Teach, Coach, Mentor

Michael Wish
  • 5.0 (1)
  • EDUCATION

Welcome to Teach, Coach, Mentor: the podcast about what it actually takes to reach people. We sit down with teachers, coaches, and mentors who are doing the work and we dig into their methods. How they teach so it lands. How they coach so it sticks. How they mentor so it matters. If you care about getting better at developing others — whether that's in a classroom, on a field, in a workplace, or across a lifetime — this show is for you. I'm your host, educator and coach, Mike Wish. Let's get after it.

  1. APR 20

    The Art of Introspection: Lindsay on Healing, Listening, and the Difference Between Coaching and Therapy

    Surviving domestic abuse led Lindsay to therapy... and therapy led her straight to a calling. Lindsay, founder of the Balanced Bureau, breaks down why coaching and therapy aren't interchangeable, why "work-life balance" is the wrong goal entirely, and what it actually means to hear yourself clearly. Coaching vs. therapy isn't just semantics — knowing which one you need first can be the difference between breakthroughs and spinning your wheelsImposter syndrome is a syndrome, not an identity — the shift from "who am I?" to "I am me, and that is enough" changes everythingEFT tapping resets the nervous system before the mind can catch up — it's not journaling, it's the thing that makes journaling workMen's mental health starts with one permission: it's safe to get quiet and listen to yourselfInternal balance, not work-life balance, is what most people are actually searching for 00:54 Lindsay's origin story — from domestic abuse survivor to coach 04:17 Reframing imposter syndrome as something you can actually get over 09:58 The Balanced Bureau rebrand and what "balance" really means 11:53 EFT tapping explained — nervous system reset for emotional regulation 14:06 How to know whether you need coaching or therapy 19:32 Men's mental health and the art of introspection Lindsay is a life coach, aspiring licensed therapist, speaker, and founder of the Balanced Bureau, with a mission to build transitional housing for women and children fleeing domestic violence. Follow Lindsay: 📸 Instagram: @the_balanced_bureau | 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/balancedbureau/ | 📺 https://www.youtube.com/@Balanced_Bureau Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear themselves differently. More Mike: 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwish0802/ 🎧 https://teachcoachmentor.org/ 🏫 https://vellelogos.com 🌐 https://michaelwish.com

    22 min

  2. APR 27

    Doodles, Difficulty, and Deep Learning with Devika Toprani

    What if doodling isn't distraction, it's the missing layer in modern learning? Devika Toprani, creator of the Somagraphic Learning Method, joins Teach Coach Mentor to make the case that drawing shapes before instruction begins is one of the most powerful tools educators and corporate trainers have for building real understanding in an AI-saturated world. Key Takeaways: Somagraphic Learning is a visual scaffold inserted before instruction to lower the entry barrier and create genuine engagement regardless of learners' academic backgroundsDesirable difficulty is non-negotiable for actual learning, and the reflex to use AI immediately is quietly erasing itThe Attempt-Map-Refine cycle applies in higher ed, K-12, and cross-functional corporate teamsEmbodied learning, using the hand to make thinking visible, produces stronger conceptual clarity than passive content consumptionAI belongs in the refine phase, not the attempt phase Timestamps: 00:44 Devika's origin story across Oman, Dubai, India, and the US09:16 What is the Somagraphic Learning Method?10:05 Desirable difficulty and why AI is short-circuiting it15:25 Applying Attempt-Map-Refine in corporate training21:01 Shape, Emotion, Grammar as educator scaffolding tools25:18 What's next: pilots, EdTech partnerships, and the app Devika Toprani is a global educator and researcher whose Somagraphic Learning framework bridges early childhood education, higher ed, HR, and accreditation experience across three countries. Subscribe, share, and visit teachcoachmentor.org for show notes, transcripts, and more. Keywords: Somagraphic learning method, embodied learning, desirable difficulty in education, AI in the classroom, visual learning scaffold, doodling for learning, attempt map refine framework, shape emotion grammar, cognitive offloading AI, lifelong learning strategies, EdTech innovation, active learning techniques, teaching methods, K-12 education, corporate training Find Devika: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devika-toprani/ Research Paper: https://osf.io/preprints/edarxiv/fnk7z_v1 Substack: https://doodlesbydevika.substack.com More Mike: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwish0802/ Podcast Site: https://teachcoachmentor.org/ Company Website: https://vellelogos.com Personal Website: https://michaelwish.com

