Front of the Class
The Front of the Class podcast brings you real stories from real educators — insightful, inspiring, and sometimes unexpected! Hear from passionate teachers, school leaders, and education experts as they share career journeys, challenges, and game-changing strategies. Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned pro, this podcast is your go-to for fresh ideas, motivation, and a community that gets it.
Episodes
37 episodes
“I Didn’t Want to Stop Teaching” with Kyle Letot
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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52:13
Seeing Light Bulbs Go On with Dr. Susanne H. Thompson
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 Washin...
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Season 1
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Episode 36
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49:38
Earning Buy-In from Student-Athletes and Parents with Hakeem Young
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 35
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49:36
Creating Meaningful Relationships with Amanda Heilman
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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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53:45
Building Inclusive Learning Communities with Dana Specker Watts, Ph.D.
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,...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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51:06
Lifelong Learning with Gregg Pait
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 Nor...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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48:05
“Not Being Afraid” with Ayoko Vias
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 discovere...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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49:10
Building Teacher Confidence with Angie Haller
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 specia...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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54:00
A Serious Love for Learning with Dominic Helmstetter
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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56:55
Finding Joy in Everything Teachers Are with Jazzmyne Townsend
"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 d...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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46:24
18 Years of Teaching with Emily Chaskelson
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 brid...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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46:04
Embracing the Unexpected with Kathy Schmidt
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 stay...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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47:23
The Ins and Outs of Teaching Abroad with Rainier Lee
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 in...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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51:49
Creating Space to Learn and Laugh with Julie Rudlosky
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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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46:05
Leading with Empathy with Jenny Mitchell
"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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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43:24
“People Over Things” with Cole Cooper
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 o...
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Episode 22
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1:00:25
Making it About the Students with Jake Knapp
"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 ...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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42:10
Building Student-Centered Classrooms with Miya Hourani
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 t...
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Episode 20
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56:34
Teaching Beyond Borders with David Wilson
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.
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Episode 19
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37:44
“Hiring for Heart” with Savannah Steger
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 "callin...
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Season 1
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Episode 18
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37:38
"It’s a Grind, But I’m Also Doing What I Love” with Carson Letot
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 sh...
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Season 1
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Episode 17
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51:37
Being “Agents of Our Future” with Rachel Davison Humphries
"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 fo...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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47:27
Searching for Teeth on the Playground with Neely Trull
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, i...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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44:03
Character Building and Snowball Fights with Rainier Lee
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...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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45:08
‘The Job I Never Knew I Always Wanted’ with Michele Banks
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 teach...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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40:52