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Beyond My Years
PodcastEducaciónPaso a pasoInglés

Beyond My Years

de Amplify Education

NuevoFoundational skills for every learner, with Alestra Flores Menéndez11 de noviembre de 2026 · 50 min
Episodios
44
Se publica
cada dos semanas
Último episodio
11 Nov 2026
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Sobre el podcast

Host Ana Torres knows firsthand how hard it is to be a teacher. That's why on Beyond My Years, she seeks out the people who have thrived over decades in the classroom: seasoned educators.  You'll hear stories that make you cry, make you laugh... and may change the way you think.

Participantes

  • Ana TorresPresentación

Episodios 44

  1. Foundational skills for every learner, with Alestra Flores Menéndez

    50 min

    On this episode of Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Amplify Director of Multilingual Initiatives Alestra Flores Menéndez. A literacy educator whose career has taken her from teaching unaccompanied …

    Notas del episodio

    On this episode of Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Amplify Director of Multilingual Initiatives Alestra Flores Menéndez. A literacy educator whose career has taken her from teaching unaccompanied minors in San Francisco to teaching college English at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center (formerly San Quentin State Prison), Alestra has experience building foundational literacy skills with learners of all ages. Throughout the episode, she explains why foundational skills instruction doesn't end at second grade, how to teach foundational skills to older students in a way that respects their dignity, and why oracy is the foundation everything else is built on. Our Classroom Insider Eric Cross (a middle school science teacher ) then joins Ana to reflect on student self-efficacy, what it means to build teacher knowledge of reading, and why foundational literacy is the responsibility of every teacher—not just those who teach English language arts.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "A child who is not feeling great about themselves as a reader is going to feel challenged throughout the entire school day." —Alestra Flores Menéndez

    "When we honor a child's dignity, we're recognizing, ‘You're here, you have some skills, and we're gonna build from those skills.’" —Alestra Flores Menéndez

    "Multilingual learners are not a monolith. We have to think about where each child is with their English literacy and their home language, and how we help them develop both." —Alestra Flores Menéndez

    "When you have words, you have power." —Eric Cross

    "Every day is a new day. Every day we learn." —Ana Torres


  2. Good pedagogy is good pedagogy with Dan Meyer, Ph.D.

    44 minTemporada 3 · Episodio 8

    On this episode of Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Amplify's Senior Fellow in Learning Innovation, Dan Meyer, Ph.D. Dan has spent his career thinking deeply about what great math teaching …

    Notas del episodio

    On this episode of Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Amplify's Senior Fellow in Learning Innovation, Dan Meyer, Ph.D. Dan has spent his career thinking deeply about what great math teaching looks like. This past summer, he put those ideas to the test when he taught rising ninth graders in Oakland and found himself without access to screens, leading him to reflect on what drives real student engagement regardless of the tools in front of you.

    Dan walks Ana through three strategies that hold true across any medium: having students create work that reveals their thinking; giving high-information feedback that multiplies student thinking rather than shutting it down; and expanding the audience for student work beyond the teacher. Classroom Insider (and middle school science teacher himself) Eric Cross then joins Ana to reflect on learning through student-created work and the power of peer audiences.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "Good pedagogy is good pedagogy." —Dan Meyer

    "Being a student of your students is one of the best things a teacher can be." —Dan Meyer

    "Whatever feedback I give ought to multiply." —Dan Meyer

    Give every problem the right tool. Give every tool a purpose." —Eric Cross

    "Safe environments are created by us showing students how that space should look and feel." —Ana Torres

  3. Reaching every learner, with Gregory Trieste

    48 minTemporada 3 · Episodio 7

    On this episode of Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Gregory Trieste, a senior product specialist for STEM at Amplify, longtime disability rights advocate, and former educator with over 20 years of …

    Notas del episodio

    On this episode of Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Gregory Trieste, a senior product specialist for STEM at Amplify, longtime disability rights advocate, and former educator with over 20 years of experience. Gregory explores why learning differences are assets—not deficits—and shares ways to reach every learner in your classroom. Drawing on his own experience as a student, Gregory explains why disengagement and acting out are often forms of self-protection. He also walks through a GPS analogy to illustrate why some students need to take the scenic route to arrive at understanding. Our Classroom Insider, middle school science teacher Eric Cross, then joins Ana to reflect on how fostering a classroom of exploration creates more opportunities for students to participate and why disengagement is a clue, not a conclusion.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "It's almost never, 'I can't learn this.' It's almost always, 'I'm struggling to learn this way.'" —Gregory Trieste

    "Nothing else matters if students are not engaged." —Gregory Trieste

    "Make joy part of your decision matrix." —Gregory Trieste

    "Treat disengagement as a clue, not a conclusion." —Eric Cross

    "Allow students to be the authors in their learning." —Ana Torres

  4. Growing brave readers and writers, with Theresa Boyd and Ann Ingham

    47 minTemporada 3 · Episodio 6

    Host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross chatted with two classroom teachers about what it takes to create a classroom in which every student feels safe tasking risks as a reader and writer. Theresa …

