Teaching, Trades & College Myths w/ Greg Svihlik :: Ep 267 Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast
Podcast Title: "Teaching, Trades & College Myths"
What happens when a veteran Middle Tennessee teacher gets brutally honest about grades, test scores, college, and what kids actually need to succeed? In this episode of The Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast, host Jim sits down with Williamson County educator Greg Svihlik for a raw, wide‑ranging conversation on modern education—and why it matters to parents, business owners, and the next generation of workers.
Greg shares the seventh‑grade moment that changed his life, when a math teacher told him he’d be “flipping burgers” for not understanding algebra. That wound became a mission: never making a student feel small as a person, even while being brutally direct about effort, responsibility, and results. From there, Jim and Greg dig into the pendulum swings of education—test retakes, grade inflation, and the pressure to chase test scores while trying to build actual humans.
Together, they unpack the stigma around blue‑collar work, the push that “everyone must go to college,” and why Greg believes we’re failing kids by not championing trades, vocational paths, and real‑world skills. They also explore how AI, social media, and declining trust in institutions are reshaping how students see work, authority, and truth—and why Greg calls his social studies class a “life skills class in disguise.”
If you’re a parent wondering how to guide your kids, a business owner frustrated with the workforce pipeline, or a young person trying to figure out your path, this episode offers perspective, challenge, and a lot of heart. From propaganda and the American Revolution to college debt, trade school success stories, and parenting in the age of iPads, Greg and Jim cover the hard questions most people avoid.
Episode Highlights:
The brutal comment from a seventh‑grade teacher that pushed Greg into education
Why Greg insists on seeing students as people first, kids second, students third
How test retakes, safety nets, and grade inflation changed student motivation
Greg’s case for failing early and safely in middle school instead of in college
Why he tells parents that state standards are low on his priority list
The argument for trade schools, HVAC, mechanics, and blue‑collar paths
A former struggling student now flipping cars and making more than many grads
Why Greg believes AI can’t replace teachers: the irreplaceable human element
Teacher burnout, stress, pay—and why 100+ kids’ lives are on your mind at night
How social media and 24/7 news drive cynicism and distrust in the next generation
Teaching propaganda through the American Revolution and modern media examples
Greg’s budgeting project using his real paycheck to teach money and life
How parents unintentionally rob kids of struggle by over‑protecting them
The difference between working hard and “working smart” as an excuse for laziness
Why Greg calls his classroom a place to build confidence, communication, and grit
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Shoutout to Matt Wilson for lending his voice to the new intro of MMTBP.
Follow him and his podcast from which I may have borrowed the *mostly* concept:
https://linktr.ee/mamwmw
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***You hear Jim mention it on almost every episode, ME vs. WE and how 2023 will be 1943 all over again….order “PENDULUM:How Past Generations Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future”:
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The co-author of Pendulum wrote a myriad of other books and started a non-profit 21st Century Non-Traditional Business School that you should really check out:
Wizard Academy - www.wizardacademy.org
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