The Balancing Act
Fun Fact: If you draw a venn diagram of the circus and being an educator you get a perfect circle! At least, that’s what Jamie and Joe have learned. Straight out of Central New Jersey, join two seasoned teachers as they try to make sense of balancing their teaching careers with parenting multiple children, helping with aging parents, supporting their loving spouses, and navigating the very strange landscape of education in a post-Covid world. With guest interviews, deep dive explorations on contemporary topics, and so much more – we’re here to look at the highs and the lows that come with being an educator. Whether you’re fresh to the job or a seasoned vet, we can’t wait to share in this journey together! Visit our website for feedback, love letters, or guest/general inquiries.
Episodes
June 24, 2025 • 44 mins
Join Joe and Jamie as they review and reminisce on Season 2 episodes of the Balancing Act Podcast. They will reveal their top three moments of the season, guests that left a lasting impression, and all the ways they plan to continue this journey in September with Season 3 of the podcast that has helped them to help others like you.
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthebalancingact@gmail.com
Don’t fo...
Mark as Played
June 17, 2025 • 46 mins
One session with doctor Noelle Santorelli was simply not enough, we needed a part II. Join our hosts Joe and Jamie as they talk to Dr. Noelle Santorelli about her research and work into the topic of relational aggression, and what it means for parenting styles, relationships, and systems within families and schools as people earnestly try to navigate this new way of dealing with everyday stressors that include comparisons through t...
Mark as Played
June 10, 2025 • 42 mins
Join our hosts Joe and Jamie as they talk to Dr. Noelle Santorelli about her research and work into the topic of relational aggression, and what it means for parenting styles, relationships, and systems within families and schools as people earnestly try to navigate this new way of dealing with everyday stressors that include comparisons through technology and social media.
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say ...
Mark as Played
June 3, 2025 • 49 mins
Teachers in this country are perpetually exhausted. But why?? Join our veteran host teachers with over 50 years of teaching experience between them to explore the reasons behind why teachers are so tired. Both in and out of the classroom, teachers are more tired than ever, but why? Our hosts have some strong opinions about the reasons behind this.
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthebalancingact@gmai...
Mark as Played
May 27, 2025 • 45 mins
Is this a tech “eat” tech world? Just how much tech is too much?Listen to our hosts discuss Ed Tech, social media and cell phones in schools, with Common Sense Media’s voice of reason, Merve Lapus. Lapus has a next level approach to how to parent and teach using tech, and some strong words of advice on how to guide teens through the tech heavy world we all share.
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podth...
Mark as Played
May 20, 2025 • 47 mins
Jamie and Joe revisit the topics connected to parent volunteers in public schools, as well as the weight of judgement between working and non working parents. Such hot topics in the education space overlap into the parenting space and include how much of the “extra” that exists in education is from the wallets and off the backs of unpaid teacher labor.
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthebalancingac...
Mark as Played
May 13, 2025 • 48 mins
Bianca and Chelsea from the “NJEA Aspiring Ed PodSquad” podcast join us this week in an exciting pod swap experience. As hosts in their own right, these two ladies are navigating the education space and taking New Jersey by storm. TCNJ students and future teachers, Chelsea and Bianca share with Joe and Jamie their hopes and concerns for themselves and other future educators across America.
Check out Joe and Jamie's episode with t...
Mark as Played
May 6, 2025 • 48 mins
In today's society being a parent can be amongst the most difficult of all of life’s challenges. Raising children is not for the faint of heart, and Jamie and Joe discuss some of the issues facing parents these days that make them both say, I don’t get it! Being a good parent is everyone’s goal, but have we all lost sight of what makes someone good at this extremely unforgiving job?
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an ema...
Mark as Played
April 29, 2025 • 51 mins
Educator, speaker and author Mitch Weathers joins the pod to discuss his method for maximizing student success with the Organized Binder method. Students, teachers and parents have noticed the cognitive load placed on our kids year after year, but are baffled as to the process in which to build these skills and improve executive functioning and success in school, and Mitch Weathers has come up with a process to fix those issues.
...
Mark as Played
April 22, 2025 • 42 mins
Whether it's grading, studying, or even navigating google classroom, organized systems don’t really exist for our students. How can we expect them to succeed when they have to adapt and change every hour of the day? Joe and Jamie discuss their methods for teaching and learning with middle schoolers as well as their frustrations with lack of uniformity in schools.
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podth...
