Inspiring Educators

By Sung Lee: Knowledge Not Shared is Knowledge Wasted

What's Inspiring Educators about?

Bi-Weekly interviews with a global community of inspiring educators sharing their amazing journeys and passions to educate and help turn our students' dreams into realities!

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Inspiring Educators episodes:

02.19.2016
IE74: Laurie Roberts. #FlyHighFri.
Happy Friday! We are back in Idaho to celebrate our victory in education with #FlyHighFri! Our unsung hero is Mrs. Laurie Roberts, an AP English teacher who has found passion in teaching and guiding motivated students for the past 28...
02.12.2016
IE73: Tammy McMorrow. #FlyHighFri.
It’s Friday and time to celebrate individual success in education. Joining us to share her #FlyHighFri moment of the week is Mrs. Tammy McMorrow of Kuna, Idaho. Tammy has been teaching first grade for 22 years in Idaho and while first...
02.06.2016
IE72: Simon Miller. #FlyHighFri.
It’s Friday and time to celebrate individual success in education. Joining us to share his #FlyHighFri moment of the week is Mr. Simon Miller of Kellog, Idaho. Simon is a technology coordinator, a Google certified educator, a Star Wars geek,...
01.31.2016
IE71: Jim Burson. A Coach’s Coach.
Dr. James (Jim) F. Burson is a sought-after basketball coaching consultant and motivational speaker. He is known as a “coach’s coach” (Sports Illustrated) for his lifetime commitment to improving the quality of the game at all levels and his passion...
01.29.2016
IE70: Amy Fadeji. #FlyHighFri.
It’s Friday and time to celebrate individual success in education. Joining us to share her #FlyHighFri moment of the week is Mrs. Amy Fadeji. Amy is the Principal of Penngrove Elementary in Penngorve, California and always knew she wanted to be...
11.20.2015
IE69: Todd Schmidt. #FlyHighFri.
It’s Friday and time to celebrate individual success in education. Joining us to share his #FlyHighFri moment of the week is the Principal of Harbor View Elementary in Corona Del Mar, Dr. Todd Schmidt. Dr. Schmidt is a born educator and...
11.19.2015
IE68: Allison Kerley. Flipped and Blended Classroom.
When you have lived abroad, you can never return home as the same person. All your preconceived notion of your home and the world is broadened and enhanced with real life experience. The ability to bring such valued lessons in...
11.13.2015
IE67: Paul Erickson. #FlyHighFri.
It’s Friday and time to celebrate our success in education with #FlyHighFri! Joining us to share his moment of victory for this week is Paul Erickson from Hutchinson, KS. Paul has been selected as the 2014 Kansas Elementary School Principal of the Year...
11.10.2015
IE66: Tracy LaFreniere. Rhode Island 2016 Teacher of the Year.
Tracy Lafreniere teaches reading and writing as a Reading Specialist at North Smithfield Elementary School. At the time she was recognized as Rhode Island Teacher of the Year, she had been teaching for 17 years. Although she has always loved...
11.06.2015
IE65: Chris Longo. #FlyHighFri.
It’s Friday and time to celebrate our success in education with #FlyHighFri! Joining us to share his moment of victory this week is Dr. Chris Longo from New Milford, Connecticut. Dr. Longo started his educational career as a biology teacher at...
11.05.2015
IE64: Todd Irving. Leadership and Transforming Failing Schools.
Transforming a failing school should be ranked up there as one of the most difficult tasks a person can undertake. Reenergizing, motivating, and instilling confidence in the teaching and support staff for the marathon school year is no easy task, and...
10.30.2015
IE63: Victoria Curry. #FlyHighFri.
It’s Friday and time to celebrate our success in education with #FlyHighFri! Joining us to share her moment of victory this week is Mrs. Victoria Curry from the great state of New York. Victoria’s passion and enthusiasm for education first led...
10.30.2015
IE62: Travis Sevilla. An Art Teacher’s Work in Progress.
An opportunity to share one’s passion as a teacher and help students reveal their talents, is a privilege and honor all educators share on a daily basis. Travis Sevilla is an artist and an educator who has recently found home...
10.23.2015
IE61: James Sturtevant. #FlyHighFri.
We are celebrating our weekly success in education with #FlyHighFri moment. Sharing his defining moment of the week is our past guest, James Sturtevant. A motivated and inspiring high school teacher from Ohio and the author of “You’ve Gotta Connect”,...
10.09.2015
IE60: Maria Kisner. #FlyHighFri.
TGIF! So, let’s celebrate our weekly success with #FlyHighFri. Joining Inspiring Educators today is a school counselor from Warren County, VA, Maria Kisner. Maria is all about instilling values and teaching life lessons to her crop of young ladies and...
10.08.2015
IE59: Laura Sullivan. 900 Voices.
Laura Sullivan is a GRAMMY® winning composer and recording artist. Her original music has been included in the score of two Emmy winning documentaries, as well as in many popular television programs and advertisements for Fortune 500 companies. Her...
10.06.2015
IE58: Penny Sturtevant. People Centered Leadership.
