Episode 78  

In this episode, Leena Marie Saleh (AKA the Edtech Guru) sits down with Cedric Scott, a former administrator turned Teacher Transition Expert and founder of  EDU Hustle. This interview is filled with tips and tricks to make the transition out of the classroom a reality.    

We discuss: 

 Who is Cedric Scott? 

Cedric Scott, Jr., M.Ed. is a former chemist, teacher, instructional coach, and assistant principal. He is also the author of his self-published narrative, "Grade 3 to AP: Memoirs of a Black Male Educator."  Cedric enjoys being a stay-at-home dad to his son and a husband to his wife, who is also an educator. He currently works as an EdTech curriculum associate and is the creator of "Melanated Mathematics," math and financial literacy content in the context of black history and culture.  

What about EDU Hustle?  

EDU HUSTLE was founded by Cedric Scott, Jr., M.Ed. in 2021 to provide products and resources to educators, youth, and families under the premise of "EDUCATE.INVEST.EMPOWER."  

About The Edtech Guru:

Leena Marie Saleh aka The Edtech Guru has spent well over a decade helping to drive change within the education space. The Edtech Guru is a firm believer that with access and equity, we can drive even greater change.

Connect with Leena:

Want to sponsor a podcast episode? Contact: [email protected]

Episode 76

In this episode, Leena Marie Saleh (AKA the Edtech Guru) sits down with the dynamic duo Jenallee. Jeni Long and Sallee Clark are educators, innovative leaders, authors, and Edtech consultants who are on a mission to empower educators through the power of Edtech. This episode was jammed packed with insightful thoughts peppered with inspiration. 

In this interview, we talk about:

Learn more about Jenallee:

As educators, authors, international speakers, and EdTech consultants, Jeni Long and Sallee Clark are on a mission to empower educators to make learning accessible and fun for ALL! This dynamic duo, known as #Jenallee, currently serves as Innovation Leaders with Castleberry ISD in Ft Worth, TX. Seeing educators empower their students with critical thinking skills and empathy makes them proud to know that technology is bringing meaningful experiences into classrooms. In addition, Jeni and Sallee co-create content for their Jenallee Show blog, TikTok, and YouTube show. Their educational content highlights the newest EdTech tools and offers tech tutorials for teachers and educators across the globe. Between the two, they have served in education for 40+ years, have a Master of Educational Technology, and are frequent presenters on the national conference circuit. Jenallee published their first book with Elevate Books EDU, The Microsoft Teams Playbook, in 2021, and they are collaborating authors on the EduMatch book Amplify Learning: A Global Collaborative. In addition, Jenallee was recently awarded the Top 30 2022 EdTech Influencer Award by EdTech K-12 Magazine.

Tools  @Jenallee   Recommend trying it out today! 

As always, like, share, and comment below. 

Episode 75

Wow! We made it through another year! Last year was a huge growth year for Leena Marie. She started a new role at @canva and learned how to overcome imposter syndrome slowly. 

But on top of getting a new puppy named Onyx, Leena put together a few of her favorite series. 

The first series she did this year was meeting with and interviewing REAL life teachers who have moved out of the classroom and into the "corporate world'. Each interview is raw, open, and transparent about the steps they took and needed to move out of the classroom. 

In the second series of the year, she met with Teacher Transition Experts to discuss what they do in day-to-day and vital tips and tricks to keep in mind when making a transition out of the classroom. 

Leena also covered a few topics outside those series, like:

Leena also interviewed Edtech founders on the tools that they created to help fill gaps in the education space: 

About The Edtech Guru:

Leena Marie Saleh aka The Edtech Guru has spent well over a decade helping to drive change within the education space. The Edtech Guru is a firm believer that with access and equity, we can drive even greater change.

Connect with Leena:

Want to sponsor a podcast episode? Contact: [email protected]

Episode 74

In this episode, Leena Marie Saleh (AKA the Edtech Guru) sits down with Claire Smizer-Muldoon. Claire is currently the Associate Director of Curriculum at NueroMaker STEM. Leena and Claire sit down to discuss her story and how she has become a Teacher Transition advocate.   In this interview, Leena and Claire discuss:  - Who is Claire?  - Why she left teaching and make her transition out of the classroom.  - The steps she took to make her transition a reality. - What is life like as an Associate Director of Curriculum (her day to day) - The importance of building your personal brand when transitioning careers - Tips and Tricks to make your OWN transition a reality?

Who is Claire Smizer-Muldoon?