    26 min

  3. APR 3

    Celebration of Knowledge: Frank Narducci on Award-Winning Teaching

    Summary In this conversation, Michael Wish interviews Frank Narducci, an award-winning physicist and professor at the Naval Postgraduate School, discussing his approach to teaching advanced physics to military officers. They explore the value of repetition and review in learning, the difference between memorization and true understanding, and why Frank reframes exams as a "Celebration of Knowledge." Frank also shares how his father and legendary quantum optics researcher Leonard Mandel shaped his career, what the PhD mentor-student relationship really demands, and the one piece of advice every teacher needs to hear. Takeaways Frank Narducci is a recipient of the Richard Hamming Teaching Award at the Naval Postgraduate School.Starting each class with a review of prior material is a deliberate and effective teaching strategy.Covering less material thoroughly outperforms covering more material quickly.Conversational teaching is more effective than traditional lecturing.Exams should function as learning experiences, not just measuring sticks.Understanding underlying principles matters far more than memorizing formulas.Choosing a PhD program is 5% about the school and 95% about the advisor.Great mentors ask whether the work is fundamental enough to be worth doing.Flexible teaching — pivoting when the moment calls for it — produces deeper learning.The best teachers design lessons from the student's perspective, not their own. Titles Celebration of Knowledge: Frank Narducci on Award-Winning Teaching Don't Memorize the Formula: Frank Narducci on Teaching Physics and Mentorship Chapters 00:01 Introduction and the Richard Hamming Teaching Award01:15 The Review-Before-Teaching Method05:53 Conversational Teaching vs. the Lecture Model09:48 Celebration of Knowledge: Rethinking Exams11:00 Memorization vs. Understanding16:49 Teaching, Coaching, and Mentorship in Academia17:29 How to Choose a PhD Advisor20:08 Leonard Mandel and a Father Who Sparked a Career24:36 Research Philosophy: Is It Fundamental Enough?26:49 Advice for Teachers and Mentors31:06 The LIGO Nobel Prize Pivot: Connecting Physics to the Fleet Keywords quantum physics, physics education, Naval Postgraduate School, NPS, award-winning teaching, teaching strategies, spaced repetition, active learning, exam anxiety, knowledge retention, mentorship in academia, PhD advisor, Leonard Mandel, quantum optics, laser physics, military education, lifelong learning,

    33 min

  4. MAR 8

    Choose Your Hard: Jon Bergmann on Flipped Classrooms, AI, and 40 Years of Teaching

    SummaryIn this conversation, Michael Wish interviews John Bergmann, a pioneer of the flipped classroom model, discussing his extensive experience in education, the importance of social learning, and the challenges and benefits of modern teaching methods. They explore the role of AI in education, the significance of reading and writing, and the impact of engaging projects on student learning. John shares valuable insights and advice for educators, emphasizing the need to inspire students and the importance of making intentional choices in teaching and learning. TakeawaysJohn Bergmann has 40 years of experience in education. The flipped classroom model was developed to help students who miss classes. Teaching is a deeply social experience that enhances learning. The primary role of a teacher is to inspire students to learn. Accountability is crucial in a flipped classroom setting. Lectures can still play a role in modern education. AI can be beneficial but also poses risks to student learning. Reading and writing are essential skills that need to be emphasized. Engaging projects can help students connect different concepts in physics. Choosing the right challenges in life can lead to better outcomes. TitlesRevolutionizing Education: The Flipped Classroom The Journey of a Physics Educator Chapters 00:00 Introduction to John Bergmann and His Journey 06:04 The Importance of Social Learning 11:56 Challenges and Accountability in Flipped Classrooms 17:49 AI in Education: Opportunities and Risks 23:49 Engaging Students Through Projects Keywords education, flipped classroom, teaching methods, AI in education, student engagement, social learning, John Bergmann, physics education, teaching strategies, accountability in learning