The role of a school administrator is arguably one of the most challenging positions for any individual in a leadership position. The ability to provide personal attention to daily details of individual student, parent, or staff member while orchestrating the...
10.02.2015
IE57: Justin Birckbichler. #FlyHighFri.
On Friday, we celebrate! We celebrate our success in and outside the classroom. #FlyHighFri is catching on and joining us to share his moment of triumph this week is Justin Birckbichler. Justin is an elementary teacher in Virginia. Inspiring Educators...
10.02.2015
IE56: Mark Barnes. Brilliant or Insane.
Brilliant or Insane publisher and Hack Learning creator Mark Barnes has written six books on education technology, student-centered learning, using mobile devices and social media in the classroom, global learning and 21st-century assessment, using his revolutionary SE2R system. Mark Barnes...
09.26.2015
IE55: Mari Venturino. #FlyHighFri.
It’s Friday! The week’s work is done, but we know, the work is really never done. There are essays or labs to grade while catching some football games over the weekend and lessons to be planned for the upcoming week, but...
09.25.2015
IE54: Jonathan Wai. Recognizing Spatial Talent In Students.
Jonathan Wai, Ph.D., is a research scientist at the Duke University Talent Identification Program and a visiting researcher at Case Western Reserve University. He did his postdoctoral work at Duke University, holds a doctorate from Vanderbilt University, and graduated from Claremont...
09.23.2015
IE53: Teaching Outside the Classroom. Just As Important.
Some of the most meaningful dialogues I’ve had with students occurred outside the class time. The opportunity afforded me to get to know my students on a one to one level, especially the more introverted ones. Free from peer pressure...
09.22.2015
IE52: Stacey Lindes. #PodcastPD.
Stacey Lindes is a Teacher Resource Specialist for Technology (an exceptionally long title for a tech integrator/innovator/coach) in Central New Jersey (yes, it really does exist). In her current position, she works in a 4th and 5th grade school supporting...
09.21.2015
IE51: Burned Out Teachers. Doing the Right Thing.
At some point in an educator’s career, he or she is bound to sail into the doldrums of teaching. Some will manage to find new inspirations and sail on, while others will remain trapped indefinitely. Burned out teachers can easily...
09.19.2015
IE50: Fear of Public Speaking. The Power of Words.
Fear of public speaking rates at the top of all fears in the US, more so than the fear of flying, heights, spiders, and even clowns. For a new teacher, the anticipation of delivering her first lesson to a classroom...
09.17.2015
IE49: John Linney. School Transformation Specialist.
John Linney (M.A.) is an international speaker, trainer, podcast host and author. As a “climate specialist,” he has provided services and training to over 400 educational institutions, foundations, community partnerships, and organizations in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico,...
09.17.2015
IE48: One Year of Inspiring Educators.
Time flies when you’re having fun! It’s been one year since the launching of Inspiring Educators. After 47 episodes, downloads in 98 countries, and 48 states (come on Alaska and Rhode Island), I’m looking forward to the great promise of...
09.15.2015
IE47: Brian Sztabnik. Talks With Teachers.
Brian is a veteran English teacher and former basketball coach in New York. His dedication to education extends beyond the final school bell and the confines of his classroom. By day, a mild manner English teacher and by night, Brian...
09.02.2015
IE46: Andy Weir. The Martian Author Shares His Tale.
Andy Weir was first hired as a programmer for a national laboratory at age fifteen and has been working as a software engineer ever since. He is also a lifelong space nerd and a devoted hobbyist of subjects like relativistic physics,...
08.01.2015
IE45: John Andrew Williams. Academic Life Coaching.
John was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He grew up in the rural South Hills and spent his summers between academic years working on a farm picking corn in the morning and tomatoes in the afternoons. He also wrestled...
07.28.2015
IE44: Jessica Lahey. The Gift of Failure.
Jessica Lahey is an educator, author, and speaker. She writes the bi-weekly column “The Parent-Teacher Conference” for the New York Times, is a contributing writer for The Atlantic, and a commentator on Vermont Public Radio. Her book, The Gift of...
06.24.2015
IE43: Justin Birckbichler. Closing the Tech Gap in the Classroom.
Justin Birckbichler’s goal is to bridge the technology gap for his students at an early age. His creative, project based, tech implemented lessons, provide his students with a high level of autonomy to instill confidence and experience based outcomes. However, it’s not...
06.23.2015
IE42: Jennifer Gonzalez. Cult Of Pedagogy.
Jennifer Gonzalez is a National Board Certified educator and the creator of the popular education website, “Cult of Pedagogy.” Having taught and inspired her students for eight years, Jennifer eventually left teaching to raise a family. Once a teacher, always a...
06.10.2015
IE41: Tom Henderson. The Physics Classroom.
