Beyond My Years
BECAUSE TEACHERS NEVER STOP LEARNING

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Host and educator Ana Torres knows firsthand how hard it is to teach today. On Beyond My Years, she turns to experienced educators and leading researchers for tried-and-true, research-backed strategies that can be used in any classroom. Each episode delivers fresh insights and actionable advice, plus takeaways from Classroom Insider and middle school science teacher Eric Cross. Beyond My Years has been recognized with Webby, Communicator, and American Writing Awards and comes from the team behind Science of Reading: The Podcast.

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“When you immerse children in critical thinking and problem-solving daily, they show up to problems they've never seen before, and they're already in their problem-solving mode.”

Fawn Nguyen

Meet our host, Ana Torres.

In each episode, Amplify Senior Biliteracy and Multilingual Product Specialist Ana Torres gathers teaching tips, lively stories, and hard-won lessons from veteran teachers around the world. Over her 30 years in education, Ana has developed a passion for biliteracy and supporting students from all walks of life. And on Beyond My Years, she’s excited to connect with legendary educators from all subject areas about their lives in education—and what they wish they’d known as younger teachers.

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Meet our Classroom Insider, Eric Cross.

Eric Cross is a middle school science teacher who hopes to someday be as knowledgeable as the lifelong educator guests on Beyond My Years! In each episode, Eric connects with host Ana Torres to discuss the insights her guests have gleaned from their long and rewarding careers in the classroom. Then, he'll dig into the practical ways he brings their wisdom into his own busy classroom—and how you can, too.

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Beyond My Years Season 3

Beyond My Years returns for a third season packed with fresh voices and hard-won wisdom about the art and science of great teaching. Host Ana Torres connects with a new group of researchers and experienced educators to bring you more knowledge and actionable strategies you can take straight into your classroom. Our Classroom Insider, middle school science teacher Eric Cross, is back to help you turn every insight into something real and practical. You’ll learn strategies for reaching every learner, hear directly from educators across the country, explore the role of relationships in the classroom, get fresh perspectives on student engagement in math, and more!

Host Ana Torres is joined by Fawn Nguyen, Director of STEM Initiatives at Amplify, one of the show’s most beloved returning guests. A 30-year middle school math teacher and K–8 math coach before she joined Amplify, Fawn shares practical strategies for teaching math in a way that values multiple solutions and makes every student feel like they belong. Fawn breaks down the routines that open math up to every learner and explains why stepping back to let students do the thinking is one of the most powerful moves a teacher can make. Our Classroom Insider, middle school science teacher Eric Cross, joins Ana to reflect on why “I’m not good at math” is usually a scar with a story behind it. He and Ana discuss why widening our definition of success is where healing begins.

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Host Ana Torres is joined by Kelly Serpa, Ed.D., STEM product specialist at Amplify and passionate advocate for inclusive math instruction. Together, they explore what it takes to develop students’ conceptual understanding in math and why an asset-based approach makes all the difference. Kelly shares the “aha moment” that transformed her teaching practice, and breaks down practical strategies for developing deeper math thinkers—from hooking every student in the first five minutes with routines like Notice and Wonder to building fluency in an asset-based way, without the pressure of a timer. Classroom Insider and middle school science teacher Eric Cross joins Ana to share why these strategies for developing deeper thinkers are just as powerful in other content areas—including in his own science classroom—as they are in math.

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Host Ana Torres is joined by Pedro Noguera, Ph.D., dean and distinguished professor of education at USC Rossier School of Education, one of the national’s leading scholars on inequality and public policy in education. Together, they explore how to create a student-centered classroom in which every learner is encouraged to bring their full selves. Pedro then breaks down how to build authentic relationships with students, co-create classroom norms, and foster a culture in which mistakes are part of learning. He also shares powerful advice for supporting multilingual/English learners. Classroom Insider Eric Cross then joins Ana to reinforce why building relationships with students is every educator’s professional responsibility.

