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© Copyright 2025 Lily Jones, Teacher Advocate
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There’s a lot that needs to change in education. But there are inspiring movements going on too! At Educator Forever, we believe teachers need to be at the forefront of education reform and be empowered to create career pathways that work for them.
Do you ever think about leaving the classroom but have absolutely no idea what else you could do? You may not realize it yet, but you have acquired highly valuable skills throughout your teaching journey, and there is unlimited potential for you to use them. Tune in each week to hear about career opportunities that will help you achieve the income, impact, and freedom you’ve always dreamed of. The best part? You can do all of this without having to leave the world of education entirely.
In addition to showing you the many ways you can expand your impact beyond the classroom, we’ll introduce you to inspiring leaders in education. Want to learn about new research? Looking to get familiar with innovative approaches to teaching and learning? We’ve got you covered.
Your host, Lily Jones, is a former kindergarten and first-grade teacher who transitioned out of the classroom to work in curriculum design, writing content for ed tech companies and even launching her own educational product-based business. After quadrupling her teaching income, she realized she could help other teachers do the same. Now Lily runs Educator Forever, where she empowers teachers to expand their impact beyond the classroom, and Educator Forever Agency, where she works with a team of educators to create inspiring curricula.
For more helpful resources, head to www.educatorforever.com.
Do you ever think about leaving the classroom but have absolutely no idea what else you could do? You may not realize it yet, but you have acquired highly valuable skills throughout your teaching journey, and there is unlimited potential for you to use them. Tune in each week to hear about career opportunities that will help you achieve the income, impact, and freedom you’ve always dreamed of. The best part? You can do all of this without having to leave the world of education entirely.
In addition to showing you the many ways you can expand your impact beyond the classroom, we’ll introduce you to inspiring leaders in education. Want to learn about new research? Looking to get familiar with innovative approaches to teaching and learning? We’ve got you covered.
Your host, Lily Jones, is a former kindergarten and first-grade teacher who transitioned out of the classroom to work in curriculum design, writing content for ed tech companies and even launching her own educational product-based business. After quadrupling her teaching income, she realized she could help other teachers do the same. Now Lily runs Educator Forever, where she empowers teachers to expand their impact beyond the classroom, and Educator Forever Agency, where she works with a team of educators to create inspiring curricula.
For more helpful resources, head to www.educatorforever.com.
127 Episodes
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Jessie Slayback and Vicky Forsman are the co-founders of REALM Since launching in 2010, REALM has been pioneering an innovative educational model. They have gone through many transitions and impacted over 3,482 lives. Currently, REALM serves 150 students, ages 5 to 15, with plans to expand.In this episode, we discuss the challenges and successes of building REALM, including financial struggles and the importance of love and resilience. We also talk about REALM's approach emphasizing choice-based learning, social-emotional development, and adapting to students' unique needs. They also brought up their desire aim to help other educators create similar schools, focusing on scalability and individualized education.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode126.
Howard Gardner is the Hobbs research professor of cognition and education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is a leading thinker on Education and Human Development, and has studied and written extensively about intelligence, creativity, leadership and professional ethics. A two volume of Howard's work was published in 2024 by teachers college press, the Essential Howard Gardner On Education and the Essential Howard Gardner On Mind.During our discussion, Howard discussed his work on synthesizing information from various fields to create practical applications for parents and educators. We dove into his past projects, such as his books and Project Zero. We also reflected on the changes in K-12 and higher education. and the role of AI in the future of education. It was an honor to talk Howard and I think you’ll really enjoy our conversation.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode125.
Emily Odeo-Sutton started selling on Etsy in January of 2023 and now has over 27,000 sales between her two shops. Former educator turned entrepreneur, she loves supporting new Etsy sellers on their journey to passive income with both print on demand and digital products.For this episode, Emily gives some great advice to listeners who are thinking about selling products on Etsy. Best of all, she points out what skills educators can transfer from the classroom to the Etsy store. There’s also some notable tips about advertising. Bust out a pen and paper — you’re going to end up taking notes!For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode124.