    Notas del episodio

    Host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross chatted with two classroom teachers about what it takes to create a classroom in which every student feels safe tasking risks as a reader and writer. Theresa Boyd is a teacher-leader coach and sixth grade social studies teacher at Mallard Creek STEM Academy in Charlotte, North Carolina; Ann Ingham is a third grade teacher from the Cedarsburg School District in Wisconsin and a 2025 Science of Reading Star Award winner. Theresa and Ann share what they're seeing in ELA classrooms today; students who are curious and collaborative, but also struggling with decreased reading stamina and fear of being wrong. After the roundtable, Ana and Eric reflect on key takeaways, including why sometimes you have to slow down teaching to speed up learning.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "Growth lives outside your comfort zone." —Theresa Boyd

    "Mistakes are valuable. They literally grow our brains when we make them and see them and correct them." —Ann Ingham

    "Curiosity is very important. I think we've fallen away from that." —Ana Torres

    "Sometimes we have to step back from just teaching content and switch to teaching our students how to learn." —Eric Cross

  5. Bilingualism is a superpower, with Miguel Cardona, Ed.D.

    49 minTemporada 3 · Episodio 5

    On this episode of Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Miguel Cardona, Ed.D., who served as the 12th U.S. secretary of education and is the founder and CEO of Cardona Solutions. A former fourth-grade …

    Notas del episodio

    On this episode of Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Miguel Cardona, Ed.D., who served as the 12th U.S. secretary of education and is the founder and CEO of Cardona Solutions. A former fourth-grade teacher and an award-winning school principal who served as the Connecticut commissioner of education, Miguel explains why bilingualism is a cognitive and economic superpower—and why we should always view it as an asset. Miguel also shares why he believes we do students a disservice by assuming the only option for success is four-year college and describes what it could look like to reimagine high schools to include career pathways. Eric Cross, our Classroom Insider and a middle school science teacher, then joins Ana to reflect on why sympathy doesn't always translate into support, and why we should ask students about themselves rather than making assumptions.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "When you are thinking in different languages, your cognitive ability increases." —Miguel Cardona

    "Sympathy isn't always support, so check your expectations underneath it." —Eric Cross

    "I am a teacher at heart. I will have that teacher heart until the day I die." —Ana Torres

    "Bilingualism is an economic superpower. It is a cognitive superpower." —Miguel Cardona

  6. Becoming a math facilitator, with Amy Siegmundt and Jeffrey Mashbitz

    45 minTemporada 3 · Episodio 4

    Host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross lead a discussion with two classroom teachers who have been making the shift from delivering math to facilitating it. Amy Siegmundt teaches third grade in …

    Notas del episodio

    Host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross lead a discussion with two classroom teachers who have been making the shift from delivering math to facilitating it. Amy Siegmundt teaches third grade in Lockland School District in Ohio, and Jeffrey Mashbitz teaches seventh and eighth grade in the Lower Merion School District in Pennsylvania. Amy and Jeffrey share practical strategies for making facilitation work in any math classroom, including using sentence starters to help students talk about math and instructional routines that put students in the driver's seat. After the roundtable, Ana and Eric reflect on key takeaways, including why a great curriculum is less like a script and more like a recipe.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "You have to embrace the noise, because the noise and the conversation is the learning." —Amy Siegmundt

    "The conceptual part is more of the focus now. Being a facilitator, you're paying more attention to why the math works and not just how to do the math." —Jeffrey Mashbitz

    "A noisy classroom was actually a joyful classroom. I realized that later." —Ana Torres

    "We can't expect students to know how to collaborate if you we haven't taught them." —Eric Cross


  7. Math that works for every student, with Fawn Nguyen

    48 minTemporada 3 · Episodio 3

    Host Ana Torres is joined by Fawn Nguyen, Director of STEM Initiatives at Amplify, one of the show's most beloved returning guests. A 30-year middle school math teacher and K–8 math coach before she joined …

    Notas del episodio

    Host Ana Torres is joined by Fawn Nguyen, Director of STEM Initiatives at Amplify, one of the show's most beloved returning guests. A 30-year middle school math teacher and K–8 math coach before she joined Amplify, Fawn shares practical strategies for teaching math in a way that values multiple solutions and makes every student feel like they belong. Fawn breaks down the routines that open math up to every learner and explains why stepping back to let students do the thinking is one of the most powerful moves a teacher can make. Our Classroom Insider, middle school science teacher Eric Cross, joins Ana to reflect on why "I'm not good at math" is usually a scar with a story behind it. He and Ana discuss why widening our definition of success is where healing begins.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "We can all be mathematicians—not just the fast ones." —Fawn Nguyen

    "You're not the answer key. What you say instead is: 'You tell me.'" —Fawn Nguyen

    "When you immerse children in critical thinking and problem-solving daily, they show up to problems they've never seen before and they're already in their problem-solving mode." —Fawn Nguyen

    "Who wants to teach anything if you know the kids are going to dread it?" —Fawn Nguyen

    "Teach in a way that makes you look forward to going back the next day." —Fawn Nguyen

    "When success is widened, more students are gonna be able to walk through it." —Eric Cross

    "Our anxieties are contagious—so it's important to include adults in the intervention, not just students." —Eric Cross

    "We make time for what's important. And if it's valuable, we will create those five minutes." —Ana Torres

