We Are All Mashup

Welcome to The Inspired Teacher Podcast! In today's episode, I share a powerful reminder of why teaching is such a gift: getting to witness our students grow into the people they're meant to be—and sometimes, if we're lucky, cheering them on from the sidelines long after they leave our classrooms. I recently had the chance to watch one of my former students, Jordan Dissin, now a professional baseball player, catch for the Reading Fightin Phils. But what truly inspired me wasn't just his performance on the field—it was his character off of it. Watching him connect with young fans, and having my own sons see that moment, reminded me of the profound impact our role models can have. We'll explore how this ties into Austin Kleon's idea that we are "a mashup of what we let into our lives," and reflect on what it means for us as educators to be intentional about the influences we allow into our own lives and classrooms.