Claire is a former educator who spent six years in the classroom. For four of those years, she wanted to leave. She spent a long time hating herself for wanting to quit and being split between staying and leaving since it was a "vocation" and "for the kids" and all the other reasons that teachers feel obligated to stay. When she truly sat down to think about her own two children, she focused on two primary questions: who they would get as a result of her staying in the classroom and who their teachers would get as a result of her choices, and both questions drastically altered her perspective.  Claire has since made a transition out of the classroom and become a teacher transition advocate.  ➢ Connect with Claire: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairesmizer ➢ Learn about NueroMaker STEM: neuromakerstem.com

How can you connect with Claire?

About The Edtech Guru:

Leena Marie Saleh aka The Edtech Guru has spent well over a decade helping to drive change within the education space. The Edtech Guru is a firm believer that with access and equity, we can drive even greater change.

Connect with Leena:

Want to sponsor a podcast episode? Contact: [email protected]

Episode 73

In this episode, Leena Marie Saleh (AKA the Edtech Guru) chats with Andrew Webb. Andrew is a former content and SEO marketer turned UX/Content designer. Andrew is a career pivoter himself and had  curated a wealth of content for those who are looking for how to navigate career pathways post Higher Ed through the Employed Historian (a hidden gem for career transitoners).  In the episode, Leena and Andrew spit truths and realities of what it really takes to make a career change.

Each and every journey to a new career pathway is unique, and we hope that you are able to see yourself in one of our experts. 

In this episode, we discuss: 

Who is Andrew Webb? 

Andrew Webb is on a mission to show liberal arts graduates how to land jobs and build careers. He turned a history degree into a fulfilling career in digital marketing and UX, then founded Employed Historian to show others how to do it for themselves, too.

How can you connect with Andrew?

About The Edtech Guru:

Leena Marie Saleh aka The Edtech Guru has spent well over a decade helping to drive change within the education space. The Edtech Guru is a firm believer that with access and equity, we can drive even greater change.

Connect with Leena:

Want to sponsor a podcast episode? Contact: [email protected]

Episode 72

In this episode, Leena Marie Saleh (AKA the Edtech Guru) sits down with none other than Gerard Dawson. Gerard is a former High School English teacher, podcaster, copywriter, and edtech marketer. In the episode, Leena and Gerard spit truths and realities of what a teacher transition really means. Each and every journey to a new career pathway is unique, and we hope that you are able to see yourself in one of our experts. 

In this episode, we discuss: 

Who is Gerard Dawson? 

Gerard Dawson worked as a high school English teacher for ten years before becoming a copywriter and marketer for the education industry.

How can you connect with Gerard?

About The Edtech Guru:

Leena Marie Saleh aka The Edtech Guru has spent well over a decade helping to drive change within the education space. The Edtech Guru is a firm believer that with access and equity, we can drive even greater change.

Connect with me:

Want to sponsor a podcast episode? Contact: [email protected]

Episode 71

In this episode, Leena Marie Saleh (AKA the Edtech Guru) sits down on her first solo episode in a while to tell you the tips and tricks that you need to make the transition a reality. Leena sits down and tells you the skills and tips she needed for her day to day. 

In this episode:

Network Tips:

About Canva for Education 

Did you know that Canva for Education is free for all K12 educators? With Canva for Education, you can create the most engaging lessons and run activities for students in-class or online. Access thousands of templates for any subject, grade, or topic, and enjoy all of Canva’s premium features for free.Canva for Education has all the power of Canva Pro, but with the educator and student in mind. 

Explore more about Canva here: https://www.canva.com/education/

Sign your district up today! (https://bit.ly/3AtuySY)

About CodeMonkey: 

CodeMonkey is an AWARD-WINNING online platform that teaches kids real coding languages like CoffeeScript and Python  . Children and teenagers learn block-based and text-based coding through an engaging game-like environment.

Millions of CodeMonkey's students are now excited about coding! CodeMonkey does not require prior coding experience to teach and is designed for schools, clubs, and home use.

Explore more here:  https://www.codemonkey.com/

 Sign your district up today! (https://bit.ly/3glLyn6)

About The Edtech Guru: 

Leena Marie Saleh aka The Edtech Guru has spent well over a decade helping to drive change within the education space. The Edtech Guru is a firm believer that with access and equity, we can drive even greater change. 