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Beyond My Years host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross give you the first look at Season 3, launching July 22, 2026. This trailer highlights what’s coming this season, including roundtable conversations with educators from across the country and candid conversations with Amplify’s own experts in literacy and math. Season 3 focuses on the art and science of great teaching, drawing on the knowledge of researchers and educators, including Pedro Noguera, Ph.D., Miguel Cardona, Ed.D., and Dan Meyer, Ph.D. We’ll dig into topics from building relationships with students and teaching strategies for reaching every learner to student engagement in the math classroom, and more!

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Math Miniseries

In this special miniseries, we’ll tackle critical aspects of mathematics education. You’ll learn effective change management and leadership strategies for implementing systemic improvements in math instruction, practical approaches for addressing math anxiety, and useful methods to build students’ confidence in their mathematical abilities. This focused series shows educators how to both lead math reform and support students’ emotional relationship with mathematics.

In the second part of our special Beyond My Years two-part math series, Ana is joined by Ian Brown, second-grade teacher at Mukilteo School District in Washington, and author of the comic book I Hate Math, for a conversation focused on reducing math anxiety and creating positive math experiences. Ian shares his approach to helping students who genuinely dislike math, describing how he helps them get to a place where math success feels manageable and achievable. Together, Ian and Ana explore the power of honoring students’ real feelings; creating classroom environments where mistakes don’t carry shame; and using storytelling, humor, and metaphors to make abstract concepts concrete. Finally, Ana is joined by Classroom Insider Eric Cross to discuss making math feel safe, ways to give students both story and stage, and how the foundational work of differentiation and meeting students where they are is critical to the work of educators.

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In the first episode of a special Beyond My Years two-part math series, Ana chats with Matt Cash, director of elementary curriculum and instruction for Lake Elsinore Unified School District in California, about math leadership and change management. Matt shares his experiences helping move his district from a localized approach to a unified system to provide centralized resources, professional development, and assessment. Together, Matt and Ana discuss the importance of listening to educators during adoption processes, the power of creating systems that support teachers, and the best ways to build unity around instructional approaches. Matt also shares practical advice for educators navigating curriculum reviews and pilots. Before the episode’s end, Ana is joined by Classroom Insider Eric Cross, who reflects on how teachers can use their voices early in adoption processes, pilot with fidelity, and give themselves grace during implementation.

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Beyond My Years Season 2

Beyond My Years returns for an exciting second season, focusing on the most common classroom challenges. Host Ana Torres will connect with numerous educators—from longtime teachers to science of learning researchers—to get you answers in less time than it takes to plan a lesson. Our Classroom Insider, middle school science teacher Eric Cross, offers practical takeaways so you can put what you’ve learned to work as soon as the episode ends. You’ll learn how to find your teaching style, gain understanding on how to help students develop critical thinking, hear about the most current research on engaging students, garner tips on serving multilingual learners better, and more!

To celebrate this second season of Beyond My Years, Ana is joined by Mike Flynn, nationally recognized expert in mathematics education and online learning. He explains how “disorienting dilemmas” can bolster our productive beliefs and lead to transformative change in our teaching. Mike and Ana also discuss the importance of teacher advocacy, the power of the collective voice, and ways to overcome barriers to change. Our favorite Classroom Insider, Eric Cross, joins Ana to discuss how important it is to challenge our assumptions as we continue to grow and change.

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Ana is joined by Daniela Anello, CEO of DC Bilingual Public Charter School, to discuss how educators can create environments in which they can be their whole selves. Daniela tells her own story of identifying her values as a teacher and claiming the sense of purpose she wanted to bring into her own classroom; she then lays out how she works to incorporate them on a day-to-day basis. She also explains why it’s important for teachers to take chances, make mistakes, and try again—behaviors that should be modeled for students. Ana is then joined by our Classroom Insider, middle school science teacher Eric Cross, who delves into the importance of “being yourself on purpose” when you teach.

