In this episode, I talk to Leslie, one of my former students who answered the calling to become a teacher. Leslie shares great insight into what it was like to teach in a Title 1 school that the state took over and managed because of low scores on state tests. She explains how “data does not shape or mold a child or determine who they really are or their potential.” Leslie also shares the heartache and the burden of the demands of making “learning gains” during the day at school when really all she can worry about is Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs and what is going on in her “kids'” world at night when they aren’t at school…are they safe?… are they getting enough to eat?… do they have clean clothes? This reality in teaching is so hard and can easily break a teacher’s heart. Yet, Leslie says that the greatest gift of teaching is “the privilege of working with little humans and all their unique and special personalities that will someday show up and make a difference in this world.” To all the true teacher hearts like Leslie’s, thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
In this episode, we meet JoAnne, a district supervisor in New Jersey who wears many hats. Originally, JoAnne set out to become a lawyer....
In this episode, we talk to Lisa, a high school English Language Arts teacher who shares the importance of creating comfort, care and connections...
In this episode, we have the privilege and pleasure to travel halfway around the world to meet Maryam, an Indian heritage, British born teacher...