catchiNG up: Beyond the Classroom

Peter Ng
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Weekly

What happens to the people who shaped you — after the bell rings? catchiNG Up is a reflective podcast where educator Peter Ng reconnects with former students, colleagues, and friends to explore who they were, who they're becoming, and what they've learned along the way. Because learning doesn't stop when the bell rings. Want to be featured? linktr.ee/The_catchiNGupPodcast

Episodes

  1. 4d ago

    Episode 11 - Jack of All Trades: A Conversation with My Brother Victor

    Season 2 kicks off with a family reunion. Peter sits down with his oldest brother, Victor Ng, a realtor, Air Force veteran, and self-described jack of all trades. Victor shares what it was like growing up in the Dominican Republic, where the school system put students together from first grade all the way through graduation, and how a disruptive but brilliant friend shaped some of his most memorable moments in class. He also opens up about enlisting in the Air Force in 1999, being stationed in Kuwait just weeks before September 11th, and what those 97 consecutive days of 12-hour shifts actually felt like. But it's not all heavy — Victor's story includes a legendary cheat sheet operation, bribing his teachers with sandwiches and $100 bills, and arriving in the U.S. knowing exactly four sentences of English. The episode closes with Victor's advice to his younger self: start investing early, because a 9-to-5 alone won't get you off the hamster wheel. A candid, funny, and surprisingly profound conversation between two brothers with a 15-year age gap and a whole lot of catching up to do.

    55 min

  2. May 20

    Episode 10 - The Long Way Around

    This one is different. For Episode 10, there's no guest — just me. And I want to tell you something I don't think I've ever said out loud in this format: I never planned on becoming a teacher. I graduated from UCF in 2013 with a degree in Molecular and Microbiology. I had a plan. Med school, a clear path forward. And then the self-doubt crept in, the scores weren't where I needed them to be, and suddenly I was back at my parents' house in St. Augustine with no idea what came next. What followed was a chapter I don't talk about much — a move to Chicago, a job that didn't work out, pivoting to medical courier work, taking on debt, and spending a lot of time alone on long drives, wondering what I was doing with my life. But somewhere in the middle of all of that, a podcast changed everything. A TED talk about risk and knowing your north star made me stop and ask myself a question I hadn't been honest about: what do I actually want? The answer pointed me back to Florida, into a substitute teaching position I almost didn't take, and eventually into an Anatomy & Physiology classroom that somehow felt exactly right. Episode 10 felt like the right moment to share this story — because catchiNG Up has always been about growth that doesn't follow a straight line. And my path into teaching is about as winding as it gets. This is The Long Way Around. And with it, Season 1 comes to a close. Season 2 is coming soon. 🎙️ catchiNG Up is a podcast about reconnection, growth, and life beyond the classroom — featuring former students, colleagues, and friends reflecting on where life has taken them. If this episode resonated with you, it would mean the world if you followed the show and left a review. It helps more people find these conversations and keeps the show growing. 📲 Find everything — all episodes, social media, and more — at the link below:linktr.ee/The_catchiNGupPodcast

    15 min

  3. May 13

    Episode 9 - From Model UN to Retirement Plans: Julia Porcher on Growing Up, Letting Go, and Moving Forward

    On this episode of catchiNG Up, Peter sits down with someone who knows him better than anyone — his wife, Julia Porcher. A plan compliance consultant by trade and a self-described "lifelong partner" to Peter's "lifelong learner," Julia opens up about the path she thought she'd take (diplomat, world traveler, Model UN devotee) versus the one she actually walked. They talk about what it means to become a realist, why soft skills are harder to teach than any math class, and the advice she'd give her high school self — if she'd even listen. Plus: household "performance reviews," the economics of teenage babysitting, and the eternal struggle of patience versus crochet.

    41 min

  4. May 6

    Episode 8 - Blossoming Away from Home ft. Brianna Jacob

    This week, Peter reconnects with Brianna Jacob, a former anatomy student turned work-from-home nurse living in El Paso, Texas. What started as a student-teacher relationship has grown into a story about bold choices, personal reinvention, and learning to find yourself far from everything familiar. Brianna opens up about the realities of bedside nursing — including the trauma, the camaraderie, and why she ultimately pivoted to telehealth. She and Peter also get into life as a partner of a dental school student, discovering authentic Mexican-Asian fusion in the desert, and why moving away from your comfort zone might be exactly what you need. Plus: octopuses have three hearts, 200-year-old tortoises, and the inevitable rabbit hole of what human life would look like if we lived twice as long. What would you tell your past self? For Brianna, it starts with a hug — and a reminder to stop taking yourself so seriously.