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Ana Torres is joined by nationally recognized educational consultant and thought leader Mitchell Brookins, Ph.D., to discuss what critical thinking is and how to help students develop it. In addition to explaining why critical thinking is crucial for long-term academic success, Mitchell also gives educators four clear steps that they can implement to effectively develop critical thinking skills in their classrooms. Ana is then joined by Classroom Insider extraordinaire Eric Cross, who discusses how he encourages his students to hone their critical thinking skills in his classroom.

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Alabama K–2 educator, national presenter, and curriculum author Keri Brown discusses strategies for supporting students in the math classroom. While Keri focuses on math in the episode, many of her takeaways can be applied to all subjects. Keri breaks down the power of small-group instruction, the value of multisensory hands-on manipulatives, and the role of intervention. She also explains how to help students who may already be struggling feel comfortable and confident talking about math. Classroom Insider Eric Cross then joins host Ana Torres to reinforce the importance of implementing a routine in the classroom.

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Our guest this week, Neysa Olivares-Torres, breaks down the process of finding and developing your own personal teaching style. Neysa details how she landed on her “firm-but-fair” approach before sharing tips for other educators trying to develop their authentic teaching style. Neysa and Ana also discuss how finding—and embodying—your teaching style can reduce classroom behavior challenges. Our beloved Classroom Insider, Eric Cross, then joins Ana to share how he carved out his personal teaching style, “the warm demander.”

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Tina Boogren, Ph.D., joins Ana Torres, not only to discuss how it’s completely normal for first-year teachers (and even some veterans) to experience disillusionment, but also to offer tactics for overcoming those feelings. Tina and Ana kick off this episode by explaining Ellen Moir’s “The Phases of First-Year Teaching,” which outlines the emotional stages new teachers move through. They discuss how teachers have to name their feelings to tame their feelings, the difference between stress and burnout, and the importance of giving ourselves grace and avoiding comparison with others. Tina also details her three research-backed strategies for self-care: gratitude, altruism, and laughter. Finally, Classroom Insider Eric Cross joins Ana to share takeaways from the interview, including how and why to ask for help, even if it’s just so you can take a small break.

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Angela Duckworth, Ph.D., the New York Times bestselling author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, joins Ana Torres to discuss school phone policies and what the science of self-control can tell us works. In this episode, Angela highlights the many complexities surrounding student cell phone use in schools and why there is a need to conduct research, such as her “Phones in Focus” study, to look at which phone policies are actually yielding the best outcomes. She also outlines the limitations of “growth mindset” and “simply trying hard,” and instead suggests four ingredients that set young people up to reach their goals. Finally, Ana and Classroom Insider Eric Cross reflect on Angela’s insights, and Eric shares the strategies he plans to implement to provide mentors to his students.

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Host Ana Torres is joined by Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Ed.D., a linguist and speech pathologist known for her work with multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs). In this episode, Elsa focuses on small changes that educators can make to create classrooms that are more inclusive and supportive of ML/ELs. She shares strategies for morphology instruction, learning useful information about students’ home languages, shifting away from a deficit mindset when it comes to ML/ELs, and more. She’ll also touch on why techniques like asking students to respond in full sentences and slowing down your rate of teaching can better serve students. Ana and Classroom Insider Eric Cross then reflect on Elsa’s insights, and Eric shares a vulnerable moment that demonstrates why humility and openness are some of his core teaching principles.

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On this episode of Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Dan Meyer, Ph.D., Vice President of User Growth at Amplify and former Chief Academic Officer at Desmos. Dan’s journey in education began much like that of many other teachers—with a love of his content area. But entering the classroom proved difficult as he struggled to engage students who didn’t share his interest in math. In this episode, Dan gives listeners insight into his secret for engaging students in anything. He provides models for grounding lessons in real life, giving students more opportunities to show off their personalities, and reframing mistakes and “wrong answers” as valuable answers to different questions. He also touches on technology use in the classroom and how to know when it’s the right tool for the job. Ana and Classroom insider Eric Cross then reflect on Dan’s insights, and Eric shares his top takeaways for the classroom.