Connect with me: 

Want to sponsor a podcast episode? Contact: [email protected]

Episode 70

In this episode, Leena Marie Saleh (AKA the Edtech Guru) sits down with Founder and CEO of TinyIVY. In the episode, we discuss the realities of the lack of momentum and movement of reading across America. 

We discuss: 

Who is Zachary Silversweig:

Zachary Silverzweig is a mission-driven entrepreneur, technology leader and the innovator behind TinyIvy, which develops literacy tools for schools based on the TIPS system. He holds a Master's and Bachelors degree from Columbia University and lives in New York with his wife and two children.

Connect with Zachary here: 

What is TinyIVY:

We imagine a bright future where virtually all children can read at grade-level

Our vision is utopian. Never before in mankind’s history has there been a country where virtually everyone could read. You can draw a direct line from learning to read to immeasurable benefits for society. McKinsey found a way to put a dollar figure against this gain: $500B a year; but of course the true measure is not financial. 

We believe that the best ideas come from a diverse and well-educated populace. If everyone could read, we would have a more educated conversation, across the globe, of how to govern, what and whom to protect, how to stimulate growth, where to research, how to lower crime, and improve healthcare. How to do more with less. 

Learn more about TinyIVY here: https://tinyivy.com

About The Edtech Guru: 

Leena Marie Saleh aka The Edtech Guru has spent well over a decade helping to drive change within the education space. The Edtech Guru is a firm believer that with access and equity, we can drive even greater change. 

Connect with me: 

Want to sponsor a podcast episode? Contact: [email protected]

Episode 69

In this episode, Leena Marie Saleh (AKA the Edtech Guru) sits down with former educators turned Senior Project Manager and teacher transition expert Lindsay Reno. In this interview, Leena and Lindsay break down what life was like in the classroom for Lindsay and how you too can make the transition.

We can say it won't ever be a walk in the park, but with hard work anything is possible.

So what do we cover in this episode?

What were your takeaways to this episode?

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Episode Resources:

Who is Lindsay Reno?

Lindsay used to be a middle school teacher.

There were parts she loved, like planning lessons and building one on one relationships with students. However, she struggled a lot with classroom management and often felt overwhelmed by the organizational and emotional demands of being a teacher. After a couple of tough years, she knew it wasn’t the right career for her.

Even though she knew she wanted to leave the classroom, she had no idea she wanted or how to even begin to prepare. She felt left behind, her peers had conquered the workforce, while she was learning a totally different set of rules as a teacher.

It wasn’t easy, but she eventually found a job that preserved much of what she loved about teaching but gave her the flexibility, growth, and stability she craved. Today, Lindsay works as Senior Product Manager at Canva and gets to design and build features for millions of students to use every day!

As meaningful as teaching is, she is simply happier doing something else.

And that’s okay!

She started Transitioning Teacher because she doesn’t think educators hear that message enough (or get the support they need if they are ready to make a change). If this resonates at all, She is here to remind you that 1) you’re NOT a bad person for considering a transition, and 2) if you can teach children, you can do so many other things, too!

Connect with Lindsay:

➤ Via LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-reno-b23b8a58/)

➤ Visit Transitioning Teacher:

About The Edtech Guru:

Leena Marie Saleh aka The Edtech Guru has spent well over a decade helping to drive change within the education space. The Edtech Guru is a firm believer that with access and equity, we can drive even greater change.

Connect with us:

Want to sponsor a podcast episode? Contact: [email protected]

Episode 68 

In this episode, Leena Marie Saleh (AKA the Edtech Guru) sits down in a candid interview with newly transitioned and former educator turned teacher transition expert-Rebecca Stump. Rebecca just recently made the transition in the summer of 2022. She jumps on to share her story and how to actually even truly make a transition. She shares her failures, hardships, empowering tips, and the power of consistency for those that are too looking to make a career transition. 

What do we cover in this very candid interview? 

So who is Rebecca Stump? 

Rebecca spent her first life as a 7th grade English teacher. After nine years, she decided it was time for a change. She now works as a freelance marketer, as well as an account manager where she utilizes her project management, communication, and organizational skills (all of which she learned from her time in the classroom)! She spends her free-time championing educators who have transitioned, are trying to transition, or are staying in the classroom. Once a teacher, always a teacher.

How can you connect with Rebecca? 

About The Edtech Guru:

Leena Marie Saleh aka The Edtech Guru has spent well over a decade helping to drive change within the education space. The Edtech Guru is a firm believer that with access and equity, we can drive even greater change.

Connect with us:

Want to sponsor a podcast episode? Contact: [email protected]