    45 min

  5. Apr 29

    Episode 7 - Prescriptions, Pivots & Second Chances

    Peter reconnects with Isabella Romero — UCF pre-med junior and dermatology medical assistant — who walked into the field at 17 with no certification and applied to every office in Orlando until someone said yes. In this episode, Isabella opens up about the high school moment she'll never forget, why she thinks making connections beats memorizing every time, and what burning out hard enough to take a medical withdrawal taught her about building a life that lasts. A conversation about grit, grace, and growing up on the fly.

    39 min

  6. Apr 22

    Episode 6 - Shoot for the Stars, Land on a Cloud

    Caden Redmond graduated from Timber Creek in 2022 and hasn't slowed down since. From winning a national championship at the NAIA level to recovering from a full ACL tear — with a double meniscus tear and partial fracture to go with it — Caden has had to fight for every yard, on and off the field. Now interning with the Orlando Pirates and building his brand on social media, he's chasing a professional football dream one step at a time. In this episode, we talk about what it's really like to play college football at the NAIA level, how a high school knee injury eventually led to major surgery, the importance of the coach-player relationship, and why Caden's dad's simple advice — "if you're green, you grow" — is how he defines success. Whether you're chasing a big dream or bouncing back from a setback, this one's for you.

    46 min

  7. Apr 15

    Episode 5 - Still Learning: From North Florida to the Classroom

    In this episode, Peter reconnects with Connor Green, UCF friend, newly married husband, and middle school history and speech & debate teacher. They talk about the post-wedding exhale, what it's like watching students go from shy sixth graders to SGA presidents, and how a handful of unforgettable high school teachers set Connor on the path he's on today. They also get into the state of sports journalism, navigating a career pivot through COVID, and why Connor's been leaving his work laptop at school. The episode closes where it began — with a simple reminder to keep learning.

    45 min

  8. Apr 8

    Episode 4 - The Psych of Growing Up — ft. Matthew Ng & Ann Schlotzhauer

    This week's episode hits close to home — literally. I'm catching up with my younger brother Matthew Ng and his partner Ann Schlotzhauer, both assistant professors of psychological science at Missouri S&T. We dig into what high school actually shaped us, what we'd tell our past selves, the psychology of how we define growth, and why there's no such thing as finishing your work. Oh, and we learn why St. Louis has a low area code.

    48 min

  9. Apr 1

    Episode 3 - It Takes One Decision: Peyton Stanley on Transfer, Growth, and Learning to Let Go

    In this episode, Peter catches up with Peyton Stanley — a former student who skipped 8th grade, started college at 16, and had her first semester derailed by a car accident that totaled her car and landed her in physical therapy. Rather than stay at a school that didn't feel right, she made a bold call: transfer mid-year to Gainesville, sign a lease sight-unseen off Facebook Marketplace, and start fresh. Payton and Peter talk about what it was like being the youngest kid in the room for most of high school, how finding a real friend group her senior year changed everything, and why getting an OCD diagnosis in 2026 felt less like a label and more like a key that finally unlocked something. She's now studying APK at Santa Fe with her eyes on PT school — and along the way, she's picked up a philosophy that's hard to argue with: your 5-year plan can change in half a second. Make the decision anyway. Catching Up — where conversations don't end when the bell rings.

    56 min

  10. Mar 25

    Episode 2 - Carter Benson

    Join The catchiNG up Podcast as host, Peter Ng, reconnects with Carter Benson, a former student turned fellow traveler on the path of personal growth. Listen in for real stories about education, mentorship, resilience, and finding purpose after school. Whether you’re an educator, former student, or just love authentic conversations, this episode reminds you why catching up matters.

    48 min

  11. Mar 18

    Episode 1 - Isabella Maddox

    Join The catchiNG up Podcast as host, Peter Ng, reconnects with Isabella Maddox, a former student turned fellow traveler on the path of personal growth. Listen in for real stories about education, mentorship, resilience, and finding purpose after school. Whether you’re an educator, former student, or love authentic conversations, this episode reminds you why catching up matters. If you want to be featured on the podcast, complete the guest form here: https://linktr.ee/The_catchiNGupPodcast

    48 min

  12. Trailer

    catchiNG up Trailer

    In catchiNG Up: Beyond the Classroom, Peter Ng revisits the stories and experiences that live far past graduation day. Each episode reunites him with former students, coworkers, and friends to talk about the people they were, the lives they’re living now, and the lessons learned along the way. This trailer sets the tone for a podcast filled with authenticity, connection, and real conversations that matter. If you'd like to set up an interview, here is the Google Form https://tinyurl.com/ThecatchiNGUpPodcast

    27 sec

Trailer

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

What happens to the people who shaped you — after the bell rings? catchiNG Up is a reflective podcast where educator Peter Ng reconnects with former students, colleagues, and friends to explore who they were, who they're becoming, and what they've learned along the way. Because learning doesn't stop when the bell rings. Want to be featured? linktr.ee/The_catchiNGupPodcast

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