  8. Developing deeper math thinkers, with Kelly Serpa, Ed.D.

    49 minTemporada 3 · Episodio 2

    Host Ana Torres is joined by Kelly Serpa, Ed.D., STEM product specialist at Amplify and passionate advocate for inclusive math instruction. Together, they explore what it takes to develop students&apos …

    Notas del episodio

    Host Ana Torres is joined by Kelly Serpa, Ed.D., STEM product specialist at Amplify and passionate advocate for inclusive math instruction. Together, they explore what it takes to develop students' conceptual understanding in math and why an asset-based approach makes all the difference. Kelly shares the "aha moment" that transformed her teaching practice and breaks down practical strategies for developing deeper math thinkers—from hooking every student in the first five minutes with routines like Notice and Wonder to building fluency in an asset-based way, without the pressure of a timer. Classroom Insider and middle school science teacher Eric Cross joins Ana to share why these strategies for developing deeper thinkers are just as powerful in other content areas—including in his own science classroom—as they are in math.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "Engagement in the first five minutes of your math class is the most important thing." —Kelly Serpa

    "Every single kid needs fluency practice every single day." —Kelly Serpa

    "Build conceptual understanding first. Don't look at those lessons as fluffy, optional, or unnecessary." —Kelly Serpa

    "Kids know stuff. They don't come to us as an empty slate." —Ana Torres

    "Going from telling to questioning, that's really the engine of problem-based learning." —Eric Cross

  9. Creating student-centered classroom cultures, with Pedro Noguera, Ph.D.

    46 minTemporada 3 · Episodio 1

    Host Ana Torres is joined by Pedro Noguera, Ph.D., dean and distinguished professor of education at USC Rossier School of Education, one of the national's leading scholars on inequality and public policy …

    Notas del episodio

    Host Ana Torres is joined by Pedro Noguera, Ph.D., dean and distinguished professor of education at USC Rossier School of Education, one of the national's leading scholars on inequality and public policy in education. Together, they explore how to create a student-centered classroom in which every learner is encouraged to bring their full selves. Pedro then breaks down how to build authentic relationships with students, co-create classroom norms, and foster a culture in which mistakes are part of learning. He also shares powerful advice for supporting multilingual/English learners. Classroom Insider Eric Cross then joins Ana to reinforce why building relationships with students is every educator's professional responsibility.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "It's less about control; it's more about relationships. And if you build a good, positive relationship, then kids will listen." —Pedro Noguera

    "The hardest thing to teach a teacher is how to build relationships with kids." —Pedro Noguera

    "The real teaching is not in grading; it's in feedback." —Pedro Noguera

    "As educators, we're more than just the content that we teach." —Ana Torres

    "The most important teaching often happens after the first attempt." —Eric Cross

    "When we give feedback early and often, it improves learning." —Eric Cross

  10. Beyond My Years is back: Season 3 trailer

    2 min

    Beyond My Years host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross give you the first look at Season 3, launching July 22, 2026. This trailer highlights what's coming this season, including roundtable …

    Notas del episodio

    Beyond My Years host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross give you the first look at Season 3, launching July 22, 2026. This trailer highlights what's coming this season, including roundtable conversations with educators from across the country and candid conversations with Amplify's own experts in literacy and math. Season 3 focuses on the art and science of great teaching, drawing the knowledge of researchers and educators, including Pedro Noguera, Ph.D., Miguel Cardona, Ed.D., and Dan Meyer, Ph.D. We'll dig into topics from building relationships with students and teaching strategies for reaching every learner to student engagement in the math classroom, and more!

  11. Helping students "not hate" math, starring Ian Brown

    42 min

    In the second part of our special Beyond My Years two-part math series, Ana is joined by Ian Brown, second-grade teacher at Mukilteo School District in Washington and author of the comic book I Hate Math, for a …

    Notas del episodio

    In the second part of our special Beyond My Years two-part math series, Ana is joined by Ian Brown, second-grade teacher at Mukilteo School District in Washington and author of the comic book I Hate Math, for a conversation focused on reducing math anxiety and creating positive math experiences. Ian shares his approach to helping students who genuinely dislike math, describing how he helps them get to a place where math success feels manageable and achievable. Together, Ian and Ana explore the power of honoring students' real feelings; creating classroom environments where mistakes don't carry shame; and using storytelling, humor, and metaphors to make abstract concepts concrete. Finally, Ana is joined by Classroom Insider Eric Cross to discuss making math feel safe, ways to give students both story and stage, and how the foundational work of differentiation and meeting students where they are is critical to the work of educators.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "You can't force someone to love something or to like something. But you can kind of talk them into not hating something." —Ian Brown

    "I hate shaming children. I hate shaming anyone. I think shame is the most insidious thing in the world." —Ian Brown

    "Math is just a description of the world around us. We live in the world, we can do it." —Ian Brown

    "I don't attach any value to success or failure. I only attach value to hard work and kindness." —Ian Brown

    "It's gonna be a grind. We're gonna be here for 180 some days. Well, let's have fun doing it." —Ian Brown

    "You have to feel your feelings so you can think your thoughts." —Eric Cross

    "The boring work is the real work." —Eric Cross

    "You need both culture and rigor. If you have culture without rigor, then learning is hollow. If you have rigor without culture, that's what made students hate the subject." —Eric Cross


