Beyond My Years

To close out the year, we’re revisiting some of our favorite moments from the first nine episodes of the Beyond My Years podcast – and looking ahead at some of what’s to come in 2025! Listen to Beyond My Years: Subscribe to Beyond My Years on AppleSubscribe to Beyond My Years on SpotifyListen to Beyond My Years via web browser

On this episode of Beyond My Years, Ana Torres picks up every nugget of wisdom she can learn 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 opportunities back to the classroom, Eric and Ana discuss pursuing professional growth opportunities, embracing your power as an educator, and focusing on excellence where you're at.Show notes:Connect with LaTonya Goffney, Ed.D. on LinkedInConnect with Aldine Independent School DistrictWebsite: AldineISD.orgX: @AldineISDFacebook: @AldineSchoolDistrict IG: @aldineschooldistrict Subscribe to Beyond My YearsFollow us on Instagram @amplify.education Connect with Eric Cross: https://www.ericcross.org/ Connect with Ana Torres: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anayansi-ana-torres-m-ed-26a10654/Quotes:"When you have passion for people and you have a purpose for making a difference, and if you're open to learning, anything is possible. And that's what my life has demonstrated in education." —LaTonya Goffney, Ed.D."The best way to get the next job is to do a good job where you are." —LaTonya Goffney, Ed.D."Public education is the profession that makes all other professions possible." —LaTonya Goffney, Ed.D."We can't be siloed. We can't just go to our classrooms, close the door, and not be helpers to one another." —LaTonya Goffney, Ed.D

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 dives into how immigrating 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.Show notes:“Dear Ana”: Tell us about a veteran teacher who inspired you! Connect with Luz Selenia Muñoz:Instagram: @lucecitaluneraFacebook: @sonrisas.que.inspiran.dual.languageListen: Check out Luz Muñoz’s bonus conversation with Ana Torres in Spanish Listen: How the Science of Reading serves multilingual/English learners Subscribe to Beyond My Years: https://amplify.com/beyond-my-yearsFollow us on Instagram: @amplify.education Connect with Eric Cross: https://www.ericcross.org/ Connect with Ana Torres: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anayansi-ana-torres-m-ed-26a10654/Quotes:“I'm here to teach this language. And it's not just the language; it's the culture that comes with the language.” —Luz S. Muñoz“Sometimes people say, ‘Oh, teaching is not for me. I tried for one year and it didn't work.’ Maybe you were in the wrong place. Maybe that's not the grade level for you. Just try something different before quitting. Try something different.” —Luz S. Muñoz“You need a lot of love for your students. Doesn't matter where you are. You need love for your students and understanding that tomorrow is going to get better.” —Luz S. Muñoz

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.In this special bonus episode of Beyond My Years, Ana has the joy of speaking with Luz Selenia Muñoz in her native language of Spanish. Luz has been a teacher for 20 years, in two different countries and in two different languages. With all that experience, Luz shares the lessons that stand out as transcendent across all students and all schools like the importance of making meaningful student connections, being patient with your students and with yourself, and finding fellow teachers that speak your native language. She also gives listeners an easy, actionable strategy they can try out today to engage students in active listening when teachers are giving instructions.Show notes:Listen: Check Luz Muñoz’s conversation with host Ana Torres in English Dear Ana: Tell us about a veteran teacher who inspired you!Listen: How the Science of Reading serves multilingual/English learners (in English)Amplify Caminos - Spanish Language Arts ProgramConnect with Luz Selenia MuñoInstagram: @lucecitaluneraFacebook: @sonrisas.que.inspiran.dual.languageSubscribe to Beyond My Years https://amplify.com/beyond-my-yearsFollow us on Instagram @amplify.education Connect with Eric Cross: https://www.ericcross.org/ Connect with Ana Torres: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anayansi-ana-torres-m-ed-26a10654/Quotes:Yo creo que le diría que tenga paciencia. Paciencia. Que respire. Que las cosas van a mejorar cada día."–Luz Selenia Muñoz"Yo diría que algo que se ha quedado grabado es hacer conexiones. Hacer conexiones con los estudiantes, conocer quiénes son, de dónde vienen, qué les gusta. Y al hacer eso haces tu vida como maestro más fácil y más sencilla."–Luz Selenia Muñoz

Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres delves into the wisdom offered by Rebecka Peterson, 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. Rebecca 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 are essential to sustaining a long career in education.Show notes:Connect with Rebecka Peterson:Instagram: @RebeckaPeterson_X: @RebeckaMozdeh“Dear Ana”: Tell us about a seasoned educator who impacted your life!Listen: Hear from Missy Testerman, 2024 National Teacher of the Year! Subscribe to Beyond My Years: https://amplify.com/beyond-my-yearsFollow us on Instagram: @amplify.education Connect with Eric Cross: https://www.ericcross.org/ Connect with Ana Torres: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anayansi-ana-torres-m-ed-26a10654/Quotes: “That's how we build our joy, how we build our resiliency—when we do the work together.” —Rebecka Peterson“I thought…I had to earn my seat at the table. I don't want any kid to ever think they have to earn their spot. I want them to know they are in, exactly as they are. There is no need to perform. They are loved on their good days, their hard days, whether they make the 'A' or not—they are in. And more than that,  they are celebrated.” —Rebecka Peterson“It takes a lot of courage to stand in the present. It is mindfulness. It is joy.” —Rebecka Peterson“This was like training my brain to become a good noticer and to take delight in my students’ quirks, and their genius, and their goofiness, as well as their beauty.” —Rebecka Peterson