Rae Hughart is an innovative educator, speaker, and advocate for teacher wellness and professional growth. As the founder of Teachers Deserve It, she is on a mission to empower educators with sustainable strategies that enhance student success while prioritizing teacher well-being. With a background in classroom teaching, curriculum design, and leadership, Rae specializes in helping educators reclaim their time, build strong professional networks, and implement creative, effective teaching strategies.Rae and I discussed importance of sustainable teaching practices and wellness, which is the focus of Teachers Deserve It’s mission. She also reveals that making time to enjoy something as simple as a drink with friends has a bigger impact on a teacher’s work than what’s seen on the surface. You’ll come away from this one prioritizing your happiness because you’ll know it’s best for everyone if you’re happy. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode123.
Katherine Hamilton is the Vice President of Programs at Ensemble Learning, where she oversees the development, implementation, and evaluation of all programmatic activities. With nearly 15 years of experience in the K-12 education space, Katherine specializes in effective teaching and learning, instructional leadership, overarching strategy to ensure equity for all student groups.In this episode, Katherine told me about her journey from being a math teacher in L.A. to instructional coaching and how to best serve multilingual learners. She also shares some great insight on why teachers should consider different career paths.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode122.
Nathaniel Turner is a TED speaker, author, lawyer, financial advisor, and a college and career readiness Alchemist. He is also the survivor of eight adverse childhood experiences and his challenges led him on a powerful road of self discovery, providing him the tools to show parents how to rise above childhood trials, tribulations and low societal expectations to help any child realize their hopes and dreams. Nathaniel does so by sharing The Life Template, a backwards design process that enabled him to raise a multilingual son who left the country at the age of 16 to pursue his dream of playing professional soccer. Nathaniel talked to me about his life and his son’s success — he went on to earn a a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University — and dove further into his life template. Surprise! A part of it requires parents and teachers working together.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode121.
Kathleen deLaski is the founder and board chair of the Education Design Lab, which works with colleges, states, and employers to design shorter, more targeted forms of higher education. The Lab has pioneered the "micro-pathway" model with community colleges and leads work across the ecosystem to help employers look beyond college degrees to validate skills. Kathleen also founded or co-founded four non profits, some of which serve the K-12 education ecosystem. Before entering the field of education, she worked for several years as a journalist and later became the first woman to serve as spokesperson for the Pentagon.In this episode, I talk to deLAski about her new book, “Who Needs College Anymore?” and what she’s learned about how students feel about higher education. She identifies four categories of people who need college degrees and four who don't, advocating for micro-pathways and apprenticeships. She also discussed the evolving landscape of higher education and the importance of exposing students to various career pathways.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode120.
Jesse Hartman is the co-owner of Hartman Tutoring and has over 20 years of tutoring experience. Since he started tutoring back as a student at Emory University, he has prepared students for nearly every standardized test and tutored them in every subject available.In tis episode, we discuss how Jesse sees himself as an “academic guide,” how he teaches his students learning tools that go beyond the test, and how he incorporates what he learned as a rapper into his work.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode119.
In last week's episode, I talked about seeing the possibilities that are in front of you in this new year. And I think that's such an important practice for us all, to try and see all the many, or at least many of the many possibilities in front of us. So often we can start to see things in our own life so narrowly that we don't see there are so many other ways that things can be. I encourage you to really make it a practice of seeing these possibilities. And when you do, it can be so inspiring, but it can also be overwhelming, because it can be like, Well, where do I even start? And so in this episode, I want to talk about choosing the right path forward.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode118.
