Welcome to the “Mr. Clarke After Dark” podcast with host Lucas Clarke, an educator determined to move away from recycled professional development and engage in more nuanced, personable, and relevant conversations for learning.
Each week, Mr. Clarke unpacks the inner workings of the classroom and learns out loud with educators, politicians, comedians, and other field experts of all shapes, sizes, and burnout levels. Whether they have been in the trenches of their profession for five months or fifty years, we are here to share everything from classroom hacks, our worst mistakes, and the occasional profound musing (from the guests). From conversations about race with Daryl Davis, education reform with Jennifer Gonzalez, global educational development with professors from the World Bank, to stories about students farting in class, there will always be something you can take away from the show, for better or worse.
So, come on over and join the dark side ... unless you’re scared.
Welcome to the “Mr. Clarke After Dark” podcast with host Lucas Clarke, an educator determined to move away from recycled professional development and engage in more nuanced, personable, and relevant conversations for learning.
Each week, Mr. Clarke unpacks the inner workings of the classroom and learns out loud with educators, politicians, comedians, and other field experts of all shapes, sizes, and burnout levels. Whether they have been in the trenches of their profession for five months or fifty years, we are here to share everything from classroom hacks, our worst mistakes, and the occasional profound musing (from the guests). From conversations about race with Daryl Davis, education reform with Jennifer Gonzalez, global educational development with professors from the World Bank, to stories about students farting in class, there will always be something you can take away from the show, for better or worse.
So, come on over and join the dark side ... unless you’re scared.
Brent Saccucci is an education professor with the University of Lethbridge. In this episode, I sit down with Brent Saccucci to talk about how mentorship, equity, and compassion shape us as educators, and why creating safe, inclusive spaces for students is at the heart of meaningful teaching. We dig into some of the big, often uncomfortable questions like how we handle controversial topics with care, why traditional grading might be doing more harm than good, and how ungrading can open the door to deeper engagement and risk-taking. I share my thoughts on why compassion often matters more than comprehension, and how emotional intelligence, relationships, and feedback can redefine what learning looks like. We also explore how school culture impacts everyone—students and teachers alike—and what the future of education might hold if we start centering student voice, inclusive practices, and holistic assessment.