  12. Putting teacher voices at the center of math adoption, starring Matt Cash

    40 min

    In the first episode of a special Beyond My Year two-part math series, Ana chats with Matt Cash, director of elementary curriculum and instruction for Lake Elsinore Unified School District, in California, about …

    Notas del episodio

    In the first episode of a special Beyond My Year two-part math series, Ana chats with Matt Cash, director of elementary curriculum and instruction for Lake Elsinore Unified School District, in California, about math leadership and change management. Matt shares his experience helping move his district from a localized approach to a unified system to provide centralized resources, professional development, and assessment. Together, Matt and Ana discuss the importance of listening to educators during adoption processes, the power of creating systems that support teachers, and the best ways to build unity around instructional approaches. Matt also shares practical advice for educators navigating curriculum reviews and pilots. Before the episode's end, Ana is joined by Classroom Insider Eric Cross, who reflects on how teachers can use their voices early in adoption processes, pilot with fidelity, and give themselves grace during implementation.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "When you're removing variability out of your system, quality is going up." —Matt Cash

    "Professionals are obsessed with the idea of getting better." —Matt Cash

    "Advocate for your kids." —Matt Cash

    "Give yourself grace in year one, but stay engaged and keep asking for support." —Eric Cross

    "Instead of quietly struggling and going back to old materials, put that energy into requests and make your voice heard." —Eric Cross

    "Sometimes the buy-in comes when we understand things better." —Eric Cross

  13. Season 2 wrap-up: Six takeaways from Ana and Eric

    9 min

    Host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross recently recorded a video with their six takeaways from Season 2 of the Beyond My Years podcast. Listen right here, or watch the takeaways video on our new …

    Notas del episodio

    Host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross recently recorded a video with their six takeaways from Season 2 of the Beyond My Years podcast. Listen right here, or watch the takeaways video on our new YouTube channels, linked below.

  14. Special: Building Literacy Across The Curriculum: Why Every Teacher Is a Reading Teacher

    1 h

    In this special episode, we're bringing you an inspiring conversation from a recent edWebinar that will transform how you approach literacy across every subject area. Join Ana Torres, Beyond My Years …

    Notas del episodio

    In this special episode, we're bringing you an inspiring conversation from a recent edWebinar that will transform how you approach literacy across every subject area.

    Join Ana Torres, Beyond My Years podcast host, Eric Cross, our Classroom Insider, and Susan Lambert, host of our sister podcast, Science of Reading: The Podcast as they share how literacy fits into every subject area, why this is such an important topic, and what it looks like in practice.

    In this episode, you'll:

    - Discover strategies to weave literacy seamlessly into your classroom.

    - Learn strategies and tactics for supporting multilingual learners.

    - Get strategies for developing academic language across all subjects.

    - Explore what literacy instruction looks like in an adolescent classroom.

    Show notes:

  15. Embracing productive beliefs to transform your teaching, starring Mike Flynn

    42 minTemporada 2 · Episodio 10

    To celebrate this second season of Beyond My Years, Ana is joined by Mike Flynn, nationally recognized expert in mathematics education and online learning. He explains how "disorienting dilemmas" can bolster …

    Notas del episodio

    To celebrate this second season of Beyond My Years, Ana is joined by Mike Flynn, nationally recognized expert in mathematics education and online learning. He explains how "disorienting dilemmas" can bolster our productive beliefs and lead to transformative change in our teaching. Mike and Ana also discuss the importance of teacher advocacy, the power of collective voice, and ways to overcome barriers to change. Our favorite Classroom Insider, Eric Cross, joins Ana to discuss how important it is to challenge our assumptions as we continue to grow and change.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "Leadership comes in a lot of different formats, but anyone interested in influencing change can orchestrate experiences to disrupt unproductive beliefs." —Mike Flynn

    "Don't be afraid of your own teacher voice and exercising that. Advocacy is one of the best things you can do." —Mike Flynn

    "Sometimes it gets really hard before it gets better. It just always reminds me to remember the long game." —Mike Flynn

    "As a learner, you have to have humility. Otherwise you won't grow." —Eric Cross

    "Change really behinds when you look at the unintended consequences of our practice." —Eric Cross



  16. Embodying your passion, purpose, and personal values as an educator, starring Daniela Anello

    40 minTemporada 2 · Episodio 9

    Ana is joined by Daniela Anello, CEO of DC Bilingual Public Charter School, to discuss how educators can create environments in which they can be their whole selves. Daniela tells her own story of identifying …

    Notas del episodio

    Ana is joined by Daniela Anello, CEO of DC Bilingual Public Charter School, to discuss how educators can create environments in which they can be their whole selves. Daniela tells her own story of identifying her values as a teacher and claiming the sense of purpose she wanted to bring into her own classroom; and then lays out how she works to incorporate them on a day-to-day basis. She also explains why its important for teachers to take chances, make mistakes, and try again—behaviors should be modeled for students. Ana is then joined by our Classroom Insider, middle school science teacher, Eric Cross, who delves into the importance of "being yourself on purpose" when. you teach.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "I needed to be in a place where I could be my full self, demonstrating all of the identities that make me who I am." —Daniela Anello

