50
The Old School welcomes the great Dr. Peter Worthing of TCU to discuss the Boxer Rebellion. The three gentlemen discuss the origins of the movement, what it was and how it…
Apr 21, 2025 · 51:36
Your two favorite hosts tackle the growing crisis surrounding boys and men and how education could potentially turn those indices around. The podcast takes a look at an article…
Apr 14, 2025 · 1:10:37
Your two favorite hosts discuss the idea of traveling the world and selecting the six spots they would choose to stop and visit. Mr. Miller is planning something for her daughter…
Apr 6, 2025 · 1:05:44
Your two favorite hosts welcome Boston College retired professor, Patrick McQuillan, to speak on his research as well as his new book that looks to shape how school leadership is…
Mar 30, 2025 · 58:20
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller welcome back Ksenia Filatov, as the three discuss new trends in education that are highlighted by a new superintendent in Houston, Texas and his…
Mar 23, 2025 · 52:57
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller dive into the merits of the latter's home state of Maryland. Mr. Miller goes through the history of his state, touching on its qualities,…
Mar 16, 2025 · 54:20
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller welcome the multi-talented Michelle Mayfield to the podcast. During the episode, the three will discuss the life of a musician, the songwriting…
Mar 10, 2025 · 1:09:27
The hosts tap into their love of music to first, characterize the art of drumming. This includes the stereotypes of drummers and the hosts tease out to the extent the stereotypes…
Mar 3, 2025 · 47:19
The hosts looks at digitalization efforts in Germany and the impact of the same in the United States. The hosts also connect the writings of social critic Neil Postman and his…
Feb 24, 2025 · 1:06:15
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller welcome back the great Dr. Alex Fingers to discuss the way teachers are evaluating and measured. Over the course of episode, the three discuss the…
Feb 16, 2025 · 59:04
The hosts welcome Mr. Richard Marquez to the podcast. The famed educator has been known for his work in solving truancy issues as well as developing strategies for teaching…
Feb 6, 2025 · 52:14
Mr. Miller calls in from Liverpool, flushed from his soccer experiences and touring around the great port city, as well as Manchester. The two hosts spend some time comparing and…
Jan 26, 2025 · 49:24
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller spend their 108th episode by tackling some of the ways in which education is making the news. The hosts address a cell phone ban in Massachusetts'…
Jan 19, 2025 · 1:10:14
The hosts are joined by the dynamic Kyle Queal to discuss the nature of leadership within industry and the connective tissues that link those lessons to the classroom and to the…
Jan 12, 2025 · 36:04
Today, the hosts enter a brave new world - the world of social media. Even though they have railed against it for years, the hosts sell their souls in hopes for greater and…
Dec 30, 2024 · 52:11
The hosts dive into the ideas of grit and determination in an attempt to understand how it develops and how it can be engendered. In the course of the conversation, the hosts…
Dec 23, 2024 · 51:51
Going into the Christmas holidays and not wanting to discuss the aforementioned day, the hosts decide to channel Jerry Seinfeld and do an episode about nothing. Now, as Seinfeld…
Dec 14, 2024 · 56:45
Following a recent trip to the nation's capital, Mr. Miller introduces the history of the city and then, both hosts delve into the culture of Washington. Comparing it to other…
Dec 2, 2024 · 53:44
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller discuss anger and how it is manifested in modern culture and to what degree it is helpful. We also take a look at how religions and philosophies have…
Nov 18, 2024 · 59:46
There is no better way to start the second 100 episodes of The Old School then with a return appearance of Dr. Paul Weinhold. In this episode, the three readers discuss their…
Nov 4, 2024 · 55:18
The hosts, over some Scotch and snacks, sit side by side to look back at how the podcast has developed over the last 100 episodes and what might happen in the coming years. It is…
Oct 28, 2024 · 53:04
During the Old School's 99th episode, the hosts dive into their favorite films - but not necessarily the best films. One film from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, the…
Oct 21, 2024 · 50:45
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller, trying to sound as even handed as possible, discuss what they see as the future of the teaching profession. While good things and people exist in…
Oct 13, 2024 · 53:11
Today is Dr. Bourgeois' turn to air his grievances. Unlike Mr. Miller, he has many more than one. The hosts go through a litany of issues in an attempt to bring solace and…
Oct 6, 2024 · 51:54
In what was meant to be a litany of lamentations from both hosts, Mr. Miller's top concern takes priority - as does baseball. While the hosts promise a more equitable…
Sep 22, 2024 · 52:21
The hosts tackle an aspect of education that has always been present - tutorials. The hosts examine the qualities and effectiveness as well as the difference between tutoring in…
Sep 16, 2024 · 48:16
Once more, the hosts are proud to present the estimable Dr. Alex Fingers to the podcast. This time, Dr. Fingers speaks on the value of sports and extracurricular activities to…
Sep 9, 2024 · 1:01:31
In this episode, the hosts follow the advice of Jimmy Buffett and show their age - this time, by complaining about the state of etiquette today and whether it is a real problem…
