Always A Lesson's Empowering Educators Podcast

Popularized as the “Handshake Teacher,” Barry White Jr. is a top-tier educator in the North Carolina school system, teaching fifth graders of Ashley Park Elementary School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mr. White earned his Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Claflin University, and is a distinguished member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. As an educator for the past three years, M...

If you are a teacher in transition or distress, have no fear! This challenging season you are navigating will not last forever. In fact, the quicker you can jump to action for becoming the ideal person for your dream job, the faster you will be able to claim it as your own. Tune in for some solid advice on becoming the right hire and 3 tips for making that a reality right now. Quotables You cannot...

When you first begin teaching, there are so many changes you want to make to your instructional practice. Knowing what tweaks to make and which ones to save for later can be a daunting task. This podcast episode will walk you through 3 focal areas of your instruction that will have the biggest impact on student achievement and your own teaching proficiency. This way you get more bang for your buck...

The chapters in your life are leading you somewhere. You have the choice where that destination is and you have the control along the way to shift your path if you so choose. Tune in to hear about 3 pivotal moments in my educational career that acted as catapults into the next chapter of a bigger, better version of myself. Quotables: I realized there were a few chapters in my life that were corner...

Sometimes we ignore our inner voice that prompts us to discover our greatest assets. We are too consumed with fitting in when we need to stand out in our own unique way. Our gifts will not only enhance our lives, but those around us who we lead. Tune in to hear 3 practical steps you can take in the new year to listen to the voice within so that you can grow to your truest potential. Quotables &nbs...

Hitting the 200 th episode milestone means you have been learning and taking action on 200 edu-lessons! That is something to celebrate. This episode thanks you the listener for all the hard work you have been doing investing in your own potential. Your favorite past episodes are revisited, past guests make an appearance and I share an action step to bring your 2020 goals to fruition. Tune in to re...

Educators are the most amazing creatures. This episode is completely devoted to the unbelievable educators who do the most important job on Earth. There is an encouraging message for new teachers, teacher leaders, teachers in distress and teachers in transition. Every educator is celebrated! Quotables ·     Implementing small, simple changes every day can have extraordinar...

It’s not all rainbows and butterflies in a classroom or school building. Sometimes the negativity can spread like wild fire and deteriorate a class or school culture. Tune in to hear how to initiate a positive culture, rebuild a culture when it’s broken, and turn around a negative culture. Not only will teachers learn tips for the classroom and teacher leaders for the school, but a secret trick is...

In order for us educators to make the impact we desire and were meant for, we have to invest in ourselves in a way that allows that inner gift to make its way outward. Tune in to hear 3 steps on how to unlock your potential by investing in yourself. (You’ll also get to hear personal stories of how I have done this in business and life.) Quotables The mundane daily work is where the rubber meets th...

Teaching tiny humans is more than lesson plans with standards and objectives. Teaching is a way to help guide a young person along their learning path so that they discover their inner skills and talents, use their school knowledge to propel those gifts, and then go out into the world to leave their mark. As educators, how are we helping students discover how they want to inspire the world? Tune i...

Nick Tokman, also known as “Sunshine” on Discovery Channel’s  Deadliest Catch,  empowers others to overcome all of the distractions and obstacles that get in the way of owning who they are so they achieve THEIR definition of success. An engaging and animated professional speaker, he directs his audiences to focus their attention on what’s important for them in their lives so they reach t...

We often overly consume and under-implement. I call this practice “knowledge hoarding” and it isn’t helpful in getting us to reach our goals or potential. We need to implement what we are learning instead of overloading our brains with knowledge time and time again. Tune in to hear 5 tips to making sense of our knowledge hoarding in our mind and in our physical spaces so that we can take action pl...

No matter how much experience we have as educators, there are moments in our career where we have no answers. Our heads are banging against the wall and our brains are overworked trying to figure out solutions to the obstacles we are facing without any relief in sight. Luckily, our experiences help us recognize these obstacles faster in the future and overtime we figure out a system for working th...

