Today is a first for MM, as we are joined by two parents of different families. With interviewing parents, the goal was to cut as wide a swathe as possible with the amount of experiences that they and their students have experienced. We are not searching out one issue or even several, but looking to explore the differences, similarities, and of course challenges that education faces from a parent perspective
I think we as teachers and administrators, even though many of us are parents ourselves, can benefit from hearing from these parents while not having “ a dog in the fight” when it comes to our particular institution or school system
To that end, I would like to welcome Sydra Thatch, and Pennie Buffington - two extraordinary moms that absolutely changed the way I view education early on in my career. Welcome Pennie and Sydra!

So ladies, since I think it’s important for our listeners to have some perspective, Tell us a little about you, your family, and where you are now.

Pennie, your daughter graduated in 2014 - and you are now in an entirely different profession and you are definitely in a different environment than that of Wyoming. Have any changes stuck out to you?

Sydra, you still have a freshman and a senior in HS, with 1 in college and one in the workforce. What do you remember of the difference, if any, from 10 years ago when you had your first high school student?

Aside from the occasional teacher you weren’t fond of, Do either of you feel like there were certain elements missing when your eldest children went through school?

Are those elements still missing? Have they gotten better? Worse?

Has education lost anything, or perhaps gained anything since then? Sydra, you may be able to speak to this a little more clearly as you have several children years apart.

Again, a question for each of you…. What lessons or skills did you instill in your child/children that you think made them the most successful?

Both of your eldest daughers, and your second child sydra, went through fantastic schools. Montana (pennies daughter) went to Cal Tech, and both of Sydras eldest daughters went to Michigan State on the STARR scholarship. What skills or attributes do they have that make them successful where other students may not be?

I know that last weeks guest, Dr. Larragoity and I - talked alot about apathy and trauma. Knowing all of your daughters - I would say they had “Grit”.... Did you teach them that? Did the school? Should the schools be teaching that?

What is one skill/lesson/technique that was used in your high school that you are glad is still around, or that you wished they would bring back. Something that really made an impact on you.

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