Front of the Class

Send us Fan Mail From growing up dreaming of space exploration to building a 10-year teaching career across two continents, Kyle Letot’s journey is one of resilience, discovery, and purpose. Now teaching English conversation at a foreign language high school in South Korea, Kyle reflects on how her early experiences in U.S. classrooms and her transition abroad have shaped her approach to education...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Susanne H. Thompson has a background spanning higher education leadership, building administration, superintendency, and more that has taken her from leading classrooms in Pennsylvania to serving as Moreland University’s president in Washington, D.C.  As she focuses on preparing teachers to thrive in a changing world, Dr. Thompson reflects on her career journey, the evolution...

Send us Fan Mail Hakeem Young is a math teacher and a head football coach at Spanaway Middle School in Washington state. He’s also an assistant football coach at Spanaway Lake High School. On top of it all, he’s achieved a 100% graduation rate as the head coach of the high school’s girls’ wrestling team.  In this special topical episode, Young discusses how he gets buy-in from parents and helps st...

Send us Fan Mail From teaching on a military base at Fort Leavenworth to her current role as a fourth-grade teacher in rural Gardner, Kansas, Amanda Heilman has experienced a wide range of school communities. Over 13 years as an educator, she's found her sweet spot in helping students grow academically and personally while maintaining strong relationships with families.  In this episode, Heil...

Send us Fan Mail If learning communities are not truly inclusive, then they are not really meeting the needs of everyone — that’s the core belief that drives International Schools Services (ISS) Director of Learning, Research, & Outreach Dana Specker Watts, Ph. D. It’s why she’s made sure that the “Netflix for schools” education model that she’s been developing as a passion project is availabl...

Send us Fan Mail With more than 20 years of experience across rural, urban, and international schools, Gregg Pait has seen almost every challenge education can offer. From teaching K-12 social studies to launching project management courses on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University, Pait has built his career on variety, adaptability, and a passion for lifelong learning.  In this epi...

Send us Fan Mail After more than two decades in project management and administration, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted Ayoko Vias’ career and left her unemployed. Then, she found herself stepping into a kindergarten classroom in Togo, West Africa, and discovered her true calling.  In this episode, Ayoko reflects on her journey from office manager and event planner to international school educator....

Send us Fan Mail For most teachers, confidence in the classroom doesn’t come overnight. It’s something that has to be built through experience, reflection, and support. Angie Haller, an educator based in Arizona, knows this firsthand.  In this special topical episode, Haller shares her perspective on what confidence looks like for teachers and how they can intentionally develop it over time. She t...

Send us Fan Mail When he used “99 Problems” in a lesson about search and seizure last school year, some of Dominic Helmstetter’s ninth grade government students didn’t know who Jay-Z was until somebody mentioned that he was Beyonce’s husband — but he got plenty of emails filled with laughing emojis from appreciative parents.  That’s just one example of how Helmstetter, a social studies teacher in...

Send us Fan Mail "When it’s in you, it’s in you, and you can’t run from it."  That’s what Jazzmyne Townsend’s mom told her as she avoided a career in education to study business administration and marketing. But when Jazzmyne graduated from college during a recession and found work as a paraprofessional, it set her on a 16-year path toward being named the 2025 D.C. Teacher of the Year an...

Send us Fan Mail Emily Chaskelson studied journalism as an undergraduate, honing her observation skills. So, when she noticed the difficulties created by the language barrier between Spanish speakers and English speakers in Chicago, she became motivated to bridging the gap.  Fast forward and Emily has been teaching multilingual learners in public schools for 18 years, most recently in North Caroli...

Send us Fan Mail Kathy Schmidt’s path to the classroom started in some unlikely places, from working in zoos and aquariums to traveling the world as a cruise ship staffer, to becoming a certified dive instructor. But through all the twists and turns, she’s stayed focused on one thing: engaging learners of all subjects with energy, empathy, and creativity.  Now a middle school teacher in Casablanca...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to teach across borders, and thrive while doing it?  In this special topical episode, Rainier Lee shares insights from his inspiring journey from the U.S. to South Korea and the Netherlands, showing that teaching internationally isn’t just possible — it’s transformative.  Rainier dives into what it means to be a culturally responsive educator, how choosing a coun...

