Educator Forever

For this episode I had Allison Williams, founder of Tutor Tots online, back on the podcast. Allison's business focuses on creating engaging online classes for kids and it has really grown in the past few years since we started working together. Allison is also an Educator Forever team member. She helps me run our Education Business Foundations program, and our Grow Your Education Business accelera...

For this episode I invited April Brown, our amazing director of learning and development here at Educator Forever, onto the podcast to talk with me about one of our very favorite subjects, which is how to support teachers to truly thrive. The idea for this episode came after I had a discussion with the head of an Edtech company who thought that teachers should be happy now that things are back to...

When people ask me about leaving the classroom and how to build their experience I advise them to do something on the side while still they're still teaching. Sometimes that's not possible. Maybe you just need to leave or you've already left, and that's totally fine. But if you do have a little bit of time to some work on the side while teaching, it allows you try out things before completely flip...

We've all likely experienced moments when we feel trapped, stagnant, or unsure of how to move forward in life. It's a frustrating and disheartening feeling, whether it’s related to your personal or career journey . But if you’re feeling stuck in teaching, you’re definitely not alone. At Educator Forever, we’ve worked with thousands of education professionals who felt trapped in their classroom car...

The start of a new year is the perfect time to think about all that you hope to accomplish throughout the year. I like to call this having a clear vision. One of the best ways to follow through with your vision is to participate in goal setting. So, in today’s episode, I’m going to share steps towards achieving your new year goal setting. With so many possibilities, new year goal setting can be ov...

The end of a year and the beginning of another is the perfect time to reflect on how far you’ve come and where you want to go next. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in the classroom, are working beyond the classroom, or just started your own business, there are things you learned and grew from. So, just as I want you to reflect on your year, I wanted to share five things that made a difference thi...

We talk frequently on this podcast about the emotional well-being of teachers and the overwhelming amount of stress that they endure on a daily basis. Teachers are expected to do so much with often very little support, which ultimately leads to teacher burnout. But my guest on today’s episode, Jen Rafferty, shares how her company, Empowered Educator, focuses on the social and emotional aspects of...

In a world where things feel uncertain or out of your control and in an educational career where exploitation and burnout are so prevalent, it’s even more crucial to check in with yourself emotionally. After being forced to find a different way to live, my guest, Nataly Kogan, discovered emotional fitness and the skills needed to practice this in your life. In today’s episode, Nataly shares how te...

When you have aspirations for starting a business, you usually have an idea of what you want to create, produce, or sell, as well as your financial goals. But sometimes, when starting a business, you learn and achieve a lot more than what you started out with. This was definitely true for me when I started Educator Forever; I started out with one idea and ended up with a whole lot more. So, in tod...

For most teachers, we decided early on that we have a calling and passion for education. But sometimes, after years in education, we start to drift further away from our passion and reason for getting into education. Thankfully, whether you stay in the classroom, education, or move beyond, you can get back to your passions and values. In today’s episode, I’m sharing how you can begin to realign wi...

Many educators have thoughts and opinions about change that needs to happen in education, but there are only a select few who actually put their thoughts into action. Wanting to expand her impact beyond the classroom, my guest and personal friend, Mariah Rankine-Landers, decided to start the work of culturally responsive teaching through the arts. In today’s episode, Mariah is sharing how to make...

As you’re navigating the twists and turns of your life, there’s one thing that should be in your mind at all times: is what I’m doing now working in my life? That idea is something that my guest, Beryl Young, resonates with and uses to make personal and professional choices. Her career journey also goes through pivots and changes, but they all have ultimately led her to own her own business and st...

When literally trying anything new, the act of rejection is bound to happen at some point. And even though rejection is inevitable and part of the process, the feeling that comes when you’re rejected is never wanted. But what happens if you reframe rejection and start thinking about it as a learning opportunity and path toward success? In today’s episode, I’m sharing 5 ways that you can reframe re...

People are always talking about how they want the best of both worlds. Well, with this new company, KaiPod, you can! My guest on today’s episode, Amar Kumar, created a new learning environment of microschools that combines self-paced online learning with the social components of traditional school. He shares what led to this new way of school and learning and how you can be part of it as well. Aft...

Teachers often feel “stuck” with their options when wanting to move beyond the classroom. However, there are so many things you can do while still working in education. I want to give you an overview and expand your ideas of what it can mean to work as an educator outside the classroom or in a typical school setting. So, in today’s episode, I’m sharing six flexible jobs for educators and why they...

Making the decision to work beyond the classroom is such an exciting time and trying something new and different. But if you’ve solely worked in the field of education, some of the “business” aspects might be unfamiliar to you, such as pitching yourself. As teachers, we don’t have to sell our services, except to maybe our students, so that idea might be uncomfortable for you. So, if you’re venturi...

I’ve said it on the podcast many times before, and I’ll say it again: you have vital skills that non-teachers don’t have. Utilizing those skills is what sets you apart from others, especially when starting your own business. My guest on today’s episode, Cindy Weaver, found a need for online course creation and used her teacher skills to start her own business.   Going through many stages in h...

Our career path can lead us down many different roads and can often lead us right back to where we started. The important thing is that you follow what you feel is right for you at the moment. My guest on today’s episode, Tatum Moser, is a personal friend of mine who shares her journey in education and starting a new career path that eventually led her to start her own ed-tech business, Mindly Gam...

Many teachers will say that teaching is a passion of theirs, which is why they put so much time, energy, and creativity into their careers. But many of them also have a passion outside of teaching. So what’s more perfect than combining both of your passions in order to make a difference in the lives of others? My guest on today’s episode, Dr. Mark Anthony Gooden, was able to do just that. Mark sha...

If you have an idea for a new business, get started! It’s never too late to change careers or try something new. My guest on today’s episode, Jessica Lattimore, is living proof. After beginning her teaching career at 40, she now is creating her own education business after retirement. She’s sharing how building a classroom community contributes to student learning, and how the mistakes you make pr...

There are lots of reasons why someone switches jobs and changes career paths. For some it’s financial reasons, for others it’s the challenge of a new opportunity, and in the case of my guest on today’s episode, making the biggest impact on students and teachers. Sara Marye, a successful business owner, shares how first sharing her resources on Teachers Pay Teachers transformed into being CEO of Th...

The question I get asked all the time is: Should I go into curriculum development? My answer is always to try it out! When I was looking for a way to work beyond the classroom, curriculum development was the right fit for me, and it could be for you as well. There are many benefits to working in this field, but you’ll first need to make sure it’s the right fit for you. So in today’s episode, I’m s...

Returning to school from the summer can bring up a lot of different emotions in you. You might feel excited about starting a new year, but you might also experience the back-to-school dread. Whatever you’re feeling, you’re not alone. With my own personal experience with back-to-school dread, I know it can be difficult knowing what steps to take to move forward, so I’m sharing 3 steps that will hel...

Just because you got your initial degree in education doesn’t mean you have to end your career in education. As humans, we have lots of different passions, so why not explore them? That’s the philosophy my guest on today’s episode, Natasha Carrillo, had. Natasha started as an educator but explored her passion as a financial coach, which she shares her journey with and advice today. We’ve discussed...

Whether you’re looking for flexible work in education or trying to redefine what it means to be an educator, this episode is for you! Moving beyond the classroom or just adjusting your role in education can be hard to imagine. I know it was for me. However, it can be done with a few action steps and reminders.  At Educator Forever, we implement what we call the 4 C’s. This is an ongoing proce...