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
58 episodes
Creating School Communities with 2026 South Dakota Teacher of the Year Becky Haenfler
Becky Haenfler, the 2026 South Dakota Teacher of the Year, has spent 20 years building relationships and inspiring readers. Now in her role as a middle school ELA teacher in Avon, SD, she serves the same community that shaped her as a student.&...
Making Learning Fun and Meaningful with Cici Chen
Cici Chen is an educator at a bilingual international school in Shanghai, China, with 14 years of experience teaching young learners. Known for creating joyful, engaging classrooms, Chen believes that when students genuinely enjoy learning, dee...
A Strategic Approach to Teacher Career Growth with Sarah Emma Alexander
After working in the high-intensity world of hedge funds, Sarah Emma Alexander made a life-changing pivot into international teaching and administration. Now teaching at a high school in upstate New York, she brings a strategic, problem-solving...
Using AI to Deepen Learning with Ronald Lethcoe and Dionna Faherty
At Clover Park Technical College in Washington state, educators Ronald Lethcoe and Dionna Faherty are building digital resource libraries and exploring how AI can be used to enhance classrooms and the learning experience. In this sp...
Building Student Leaders with Paddy Bailey
Paddy Bailey is an elementary teacher in upstate New York who believes physical education can have an impact beyond games and competition. Teaching kindergarten through sixth grade, Bailey focuses on building relationships, providing leadership...
The Future of Education with Moreland University Founder Dr. Emily Feistritzer
Located in Washington, D.C., Dr. Emily Feistritzer has spent more than six decades shaping the field of education. From leading high school science and math classes as a 19-year-old to founding Moreland University and creating its innovative ed...
Students’ “Behavior is a Form of Communication” with Megan Elniff
Megan Elniff is a fifth-grade science teacher at a Greek immersion school in North Carolina where the Socratic method is central to learning. Over 13 years in education, she has taught in multiple states and served in roles ranging from special...
“Choose to Include Every Student” with 2026 Arizona Teacher of the Year Tiffani Jaseph
Tiffani Jaseph is a veteran educator with 16 years of experience and a clear purpose: meeting each student’s individual needs. A former general education teacher who transitioned into special education, she now teaches in an extended resource p...
Teaching Real-World Skills with 2026 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year Joel Coyne
How do you prepare high school students for the realities of work, collaboration, and leadership before they enter college or the workforce? 2026 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year Joel Coyne uses his classes to connect them wit...
“Go Slow to Go Fast” with 2026 North Dakota Teacher of the Year Frannie Tunseth
Frannie Tunseth is the 2026 North Dakota Teacher of the Year and a math and reading interventionist serving grades 4-8 in a small rural community. With experience as a kindergarten, first-grade, and fourth-grade teacher — and even as an element...
"Seeing the Whole Student” with Dr. Michael Lehan
Dr. Michael Lehan spent 6 years playing in the NFL before navigating the education world as a principal, superintendent, head of school, and district leader. From growing up in foster care to graduating from the University of Minnesota and play...
Safe Places & High Expectations with 2026 Nevada State Teacher of the Year Ali Snabon-Jun
Ali Snabon-Jun, the 2026 Nevada State Teacher of the Year, has spent 20 years teaching music in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas. From opening new schools to re-establishing elementary music programs from the ground up, she has cre...
Building Student Trust with 2026 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year Toni Fink
Named the 2026 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year, Toni Fink has spent her career teaching in Milwaukee Public Schools, the largest and most diverse district in the state. After teaching abroad and pursuing an alternative pathway into the profession...
Business to Education with 2026 Vermont Teacher of the Year Linda Alvarez
Before becoming a teacher, Linda Alvarez built a successful career in the corporate sector — honing leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills that would later define her approach to education. Now the 2026 Vermont Teacher of the Yea...
Helping Students Find Their Voice with 2026 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year Sarah Dully
Sarah Dully has built her career on helping young people articulate their ideas with confidence and clarity whether they’re crafting college essays, analyzing literature, or navigating everyday communication. In this episode, Rhode ...
Making Learning Magical with Megan Philbrook
As the 2026 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year, Megan Philbrook focuses on filling her classroom with curiosity and creativity for the fifth through eighth grade social studies students in her rural community. In this episode, Philbr...
"Everything is Communication” with Dr. Jenna DiEleuterio
Dr. Jenna DiEleuterio is the 2026 Delaware State Teacher of the Year and a middle school reading specialist in the Brandywine School District. She channels her passion for creating meaningful relationships and stronger school–community connecti...
Bathtubs, Books, and Building Relationships with Tammy Irminger
Tammy Irminger has spent 20 years in education, from teaching third, fourth, and sixth grade to serving as a librarian at MacArthur Elementary School on the Fort Leavenworth military base. With a passion for literacy and creating meaningful con...
Building Community and Career Alignment with Kimberly Henderson
After 25 years in education, Kimberly Henderson knows that where you teach and who you teach alongside can shape every part of your career. Now based in Egypt, Henderson reflects on her journey through U.S. and international classrooms, and wha...
Setting High Expectations with Rachel J.
Rachel J. is a first-grade teacher in an urban Iowa district, where more than half of her students are learning English as a second language. She has established a classroom environment grounded in warmth, teamwork, and high expectations — and ...
Motivational Mondays and Lasting Lessons with Orlando Rodriquez
Orlando Rodriquez’s journey from college baseball player to special education teacher in Surprise, Arizona, is one of perseverance and purpose. Now in his 13th year as an educator, Rodriquez recently earned his master’s degree while balancing s...
“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...
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...
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...
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 ...