Send us Fan Mail Julie Rudlosky — an educator in Ohio — didn’t set out to become a classroom comedian, but after 15 years of teaching English, she’s learned that laughter is one of her most powerful tools.  From re-enacting Shakespearean swordfights to creating escape rooms, Rudlosky’s classroom is an environment where students can be themselves, explore creative projects, and truly engage with li...

Send us Fan Mail "One phrase can make a difference, and it can be positive or negative."  Jenny Mitchell didn’t always plan to be a teacher. But after a chance encounter with an international school during a study abroad experience, her path changed and she’s never looked back. Now the Director of Teaching and Learning at an American school in Taiwan, Jenny supports over 130 educators an...

Send us Fan Mail Cole Cooper didn’t take a straight path to education. From working at a pallet recovery plant at age 10 to working part-time and short-term jobs to make ends meet while supporting his family as an adult, every step of his journey built toward one truth: if you want to make an impact, you have to serve others.  In this deeply personal episode, Cooper opens up about his battles with...

Send us Fan Mail "Make it about the kids."  That’s the guiding principle for Ohio high school teacher Jake Knapp, who believes that everything in the classroom should be focused on what helps students learn and grow.  In episode 21 of the Front of the Class podcast, Knapp shares how he brings creativity, technology, and real-world relevance into his social studies lessons. From using AI...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when students say that your class is boring? For Miya Hourani, that’s not the end of the conversation — it’s the starting point.  In this special topical episode, Miya returns to share practical strategies for building truly student-centered classrooms where learners feel heard, empowered, and motivated to grow. Teaching 8th grade language arts in Kuwait, Miya has dev...

Send us Fan Mail David Wilson didn’t plan to become a teacher. In fact, his first teaching experience happened by chance when a friend asked him to cover a physics class. What started as a temporary substitute role quickly became a lifelong calling.  Since then, David’s journey has taken him from Ghana to Vietnam and now to Jakarta, Indonesia, where he teaches science and biology at an internation...

Send us Fan Mail Savannah Steger, an educator in South Carolina, initially tried to ignore the childhood feeling that she would work in education — even going as far as starting college as a broadcast journalism major before pursuing what she termed her "calling."  Now, Savannah has been an elementary school principal for 5 years. Before that, she was an assistant principal and a teacher...

Send us Fan Mail Hands-on and high-impact.  That’s how educator Carson Letot approaches his work at a North Carolina community college, where students learn not just concepts, but how to build successful careers.  In this episode, Letot shares his unique path into being a program director, what it means to train students for agriculture and turf grass science professions, and why leading with flex...

Send us Fan Mail "Is this the best way to make change in people's lives?"  That's the question Rachel Davison Humphries faced in the 2000s. As an EMT in East Texas, she knew she was providing immediate help to people in need, but she was searching for a career that would leave a longer, lasting impact.  Humphries began exploring colleges, philosophy, and charity, which led her...

Send us Fan Mail Neely Trull's grandmother was a local celebrity — but maybe not the kind you would think. She spent 28 years working as an educator, making a positive impact on their community. So, when Neely was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, it was always a "no-brainer" that she would follow in those family footsteps.  In this episode, Neely — an early childhood ed...

Send us Fan Mail How can one meal change your life? Rainier Lee shares how trying Korean food led him from a life as a cultural anthropologist in the U.S. to a career as a confident classroom leader in the Netherlands.  In this episode, Rainier opens up about being an international educator with dyslexia and how he uses transparent communication to power his empathetic, student-centered approach t...

Send us Fan Mail What do classroom mantras, self-care, and unexpected career twists have in common? They’re all part of Michele Banks’ inspiring journey into special education.  In this episode, Michele shares how she unexpectedly found herself teaching high school at a private Catholic school in Florida — and how it became her calling. From supporting students with exceptional needs to building m...