    "The first step is recognizing your own identity and your own values and the aspects of you that you want to see reflected in the place that you're going to pour your love and heart into." —Daniela Anello

    "Change and improvement happen over time." —Daniela Anello

    "Go where you're going to grow." —Eric Cross

    "If I'm in an environment where I can't be my authentic self, and I know what that is and I know what I value, then it might be time for me to go somewhere where I can flourish." —Eric Cross

    "A system is not a person. If you build something on a person, then when that person leaves or gets burned out, your system falls apart." —Eric Cross

  17. Cultivating critical thinkers in your classroom, starring Mitchell Brookins, Ph.D.

    38 minTemporada 2 · Episodio 8

    Host Ana Torres is joined by nationally recognized educational consultant and thought leader Mitchell Brookins, Ph.D., to discuss what critical thinkng is and how to help students develop it. In addition to …

    Notas del episodio

    Host Ana Torres is joined by nationally recognized educational consultant and thought leader Mitchell Brookins, Ph.D., to discuss what critical thinkng is and how to help students develop it. In addition to explaining why critical thinking is crucial for long-term academic success, Mitchell also gives educators four clear steps that they can implement to effectively develop critical thinking skills in their classrooms. Ana is then joined by Classroom Insider extraordinaire Eric Cross, who discusses how he encourages his students to hone their critical thinking skills in his classroom.

    Show notes:


    Quotes:

    "When you're a school administrator, you can't be confusd as to what your identity is. People expect you to step in with voice, with passion, with vision, and direct the path," —Mitchell Brookins, Ph.D.

    "[Critical thinking] is actually cognitive support. It's a mental act of process in which you acquire knowledge and understanding." —Mitchell Brookins, Ph.D.

    "When I see questioning that probes, that's how I know I'm in a classroom where a teacher honors students' thinking. It is an honor to hear what children have to think." —Mitchell Brookins, Ph.D.

    "That's how you know your in a classroom with critical thinking: We're not rushing the conversation. We're enjoying it." —Mitchell Brookins, Ph.D.

    "There's an art and a science to teaching, and I think that they're two different things." —Eric Cross

    "The importance of modeling can't be overstated." —Ana Torres

  18. Teach with resilience in the new year, starring Fawn Nguyen

    53 min

    As we wrap up another incredible year together, Ana revisits her Season 1 conversation with the director of STEM Initiatives at Amplify, Fawn Nguyen. Ana is joined by Classroom Insider Eric Cross to pull out …

    Notas del episodio

    As we wrap up another incredible year together, Ana revisits her Season 1 conversation with the director of STEM Initiatives at Amplify, Fawn Nguyen. Ana is joined by Classroom Insider Eric Cross to pull out some brand-new takeaways and actionable tips that educators can use right away to create a classroom environment that sets students up for success. They also look ahead and give a sneak peek of what's coming up on Beyond My Years in 2026. Before the episode's end, Fawn gives new advice for avoiding burn out in the second half of the school year by "doing less, but doing it better."

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    “In my next lifetime, I would still teach, I would go back to teaching. That's how much I love it.” —Fawn Nguyen

    "If I could give one piece of advice to young teachers, it would be to hold high expectations of their students." —Fawn Nguyen

    "We can have high expectations of [students] and still be very compassionate and be their biggest cheerleaders." —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

    "One of the things I always believed as an educator was when we make children believe they can, they do." —Ana Torres

    "Be willing to change your practice even when it challenges tradition." —Eric Cross


  19. Empowering diverse learners in math, starring Keri Brown

    40 minTemporada 2 · Episodio 7

    Alabama K–2 educator, national presenter, and curriculum author Keri Brown discusses strategies for supporting students in the math classroom. While Keri focuses on math in the episode, many of her takeaways …

    Notas del episodio

    Alabama K–2 educator, national presenter, and curriculum author Keri Brown discusses strategies for supporting students in the math classroom. While Keri focuses on math in the episode, many of her takeaways can be applied to all subjects. Keri breaks down the power of small-group instruction, the value of multisensory hands-on manipulatives, and the role of intervention. She also explains how to help students who may already be struggling feel comfortable and confident talking about math. Classroom Insider Eric Cross then joins Ana to reinforce the importance of implementing a routine in the classroom.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "When you see the light bulb come on in a kid and I'm like, Ah this is why [I teach]." —Keri Brown

    "Sometimes it is hard. You're like, 'Why do I do this? The kids are this, the parents are this.' But then, you get that sweet note." —Keri Brown

    "We start small with just talking to them, helping them figure out how to have a conversation about math. They can talk about everything else, but we have to teach them how to talk about math. We have to give them the words, give them the tools." —Keri Brown

    "Predictable routines really help students feel safe because they know what's going to happen." —Eric Cross

    "It's impactful to spend that little extra time saying, 'Let me build some relationships and show these babies how to be students in my classroom.'" —Ana Torres

  20. Discovering your own teaching style, with Neysa Olivares-Torres

    40 minTemporada 2 · Episodio 6

    Our guest this week, Neysa Olivares-Torres, breaks down the process of finding and developing your own personal teaching style. Neysa details how she landed on her “firm-but-fair" approach before sharing tips …

    Notas del episodio

    Our guest this week, Neysa Olivares-Torres, breaks down the process of finding and developing your own personal teaching style. Neysa details how she landed on her “firm-but-fair" approach before sharing tips for other educators trying to develop their authentic teaching style. Neysa and Ana also discuss how finding—and embodying—your teaching style can reduce classroom behavior challenges. Our beloved Classroom Insider, Eric Cross, then joins Ana to share how he carved out his personal teaching style, “the warm demander.”