As we embark on this new year, I want you to think about what you really want. Then believe– KNOW– that this is possible. Before setting goals and making progress towards what we want to achieve, we need to really see the possibilities in front of us. So often, we talk ourselves out of doing what we want to do. I talked myself out of building Educator Forever for years. People will think I’m trying to take teachers away from teaching, I thought. I have a young baby at home, I reasoned. I know nothing about building a business, I told myself.But there will always be excuses. ALWAYS. And we can always move through them to do the things we want to do. So the first thing I want you to think about is: What do you really want to do? For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode117.
Dr. Bibi Pirayesh is a learning specialist and educational therapist who has been in private practice for over 15 years. works with children in grades one through 12, and covers a wide range of learning difficulties, including dyslexia, ADHD and spectrum disorders. While the emphasis of her work is on remediating learning disabilities in a one on one setting, she is also a sought after speaker and community advocate for children and families around learning rights.In this episode, Dr. Pirayesh and I discuss the need for educators to resist oppressive systems and promote social justice, particularly in the context of disability. She also mentions her project, "Difference is Not Deficit," aimed at fostering community and radical love. Pirayesh also advises teachers to pursue educational therapy to enhance their teaching skills and better support students with learning disabilities.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode116.
Khiana Wheeler leveraged her 15-year career in banking to seamlessly transition into education, bringing strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills to her role as a middle school science teacher. Passionate about creating meaningful learning experiences, she pivoted to curriculum writing and instructional design, where she applies her unique blend of industry and teaching expertise to develop engaging, standards-aligned content.In this episode Khiana and I discuss how she found joy in curriculum development, how her teaching experience has helped her career and the importance of freelancing. (Excuse us for some of the technical difficulties, we had Internet issues.)For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode115.
Cynthia Rapaido is a highly accomplished educator with over 30 years of experience in K-12 education. She’s spent time as a high school principal, assistant principal and teacher, and went on to do work many roles in higher education. With so much experience built up over the years, she recently put the lessons she learned into her book, “Step Up Your School Leadership Game.” In our discussion, Cynthia emphasizes the importance of mentorship and networking in education. She also breaks down the strategies she’s developed, such as the Fruit Leadership Chart to foster better understanding and collaboration among teachers. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode114.
Dr Jewel White Williams has a doctorate in health sciences and certifications as a health education specialist, certified nursing assistant and EMT with over 22 years of experience as an English teacher and school administrator, Dr Jewel has a passion for both education and wellness. She blends her expertise in health sciences and education to empower communities fostering impactful wellness and self advocacy strategies. In this episode, Dr. Jewel emphasizes the importance of self-care and wellness for educators, advocating for a three-pronged approach: foundational wellness, community engagement, and luxury care. In our discussion, she highlights the need for educators to prioritize their well-being and encourages them to explore new opportunities within the field.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode113.
As 2024 comes to a close it's a great time to reflect on what's this year been like for you. Often, as we head into the new year, we can get so forward thinking into the goals we hope to accomplish and the New Year's resolutions and all the things for the new year, but before we do that, let's think about this year. Let's really take a moment to reflect. In this episode, I go through several thinking routines to help you look back on your year. Get a pen and paper, because you’re going to want to take notes! Also it will help in your reflection. Let’s make the most of this year before looking forward to 2025.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode112.
Kayla Coburn is a children's book author and the founder of Inclusion Starts Now. She has worked in education since 2010 and is now a parent of two kids figuring out strategies to raise inclusive kids. She works as an inclusion specialist to support families and schools on best inclusive practices.In this episode, Kayla shared her educational background, her transition to teaching gymnastics and working in the deaf-blind field. Kayla emphasized the importance of leading by example, using inclusive language, and promoting diversity in children's environments.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode111.
Bobby Donohue is the founder of Planet Bonehead, an innovative educational platform that revolutionizes the way climate change is taught in schools. With over 15 years of experience in educational content development, Bobby is dedicated to providing teachers with the knowledge resources and support they need to effectively educate young learners about environmental issues. His work focuses on empowering educators to inspire the next generation to tackle climate challenges with optimism and empowerment and prepare today's kids for tomorrow's careers in green tech and steam fields. In this episode, Bobby tells us how he came up with Planet Bonehead, why he’s so focused on climate change, and why you got to keep taking that shot.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode110.
