PODCAST · education
Teacher Stories
by Teacher Stories
TeacherStories.org celebrates teachers and the important role they play in our lives and communities. Do you have a teacher story that you would like to share? https://teacherstories.org/submit-story
Episodes
-
Above & Beyond Honoree Mike Tinoco on Love, Learning, and Belonging
What happens when a teacher refuses to define students by their shortcomings? In this first episode of Teacher Stories' new partnership with Above & Beyond Teaching, Ken Futernick talks with 2024 Above & Beyond honoree Mike Tinoco, an English and journalism teacher from San Jose whose impact...
-
From Strangers to Connection: A Day That Changes Everything (Ep. 51)
What if just 6 hours could transform how students see each other—and themselves? In this powerful episode, we take you inside Breaking Down the Walls, a high school workshop where simple conversations evolve into moments of deep vulnerability, empathy, and connection. At a Northern California…
more -
From Shy Student to Children's Author: How One Teacher's Story Inspired 'Elephant Beach'
What happens when a shy, young girl who hated being called on in class grows up to become a teacher—and then writes a children's book that helps kids face their fears? This episode of Teacher Stories features Christine Devane, a former educator who transformed her childhood struggles with shyness...
-
Bending the Moral Arc: How One Teacher's Conscience Changed Lives
In this episode, host Ken Futernick sits down with Bruce Wasser, a former history teacher whose life story is as inspiring as his teaching career. Bruce shares his poignant journey from being a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War to becoming a beloved educator who had a profound impact…
more -
Controlled Chaos: How One Award-Winning Teacher Connects With Students Before Teaching the Curriculum
Eric Hall, an award-winning elementary school teacher from Northern Michigan, shares a touching story about a fishing trip he took in the dark of night with one of his students. “That night,” he writes, “we didn't catch a single smelt, but we caught something better, a connection. And honestly…
more -
“You Can’t Take Monica from Monica”
“You can take all of my belongings. You can make me carry my life in a trash bag. I can be homeless. You can even take my family from me if that's what you must do, but you can't take Monica from Monica.” Those are the words of Monica Juliana, a high school student from West Virginia who endured…
more -
The Shoe Club: Walking Towards Empathy and Connection in a Michigan School
This story starts with a bag of shoes that helped a school community heal after the tragic deaths of two students. That story blossomed into a unique project called the “Shoe Club” that fosters empathy and breaks barriers in a Michigan middle school. The founder of the club and guest on this...
-
From Classroom to Grammy Stage - Adrian Maclin’s Teacher Story
Meet Adrian Maclin, the Tennessee high school music teacher honored as Music Educator of the Year at the 2025 Grammys. In this episode, you’ll hear the extraordinary music from his students that earned him this prestigious award. Co-hosted by arts education advocate Emili Danz, this episode...
-
What Students Learn Thousands of Miles from Home in the Alaska Wilderness
This teacher story is about two high school students who learned life-changing lessons, not in a classroom with four walls, desks, and chairs, but in a much bigger classroom - the Alaska wilderness. Keisha Orozco and Chris Flores spent three weeks hiking and kayaking with other students as part…
more -
A Teacher Story For the Ages - “Elaine’s Circle”
Author Bob Katz shares the extraordinary story of a gifted 4th-grade teacher named Elaine Moore, the central character of his book Elaine’s Circle: A Teacher, a Student, a Classroom, and One Unforgettable Year. One reviewer writes, “There are books that you read that stay with you all your...
-
Acclaimed Journalist Might Not Be Writing Were It Not For This Teacher (actually two teachers)
Clarence Page has been writing for the Chicago Tribune for over 50 years and has been the recipient of numerous journalism awards. Now a columnist, he says his job is to explain, not just report the news. "Our own country is more complicated for the average person, and that's probably because...
-
Relationships First: How One Teacher Becomes a Lifeline for a Student's Mental Health
This story is about a high school teacher's extraordinary efforts to support her students and her belief that relationships must come first. It's about a parent who takes the time to acknowledge this teacher's commitment to her son. And it's a story about mental heath and the struggles so many...
