Some Fridays just hit different.
It was skinny block, we had coffee that could only be described as delicioso, and the three of us—Alondra, Coach Haston, and I—sat down in what can only be described as a perfect pocket of time. No formal script. No real agenda. Just a conversation that rolled from student growth to teacher growth, from being teens to becoming adults, from English class to the weight room to life in general. And laughter. So much laughter. That good natural laughter that leaves your belly a little sore and your coffee cold.
This episode comes out as we launch into Teacher Appreciation Week, which feels especially fitting. Because this one’s a love letter, really: to the classrooms that shape us, the mentors who guide us, and the students who remind us why we do what we do. Alondra, now a sophomore, wanted to bring the two English teachers who’ve taught her—first Coach Haston in 9th grade, now me in 10th—onto the pod, not to spotlight herself but to shine some light on what it means to grow together. And man, what a gift that is.
There’s something brilliant about getting to teach a student and then seeing them again a year later. Older, a little wiser, more confident. There’s something equally brilliant about looking across the table at your colleague and realizing: we’ve grown too. We’re not the same teachers we were when we met these kids. We’ve gotten better, and maybe softer. We’ve learned from them as much as they’ve learned from us.
This isn’t just an episode; it’s a snapshot of gratitude. For the hard days (and there are plenty!) and the hilarious ones (which should be more plentiful!). For the ones who walk into our classrooms and surprise us, challenge us, teach us, and then somehow keep circling back. These conversations are a kind of time capsule now, one I can open whenever I need a reminder of what matters most.
So, whether you’re a teacher looking for a little affirmation, a student who’s had a mentor change their life, or just someone who wants to sip their coffee and smile along with us, this episode is for you.
You can find With Honors
on Spotify:
on Apple Podcasts
on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCweufFHJbylu4tR598SDj5w
Also, throw some love at our brotherly podcast with Coach Haston, A Deadman's Books. He's on Spotify at
and on Apple Podcasts
This episode features inspiring piano music by BlackTrendMusic, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.
Share this post