In this episode, I talk about strategies for overcoming burnout and how to shift from burnout to balance. I get into the importance of recognizing possibilities, setting boundaries, and prioritizing tasks. I want teachers to consider alternative careers or flexible roles within education, weighing constraints like salary and childcare. You need to prioritize self-care rituals and delegating tasks to achieve work-life balance. Hopefully if you’re not stressed out now, you’ll bookmark this episode to listen to when you’re feeling burnout. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode109.
Bryson Tarbet is a passionate advocate for inclusive music education, as well as a business owner and podcaster. He started his career as a pre-K to sixth grade general music teacher and during his tenure as an educator, Bryson spent a transformative year as part of an elementary school intervention team where he discovered his passion for working with students with disabilities. Drawing from this experience and his personal journey as a neurodiverse individual, Bryson advocates strongly for creating sensory and emotionally inclusive classrooms. Now, as the founder of That Music Teacher, LLC, Bryson channels his dedication to music education into sharing diverse perspectives on issues relevant to educators. In this episode, Bryson and I discuss his journey, as well as his love for music education. Bryson also highlights the importance of professional development for music educators, shares insights on starting a business, and emphasizes the personal growth that comes from embracing one's unique approach to teaching and coaching.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode108.
Laura C. Chávez-Moreno is an award-winning researcher, qualitative social scientist, and assistant professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the Departments of Chicana/o and Central American Studies and Education. She is the author of “How Schools Make Race: Teaching Latinx Racialization in America"(Harvard Education Press, 2024).In this episode Chávez-Moreno discusses her journey from becoming a Spanish teacher in Philadelphia to pursuing a PhD in Los Angeles due to a hiring freeze. She delves into why she wrote her book, "How Schools Make Race," which explores how schools contribute to racialization, focusing on bilingual education and Latinx. Moreno also advocates for incorporating ethnic studies into bilingual programs to combat racist ideas and emphasizes the need for a progression in teaching about race, similar to how math is taught. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode107.
Setbacks are inevitable, but they don’t have to be as bad as they feel. They don’t have to be negative. They can be so many things, including growth opportunities. When we start new career journeys, we can be so focused on success. But the road to success is not often linear. As we find our way forward, the path can be filled with setbacks. It can be “make it or break it” when you start to experience obstacles. So it’s important to learn how to turn career setbacks into success.In this episode I give you four tips on turning your stumbles into success. If setbacks are inevitable, it’s good to know how to make the best of them!For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode106.
For this episode I talk to Matt McGee, founder of MRM Education, a tutoring and college admissions consultancy that promotes academic curiosity, mental health, and confidence in students. With over a decade of experience as an admissions specialist, consultant and tutor, his intensive mentorship method has helped hundreds of students raise their grades and gain admission to Ivy Plus schools.Matt’s method focuses on managing student expectations, mental health support, and advocating for neurodivergent students. In our talk he shares insights on building a business, the challenges of burnout, and the importance of staying connected to the core mission of supporting students' long-term success.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode105.
In this episode, I share my journey of going from kindergarten teacher to entrepreneur, detailing five stages of my career. It's a story that starts with the birth of my daughter and ends with me having to hire employees for my growing business. While Educator Forever is still growing, it was fun to look back at the beginning of it all.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode104.
Georgia O’Keefe and Christine Zuppa are co-founders of Making the Grade Project, an organization with a mission to empower educators starting with the very beginning of their careers. While they specialize in helping teachers in their home state of Massachusetts to pass the MTEL, they support teachers everywhere in setting up their classrooms and careers for success. Christine and Georgia each spent over a decade in the K-12 classroom setting before deciding it was time to make a change and support education in a different way. In this episode, Christine and Georgia discuss their educator journeys, how to best support new teachers and how their business has evolved over the years. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode103.