    34 min

  5. FEB 21

    The Honest Man Project with Jon Cooke: What Dads Won't Say Out Loud

    Why Dads Are Burning Out — And What to Do About It | Jon Cooke, Honest Man Project Jon Cooke built the Honest Man Project because 11 years ago he had nowhere to turn. Now he runs a free community helping professional dads navigate burnout, emotional isolation, and the pressure to perform at work and at home — without losing themselves in the process. Michael Wish and Jon go deep on why men don't talk, why that's killing them, and what actually works. Key Takeaways: Men don't need therapy-speak — they need a space to vent, a community that shows up, and the occasional honest complimentThe "bumbling dad" trope in pop culture masks a real crisis: male loneliness is at an all-time high and men account for over 70% of suicidesYoung men are absorbing pressure before they even become fathers — figures like Andrew Tate fill the void when no healthy masculine example existsThe fix isn't complicated: start your day with gratitude before touching your phone, end it by writing down what went well, and take 10 minutes mid-day to just stop Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:00 The "useless dad" trope and its real impact 05:30 Andrew Tate, masculinity hijacked, and young men at risk 10:00 Why men solve instead of share — and why that backfires 15:30 The Honest Man Project: origin and mission 22:00 The power of a single compliment for men 25:00 Letting men vent before coaching them 28:30 Legacy question: what you don't want to regret Guest: Jon Cooke is a men's coach and founder of the Honest Man Project, a free Skool community for professional dads working to balance career ambition with present fatherhood. 🔗 Find Jon: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-cooke-230a662b/ Honest Man Project on Skool: https://www.skool.com/the-honest-man-project-4222/about Subscribe, share this with a dad who needs to hear it, and join the conversation at teachcoachmentor.org. More Mike: LinkedIn: 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwish0802/ Podcast Site: 🎧 https://teachcoachmentor.org/ Company Website: 🏫 https://vellelogos.com Personal Website: https://michaelwish.com

    30 min

  6. FEB 21

    From Trauma to Treasure with Shā Sparks

    Shā Sparks has been podcasting since 2018 and coaching people through their hardest moments for even longer. What started as a cosmetology career turned into a decade of training others, which evolved into fearless living coaching and a podcast built around one question: what does investing in people mean to you? In this conversation, Shā and Mike dig into the real engine behind personal transformation — how trauma becomes treasure when you stop running from it and start confronting it voluntarily. Shā shares the story of a combat veteran who'd never been asked how his recovery made him feel, and how that single question revealed how stuck we get in the story instead of the feeling behind it. They also get into the tension between AI and human interaction (Shā calls it "HI"), the phone addiction crisis across generations, the challenge of scaling coaching without losing authenticity, and why the answer is always "one person at a time." The episode wraps with Shā coaching Mike on his podcast technique live — including advice on finding a signature question that makes each episode unmistakably his. Find more Shā at https://www.theshasparksshow.com/