Our Inspiring Educator today is a high school physics teacher at the Glenbrook South High School in Glenview, Illinois. Mr. Tom Henderson has been teaching physics and chemistry since 1989 and a pioneering developer of an online tutorial guide for students...
06.09.2015
IE40: Gap Year
In 2006, I took a leave of absence, a gap year, from teaching to travel and explore the world. It was a pause in my teaching career to reassess my life and to this day, the single most important decision I...
05.27.2015
IE39: Joe Rivera. The Power Of Silence. Lessons From Teaching The Deaf.
As a high school student, Joe was already assisting his teachers in communicating with the deaf students through sign language, often filling in for the interpreters running late. Even with his limited knowledge of the American Sign Language, Joe played a...
05.01.2015
IE38: Henry Mulzac. One Isn’t Appreciative Until He Sees Less.
As educators, we are responsible for having a diverse range of knowledge that goes beyond our subject matters. We have to be open to accommodate the increasing number of cultures and ethnic backgrounds in our students yet strive to always...
03.05.2015
IE37: Paul Smith. Lead With A Story. A Tale From A Master Story Teller.
As educators, we seek to motivate our students, provide perspective, and draw the big picture to make sense of sometimes the obscure concepts that is at times lost to a population of students lacking the vital experience based knowledge. Experience...
02.22.2015
IE36: Kyle Gurkovich. Be Comfortable Getting Uncomfortable.
How do you compete as a teacher with Youtube, Facebook, iPads, smartphones, and all other distractions influencing your children and our students in the classroom? How do you get students to put down their smart phones, stay focused, on task,...
02.20.2015
IE35: Rick Hanson. Happiness, Love, and Wisdom in Education.
Our inspiring educator today is Dr. Rick Hanson, a neuro-psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and New York Times best-selling author. His books include Hardwiring Happiness, Buddha’s Brain, Just One Thing, and Mother Nurture. ...
01.12.2015
IE34: James Sturtevant. You’ve Gotta Connect With Your Students!
Remember the scene from “The Dead Poet’s Society”, when Robin Williams character Mr. Keatings guided his students out to the trophy case in the hallways, had his students lean in and stare into an old black and white photo of...
01.10.2015
IE33: Seth Sherwood. Reinvent. Take Risks. Push Past Your Comfort Zone!
Our inspiring educator today is a professional keynote speaker and a certified facilitator with Premier International Training Company. Mr. Seth Sherwood is a former elementary and high school teacher and once a Peace Corps volunteer in South America. Seth holds...
01.01.2015
IE32: Carlos Granthon. Revolutionizing Music Education In Peru.
Making a difference. Providing an opportunity. Inspiring! Our inspiring educator today is a Peruvian Music professor. An instructor at a high school and the highly regarded Universidad Catolica Del Peru, he was the founder of the first College Big Band...
12.27.2014
IE31: Michael Chisolm. Eagle Flight Squadron Giving Wings To Dreams.
Who hasn’t once dreamed of flying? Flying is beautiful, practical, and above all poetic. Perhaps none has captured the grace of flying better than John Gillespe MaGee Jr. in his poem “High Flight.” There exist no such thing as a...
12.18.2014
IE30: Andrew Matthews. Inspiring Through Words and Drawings.
Johnathan Livingston Seagull, The Little Prince. To Kill A Mockingbird. Tale of Two Cities. Being Happy! We have all had books that were especially meaningful to us as teenagers trying to find a direction in life, and even to this...
12.15.2014
IE29: Holly Dixon. Teach First New Zealand’s Call To Action.
Teach First NZ works to reduce educational inequality by developing talented individuals into highly effective teachers and inspirational leaders. Inspired by the prestigious Teach First program in the UK and similar to the US Teach for America, Teach First NZ’s...
12.12.2014
IE28: Massimiliano Tomba. The Big Picture. A Philosopher’s Thoughts On Education.
As an educator, it’s always important to look at the big picture and question where our lessons in the classroom will take our students? We are the messengers from the past and the gatekeeper to our students for their future....
11.23.2014
IE27: Jim Prothero. On Inspiring Teachers.
Suggest a topic to cover to a group of educators to teach and you’ll end up with multiple lesson plans as unique as the number of teachers in the room. Each instructor will inevitably include their personal experience and design...
11.03.2014
IE26: Alyssa Carson. Thirteen Year Old Training for Mission to Mars.
Teachers, parents, and mentors all find ourselves in a critical role to influence and provide guidance for our children and students. We sometimes forget that our children and students have valued lessons to teach us a thing about life. Our...
10.28.2014
IE25: Marvin Callahan. My Students Were Going Hungry. I Had To Do Something.
We often hear about teachers making personal sacrifices to ensure student success. Perhaps, opening the class early in the morning to provide last minute help before a big test or staying late after school to assist with a science project...