Renes Lophanor, a language teacher with over 23 years of experience, discusses his journey in education, emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships with students and treating them with respect. Renes advocates for a teaching approach that values creativity, flexibility, and genuine care for students. Renes's book, "I Still Love Teaching," aims to share his insights and methods to help other teachers. He advises teachers to prioritize their well-being and encourages those leaving the classroom to leverage their skills in other educational roles.In this episode, he shares his experiences as a substitute teacher, highlighting the challenges and benefits of this role. He also criticizes the education system while acknowledging its potential benefits.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode102.
In this episode I talk about how fun curriculum writing can be, and how it's such a creative outlet. One of my favorite things about curriculum development is that you get to think about things that are interesting in the world and bring it into the curriculum that you create.I want you to think about when developing curriculum, you get to create what you find interesting and what you want to see out there in the world. As teachers, we can feel really boxed in by what we're told we have to teach or how we have to teach it. So working in curriculum design for me has been really an exploration and freedom. It’s why I think more teachers should try it! For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode101.
We’ve reached 100 episodes, so we’re celebrating. On this episode I've invited the wonderful Educator Forever team to join me in celebrating not just completing 100 episodes but all of the amazing work that they've done beyond the classroom. Besides discussing our favorite episodes were, the team let’s me know what they love most about working with Educator Forever and how it’s empowered them. It gets a little emotional! But it’s a wonderful time and made me so happy to work with such fantastic people.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode100.
Rob Owen is the founder of Move2Focus. With over 21 years as a school principal, author, and classroom educator, Rob deeply observed and personally felt the significant stress and burnout that plague the education world. After using both mindfulness and Tai Chi, Rob started to introduce these practices to students. Now he runs Move2Focus, which supports educators to use Tai Chi and Qi Gong in their classrooms.Rob gets deep into the details of what Tai Chi and Qi Gong are, why he started teaching them to students and why it’s so helpful for teachers.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode99.
Dr. Maggie Broderick is an associate professor at National University, where she serves as a dissertation chair and as a faculty lead for Social Emotional Learning and Curriculum and Instruction. She is also the director of NU’s Advanced Research Center and the editor of the International Journal of Online Graduate Education.In this interview, Maggie and I talk about online education, going from teaching in K-12 to college, and how curriculum development is different for higher education.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode98.
Lisa Vodala is the founder of Preschool Readers, she works with her team of preschool reading specialists to provide children ages three to five with an academic Head Start through their proprietary award winning accelerated reading instruction, which they deliver in person and virtually, enhanced by their exclusive framework, the Clear Approach, a framework for differentiated instruction.I talk to Lisa about her business, how she was able to develop her framework while still teaching, and how COVID forced her to adapt. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode97.
Dr. Shelby Kretz is the creator of Little Justice Leaders, an organization that provides social justice education resources for families, educators, and schools. Shelby earned her Ph.D. in Education from UCLA, and her research explores social justice education at the elementary school level. Over the past decade, Shelby has worked with thousands of parents, teachers, and school leaders to bring social justice education to elementary aged kids.In this episode, we discuss the importance of addressing biases at an early age and some tips for running a small education business.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode96.
Dr. Meghan Waldron is an educator, advisor, learner, writer, thinker and doer. When she is not advising or teaching in the university setting, Meghan is working with students on their personal writing via Smart Solutions Tutoring. Meghan is passionate about helping students find their voices, and she works tirelessly to provide opportunities for them while building their confidence. She is equally passionate about equal access to education, and she works closely with other educators on current issues in our schools and communities. In this episode we discuss how and why she started her tutoring business, how she balances it with her teaching job and what she's learned from the two.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode95.
