Some of the best educators didn’t take a straight path into teaching.And that might be exactly why they’re so good at it.

This episode is especially for educators who didn’t take a straight line into teaching.Keith McWhirter ( @NoFlyZoneNomads   @CanadianCareerCoach  on YouTube) and Salli Carter reflect on what it’s like to come into education from industry, return to school later in life, and step into the classroom carrying both deep professional experience and very real imposter syndrome.

Salli shares her experience going back to school at nearly 40, while Keith reflects on learning how to trust the value of what he brings into the classroom. Together, they talk about finding the balance between storytelling and edutainment, using lived experience without performing, and building meaningful connections with students while still honouring the work of teaching.

This conversation offers reassurance for new educators, sessionals, and industry professionals navigating unfamiliar academic spaces and learning to make a course their own.

If you’re figuring out how to teach in a way that feels authentic, grounded, and human, this episode will meet you where you are.Check out Keith's YouTube channels! ⁠ @CanadianCareerCoach ⁠ ⁠ @NoFlyZoneNomads ⁠

Time Stamps

00:00 Intro

04:26 Keith's Story

13:30 'The Golden Handcuffs' - Why Being Passionate at Work Matters

16:45 Edutainment in the Classroom

23:00 Making a Syllabus Your Own

30:35 Growing as an Educator

35:10 Keith's Advice for New Educators

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