In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2017 Nevada Teacher of the Year Pam Ertel talks about why language, and the words we use, are so important in education.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2017 Louisiana Teacher of the Year Joni Smith tells the story of what it was like to take part in discussions with U.S. Department of Education, and why it's her mission to keep those discussions focused on students.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2017 Florida Teacher of the Year Jessica Solano talks about the difference between involving parents and engaging them, and how her life changed when she started visiting students in their homes.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2017 North Carolina Teacher of the Year Bobbie Cavnar tells us about what happened when he was slated to deliver a prepared speech to educators — and how he followed his instincts and went off-script.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2017 Washington, D.C. Teacher of the Year Elizabeth Dewhurst shares how she learned to rely on a community of educators to help her be a better teacher for her students.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2017 Missouri Teacher of the Year Darbie Valenti tells us about her passion for teaching STEM lessons, and why she believes that STEM is the key to teaching the skills that matter most.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2017 New Jersey Teacher of the Year Argine Safari tells us how she used music to help students cope with their fears after the violence in Charlottesville.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2017 Texas Teacher of the Year Allison Ashley shares her experiences contributing to her state's new educational standards, and how vastly different educators turned their differences into something powerful for students.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2017 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year Chris Gleason tells us about the tuba lesson that changed his perspective on education.

In this episode of Leading from the Classroom, 2017 Wyoming Teacher of the Year Ryan Fuhrman shares how he overcame self-doubt and learned the value of his own leadership.