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Host Ana Torres welcomes former NJDOE Chief Academic Officer Tracey Severns, Ed.D., to discuss not just how to bring more joy to the classroom, but how joy and laughter can draw in even the most vulnerable students. Tracey outlines the current research on what humor can do in the classroom and shares her own observational research in a case-study school on the power of increasing smiles. She shares tips and tricks for both classroom teachers and administrators for how to encourage a culture of joy. Finally, Ana and Classroom Insider Eric Cross reflect on Tracey’s insights, with Eric sharing his top three takeaways and what specifically he incorporated in his classroom after a trip to Disney.

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Ana Torres and Eric Cross give you the first look at Season 2 of Beyond My Years, launching Sept. 17, 2025. This trailer highlights what’s coming this season, including shorter episodes and takeaways from our Classroom Insider. Season 2 focuses on common classroom challenges, looking to the experts and to the research to get you answers. We’ll discuss topics from how to find your teaching style and actually engage students in math to helping students develop critical thinking, and more!

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Beyond My Years Season 1

In this inaugural season of Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres gets to the heart of what it means to be an educator. She speaks to educators with decades of experience around the world, gathering their most powerful stories and hardest won wisdom. With her is Classroom Insider Eric Cross, a middle school science teacher, who breaks down each topic into its most practical takeaways, giving every listener the mentor they need.

Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Science of Reading: The Podcast host Susan Lambert, Ed.D., who’s here to make the case for all educators investing in student literacy development, regardless of the content domain they teach. Throughout the conversation, they discuss how all teachers are literacy teachers and share four simple tips for developing academic language in any classroom. Finally, Ana and Classroom Insider Eric Cross discuss what they learned and Eric shares this top three takeaways from Susan.

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Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross reconnect with three past guests—Fawn Nguyen, Rebecka Peterson, and Simone McQuaige—to explore key challenges from their early teaching days: classroom management, decentering oneself, and time management. Ana and Eric share their own experiences with these common hurdles, then offer a quick look at what’s ahead in Season 2.

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Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres soaks up wisdom from Kareem Weaver, an educational powerhouse who has spent over 30 years working toward the end of illiteracy. Kareem levels with Ana about the hard truths of education reform. Together, they get vulnerable about the personal costs they’ve paid in being committed to their work and the belief they share that no teacher should have to make those sacrifices. Kareem also discusses his time working in juvenile detention facilities, how a frightening diagnosis changed the way he approaches education, and how administrators can best help create sustainable careers. Taking all those lessons back to the classroom, Ana and Beyond My Years Classroom Insider Eric Cross talk about preparing more than just lesson plans, developing focused skill improvement, and making the connections between academic success and behavior reform.

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Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres absorbs wisdom from A. Simone McQuaige, winner of the Amplify Science of Reading Star Awards 2024 Changemaker Award. Simone teaches Ana about what it takes to support wider change across an entire district, and about the common traits she sees in all seasoned educators. She also shares stories about how her mother tried to convince her not to become a teacher, about learning to be calm and reflect, and about how she thinks about her legacy as an educator. Taking all those lessons back to the classroom, Ana and Classroom Insider Eric Cross discuss creating a teacher network, building buy-in, and leading student-designed projects.

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Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres gets wisdom from Serena Klosa, an educator with 37 years of experience as a teacher, principal, and now deputy chief of schools. Serena discusses what it takes to be a good mentor and to be mentored by others—stressing the humility it requires and the strength it creates. She also shares stories of the “Queens of the Third Floor” and their no-nonsense approach to mentoring, and opens up about the lessons she won’t let herself forget. Taking all those lessons back to the classroom, Ana and Classroom Insider Eric Cross discuss maintaining positive routines with students, staying humble, and valuing every role in the school.