    56 min

  7. FEB 17

    From the Corps to Coaching: Brandon Smith on Finding Purpose After the Uniform

    Episode 9: From the Corps to Coaching — Finding Purpose After the UniformGuest: Brandon Smith — Former U.S. Marine, Entrepreneur, Coach Host: Mike Wish Runtime: ~29 minutes Episode SummaryBrandon Smith spent six years as an enlisted Marine — motor transport operator with an artillery unit — before stepping into the civilian world and discovering that a 9-to-5 wasn't going to fill the void the Corps left behind. After stints at FedEx and an e-commerce company, he found his way to entrepreneurship as a path to restore purpose and serve others. Now Brandon coaches veterans and first responders through the hardest stretch in business: going from zero to one. He runs Mental Momentum, a Skool community built around helping people land their first clients and transition into entrepreneurship. In this episode, Mike and Brandon dig into the post-military identity crisis, why most new entrepreneurs focus on the wrong constraint, what 141 one-on-one calls and 20 straight rejections taught him, and why charging for your value isn't at odds with serving others. Key Timestamps[0:00] Intro and background — Brandon's Marine Corps service and transition out[2:50] Why entrepreneurship? The identity gap after the military[5:00] Lost sense of purpose and how entrepreneurship became the vehicle to serve[6:00] Service and entrepreneurship are not incompatible[6:45] Why veterans struggle to charge for their value[8:00] Brandon's two-year journey and leading with free value too long[9:30] Building teams to solve problems — the parallel between the Corps and business[10:00] Who Brandon helps: veterans, first responders, and beyond[11:30] The #1 problem: overwhelm — and how to create space before building a business[13:00] Case studies: a former border patrol agent and a single-mother nurse[15:00] Holistic coaching — health, relationships, mental bandwidth, and business are interconnected[16:30] The real constraint: getting in front of people, not perfecting the product[18:00] Every business is a people business — canvassing still works[19:30] Mike's failed student coaching business and lessons from falling flat[20:30] Brandon's rejection story: 141 calls, 20 consecutive nos, then the first sale[22:00] The psychologist who required 100 rejections before entry — fear vs. reality[23:30] Jocko Willink: "Besides death, all fear is psychological"[24:00] Catastrophization — catching the spiral in students, clients, and yourself[25:00] Where to find Brandon — YouTube, Skool, Mental Momentum[26:00] Final question: What's the one thing you can't get wrong?[28:30] Closing — why vets build communities Key TakeawaysThe zero-to-one gap is the hardest part of entrepreneurship. Most people get stuck because they focus on building and improving products instead of getting in front of people. The constraint is almost always distribution, not the product itself. Post-military identity loss is real — and entrepreneurship can be the antidote. When structure, routine, and brotherhood disappear overnight, the void is deep. Building something of your own can restore purpose, but only if you're intentional about it. Create space before you build. Brandon's coaching method starts with time management and eliminating noise — especially for people juggling jobs, families, and limited bandwidth. You can't grow a business if you don't have the mental capacity to think about one. Rejection is the cost of entry. 20 nos before a yes. 141 calls in a year. The fear of rejection stops more people than rejection itself. Getting comfortable with "no" is a prerequisite, not a setback. It's okay to charge for your value. Veterans especially tend to undervalue their expertise. Leading with free value is smart. Staying there forever is not. Your experience, your failures, your time — they're worth something. Connect with Brandon SmithYouTube: @BrandonSmithxSkool Community: Mental Momentum Connect with the ShowWebsite: teachcoachmentor.orgHost: Mike Wish — Educator, Coach, Entrepreneur

    26 min

  8. FEB 11

    Karla Murphy: Why the Obsessed Always Win

    Naval Academy grad. Marine. Top 1% Etsy store owner. Female Entrepreneur of the Year. Karla Murphy didn't come from a background that predicted any of it — and that's exactly the point. In this episode, Karla sits down with Mike to talk about what obsession actually looks like when it's not just a buzzword on a hoodie. She breaks down how she went from having zero expectation of college to building multiple businesses, coaching founders and CEOs, and writing her book Be One of Zero: Why the Obsessed Always Win. They get into what separates people who receive feedback from those who deflect it, why she treats failure as data instead of identity, and the specific life audit framework she uses with coaching clients to ruthlessly cut what doesn't serve them. They also dig into the myth of work-life "balance," the power of identity-first change, and why giving yourself 45 minutes to be pissed — and not a minute more — is a legitimate strategy. If you want to hear two Marines talk honestly about coaching, ownership, emotional discipline, and what it means to survive version one before you ever get to version ten, this one's for you. 📖 Grab Karla's book: Be One of Zero — available on Amazon.

    27 min
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About

Welcome to Teach, Coach, Mentor: the podcast about what it actually takes to reach people. We sit down with teachers, coaches, and mentors who are doing the work and we dig into their methods. How they teach so it lands. How they coach so it sticks. How they mentor so it matters. If you care about getting better at developing others — whether that's in a classroom, on a field, in a workplace, or across a lifetime — this show is for you. I'm your host, educator and coach, Mike Wish. Let's get after it.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Wish
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Michael Wish
  • Show Website
    Teach, Coach, Mentor