What's Inspiring Educators about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Inspiring Educators episodes:

IE74: Laurie Roberts. #FlyHighFri.

IE73: Tammy McMorrow. #FlyHighFri.

IE72: Simon Miller. #FlyHighFri.

IE71: Jim Burson. A Coach’s Coach.

IE70: Amy Fadeji. #FlyHighFri.

IE69: Todd Schmidt. #FlyHighFri.

IE68: Allison Kerley. Flipped and Blended Classroom.

IE67: Paul Erickson. #FlyHighFri.

IE66: Tracy LaFreniere. Rhode Island 2016 Teacher of the Year.

IE65: Chris Longo. #FlyHighFri.

IE64: Todd Irving. Leadership and Transforming Failing Schools.

IE63: Victoria Curry. #FlyHighFri.

IE62: Travis Sevilla. An Art Teacher’s Work in Progress.

IE61: James Sturtevant. #FlyHighFri.

IE60: Maria Kisner. #FlyHighFri.

IE59: Laura Sullivan. 900 Voices.

IE58: Penny Sturtevant. People Centered Leadership.

IE57: Justin Birckbichler. #FlyHighFri.

IE56: Mark Barnes. Brilliant or Insane.

IE55: Mari Venturino. #FlyHighFri.

IE54: Jonathan Wai. Recognizing Spatial Talent In Students.

IE53: Teaching Outside the Classroom. Just As Important.

IE52: Stacey Lindes. #PodcastPD.

IE51: Burned Out Teachers. Doing the Right Thing.

IE50: Fear of Public Speaking. The Power of Words.

IE49: John Linney. School Transformation Specialist.

IE48: One Year of Inspiring Educators.

IE47: Brian Sztabnik. Talks With Teachers.

IE46: Andy Weir. The Martian Author Shares His Tale.

IE45: John Andrew Williams. Academic Life Coaching.

IE44: Jessica Lahey. The Gift of Failure.

IE43: Justin Birckbichler. Closing the Tech Gap in the Classroom.

IE42: Jennifer Gonzalez. Cult Of Pedagogy.

IE41: Tom Henderson. The Physics Classroom.

IE40: Gap Year

IE39: Joe Rivera. The Power Of Silence. Lessons From Teaching The Deaf.

IE38: Henry Mulzac. One Isn’t Appreciative Until He Sees Less.

IE37: Paul Smith. Lead With A Story. A Tale From A Master Story Teller.

IE36: Kyle Gurkovich. Be Comfortable Getting Uncomfortable.

IE35: Rick Hanson. Happiness, Love, and Wisdom in Education.

IE34: James Sturtevant. You’ve Gotta Connect With Your Students!

IE33: Seth Sherwood. Reinvent. Take Risks. Push Past Your Comfort Zone!

IE32: Carlos Granthon. Revolutionizing Music Education In Peru.

IE31: Michael Chisolm. Eagle Flight Squadron Giving Wings To Dreams.

IE30: Andrew Matthews. Inspiring Through Words and Drawings.

IE29: Holly Dixon. Teach First New Zealand’s Call To Action.

IE28: Massimiliano Tomba. The Big Picture. A Philosopher’s Thoughts On Education.

IE27: Jim Prothero. On Inspiring Teachers.

IE26: Alyssa Carson. Thirteen Year Old Training for Mission to Mars.

IE25: Marvin Callahan. My Students Were Going Hungry. I Had To Do Something.