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On this episode of Beyond My Years, Ana Torres picks up every nugget of wisdom she can from LaTonya M. Goffney, Ed.D., superintendent of schools for the Aldine Independent School District in Texas. LaTonya shares her journey through many different roles in education before she ended up in an educational leadership role. She stresses the importance of building a teaching community, including finding teacher mentorship, having people advocating for you, and valuing the work you do. LaTonya notes that if it weren’t for those that believed in her and encouraged her to strive for more, she never would have ventured to apply for the opportunities she did. She goes on to share one of her most valuable lessons: As you grow in education, you need to make sure you’re looking behind you and pulling other people up. She concludes with tips for connecting with other educators, learning from each other constantly, and continuing to grow. Taking all those lessons back to the classroom, Eric and Ana discuss pursuing professional growth opportunities, embracing your power as an educator, and focusing on excellence where you are.

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En este episodio especial de Beyond My Years, Ana tiene el placer de hablar con Luz Selenia Muñoz en español, su idioma de origen. Luz ha sido maestra por 20 años, en dos países diferentes y en dos idiomas distintos. Con toda esa experiencia, Luz comparte las lecciones que le han parecido trascendentes para todos los estudiantes y todas las escuelas, como la importancia de crear conexiones significativas con los estudiantes, ser paciente con sus estudiantes y consigo misma, así como encontrar colegas que hablen su idioma de origen. Luz también entrega a los oyentes una estrategia fácil y factible que pueden intentar hoy mismo para involucrar a los estudiantes mediante la escucha activa cuando da las instrucciones.

Listen to our full episode in English.

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Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres walks alongside Luz Selenia Muñoz as she retraces the path that led her from planning to become a psychologist in Puerto Rico to living in Chicago as a veteran bilingual teacher with 20 years under her belt. Luz shares how finding her happy place in second grade took time, describing how she quickly learned that teaching upper elementary was not for her. She also gives insight into how moving from Puerto Rico to the United States taught her how to persevere through the struggles of a new environment, and how she learned to balance her independence with reliance on and trust in her fellow educators for support. Luz stresses some of the most important lessons she has learned along the way, including teaching a culture rather than just a language, staying focused on your target language, making connections with students, trying something different instead of giving up, and understanding that tomorrow will get better.

Listen to our bonus episode in Spanish!

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Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres delves into the wisdom offered by Rebecka Peterson, 2023’s National Teacher of the Year (NTOY) and an educator whose journey began much like Ana’s: as a young immigrant to the United States. Rebecka shares all that she has come to love and appreciate about the K–12 environment after a tough transition from teaching college-level courses. She also reveals her most important lesson learned: Teach humans over content. Rebecka talks about her “One Good Thing” blog, where she documented daily positives in her classroom that transformed her perspective on teaching. She shares personal experiences of feeling like an outsider and how those experiences drive her to create an environment of belonging for her students. Rebecka stresses the significance of building authentic relationships with students, as well as the impact of mentors in education. Taking all those lessons back to the classroom, Eric and Ana discuss strategies like “rebellious joy” that seem essential to sustaining a long career in education.

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Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres learns from the best, sitting down with 2024’s National Teacher of the Year, Missy Testerman. Missy talks about always being open to new ideas and perspectives, offers tips on building relationships with families, and discusses the importance of slowing down. She also shares the story of being the “bossy” kid in the classroom, because she wanted to help her classmates learn. Today, she feels that being a dedicated teacher means advocating for her students, because she believes that showing up means creating a vital safe place. Missy does not shy away from tough topics, such as knowing when it’s time to step away from teaching, and managing the “who knows best” struggle between administrators and teachers, parents and teachers, etc. Taking all those lessons back to the classroom, Ana and her Classroom Insider Eric Cross discuss understanding your community, being more flexible and present in your lessons, and seeking mentorship and continuous growth.

