Teacher Tales

In this episode, Nilda, an inspiring teacher in Puerto Rico, is a great example of what the Spirit of Teaching is all about. Listen to her story and her powerful metaphors that capture the true heart of teaching and the real value of teachers to our society and to the world. Her passion is contagious, her insights are inspiring and her heart is full of love, hope, positive encouragement and an undying dedication to a profession she feels is noble, honorable and undervalued in so many ways. If any teacher is looking for an uplifting, validating and loving conversation about their true value as a teacher and the difference they make every day in this world, THIS is the episode they will want to listen to over and over and over again (hopefully, despite the poor audio quality!)  Nilda and I had some technical difficulties with the recording that were not evident until after our conversation had finished. Please allow grace and forgiveness for the poor quality of the recording, which I felt I could not ask a teacher to do over because of the value of her time and the value of what she shared from her heart through very authentic, passionate words. Thank you for listening and for encouraging others to listen and subscribe. 

In this episode, we get to know Hannah, a multi-faceted and multi-talented educator and mental health professional. Hannah explains how she is a “third culture kid” as well as a product of a military family upbringing. She tells us how these experiences helped her to become highly sensitive and tune in to all the “other stuff” besides the academics in school that may be getting in the way of learning for students. During our powerful and insightful conversation, Hannah talks about how much both teachers and students struggle with anxiety and how their self-worth and identity are often tied to a grade, standard, evaluation or test score. She explains how a counselor, or better yet, mental health professional can be a resource and support to everyone both in school and beyond to help develop the whole child and not just the academic part. As a result, she has started a passion project of resources and support at www.bethinkgrow.com, a “modern wellness initiative that is changing the mental and behavioral health game”. Be sure to check it out! Finally, Hannah says that SEL is more than a worksheet or a PD packet or training module required of teachers by the district. She issues a strong plea for mental health support to “be done correctly and by mental health professionals”. Perhaps mental health professionals could even volunteer and provide community service in schools or become a Business Partner in Education to a school because, you know, it does “take a village”!

In this episode, we meet Diane, an educator and speech therapist who transitioned from the classroom to start her own company of consultants that has become a champion for children and inclusive education. CMDI – Consulting that Makes a Difference, “focuses on providing professional development that celebrates diversity, promotes the inclusion of all people and supports successful outcomes for school communities, administrators, teachers, parents and students.” But Diane says that it is more than “PD” as professional development. It is also about personal development, relationships, vulnerability and figuring things out. She also emphasizes how important it is in any relationship to be a good listener, to listen with your heart, to care for and support one another, to get along, and to be honest and speak up about your needs. The school community is like a family, and if things are not going well, the “kids” always know. So, Diane’s greatest hope for all teachers is that “they see their value and strengths on their own without waiting for others to point them out to them.” Amen! So, sit back and take note as we get real about what is REALly going on both inside and outside teachers’ worlds right now. Then, we invite you to think about what YOU can do to become a better listener for ALL teachers in order to be more supportive, caring, nurturing and loving. After all, we are all part of the human family!  

In this episode, I chat with my longtime friend and colleague, Pam. As teachers, we establish and develop deep connections and friendships with colleagues that last a lifetime. We learn from each other; we support each other; we share experiences and emotions; we cheer each other on; we lift each other up when we are down; we are there for one another…always! In this chat between friends, Pam and I take a trip down memory lane through her many, varied and rich experiences as a teacher, mentor, colleague, collaborator and friend. She shares with us how all these experiences have taught her lessons and given her insights, perspective and skills for adaptability, collegiality and better communication with others. Pam explains how all her experiences have helped her to engage effectively in both systems-focused and people-focused leadership. Listen and find out what her teachers tell her they need most right now. Our conversation is filled with words that begin with the letter “C” that are basic critical components needed in the “average” classroom. Listen, take notes and soak in all the connections between these two friends, colleagues and lifelong learners! 

In this very special episode, which I have saved for the magic number three (in double digits!) as well as for the beginning of a new year, you will hear the story of a former student of mine, Ethan, who has woven a red thread of loving and lasting memories through the tapestry of my teaching heart. Ethan’s story is not unlike the one that all teachers hope and wish for their students after they leave our classroom. His story is also a teacher’s dream come true and a good example of why we work so hard and care so much as teachers. Teaching has become so difficult that teachers are having a hard time remembering not only “who” they are, but also, “who” they are teaching. They are also struggling with “how” they really want to teach, and even more importantly, “why” they are teaching. Ethan’s story and his profound, insightful words of wisdom will help bring you back to the (apple) core of who you are as a teacher and what truly called your heart to dedicate its life so fully to this profession. I hope that through his story, you will be reminded of all of the students you have taught or are currently teaching, and that you will re-discover the real rewards of teaching. I also hope that it will re-kindle your passion for teaching so that you will follow your heart and remember the “why”. Passion = I PASS ON. What will you pass on to your students and to the future of humanity and the Greater Good? This one is a “must listen” for all teachers who want to re-kindle their spirit of teaching! 