Mimosa Jones Tunney, founder & president of the American Emergent Curriculum (AEC) and The School House, is a former political speech and Hollywood television writer who wrote scripts for Oprah and HBO. It was a collaboration with Aaron Sorkin that eventually led her down the path of researching American education, which made her realize she needed to improve our system.Drawing from her background in policy, Jones Tunney set out to fix the education system by starting the American Emergent Curriculum (AEC), which is curriculum that leverages the science of human learning through proven pedagogical research. The curriculum has been implemented through a NY-based brick-and-mortar school called The School House and an online program called, TSH Anywhere, which has shown to successfully resolve all the current education system’s issues.In this episode, Jones Tunney tells how one goes from Hollywood script-writing to starting her own school, and we get deep into how to modernize education. Again, why are we still using textbooks?For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode94.
Olivia Odileke is the dynamic CEO of Kampus Insights and a passionate advocate for innovative education. As the author of "Beginner's Guide to Nearpod" and "Spark Curiosity: A Guide to Quick Inquiry Tasks," Olivia has established herself as a leading voice in educational technology and student engagement strategies. With a track record of training over 15,000 teachers, Olivia is on a mission to revolutionize the student learning experience. Olivia and her team at Kampus Insights live by the mantra: "Sparking curiosity is the holy grail of teaching." In this episode she expands on her mantra, and we go on to discuss strategies for engaging students in the classroom, emphasizing the importance of personalized, teacher-centered approaches, and sparking curiosity in teachers and students.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode93.
When you want to meet a goal, sometimes you want to do it now. You might be thinking about leaving the classroom and you want to find a new flexible job right now. But the process is where the magic happens. We learn and grow throughout the process. So while it’s understandable to want to skip right to the end, it’s better if you stick through the long haul.In this episode I talk about embracing the process to reach your goals, highlighting three aspects of going on such a journey. Now these aren’t tips to make your journey easier, but they will help you support yourself while putting in the hard work.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode92.
David K. Richards is an intuitive and visionary leader who helps change makers usher in new paradigms for learning and leadership. He is the current Founder & CEO of Changemaker Schools, a network of microschools, and Pathfinder, a program to help others open schools. David is also a speaker and leadership coach and leads a mastermind program, the Wise Warrior and a podcast, Changemaker ED “U”. He has worked in education reform for over 25 years as a teacher, principal, and founder of several innovative charter schools with nationally recognized Summit Public Schools and the school he started, Growth Public School. David has dedicated his life to helping people of all ages connect with the powerful intuitive leader within themselves. In this episode, David and I discussed his education journey from teacher to banker to educator again, what he’s learned about himself and why he dove into the world of micro schools.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode91.
In this episode, I speak to Dr. Taryn Gauvin. Taryn is in her 23rd year as an educator and has served 19 years in the Pre-K through 12 setting as a teacher, assistant principal and turnaround principal. Currently, she is the founder and CEO of Divergent Educational Consulting, LLC, and contractor operations manager at Better Lesson. We talked about her journey, her new book “Centering Our Voices: The Brilliance, Persistence, and Significance of Black Women Educators,” and what she’s learned over the years as an educator who broke off on her own. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode90.
In this short episode, I share five takeaways that I've learned from helping thousands of educators who find work beyond the classroom. This episode is for everyone, such as the teacher who wants to stay a teacher and expand their impact beyond the classroom, or transition out of the classroom. Having helped thousands of teachers, I found that all teachers are unique and different in their own ways. We all have different experiences and areas of expertise and dreams. But there are some similarities. So in my five takeaways, I want you to think about what resonates with you. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode89.
As teachers, we are education experts. But sometimes it can be really hard to realize this. And I can't tell you how many times I get to talking with teachers who have recently retired, and they have taught for 20-30 years, sometimes even more. And despite those teachers doing it for so long, they still feel like they don't have enough experience. And that is absolutely not true. If you have been teaching for even a couple years, you have way more education experience than most people. If you have been teaching for your entire career, I guarantee you, you are an education expert. And honestly, all teachers are education experts, we have studied education, we have spent time with children, we know so much about what it's like to teach students. So let's own that expertise. In this episode, I provide a few tips on how to leverage your education expertise to achieve your goals.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode88.