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    "Understand that a teaching style is not just [something] you find once and then that's it, right? It's ever evolving; it's always in progress; and its not one size fits all." –Neysa Olivares-Torres

    "Great teaching is just like cooking, right? You never really stop learning, adjusting, and reflecting because our students keep evolving. And so we should, also." —Neysa Olivares-Torres

    "My style came, really, with experience, with time, and with observing other teachers." —Neysa Olivares-Torres

    "It's important to make sure that it feels like a partnership with your students, that we are equal partners in learning." —Neysa Olivares-Torres

    "When I did show up as my authentic self, it made such an impact in my classroom." —Ana Torres

    "Look at your strengths, your personality, and your values, and then build your classroom approach based on that." —Eric Cross

  21. Strategies for new teachers to overcome disillusionment, starring Tina Boogren, Ph.D.

    40 minTemporada 2 · Episodio 5

    Tina Boogren, Ph.D., joins Ana Torres, not only to discuss how it’s completely normal for first-year teachers (and even some veterans) to experience disillusionment, but also to offer tactics for overcoming …

    Notas del episodio

    Tina Boogren, Ph.D., joins Ana Torres, not only to discuss how it’s completely normal for first-year teachers (and even some veterans) to experience disillusionment, but also to offer tactics for overcoming those feelings. Tina and Ana kick off this episode by explaining Ellen Moir's “The Phases of First-Year Teaching," which outlines the emotional stages new teachers move through. They discuss how teachers have to name their feelings to tame their feelings, the difference between stress and burnout, and the importance of giving ourselves grace and avoiding comparison with others. Tina also details her three research-backed strategies for self-care: gratitude, altruism, and laughter. Finally, Classroom Insider Eric Cross joins Ana to share takeaways from the interview, including how and why to ask for help, even if it’s just so you can take a small break.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    “It's teeny tiny little things. When you combine those together, you are tapping into that brain research that's giving our brain a different assignment and looking for the positive. And we will find it.” —Tina Boogren, Ph.D.

    “I always say it's an ‘and’; it's not an ‘or.’ It's not instruction or self-care.” —Tina Boogren, Ph.D.

    ”It's those small wins that we look over. If we're not looking for them, we can miss them, and we just keep thinking, ‘I'm not as good as that person.’” —Tina Boogren, Ph.D.

    “It's vulnerable but it's necessary to be able to honor yourself and say, ‘I need help. I need support.’” —Ana Torres

    “Sometimes your day is just teaching someone a life skill…and hopefully that's going to get them to learning.” —Eric Cross

    “ Whatever I'm feeling is not just impacting me, even though I want to think it is, or that I’m masking it. I know that if I'm not at my A game, it's impacting my students.” —Eric Cross

  22. Phone policies and the science of self-control, starring Angela Duckworth, Ph.D.

    46 minTemporada 2 · Episodio 4

    Angela Duckworth, Ph.D., the New York Times bestselling author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, joins Ana Torres to discuss school phone policies and what the science of self-control can tell us …

    Notas del episodio

    Angela Duckworth, Ph.D., the New York Times bestselling author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, joins Ana Torres to discuss school phone policies and what the science of self-control can tell us works. In this episode, Angela highlights the many complexities surrounding student cell phone use in schools and why there is a need to conduct research, such as her “Phones in Focus” study, to look at which phone policies are actually yielding the best outcomes. She also outlines the limitations of “growth mindset” and "simply trying hard," and instead suggests four ingredients that set young people up to reach their goals. Finally, Ana and Classroom Insider Eric Cross reflect on Angela’s insights, and Eric shares the strategies he plans to implement to provide mentors to his students.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    “It is not just trying hard that makes you successful. You need to be set up in a situation that helps you like an ally, as opposed to fighting you like an enemy.” —Angela Duckworth, Ph.D.

    “Aside from parents, there's nobody more important than teachers in the life of a kid. They are looking to you as a role model.” —Angela Duckworth, Ph.D.

    “The strategy for regulating yourself that is the most successful for people of any age tends to be situation modification. That is not relying on willpower, but deliberately placing things either farther or closer, depending on whether you want to do them more or do them less.” —Angela Duckworth, Ph.D.

    “There is nothing more beautiful than a person who is fulfilling their potential. When people are doing what they love and doing it with all of their heart, it is like music. It is like poetry.” —Angela Duckworth, Ph.D.