-
A Conversation with Pamela Dawson - 2023 Music Educator of the Year
As the 2023 Grammy Award-winning Music Educator of the Year, Pamela Dawson has made it her mission to harness the power of music to connect students with diverse backgrounds and skill levels. With over 27 years of experience in teaching, Dawson has learned to create a safe and nurturing…
more -
High School Teacher of the Year Willie Carver Quits - Another Casualty of the Culture Wars
America’s culture wars are driving great teachers out of the classroom, exacerbating a shortage that has reached critical levels in most states. The story of Willie Carver, an extraordinary English and French high school teacher from Kentucky, is especially tragic. He was selected as the state’s...
-
na'im madyun's "ode to teachers"
na'im madyun reads a short story about a second grader named Ellis and her friend Coolidge, who prayed that their 3rd grade teacher WOULDN'T be the aging Mrs. Nimble. The prayer wasn't answered, but by the end of the year, with Mrs. Nimble as their teacher, they offered another prayer -- that she...
-
Powerful Lessons from Julie Hasson's Collection of Teacher Stories
Julie Hasson and Ken Futernick discuss some of the powerful lessons learned from the teacher stories she writes about in her new book, Safe, Seen, and Stretched - the Remarkable Ways Teachers Shape Students' Lives. Julie shares an inspiring story about her own teacher, Mrs. Russell, who, Julie...
-
History Education, Civics, and Student Advocacy - Seeking Common Ground
Guests representing diverse political perspectives find some common ground on these controversial questions: - What does high-quality history and civics education look like in a democratic society? - What should teachers, particularly those who teach history and civics, be teaching our children?…
more -
To Protect Democracy Keep Controversies, Current Events, and Politics in the Classroom
Is it appropriate – even a good thing in this time of intense political division -- for social studies teachers to bring politics, current events, and highly controversial issues into the classroom? Diana Hess is a former social studies teacher, now Dean of the College of Education at the...
-
Honest History And Civicmindedness For Younger Learners
A junior high school teacher, her school principal, and a teacher educator weigh in on critical questions about history and civics education in the era of fake news, social media, and heightened political pressure. -What does high-quality history and civics education for younger students look…
more -
Teaching In The Era Of Fake News And Hoaxes
The explosion of fake news, "hoaxes," and social media make it increasingly difficult for students to tell the difference between fact and fiction. And today's students, like the rest of us, can easily fall victim to "motivated reasoning" -- the tendency to believe what they want to believe, not...
-
Preserving American Democracy - Adequate and Equitable School Funding
Panelists on this episode argue that inadequate and inequitable funding of our public schools pose a dire threat to American democracy. That's because students in under-resourced schools, those who tend to be poor and people of color, are less able to participate in the democratic process.…
more -
Architect Geoff Prentiss Pays Tribute to His Design Teacher, Leslie Laskey
Geoff Prentiss attributes much of his success as an architect to his "enigmatic" college professor of design, Leslie Laskey, with whom he stayed connected for nearly 50 years. "Frightening" is how Prentiss described his first class with Laskey, but he was intimidating because "he wanted you to be...
-
Teaching Restrictions in Texas - A Threat to our Democracy?
In June 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill (HB 3979) that restricts what teachers can do in public school classrooms. Teachers can no longer be required to participate in training about race or sex stereotyping. Teachers can longer promote the idea that racism or sexism in America is,...
-
Democracy and our Schools - The Power of Civic Engagement
Three civic education experts -- Joseph Kahne, Alejandra Frausto, and Eve Vankley express their concerns about the current state of American democracy and explain how real-world civic engagement in schools prepares young people, regardless of their political orientation, to work together in…
more -
Democracy And Schools - Education For Character
This episode is part of our series on what schools can do to help save our democracy. Guests include Dr. Marvin W. Berkowitz, McDonnell Professor of Character Education at the Center for Character Education and Citizenship at the University of Missouri at St. Louis; and Dr. Kashina Bell, Deputy...