Mark as Played
April 15, 2025 • 47 mins
Jennifer Mazzochi joins the pod this week to discuss co teaching connections. Special education teacher and coteaching aficionado Jennifer Mazzochi explains how to make the unique relationship between co teachers thrive in the best interest of the partnership and the students in their charge.
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthebalancingact@gmail.com
Don’t forget to subscribe! Leave us a comment!
...
Mark as Played
April 8, 2025 • 47 mins
Learned helplessness and lack of perseverance and grit are plaguing our schools and children across America, but why? Join Jamie and Joe as they explore possible reasons and solutions to the very big questions that keep many educators and parents awake each night.
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthebalancingact@gmail.com
Don’t forget to subscribe! Leave us a comment!
Follow
Facebook - podbalact...
Mark as Played
April 1, 2025 • 47 mins
Joe and Jamie welcome Insta sensation AnnaK, also known as ReadAwaywithMissK, as they share their love of teaching, reading, and being funny. Anna shares her experiences in the classroom beginning in the Bronx and continuing all the way down to Louisville. Anna shares with us her love of teaching, teachers, and the profession she “never wants to leave.”
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthebalancing...
Mark as Played
March 25, 2025 • 47 mins
Jamie and Joe are all about balance… and sometimes you need to bark out all your pettiest complaints to a friendly and compassionate ear to find your sense of zen. Listen to their hysterical banter as they swat things that drive each of them nuts both in and out of school.
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthebalancingact@gmail.com
Don’t forget to subscribe! Leave us a comment!
Follow
Facebook...
Mark as Played
March 18, 2025 • 47 mins
Director Edward DeShazer joins us to discuss teacher well being, how to maintain boundaries and his latest book, Closing the Believe’ment Gap. His powerful belief in positive behaviors, teacher support and pouring it back into the teachers of America will inspire even the most critical cynic.
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthebalancingact@gmail.com
Don’t forget to subscribe! Leave us a comment! ...
Mark as Played
March 11, 2025 • 51 mins
Being a part of the sandwich generation means having to spread your love and care between your children, spouse and your elderly, aging parents. Jamie and Joe know and live these challenges all too well, and want to update listeners on hospice care, estate planning and balancing their daily life challenges as members of this not so super fun club.
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthebalancingact@gmai...
Mark as Played
March 4, 2025 • 47 mins
Join Instagram and TikTok teacher/ comedian Courtney Varner as she waxes poetic on all things she loves about teaching middle school. Straight from the snowy streets of Missouri, hi_its_me_mrs._v joins forces with our hosts to share her secret to laughing her way through middle school.
—
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi: podthebalancingact@gmail.com
Don’t forget to subscribe! Leave us a comment!
Follo...
Mark as Played
February 25, 2025 • 48 mins
Listen as our hosts discuss their “no tech teaching experience” when their boss challenged them to discard their student chromebooks for weeks. Hear their open and honest reviews of their time without tech in their classrooms.
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi:
hello@thebalancingactpod.com
Don’t forget to subscribe! Leave us a comment!
www.thebalancingactpod.com
Follow
Facebook - podbalact JoeandJamie
...
Mark as Played
February 18, 2025 • 54 mins
In this episode, we delve into child development with Dr. Danielle Dick, professor at Rutgers University and author of "The Child's Code." She discusses the genetic and environmental factors influencing children's behaviors, drawing from her experience as a mother of a high-risk child.
We want to hear from you! Shoot over an email and say hi:
hello@thebalancingactpod.com
Don’t forget to subscribe! Leave us a comment!
www.theb...
Mark as Played
February 11, 2025 • 47 mins
In this episode of the Balancing Act podcast, we humorously discuss our personal food favorites, including nostalgic tomato soup. The conversation shifts to the impact of recent cold weather in New York on societal behavior and local traditions like Groundhog Day. We address NJ Governor Murphy's proposed cell phone restrictions in schools, examining the challenges of technology in education. We also share excitement for Valentine's...
Mark as Played
Popular Podcasts
Season Two Out Now! Law & Order: Criminal Justice System tells the real stories behind the landmark cases that have shaped how the most dangerous and influential criminals in America are prosecuted. In its second season, the series tackles the threat of terrorism in the United States. From the rise of extremist political groups in the 60s to domestic lone wolves in the modern day, we explore how organizations like the FBI and Joint Terrorism Take Force have evolved to fight back against a multitude of terrorist threats.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!