    “That science of self-control—we have to actually teach that to our students. That is not something they come out of the womb knowing how to do.” —Ana Torres

  23. Learning alongside your multilingual learners, starring Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Ed.D.

    40 minTemporada 2 · Episodio 3

    Host Ana Torres is joined by Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Ed.D., a linguist and speech pathologist known for her work with multilingual learners. In this episode, Elsa focuses on small changes that educators can make …

    Notas del episodio

    Host Ana Torres is joined by Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Ed.D., a linguist and speech pathologist known for her work with multilingual learners. In this episode, Elsa focuses on small changes that educators can make to create classrooms that are more inclusive and supportive of multilingual learners. She shares strategies for morphology instruction, learning useful information about students’ home languages, shifting away from a deficit mindset when it comes to multilingual learners, and more. She’ll also touch on why techniques like asking students to respond in full sentences and slowing down your rate of teaching can better serve students. Ana and Classroom Insider Eric Cross then reflect on Elsa's insights, and Eric shares a vulnerable moment that demonstrates his recognition of humility and openness to learning as a core teaching principle.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    “First come in with the attitude of ‘I'm a learner too: I want to learn about you, and you'll learn about me.’” —Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Ed.D.

    “I look at the faces of the students that are there and that motivates me. All the other noise doesn't matter because I'm there to help them reach their dreams.” —Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Ed.D.

    “You don't have to be an expert in every single language. You just need to know enough about that language to serve your students.” —Ana Torres

    “I am an educator of all students; it doesn't matter who they are.” —Eric Cross


  24. The right questions for the “wrong” answers, starring Dan Meyer, Ph.D.

    40 minTemporada 2 · Episodio 2

    On this episode of Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Dan Meyer, Ph.D., Vice President of User Growth at Amplify and former Chief Academic Officer at Desmos. Dan’s journey in education began much …

    Notas del episodio

    On this episode of Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Dan Meyer, Ph.D., Vice President of User Growth at Amplify and former Chief Academic Officer at Desmos. Dan’s journey in education began much like that of many other teachers—with a love of his content area. But entering the classroom proved difficult as he struggled to engage students who didn’t share his interest in math. In this episode, Dan gives listeners insight into his secret for engaging students in anything. He provides models for grounding lessons in real life, giving students more opportunities to show off their personalities, and reframing mistakes and “wrong answers” as valuable answers to different questions. He also touches on technology use in the classroom and how to know when it's the right tool for the job. Ana and Classroom insider Eric Cross then reflect on Dan’s insights, and Eric shares his top takeaways for the classroom.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    “The posters are one thing, but the pedagogies are another.” —Dan Meyer, Ph.D.

    “What I'm always thinking about is how to make math more like the humanities, how to allow students to be right in personal ways and wrong in smart ways.” —Dan Meyer, Ph.D.

    “Kids like and learn from teachers who like and learn from them.”—Dan Meyer, Ph.D.

    “As human beings, sometimes we can get binary with things like tech or analog. But in reality, it's a tool. If I use the proper tool for the right job, I can be much more precise and accurate and detailed and creative.” —Eric Cross

    “Education is the kind of job that I love because I think I'll always feel, to some degree, like an amateur, like a learner in the work.”—Dan Meyer, Ph.D.

    “Create spaces where every kid could come in and say, “Whatever I offer here, if it's personal and earnest, it's gonna be well received and valuable.” —Dan Meyer, Ph.D.

  25. The science behind a joyful classroom, starring Tracey Severns, Ed.D.

    40 minTemporada 2 · Episodio 1

    Host Ana Torres welcomes former NJDOE Chief Academic Officer Tracey Severns, Ed.D., to discuss not just how to bring more joy to the classroom but how joy and laughter can draw in even the most vulnerable …

    Notas del episodio

    Host Ana Torres welcomes former NJDOE Chief Academic Officer Tracey Severns, Ed.D., to discuss not just how to bring more joy to the classroom but how joy and laughter can draw in even the most vulnerable students. Tracey outlines the current research on what humor can do in the classroom and shares her own observational research in a case study school on the power of increasing smiles. She shares tips and tricks for both classroom teachers and administrators for how to encourage a culture of joy. Finally, Ana and Classroom Insider Eric Cross reflect on Tracey’s insights, with Eric sharing his top three takeaways and what specifically he incorporated in his classroom after a trip to Disney.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    “We can do both rigor and relationships. We can address standards and smiles. We can do content and care.” —Tracey Severns, Ed.D.

    “ When you have a joyous classroom, you have a learning classroom.” —Tracey Severns, Ed.D.

    “There's research out there. I know some of us feel like we intuitively know that [smiling] is important, but the data shows how important that was.” —Ana Torres

    “When we view students not as difficult, but as those who challenge us to be our best, we switch from frustration to growth.” —Eric Cross


  26. Beyond My Years is back: Season 2 trailer

    3 min

    Ana Torres and Eric Cross give you the first look at Season 2 of Beyond My Years, launching September 17, 2025. This trailer highlights what’s coming this season including shorter episodes and takeaways from …

    Notas del episodio

    Ana Torres and Eric Cross give you the first look at Season 2 of Beyond My Years, launching September 17, 2025. This trailer highlights what’s coming this season including shorter episodes and takeaways from our Classroom Insider. Season 2 focuses on common classroom challenges, looking to the experts and to the research to get you answers. We'll discuss topics from how to find your teaching style and actually engage students in math, to helping students develop critical thinking, and more!