Aug 31, 2024 · 52:29
The hosts return to Mr. Miller's trip - the second part through Montana and Glacier National Park. As the story unwinds, the Miller family pass through Missoula, a garden of…
Aug 19, 2024 · 41:11
As Mr. Miller and his family attempt to shoe horn two more national parks before the start of the next school year, the hosts discuss the first of the two parks - Grand Tetons…
Aug 4, 2024 · 59:03
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller welcome back now three-time guest - Dr. Rick Westfall. In their discussion, the hosts and guest get into the dynamics of building school culture,…
Jul 21, 2024 · 55:43
In this episode, Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller welcome Dr. Carrie Currier from TCU to discuss China's geopolitical position - with their neighbors and with the west. In the…
Jul 8, 2024 · 57:14
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller, in what may be the start of a on-going series of state profiles, take a look at the 34th state to join the Union - Kansas. In particular, the hosts…
Jun 22, 2024 · 1:01:37
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller welcome Ksenia Filatov, a doctoral candidate at Boston College, to discuss her background that has led to her research on teacher agency and how…
Jun 10, 2024 · 55:57
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller, using and summarizing Jonathan Haidt's book, The Anxious Generation , discuss the role technology plays in making many, especially the younger…
May 26, 2024 · 1:02:50
The hosts are joined by the Reverends Jason and Estee Valendy as the four discuss the state of the Christian church and the challenges it faces. Want to be cool like Jason and…
May 11, 2024 · 54:25
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller delve into a topic near and dear to their hearts - the state they call home. Through a series of five questions (six if you push it), the two hosts…
Apr 30, 2024 · 46:49
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller discuss the latter's efforts to buy a house and the issues and complications that often go into such a purchase. After enjoying the wit and…
Apr 14, 2024 · 53:13
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller welcome back the esteemed Dr. Rick Westfall to discuss how state and federal governments help or don't in the local government's pursuit of a good…
Mar 27, 2024 · 50:07
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller step away from their typical Algonquinian conversation to look at and discuss profanity. Not only the changes that has taken place on how and where…
Mar 10, 2024 · 54:06
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller welcome theater teacher extraordinaire Brian Ketcham to the podcast to discuss his pathway from history, also known as the backbone of American…
Feb 25, 2024 · 55:58
Once more calling in from Germany, Mr. Miller relays to Dr. Bourgeois the excitement as well as the political and economic tension of a soccer game with Borussia Dortmund…
Feb 12, 2024 · 54:20
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller welcome back Dr. Alex Fingers to talk about the challenges, benefits and the methodology of building a great school culture. If you are interested in…
Jan 27, 2024 · 46:16
After a short but less than enthusiastic revisit of sandwiches, Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller welcome former Superintendent Dr. Rick Westfall to discuss his new role in advising…
Jan 13, 2024 · 50:32
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller dive into the cultural and social origins and impact of work in the United States, occasionally comparing it to other countries. The hosts also delve…
Dec 25, 2023 · 1:01:35
Mr. Miller takes advantage of the classically and jazz trained pianist in the room to ask Dr. Bourgeois questions on how the two styles are different, how listening to them are…
Dec 11, 2023 · 49:25
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller are joined by Dr. Alex Fingers about the motivational and teaching styles that can help teachers in relating to and connecting with their students.…
Nov 25, 2023 · 1:00:52
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller bemoan recent changes in our favorite sports and the lurking influence and impact of technology on our national pastimes. If you'd also like to see…
Nov 14, 2023 · 47:10
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller contemplate the merits and problems with Homeschooling (and other forms of alternative education) in comparison to the public school system by first…
Oct 22, 2023 · 46:24
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller address one of the more ancient forms of education as well as a new wave in educational thought - outdoor education. They discuss the traits and…
Oct 10, 2023 · 54:06
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller push their luck in hopes that their listeners really liked the first sandwich episode. In this episode, they tackle the rest of the states, Jewish…
Sep 26, 2023 · 57:26
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller step away from the cerebral to tackle one of the pressing issues of our day - what constitutes a good sandwich. These type of conversations are not…
Sep 10, 2023 · 51:50
Dr. Bourgeois and Mr. Miller engage in a great conversation with Dr. Weinhold on the life and works of William Shakespeare and how we can approach him today. Tired of reading the…
Aug 26, 2023 · 49:01
We welcome Dr. Shelita Cannon-Hoey and Dr. Marvin Rainey to discuss their new book on transformational, instructional, and servant leadership within schools. Musical credits:…
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