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Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres takes you to the northernmost region of Alaska to sit down with Patti and Rod Lloyd. Patti and Rod are longtime educators in a rural school district where caribou outnumber people, the village is only accessible by plane, and the Indigenous culture of the Iñupiat people goes back 10,000 years. They teach Ana about how they make the content matter by connecting it to student life outside of the classroom, the honor of teaching where children are the most valuable part of the community, the importance of listening more than you speak, and they offer advice for teaching responsibly as an outsider. They also share stories of how the first week of every school year is spent connecting to the land and having the village elders teach about their culture, emphasizing the joy to be found when you open yourself up to what your students have to teach you. Throughout the conversation, it is clear that despite teaching in a unique landscape, the lessons that Patti and Rod have learned are applicable to teaching any student anywhere. Taking all those lessons back to the classroom, Eric and Ana discuss the benefits of building genuine community relationships, making learning culturally relevant, and the importance of focusing on effective teaching methods.

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Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres learns all she can learn from the life stories and lessons of Khamphet Pease. As a refugee from Laos, Khamphet shares the difficulty she experienced navigating a home culture that did not encourage education or career ambitions for women. Despite that, she laughs over her stubbornness that she sees as an integral part of what has motivated her to chase her dreams, spend over 20 years as a STEM teacher, and what earned her the presidential award for excellence in mathematics and science teaching. Due to gendered norms and expectations, she almost lost out on the future she truly wanted. Since then, she has made it her mission to champion a learning environment where young girls feel they belong and can thrive in STEM fields. Khamphet takes Ana on a journey through all the lessons she learned along the way of managing work/life balance, creating a classroom culture of trust, and the importance of finding a mentor during the hardest teaching years of your life. Once back in the classroom, Eric Cross and Ana check in on Eric’s first two weeks of back-to-school and discuss practical ways to take care of yourself first so you can then take care of your students.

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Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres learns from Fawn Nguyen, a math educator with over 30 years of classroom experience! Fawn tells Ana the story of her near-death experience being lost at sea while escaping Vietnam, and explains how it shaped the sense of gratitude she leads with in the classroom. She also discusses what it means to be yourself in the classroom, the importance of sharing your mistakes with your students, and the merits of practicing advocacy vs. authority with students. Taking all those lessons back to the classroom, Ana and Classroom Insider Eric Cross then discuss connecting with students through shared struggles and challenges.

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Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres becomes a student of Eric Jones, an educator who came out of retirement at 80 years of age to help with a national teacher shortage—thus becoming the oldest paid teacher in Britain. Eric shares his insights with Ana about building a collaborative classroom and what it means to teach children, not content. He also reflects on how the trajectory of his life changed when one man recognized and encouraged his desire to be a teacher. Eric delves into how attending school in the ’50s shaped his teaching style, his experience of retiring before the smartphone era only to return when every student has one, and how his anti-bullying efforts contributed to the passing of a national law. He also discusses why his love for teaching has lasted a lifetime. Taking all those lessons back to the classroom, Eric Cross and Ana then discuss how they would apply the tenets of respect and collaboration in their own classrooms.

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Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres soaks up wisdom from Joyce Abbott, an educator so passionate about her students that she inspired one of them to go on and write the hit show “Abbott Elementary.” Joyce tells Ana all about her experiences working in a Title I school and what it means to know the community of Philadelphia. They also discuss how Joyce’s time serving in the military informed her work as an educator, how she transformed a challenging classroom during her first year teaching, how it has felt to witness the success of “Abbott Elementary,” and the passion she sees as her driving force. Taking all those lessons back to the classroom, Eric and Ana then discuss teaching tips and strategies for connecting with students.

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Join host Ana Torres and her classroom insider, Eric Cross, to learn what the new Amplify podcast Beyond My Years is all about. Together, they dig into the essence of what it means to be an educator, the challenges that come with it, and how Beyond My Years will connect with it all. Plus, you’ll get a sneak peek into what’s ahead, including conversations with legendary educators (like one who was an inspiration for a hit TV show).

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