The Port

This week on The Port, we’re continuing our dive into the kind of advice that keeps us grounded when teaching and life both feel full. Rachel is joined by a special guest, Pearl, who brings laughter, perspective, and a reminder that wisdom often comes from lived experience.

In this second part of a two-part conversation, Pearl further reflects on what it means to listen, learn, and lead with heart. You’ll find encouragement, practical takeaways, and plenty of moments that will make you smile.

Take a breath, settle in, and get ready for a dose of real talk and renewal.

About our guest

Pearl Ivory, Director of Organizational Culture, is in her 19th year in public education.

My favorite part of being in education is the hope that my efforts truly reach those I serve. With every lesson and interaction, my prayer has always been to make a lasting difference in the lives of children. Now that I primarily work with adults, my greatest joy comes from sharing my story in a way that inspires and uplifts—spreading a joy that ignites passion in every educator I meet.

I believe our voices carry great power, and I pray that mine helps spark greatness in the next generation of educators. I am a preacher, intercessor, and lover of God’s Word. I am a dog mom to Sassy and THE BEST MUNTIE (Mom plus Aunt) in the world!

This week on The Port, we’re diving into the kind of advice that keeps us grounded when teaching and life both feel full. Rachel is joined by a special guest, Pearl, who brings laughter, perspective, and a reminder that wisdom often comes from lived experience.

In this first part of a two-part conversation, Pearl reflects on what it means to listen, learn, and lead with heart. You’ll find encouragement, practical takeaways, and plenty of moments that will make you smile.

Take a breath, settle in, and get ready for a dose of real talk and renewal.

About our guest

Pearl Ivory, Director of Organizational Culture, is in her 19th year in public education.

My favorite part of being in education is the hope that my efforts truly reach those I serve. With every lesson and interaction, my prayer has always been to make a lasting difference in the lives of children. Now that I primarily work with adults, my greatest joy comes from sharing my story in a way that inspires and uplifts—spreading a joy that ignites passion in every educator I meet.

I believe our voices carry great power, and I pray that mine helps spark greatness in the next generation of educators. I am a preacher, intercessor, and lover of God’s Word. I am a dog mom to Sassy and THE BEST MUNTIE (Mom plus Aunt) in the world!

Teaching can be full of joy, but it can also bring some of the hardest challenges. In this episode of The Port, Rachel talks with Sarah, an experienced educator who shares openly about navigating personal hardship while still showing up for her students.

Sarah reminds us that encouragement and hope are not abstract ideas—they are practices we can choose, even in difficult seasons. From trusting your gut to journaling three good things each day, she offers simple but powerful ways to stay grounded in what is good.

This conversation is about resilience, perspective, and finding joy, even when life feels overwhelming. Sarah’s wisdom and honesty will leave you encouraged and ready to keep going.

About our guest:

Sarah is a 5th grade teacher with 19 years of experience in education, including time as both a classroom teacher and an instructional coach. She loves building strong relationships with students, families, and colleagues, and she reminds us of the importance of smiling, laughing, and leaning on the people and practices that bring hope and joy.

Sometimes the best way to get through the hard parts of teaching is to laugh. In this episode of The Port, you’ll meet Tori Anderson, a Voyage East Learning Community educator who brings both humor and heart to the classroom.

Tori shares funny stories that will make you smile, along with practical reminders about setting boundaries and protecting your energy. She shows us that laughter is more than a moment of relief. It's a powerful way to keep burnout at bay.

She is funny, wise, and real—and now she is your work buddy, too.

This week, we launch our very first Teacher Feature on The Port. 

Our guest is Betsy, a thoughtful and inspiring educator from the Voyage East Learning Community.

Betsy shares what it feels like to teach through uncertainty and how centering student voice can create trust and connection in any classroom. Whether you are starting a new school year or already in the middle of one, her reminders about building community are timeless.

She is wise, funny, and real—and she might just feel like your new work buddy, too.

About our guest:
Betsy has been an educator for nearly 20 years, working both in the classroom and as a coach and mentor. She values the connections she builds with colleagues and students, and she is always curious about others’ experiences and how to best support them. A passionate teacher and lifelong learner, Betsy also treasures her summers and is committed to finding balance between serving her students and being present with her family. 

Betsy also runs an Etsy shop, Truth Telling Tees, where she invites people to wear your values proudly.

What if we made how a classroom feels just as important as how it functions? In this episode, Rachel welcomes Sanj, a co-founder of Voyage East, to share simple ways teachers can build more joyful and connected learning spaces.

Based on his blog post on voyageeast.org, Sanj introduces eight practical strategies, like greeting students at the door and creating calming spaces. He also shares a free set of exit tickets that help teachers check in with how students are feeling.

This episode is a reminder that happy classrooms are not perfect classrooms. They are places where people feel safe, respected, and ready to grow.

This episode is an invitation to honor the magic of starting small. Summer doesn’t need to be a grand transformation. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is one tiny, intentional action—putting the laundry in the basket, walking to the mailbox, sipping your tea without your phone. These little wins create a rhythm that feels good and rooted, not rushed.

Let’s get playful. What if we approached summer with childlike curiosity and freedom—where the goal isn’t doing, it’s being? In this episode, Rachel and Simone explore what it means to tune into what your body and spirit want right now.

Forget output. Embrace joy, softness, and spontaneous delight. From dirt digging to garden aesthetics, this conversation invites you to slow down, listen closely, and rediscover the magic of unstructured time.

We wait all year for summer, but then feel pressure to fill it with catch-up tasks and self-improvement goals. In this first episode of our Yummy Summer mini-series, we unpack why rest can feel uncomfortable and how educators often fall into a productivity trap, even during breaks.

Hosts Rachel and Simone share their own summer habits, their friendship, and the honest conversation that sparked this series. Together, they explore the difference between a scarcity mindset and an abundance mindset, and how shifting your perspective can make this summer feel more meaningful and even more yummy.

You’ll hear about:

• Why rest often gets mistaken for laziness
• How over-productivity is fuelled by guilt, urgency, and comparison
• How to reframe summer as a lifestyle rather than just a pause
• Simple mindset shifts to help you slow down and savour

Welcome to The Port, your new weekly check-in made just for educators. In this short trailer, meet your host from the Voyage East Learning Collective and get a feel for what this podcast is all about: real talk, practical ideas, and a strong sense of community.

Whether you're in the classroom, supporting others, or leading a school, this is your space to feel seen, supported, and maybe even smile. We're kicking things off with a summer mini-series called Yummy Summer, designed to help you reclaim your time, savour rest, and reconnect with what matters most.

Ready to set sail? Press play and dock with us.