Tales from the Teacher Lounge

The Farewell!

Mr. Sunshine was a collection of stories from my first year of education. In this episode, I share a few experiences to provide insight. I created this project and the voices to mimic thoughts and actions I had during my first year. Yes, Rodrick Johnson is Mr. Sunshine, and I am pleased to have had the opportunity to share a portion of my story in a perfectly imperfect manner. A new story is emerging, however. Follow me to my new podcast titled "My Life Ain't Perfect," where I will recount the story more deeply to foster a better understanding for you. Thank you for listening, and I hope that what I have shared resonated with you significantly.

I got your restorative practices!

At first, Mr. Sunshine thought restorative practices were just another PD buzzword—soft, fluffy, and not meant for real classrooms with absolute chaos. But when candy bribes failed and behavior charts fell flat, a hallway meltdown opened the door to something more profound. In this hilarious and heartfelt episode, Mr. Sunshine takes us back to the origin story of how he went from skeptical to sold on restorative justice. From PD eye rolls to magical circle moments, “I Got Your Restorative Practices!” chronicles the journey of learning to lead with empathy, build community, and trade incentives for impact. Whether you're a veteran teacher, new to the classroom, or somewhere in between, this one’s for anyone who's ever had to throw the sticker chart out the window and meet students where they are.

How many hours? Additional Mandatory PD

In this episode, Mr. Sunshine takes on Mandatory Professional Development. He goes from feeling overwhelmed to taking control of his life. Have you ever felt this way before? Teachers know firsthand the perils of PD and how sometimes it can come at the WRONG TIME! But as a new teacher, Mr. Sunshine will quickly learn how to navigate this newfound anxiety.

Feedback loop – What do I have to change?

Principal Petty finally observes Mr. Johnson. He needs clarification and hopes for support, which is different from what he gets. Instead, he ends up needing clarification.

Ball of Confusion: What is a Curriculum?

This episode is about Mr. Sunshine finding out what he is doing wrong. He finds out that he is held to curriculum fidelity. He feels this is limiting, but he hopes to learn what he does not know.