In this episode, Linda, a teacher from Puerto Rico, shares her wholehearted journey to become the most honest, authentic and supportive teacher she can be for the happiness and well-being of her students. As an “equity champion” in her school district, she talks to teachers about how to respect every person’s true self, how to give them their place and how we must recognize the value that every person brings to the table. She says that students love how honest and authentic she is, and that her classroom is a “safe place” (as a sign indicates outside her door) for them to be themselves, to be seen and to be valued. In our conversation, we explore the concept of giving zeros to students, why students are acting out as well as checking out of learning. Linda tells us that we need more empathy, kindness and happiness in the classroom right now more than ever. She explains how we can do this by providing enriching, life-affirming, self-exploratory experiences for students through projects, field trips, clubs, competitions, cultural events, community service and creating opportunities for deep, meaningful conversations and connections to our identity and our humanity. This kind of investment in education and in our students pays tremendous heart-felt dividends for teachers and society. We owe Linda and all teachers a debt of gratitude for their investment in education!

In this episode, Tracy shares his story and journey as a Black man from the projects of Atlanta who is the Kentucky World Language Teacher of the Year. He tells us that all teachers are like “griots” or storytellers from the West African culture. He explains how our personal stories, and the content that we demystify and diversify in the classroom for our students help to create space for an inclusive learning community that all students can relate to. He also mentions engaging strategies like “Card Talk”, “What’s Up?”, “Flag it” and “Picture Talk” as ways to give everyone “a seat at the table” in order to share different perspectives, ideas and open more pathways for communication. Tracy also tells us that we need to focus on the present moment and live in that energy in order to connect to students and their lives. He details how we need to meet students where they are and not focus on the past or the future, a perspective he gained when he returned to his classroom in September last year and noticed how everything was “frozen in time” from the pandemic on March 13, 2020. Tracy also has 10 tips of advice to new teachers on how to not only stay in the game of teaching, but also, how to bring your “A game” to the classroom every day and know that you are making a difference.

In this episode, Bonnie, a teacher who immigrated from China, helps us gain valuable insight and heart connections to the culture shock and linguistic challenges that she experienced both as an immigrant student and as a teacher. Bonnie first came from China to study at an American university in Oregon. She then moved to North Carolina to pursue a higher degree and eventually became a Chinese teacher. She shares the challenges, struggles, culture shock and even trauma that she has experienced as an immigrant. She talks about the micro aggressions that surfaced in schools at the onset of the pandemic and how she worked with other Chinese teachers to form a group called Courageous Dialogues with Chinese Educators whose purpose is to raise awareness of social injustices and promote networking to find one’s inner power to stand up for self, but also to stand in solidarity with others who are marginalized. Bonnie explains that most immigrants have a “face” they wear at home, and then, when they get to school, they put on a “mask” (now literally and figuratively) to hide or blend in and not draw any attention to themselves. This needs to change, and Bonnie is collaborating with others to do just that. For her students, she has brought forth the healing practices of mindfulness, tai chi and calligraphy to help develop peace, understanding and appreciation of one’s own identity – to be brave enough to be authentic and unmasked. Check out her beautiful tai chi video she made to honor her students. Also, if you know of any AAPI or other marginalized students or teachers, please share Courageous Dialogues with Chinese Educators for more information, insight and guidance.

In this episode, we hear the powerful story of Brandon, a Special Education teacher, who says his purpose as a teacher is to help empower his students to self-advocate, self-regulate their emotions and to communicate their needs effectively to others. Brandon explains many of the misconceptions that the regular classroom teacher and others have about IEPs, 504s and the difference between intervention and modifications to meet students’ needs. He also is very candid about his personal experiences with racism in schools, from both the teacher and the student perspectives.  Brandon also goes on to say how sponsoring different clubs such as the Speech and Debate Club, Social Justice Club and Anime Club has re-kindled his passion for teaching and provided him with special opportunities to build better relationships with students. Brandon believes that teachers are more like life coaches and that current teacher training programs don’t prepare teachers for this aspect of the profession as they just really prepare teachers to become content experts, which, honestly, takes the humanization out of education. Most importantly, he co-founded a Beacons of Light Club at his school to provide students the guidance and support and role model to find their special light within in order to live an authentic life, to live their truth and to become student leaders. It is true what was said by his nominator about Brandon being “larger than life”. I hope you will listen and allow your teacher soul to feel and become larger than life too! Want to raise awareness of diversity through literature?  Got to #AwareofLit Cards – question cards for diverse book collections

In this episode, we have a super powerful and insightful conversation with Jessica, a former college professor now teaching in a high school in the Midwest. Jessica says that it was destiny that she made that change because she feels like, with high school students, she gets to “teach with her whole heart.” And whole heart is exactly what Jessica brings to her school and to her students as she sponsors several clubs for students seeking a supportive adult and an outlet for them to safely share their true identity and their voice. She tries to help wherever she can and whomever she can as she sponsors clubs for LGBTQ+, immigrant and refugee students. She also does translation and support for refugee and immigrant persons in her community. She says that she “has an obligation as a person of privilege to provide opportunities and expansion of capabilities to others who have not had those same privileges as she has had.”  Through her lessons, she says that her teaching is helping to  “heal homophobia, racism, prejudices and social injustices.”  This champion for student identity and voice says that “children come to us pre-validated, and we just need to help them see that and tell them that we notice and see who they really are.”  She believes that students deserve respect and that, when given the opportunity, their learning can go wider and deeper than what we give them credit for. Jessica also has fun with her students as she uses her parrot, Merlin, as motivation and a system of reward. You can check out Merlin using his voice for musical interpretations here. Enjoy!