-
"A Mutual Admiration Society" - Jennifer Futernick's Tribute To Bruce Stewart
Bruce Stewart is a life-long educator who dedicated his career to social justice and high-quality education for all. As a history teacher and guidance counselor at Walter Hines Page Senior High School in Greensboro, North Carolina, he led the effort to desegregate the school 1963. Stewart became…
more -
David Berliner's Teacher Story - "A Hug For Jennifer"
David Berliner, one of this country's preeminent education scholars, tells the story of a teacher named Jennifer, whose classroom he visited many years ago. "I like visiting classrooms," Berliner says, "in part because they are so difficult to understand. It is an enormous intellectual challenge…
more -
Peter Boykin was inspired to teach by his great-great grandfather - a slave, a cadet, and a teacher
Peter Boykin, a history teacher in Detroit, Michigan, recounts the amazing story of his great-great grandfather named Johnson Chestnut Whittaker who was born into slavery in 1858 and was the subject of a book and TV movie titled, Assault at West Point. Whittaker would later become a teacher and a...
-
Three Teachers of the Year Share Stories about the Power of Teacher Leadership
Three of America's finest teachers -- Justin Johnson from Illinois, Eric Hale from Texas, and Juliana Urtubey from Nevada -- were selected to represent their respective states as Teachers of the Year, in part because of their extraordinary influence as teacher leaders. Each one is also a policy...
-
The Life-Changing Impact of Just a Few Words
Dino Luna was about to become a pilot but switched careers after accidentally falling in love with teaching. Now a veteran educator, Luna reflects on what it takes to be of service to his colleagues as an instructional coach. He also shares a touching story about a former 5th grade student who…
more -
Psychology Professor Malik Boykin Teaches About Prejudice and Invites Us to Dance for Freedom
Malik Boykin (aka Malik Starx) is an accomplished musician and a professor of psychology at Brown University where he teaches a course on stigma and prejudice. Boykin shares two transformational teacher stories--the first from second grade when he was sent to the principal's office for raising...
-
The Power of Stories and Early Relationships
When 4th grade teacher Miriam Marecek turned down the lights and lit the reading candle, magic happened. Pediatrician and journalist Perri Klass describes what it was like being one of Ms. Marecek's students and the impact it's had on her life and professional career. Now, as national medical...
-
Three Educators Reflect on How to Teach about the Insurrection
Like most Americans, these three veteran teachers were horrified as they learned about the insurrection at the nation's Capitol on January 6th, 2021. But each of them had to decide how to address this highly controversial topic with their students. What's the proper role for a teacher with an…
more -
Marty Brandt's Teaching Career Revitalized by a Former Student's Gratitude
Until one of his former students, Daniel Osorio, nominated him as Teacher of the Year, Marty Brandt considered himself "just another guy" -- a high school English teacher who would never become the educator he hoped he would become when he entered the profession. Daniel recounts the time when Mr....
-
Teacher of the Year, Sean Bui Gave Up a Law Practice to Change Lives
After practicing law for several years, Sean Bui, the son of Vietnamese and Filipino immigrants, suddenly realized that he didn't love his job. What he really wanted to be was a teacher and to make a difference in young people's lives. But this career shift presented a daunting challenge. Growing...
-
Don Dumas Makes History Relevant to All of His Students
As a high school student, Don Dumas didn't feel he mattered because the curriculum was disconnected from his experience. "I was kicking and screaming on my way toward graduation," he said. But Joyce Suber, a Black high school English teacher, took notice, introduced him to books like The...
-
6th Grader Launches Her Own Podcast - About Politics!
Eleven year-old Kaia Bali recently launched her own podcast called, "Through a Gen-Z's Eyes," because she is worried the current state of politics and our country's future. In this episode of Teacher Stories, Kaia talks about being a podcast host, her favorite episodes, and the one (surprising!)...
-
Teachers Tom Courtney and Rachel Petrivelli Connect with Families
After 22 years as a public school teacher, Tom Courtney finally hits his stride after discovering the virtues of the authentic connections he has created with his 5th grade students' families. Mr. Courtney, also known as "The Minister of Fun," conducts home visits and and holds monthly student…
more -
Chris Hasegawa on the "art" of teaching science
Chris Hasegawa, a highly accomplished teacher educator, describes what great science teachers do to help students understand and love this subject. "You have to make yourself a little bit vulnerable," he says, and to elicit joy in what you're doing. The art of teaching is being able to teach…
more -
Fred Shoemaker's Wisdom about Teaching, Learning, and Life
Fred Shoemaker is considered one of America's best golf teachers, but in this provocative conversation about teaching, learning, and life you'll discover how his success has come by helping students discover their own capacities for performance and enjoyment and not by fixing what's wrong with...