    Show notes:

  27. Everything is literacy, starring Susan Lambert, Ed.D.

    42 min

    Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Science of Reading: The Podcast host Susan Lambert, Ed.D., who’s here to make the case for all educators investing in student literacy development …

    Notas del episodio

    Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres is joined by Science of Reading: The Podcast host Susan Lambert, Ed.D., who’s here to make the case for all educators investing in student literacy development, regardless of the content domain they teach. Throughout the conversation, they discuss how all teachers are literacy teachers and share four simple tips for developing academic language in any classroom. Finally, Ana and Classroom Insider Eric Cross discuss what they learned and Eric shares his top three takeaways from Susan.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    “Any teacher in a classroom, no matter what content area they teach, is teaching something about language.” —Susan Lambert, Ed.D.

    “I got into education because one of my children had a hard time learning how to read. It's an experience that leads you to protect your child, find answers for your child, and then make sure that other kids and parents don't have to go through the same kind of trauma that you went through.” —Susan Lambert, Ed.D.

    “Reading and writing and understanding language is not just an English language arts teacher's responsibility. It's the responsibility of every educator to communicate their discipline and the words and the concepts from their discipline to their students.” —Susan Lambert, Ed.D.

    “Background knowledge, we either mine it or we make it. We either mine it by tapping into what students already know, or we make it by building the experiences they need.” —Eric Cross

  28. Springing forward and looking back, with Ana and Eric

    30 min

    Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross reconnect with three past guests—Fawn Nguyen, Rebecka Peterson, and Simone McQuaige—to explore key challenges from their early teaching …

    Notas del episodio

    Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross reconnect with three past guests—Fawn Nguyen, Rebecka Peterson, and Simone McQuaige—to explore key challenges from their early teaching days: classroom management, decentering oneself, and time management. Ana and Eric share their own experiences with these common hurdles, then offer a quick look at what’s ahead in Season 2.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:

    " So my biggest mistake early on was needing to have the last word." - Fawn Nguyen

    " Something I really struggled with and I actually took me several years to feel confident in how to manage my classroom in a way that like felt good and true to me." - Rebecka Peterson

    " Looking back, I realized it would've been so helpful to have learned how to set boundaries for myself and prioritize task, and definitely build time for my own self-care." - A. Simone McQuaige


  29. No broken children—only broken systems, starring Kareem Weaver

    50 minTemporada 1 · Episodio 12

    Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres soaks up wisdom from Kareem Weaver, an educational powerhouse who has spent over 30 years working toward the end of illiteracy. Kareem levels with Ana about the hard …

    Notas del episodio

    Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres soaks up wisdom from Kareem Weaver, an educational powerhouse who has spent over 30 years working toward the end of illiteracy. Kareem levels with Ana about the hard truths of education reform. Together, they get vulnerable about the personal costs they’ve paid in being committed to their work and the belief they share that no teacher should have to make those sacrifices. Kareem also discusses his time working in juvenile detention facilities, how a frightening diagnosis changed the way he approaches education, and how administrators can best help create sustainable careers. Taking all those lessons back to the classroom, Ana and Beyond My Years Classroom Insider Eric Cross talk about preparing more than just lesson plans, developing focused skill improvement, and making the connections between academic success and behavior reform.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:
    “Where do we want our young people to go? What opportunities, what paths do we want them to have access to? Reading is a gateway for life.” —Kareem Weaver

    “If you can't grow people, what are you doing in a seat? If you're an administrator and you can't grow teachers' practice, then you're a manager, not an administrator.”—Kareem Weaver

    “Hope is wonderful, but that's not a strategy. You have to be very specific about what you're going to fix, what you're going to address, and what you're going to master.” —Kareem Weaver

    “There are no broken children; there's broken systems.” —Kareem Weaver


  30. Building an education network to make change, starring A. Simone McQuaige

    50 minTemporada 1 · Episodio 11

    Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres absorbs wisdom from A. Simone McQuaige, winner of Amplify's Science of Reading Changemaker Star Award in 2024. Simone teaches Ana about what it takes to support …

    Notas del episodio

    Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres absorbs wisdom from A. Simone McQuaige, winner of Amplify's Science of Reading Changemaker Star Award in 2024. Simone teaches Ana about what it takes to support wider change across an entire district, and about the common traits she sees in all seasoned educators. She also shares stories about how her mother tried to convince her not to become a teacher, about learning to be calm and reflect, and about how she thinks about her legacy as an educator. Taking all those lessons back to the classroom, Ana and Classroom Insider Eric Cross discuss creating a teacher network, building buy-in, and student-designed projects.

    Show notes:

    Quotes:
    “There are a lot of lessons to be learned from ‘back in the day’. It doesn't mean we always had it right. We were learning along the way and we recognize that our students are not the same students that were sitting in front of us ‘back in the day.’” —A. Simone McQuaige

    “Seasoned teachers are often looked at as the ones with all the answers, and they may not truly have all the answers, but they've lived experiences that I think a lot of new teachers could learn from.” —A. Simone McQuaige

    “When you look at a lot of the seasoned teachers who've been in the profession for quite some time, there's a calmness about them. And you work effectively when you're in that calm space.” —A. Simone McQuaige

    “One of the things that I've learned over the years is you cannot make change by yourself.” —A. Simone McQuaige


Aquí están los 40 episodios más recientes de 44. Los anteriores están en el feed del podcast.

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