3rd Grade Math and Science Teacher, Rolanda Hewitt, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:

0:35  1. You are a 3rd grade math and science teacher at University Elementary School. In your career, you have received numerous awards for your work, including Teacher of the Year twice and Teacher of the District in Caddo Parish.

I am so excited to have you, not only because of the wealth of experience you bring to today’s discussion but because you are our very first public elementary school educator in 90 plus episodes.

Let’s start here today.

Teaching school is one of the most important careers one can take on but also one of the more challenging. What are some of the things you personally do to stay resilient and keep from burning out?

5:50  2. What is it like working in a school post COVID?

14:48  3. I know that the environment created at a school makes a huge difference in teacher retention. Talk to me about this and some of the factors that determine whether teachers thrive and remain focused versus factors in the environment at a school that might lead to job dissatisfaction?

23:56  4. What is the biggest challenge as an educator today?

30:39  5. How can community members get more Involved in helping with the challenges our educators face? What opportunities exist to be mentors, tutors, etc?