Lisa Hutchinson is a former preschool center director with over 30 years of experience in the early education field. She has also been a prekindergarten teacher, kindergarten teacher, preschool assistant director, education and training specialist, and a program specialist. She directed a preschool center for over 20 years.Over the past two years, Lisa has started a virtual preschool called Smart Steps Virtual School for children ages 2-5 to help parents prepare their children for kindergarten. She now works full time from home running Smart Steps and writing curriculum. In this episode, we talk about how she came to start a virtual preschool, how she continues to expand her business by developing curriculum, and overcoming her imposter syndrome. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode87.
Kathleen Brigham has been in the educational field for over 30 years. With a Bachelor's degree from Middlebury College and a Master's in Educational Administration from Columbia Teachers College, she started Brigham Learning, an education consulting and tutoring company. Her primary goal is to help students discover self-awareness and confidence through academic success. With three children and four stepchildren, she combines her personal experience with her educational background to work with children of all ages and learning abilities.In this episode, Kathleen dives into her journey from educator to business owner, giving lots of great advice along the way. She also details how she scaled her business, giving such helpful tips you’ll want to take notes. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode86.
Jasmine Rollins is a mom of four, a passionate K through 12 educator, a forever learner and storyteller. She creates learning opportunities and resources that empower teachers to celebrate their students' identities and foster a sense of belonging in the classroom. As a teacher, she's always used storytelling as a way to build connections and trust, through sharing her own stories and empowering students to do the same.In this episode, we discuss Rollins’s journey as an educator and how she moved beyond the classroom. We also get into how she came to focus on fostering a culture of belonging within and outside of school.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode85.
Deveren Fogle is a former lawyer, tech entrepreneur (2012 ‘Trep of the Month in Entrepreneur Magazine for the MyGeniusTrainer iPhone app), teacher, executive function coach, and now a tech entrepreneur again. He is launching Uluru, the first executive function platform to empower students and families to navigate the difficulties neurodiverse learners may face in their academic journeys.Fogle tells why he left teaching and explains how his days teaching led to him finding success in the world of tutoring executive function. We also share a lot of thoughts about how teachers are so under-appreciated! It’s a good long talk and I laughed through a lot of it. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode84.
I've been thinking a lot about how writing has furthered my career beyond the classroom. It really was something that I didn't get super clear on as being such a key factor until recently. I think part of that has come through working with so many teachers and seeing them go beyond the classroom, and some people really being successful, and other people having it take a little bit more time. Some of that working online boils down to writing. If you're able to write a compelling cover letter, you're more likely to land jobs. If you're starting an education business, and you can write really exciting and inviting copy, then you're more likely to get customers. So much of what's done online is done through writing. And so as teachers transitioning to a flexible workplace working online, this requires really taking our writing skills to the next level.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode83.
Today I'm so excited that we have our amazing director of learning and development April Brown here with me to talk about the various stages that educators may go through when moving beyond the classroom. April that I have been working together for five years and maybe even more at this point, and together we have worked with 1000s of teachers, expanding their impact beyond the classroom, whether they're staying as classroom teachers or moving completely beyond.Though everybody's journey is unique, we found that people go through some similar phases along the way. So in the last few months, April, and I have really been doing a lot of thinking about what these phases are, and what are some things that we see people experiencing again, and again and again. So today we want to talk you through these stages, and really have you think about where you might fit where you're at right now where you might want to go, knowing that not everybody's gonna go through exactly these common stages. But hopefully, this gives you some sense of what we've seen other people experience. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode82.