New teachers struggle to hone in on the most important factors to ensure a strong start and finish to their very first school year due to all the distractions of shiny objects on social media. Tune in to hear 5 secrets to success that help any new teacher achieve veteran status in no time. You’ll unlock the strategies to lay a strong foundation while upping your technique and finesse game. Quotabl...

  There is no question whether or not teachers want to make an impact in their classrooms. But oftentimes there are two factors that come into play that could make or break that very first day of school for both teachers and students. Tune in to hear what those are and how to prepare so that day 1 is a winner for everyone! Quotables [bctt tweet="A lot of teachers and students are excited to h...

Jahkari “JT” Taylor was born to be a Purpose Pusher.  His life’s work demonstrates his passion for cultivating, motivating, and inspiring people from all walks of life. Yet, JT’s life story may not fit the mold of an ideal Purpose Pusher.  When he was just a child he went from living in a 1987 Ford Fairmont, to a packed homeless shelter.  Then, after his mother applied for Section 8 housing, they...

Instructional coaching and teacher leadership are essential for moving the needle in student achievement and teacher proficiency. But the way coaches are leading teachers ends up landing flat because they are either pushing too hard or pulling too far. The secret to great teacher leadership is being a guide on the side- not pushing or pulling too much. Tune in to hear 3 steps to ensure you pass th...

Overwhelm can get the best of us. In fact, too many teachers are leaving the profession due to their plates being full for far too long. When you learn how to recognize overwhelm before it overcomes you, you can begin to hack away at your schedule so that you conserve energy and happiness for what matters most- teaching. Tune in to hear 5 tips and get access to an amazing opportunity for teachers...

Sometimes you can be so tuned in that you don’t realize your candle is burning out. For teachers, summer is a great time to unplug by becoming a learner in something new. You have permission to fill your cup in another passion so that you can be great at your main passion as an educator. Tune in to learn how to best utilize your summer break so that you are a lifelong learner but also a well-reste...

It’s time we take what is working in our own classrooms and share it with other educators so that they can replicate our success. To truly amplify our impact in our classroom, school buildings, and community we need to figure out where we excel and make it accessible to others so that they can repeat our success. Follow the four-step proven method shared in this episode to amplify your impact by i...

  Kim is a veteran educator of 17 years, currently a 7th-grade English teacher, Beginning Teacher Mentor, Educational Technology Specialist, and technology and standards-based coach throughout her district. She also has a Leading Edge Blended Learning certificate and is a Level 2 Google Certified Educator. During her career, she’s taught band, choir, AVID, Study Skills, and all levels of Engl...

The term “teacher leader” encompasses so many jobs in and around a school building. Learning how to lead others can be tricky and confusing. But when you understand the variety of leadership styles that are out there and you reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, you are able to create your own style of leadership. Tune in to hear four common leadership types as well as the cost and benefits of...

Educators experience stress just like all other professions. Sometimes those seasons of stress feel never ending and can even convince you that your life in education will never be any different than the ugly struggle it is right now. The truth is, seasons of stress when your toes are to the fire are moments for growth. Tune in to hear a 3 step system to help you tackle those seasonal stressors wh...

It is easy this day in age to get distracted. Teachers can easily fall down a rabbit hole full of shiny, sparkly classroom implementations that don’t always lead to student learning or teacher effectiveness. Tune in to hear what the “main thing” is when it comes to teaching and tips to hone your craft in the areas of lesson design and execution. Quotables Cutesy classroom décor.. is the icing on t...

Being a teacher is more than just teaching content lessons. It is the life-giving work of an educator to develop the people in front of them every day. One way to do that is to provide appropriate challenge and support so that overtime students begin to rely on themselves to overcome hardships. Tune in to hear tips on how to elevate your lesson design process so that it stretches students in a com...