Jon Harper is a former elementary school teacher and current assistant principal at Sandy Hill Elementary at Cambridge, Maryland on a mission to help people of all ages realize that it is okay to make mistakes; especially really big ones.

Jon hosts two podcasts, Teachers Aid and My Bad and I was on his show sharing my story about My Bad. Jon also has a new book out called, My Bad: 24 Educators Who Messed Up, Fessed Up and Grew”.  Enjoy!
You and your family
I lived on the eastern shore of Maryland since I was six. A few months ago, we moved about 20 minutes from where I work in a town called Easton, Maryland with my wife, who is a math coach. I have to say she is a much better coach than I ever was.
We have two amazing kids, Derek who is seven, and Bailey who is thirteen. Easton is very rural and is an hour and a half from Baltimore and in the other direction an hour and a half from DC, and an hour from the beach. Life is good for me. I’m a very lucky man.
 
What it was like when you were a student
When I was a student, I didn’t think much about schoolwork. I thought about playing soccer, tennis, and running around outside. I just had fun outside. It’s funny because I try to get my kids to read and they are great readers. But when I came home, I don’t remember reading like that. It was fun growing up in Cambridge on the eastern shore because it is a wonderful place to live, peaceful, quiet.

Image: Cambridge Maryland – A Meeting of the Past and Present
I have fond memories of my childhood. My dad coached my soccer team. I probably spent 95% of my childhood in one square mile.  I used to play tennis and soccer not that far away. Actually, I am assistant principal at Sandy Hill which is where I went as a child. In fact, that is where I got the itch to become a teacher. I never thought I was going to be a teacher. I went to school as an undergrad at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina majoring in philosophy. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with that. My dad was a doctor so I thought maybe that’s what I would do. I went back and took pre-med courses for a couple years and applied for medical school. While I was waiting, I needed to get a job so my mom suggested I substitute at the school down the street. So I did and absolutely loved it. I decided to go back to school to get my teaching credential.
Your journey as an educator to administrator
I was 26 when I started teaching which I believe was better for me than starting at 21.My first class was second grade.  I taught elementary school for 10 years; first, second, fourth and then fifth grade for six years. In fact, one of the children in my first second-grade class is now a teacher in my school. I was lucky to have some of the same children in the second, fourth, and fifth grades. When you work with children at different levels, you can truly appreciate what teachers are doing at each level.  
I wanted to try something different and became a math coach for about three years at a different county where I live now. I see what teachers are going through, some of their struggles, and how difficult it is to teach. Teaching is much more difficult now than when I started teaching 20 years ago.  I never thought I would become an administrator but I got the itch and started applying. After about my 13th year as a teacher and coach, I became an assistant principal where I became a math coach for seven years and have been one ever since.
My Bad Podcast
went to a conference in 2013/2014 and heard Todd Whitaker @toddwhitaker say that if you are not on Twitter, you have to be. Before then,