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.Show notes:Submit your story about a seasoned educator who affected your life, and be entered to win exclusive Beyond My Years swag! Connect with Missy Testerman:Instagram: @missytesterman2024ntoyLinkedIn: @missy-testermanX: @missytestermanSubscribe to Beyond My Years https://amplify.com/beyond-my-yearsFollow us on Instagram @amplify.education Connect with Eric Cross https://www.ericcross.org/ Connect with Ana Torres https://www.linkedin.com/in/anayansi-ana-torres-m-ed-26a10654/Quotes:“The reality is that the journey toward wisdom in any career, especially in education, has to be slow and steady.” –Missy Testerman“I want them to be proud of where they came from, always, because that's part of their story. It's always going to be an important part of their story.” –Missy Testerman“I had a mentor who said, ‘Sometimes you have to slow down teaching to speed up learning.’ Slowing down, allowing those spontaneous moments to happen, allowing it to interrupt your plan, and then going there and diving into that, because you got the engagement. You have these natural phenomena. You have this natural curiosity. And that's true learning. And that's what's memorable.” –Missy Testerman

Patti Lloyd, a dedicated educator in rural Alaska, and her husband Rod share their invaluable insights from teaching in a community where culture is deeply rooted and the environment is unique. They discuss the importance of listening to students and adapting lessons to connect with their lives outside the classroom. Patti and Rod emphasize the joy of learning from village elders and fostering genuine community relationships. Their stories highlight how effective teaching methods can resonate with students everywhere, demonstrating that education thrives on connection and cultural relevance.

Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres learns all she can learn from the life stories and lessons of Khamphet Pease. While other teenagers might have been sneaking around to go to late night scary movies, Khamphet was applying for scholarships and submitting college applications. 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.Show notes:Connect with Khamphet Pease on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/phet-pease Connect with Khamphet Pease on X @PhetPeaseWatch: California Teachers Association commercial (short version)Watch: Steve Hartman’s On the Road seriesSubscribe to Beyond My Years https://amplify.com/beyond-my-yearsFollow us on Instagram @amplify.education Connect with Eric Cross: https://www.ericcross.org/ Connect with Ana Torres: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anayansi-ana-torres-m-ed-26a10654/Quotes: “This next school year, she told me I'm up at 60 percent girls in my intro to coding classe,. and that's huge! I want to make sure that girls have access and they feel wanted and included and they can see themselves in these fields.” —Khamphet Pease“I remember one class that I had [with only] one female student, and she was just looking around and I could see in her eyes that she just felt like this is not a place for her. She dropped out of that class and after that I was like, no, this is unacceptable.” —Khamphet Pease“We just need more women. More of their voices. They need more seats at the table because if we all hear [only] male voices, then 50 percent of the population isn't going to have their problem solved as easily or as efficiently.” —Khamphet Pease

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 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.Show notes:Connect with Fawn Nguyen: https://www.fawnnguyen.com/ Subscribe to Beyond My Years https://amplify.com/beyond-my-yearsFollow us on Instagram @amplify.education Connect with Eric Cross: https://www.ericcross.org/ Connect with Ana Torres: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anayansi-ana-torres-m-ed-26a10654/Quotes:“We spend so much time [in the classroom] day in and day out. For some of us, it's actually more interaction than we have with our own family. And it is family. So be yourself. You're going to make mistakes, but what's nice about it if we think of it as family, is that we get to apologize and tomorrow is a new day.” —Fawn Nguyen“It has to be an exchange. We can't be just receiving, asking kids to be [themselves], and yet we ourselves are not.” —Fawn Nguyen“[Seasoned educators] are experienced and experience means good and bad. We want to learn from both. I certainly didn't want a mentor who never made a mistake, ‘cause I'm not gaining anything.” —Fawn Nguyen“It's about separating the behavior from the person. And another thing, separate what they don't know at the time from what they're capable of.” —Fawn Nguyen“I don't mind telling kids the mistakes I've made because I'm hoping that they're listening and that, then that’s okay. To move from it, to learn from it, and not repeat it is the whole idea and to admit when we're wrong.” —Fawn Nguyen“In my next lifetime, I would still teach, I would go back to teaching. That's how much I love it.” —Fawn Nguyen“The mistake that you make today, what would it look like if somebody else made that mistake, for example, when people share something they did that they're not so proud of, what would be my advice to them? And so I want to give myself that advice because we're hardest on ourselves.” —Fawn Nguyen

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 talks with Ana about building a collaborative classroom and what it means to teach children, not content. He also shares how the trajectory of his life changed when one man recognized and encouraged his desire to be a teacher. He’ll also discuss how going to school in the ‘50s shaped his teaching style; retiring before the age of the smartphone only to return to teaching when every kid has one; how his work in anti-bullying contributed to a national law; and 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.Show notes:Connect with Eric Jones: https://ericjones41.wixsite.com/websiteSubscribe to Beyond My Years: https://amplify.com/beyond-my-yearsFollow us on Instagram: @amplify.education Connect with Eric Cross: https://www.ericcross.orgConnect with Ana Torres: LinkedInQuotes “You've got to love teaching, you've got to love the kids, and you've really got to want to do it. Almost, dare I say, in your blood.” —Eric Jones“I collaborate with my students about what the rules are, and that's their creation as well as mine.” —Eric Jones“It's nothing to do with, ‘I'm a teacher, you're a student.’ It's, ‘We are human beings together.’” —Eric Jones“I like teaching kids things they didn't know before and now they're excited about. I love the idea that they will then move on into realms of industry and economics success that I would never dream of.” —Eric Jones