When I left the classroom, it all felt scary. It felt scary because I needed to make up my teaching income. It felt scary because I had only really been a classroom teacher before. Straight out of college, I went and got my teaching credential, and then I started teaching. So when I left the classroom, everything felt unknown. And that unknown part made it feel scary. When I left the classroom, I needed to really bolster my confidence, and take this leap intentionally. And I had this post-it on my computer forever, that said, “bet on you.” And it was so powerful to me, just really betting on myself, you know, rather than working so hard in my classroom, together with my colleagues that to help my students in school, which was all great in some ways, I really was taking this leap to bet on me bet on what I wanted to do in the world of education, bet on what I wanted to do for my family. So today, I want to encourage you to bet on you, whatever way that might mean to you.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode81.
When I became a teacher, I really thought I would be a teacher forever. And my whole identity was really tied up in this idea of being a teacher. So when I started to look for different options beyond the classroom and explore those options, it really came with shifting my identity; I was still a teacher, but I had to redefine my teacher identity. And you might find yourself in the same boat, whether you're deciding to just look and see what's out there beyond the classroom, or you really want to claim your expertise as the education expert that you are, or you're ready to move entirely beyond the classroom and expand your impact. All of this comes with really redefining your teacher identity. When I became a teacher, I really thought I would be a teacher forever. And my whole identity was really tied up in this idea of being a teacher. So when I started to look for different options beyond the classroom and explore those options, it really came with shifting my identity; I was still a teacher, but I had to redefine my teacher identity. And you might find yourself in the same boat, whether you're deciding to just look and see what's out there beyond the classroom, or you really want to claim your expertise as the education expert that you are, or you're ready to move entirely beyond the classroom and expand your impact. All of this comes with really redefining your teacher identity. In this episode, I talk about how to really redefine your teacher identity, so that you can confidently go forward into whatever career path you want, whether to stay in the classroom or move beyond. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode80.
In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of what it's like to work at and run a curriculum development agency. I started the Educator Forever agency a couple years ago, after being asked to take on very large projects that one person couldn't take on on their own. For example, I was asked to create a whole year long curriculum for all grades pre K to five in all the subject areas. That's not a project that one person should be doing. So I realized a few years ago, oh, I could bring on other curriculum writers to help me with these projects and create our own curriculum development agency.So listen in as I walk you through what it’s like starting this agency and working with lots of different educators turned curriculum writers. I realized that there were some key skills that educators need to learn in order to be successful in curriculum design. We are always learning new things when we work in curriculum and when we do anything else.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode79.
Ethan Pierce, a serial entrepreneur and Co-Founder and CEO of Adaptive Reader, has transformed his early struggles with reading into a catalyst for innovation in education. A Harvard graduate and Mitchell Scholar, Ethan's journey from confronting his own reading challenges to spearheading Adaptive Reader underscores his commitment to making educational content accessible and engaging for all students. Through his work, Ethan leverages cutting-edge AI and thoughtful design to help students overcome reading difficulties and embrace learning in their native languages. His leadership at Adaptive Reader is driven by a vision to ensure no student is left behind because of language barriers or learning differences, making him a pioneer in creating a more equitable educational landscape.In this episode, we discussed Ethan’s path that lead to the creation of Adaptive Reader. We also dive into the world of AI and how his business is helping those struggling with reading. For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode78.
Julie Packett is a former K through 12 teacher who navigated the journey from the classroom to a flourishing career in data science. Recognising the hurdles educators face when transitioning out of teaching, Julie was inspired to pave a smoother path for others by leveraging her expertise in data science. She is the visionary behind Goldendelicious, an innovative platform designed to connect teachers directly with employers eager to harness the unique skill sets of former educators. Through Goldendelicious Julie seeks to empower teachers exploring new career horizons, bridging the gap between traditional education and diverse professional opportunities. We talked about her career journey and the hurdles she had to overcome transitioning out of teaching. We also discuss what she passes onto teachers who want to enter the field of data science.For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode77.
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