-
Four College Students Reflect On Being Black in School
Four Black college students talk about their unique experiences in public schools, sharing stories about their teachers and professors, the curriculum they were exposed to, and the structural racism they periodically encountered along the way. They also suggest ways that schools can promote…
more -
Rob McClurg Reflects on his Teaching Career and the Teachers Who Shaped his Life
Rob McClurg, a wise and extraordinarily accomplished elementary school teacher, shares stories from his own classroom, the privilege of being an educator, and a few of the teachers who shaped his life. Rob describes his current work as a volunteer educator at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and at the...
-
Lisa Godwin shares a story that she had kept secret for 20 years
Lisa Godwin waited 20 years before telling anyone about a traumatic childhood experience. She credits a first grade teacher and a guidance counselor for helping her cope and eventually overcome this painful episode in her life. Now, as North Carolina's Teacher of the Year, Lisa has found the...
-
Black Teacher Project Director Micia Mosely Reunites with Former Student, Belinda Bellinger
Before founding the Black Teacher Project, Dr. Micia Mosely taught high school history in San Francisco, California. As a beginning teacher, Micia worried that she was unable to fully connect with and help Belinda Bellinger, one of her students, who was struggling emotionally and academically....
-
An Education Marked by Opportunity and Inspiration and by Roadblocks and Racism
Dr. Sharon Tettegah, a Professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara, shares stories about her life and her most memorable teachers. Growing up in Wichita Falls, Texas (a completely segregated community) all of her teachers were Black. Here, she received an excellent education and…
more -
Teaching Abroad, Josh Gaston Learns to Navigate Cultural Divides
Unsure what to do with his life, Josh Gaston decides to become a teacher of English -- first in Asia and then in other countries around the world. His stories are about navigating the striking, but sometimes subtle, differences in local teaching practices and cultural norms. In Korea, for…
more -
Teaching History Through Troubled Times
An unexpected letter from one of her students reminds Tracy Barnett that her approach to teaching history, at least for this 8th grade student, has paid off. The student said she acquired a keen new interest in history and, just as importantly, came away from Ms. Barnett's class knowing that she...
-
Victor Rios' Teacher Saved His Life
At age 14, Victor Rios' best friend is shot and killed. Afterwards, Victor thought, "I am going to end up dead like him or in prison for life." But Victor turns his life around after having a high school technology teacher named, Ms. Russ. He goes on to college, earns a Ph.D. in sociology, and...
-
Never Again Will Kathryn Isaacs use the Phrase 'Merely a Teacher'
When Kathryn Isaacs was in 8th grade she proudly read an essay aloud in class, comparing her very demanding teacher, Mr. Del Rossi, to the Wizard of Oz. At the end of her essay, she describes him as "merely a language teacher" and learns a painful, but important, lesson about the ways people…
more -
An Inspired English Teacher Confronts Two Crises: COVID-19 and an Act of Hate
Jason DiGioia, an English teacher in Denver, Colorado recalls two teachers who contributed to his love for writing and literature. Following in their professional footsteps, Jason explains how he encourages his own students to discover life lessons in the books they read. Because of the pandemic,...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
TeacherStories.org celebrates teachers and the important role they play in our lives and communities. Do you have a teacher story that you would like to share? https://teacherstories.org/submit-story
HOSTED BY
Teacher Stories
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Teacher Stories have?
Teacher Stories currently has 72 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Teacher Stories about?
TeacherStories.org celebrates teachers and the important role they play in our lives and communities. Do you have a teacher story that you would like to share? https://teacherstories.org/submit-story
How often does Teacher Stories release new episodes?
Teacher Stories has 72 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Teacher Stories?
You can listen to Teacher Stories on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Teacher Stories?
Teacher Stories is created and hosted by Teacher Stories.
URL copied to clipboard!