Episodes

EP 020 | Georgia & Christine: Recap Season 1 On the last episode of Season 1 of Making the Grade podcast, Georgia & Christine recap season 1: what they have learned, surprising takeaways, & what’s to come in season 2! Their journey into podcasting has been an eye-opening & surprisingly liberating experience - and in helping other educators elevate their teacher voices, they seem to have re-found their own. This conversation covers it all: from the behind the scenes of creating a podcast, the up...

MAKING THE GRADE EP 019 | Finding Teacher & Life Balance Through Overcoming Overwhelm: a Conversation with Teacher & Life Coach, Krystal On the 19th episode of Making the Grade Podcast, Georgia and Christine connect with Krystal, a middle school teacher & life coach who has over 18 years of experience in the classroom. A fellow educator from Canada, Krystal is passionate about supporting educators to avoid burnout through intentional practices. Krystal candidly shares her own personal story of f...

EP 018 | KaiPod Learning: a conversation with founder & CEO, Amar “I want to try something different” is the sentiment that began a new classroom model & organization for educators. With experience teaching in the US & India, Amar has spent many years in many different classroom models and roles. A fellow Boston-based founder, Amar Kumar, shares how he went from trying to meet all students’ needs to creating a space where students lead their learning through goal setting and coaches support the...

EP 017 | Modern Classrooms Project: a Conversation with CEO, Kareem This week Georgia & Christine chat with Kareem Farah, CEO and co-founder of the Modern Classrooms Project. Kareem spent his teaching career as a math educator in Hawaii and Washington, DC. Instead of using a traditional lecture model, Kareem taught math through a blended model where students accessed content through his self-made videos. The cornerstone of his classroom was the ability for students to work at their own pace and ...

EP 016 | Teacher Training, Montessori Modeling & Classroom Community: a Conversation with Dr. Lisa Kuh After 6+ months of recording podcasts in different states, Georgia & Christine record in the same room for the 1st time for some great conversation with educator of all trades & author, Dr. Lisa Kuh. Currently practicing in Washington state, Lisa Kuh has over 40 years of experience with young children as an instructional coach, classroom teacher, teacher educator, university professor and resea...

EP 015 | Behavior Analysis: a Conversation with BCBA, Ben We hear so frequently about student behaviors interfering with learning in the classroom, but what can we do to help stop this growing problem? On this next episode of Making the Grade podcast, Georgia & Christine chat with BCBA Ben about how his journey in studying behavior analysis led him across the country and truly finding his passion. After finishing his graduate degree in Boston, Ben moved to California and has held many different...

EP 014 | Cultivating Courage & Connection: a Conversation with Coach & Consultant, Kelly “I have this crazy idea!” is a sentence that Kelly loved hearing as a former director. An educator from New Hampshire with 28 years of experience & an entrepreneurial spirit, Kelly is thinking outside the box in supporting educators’ mental health in workshops, professional development series & 1:1 coaching. Can you imagine walking into a room full of stressed teachers to talk to them about self-care? We can...

EP 013 | Marketing & Sales for Edupreneurs: a Conversation with Consultant, Christina When teachers get used to signing a contract each year, it’s no surprise that pricing services is an area where educators need support. Georgia & Christine speak with Christina, an education consultant and former teacher / administrator from Texas. A self-described “edupreneur”, Christina has transitioned out of her roles in the classroom and now works in many different roles as a consultant. She is still servi...

EP 012 | Changing your Classroom Calling: a conversation with Early Literacy Coach, Amaris Have you ever felt like your heart belongs in the classroom but you’re itching to try something new? Baltimore ESOL teacher -> early literacy coach, Amaris, took a chance in a new role and shares her motivation to stay in education (and why she doesn’t want to just be “the lady from the district”). With over a decade of experience in the classroom, Amaris shares her 2 passions, early literacy and ESOL, and...

EP 011 | Mastering your Math Mindset: a conversation with math coach, Mona “I’m just not a math person” is a common expression, but have you ever wondered why? Chicago teacher & math specialist, Mona, shares how she shifted from being a math avoider -> math master! With 15 years of experience as a classroom teacher, Mona shares some insights from allowing her students to struggle & apply problem solving strategies “thinking like mathematicians”. A fellow podcaster, Mona’s passion in sharing her...

EP 010 | Finding the Right Fit: a Conversation with International Teacher, Greg In the 10th episode of Making the Grade Podcast, Georgia and Christine connect with Greg, an international teacher who has over 20 years of experience. Avid scuba diver, technology guru, author…& most importantly, a teacher at heart. A fellow podcaster from Wisconsin, Greg is passionate in telling others about “the best kept secret in education”: international teaching. Greg is well-traveled - he has visited over 70 ...

EP 009 | Transatlantic Teaching: a Conversation with Transitioning High School Teacher, Li From the UK to Indiana, Li has taught high school health and social care in London for 8 years in a prestigious cosmopolitan school. She has spent the last decade teaching culinary classes in inner city -> rural districts in the US for the last few years. In addition to her work in the classroom, she has also established an international travel chapter with over 150 students and families to venture abroad....

EP 008 | Side Hustles & Podcast Management: a Conversation with Learning & Development Specialist, Ethan Tuning in from Texas for this episode, Georgia & Christine chat with Ethan, Making the Grade’s podcast launch manager & fellow educator. Ethan truly embodies the essence of a teacher - encouraging, knowledgeable, and always honing his skills. A self-described lifelong learner, Ethan has transitioned out of his role as a middle school teacher and now works in learning and development as well a...

EP 007 | From the moment we connected with Locha, we could just feel her passion. After a decade in the classroom as an English Language Arts teacher, Locha realized that her goals for herself and how she wanted to impact the education world needed to shift. And she is now doing the work…bringing school communities together by having critical conversations about the diverse history of all people, sharing their stories & uncovering how this affects the current ways we relate to each other. Calli...

EP 006 | Thinking Like a Teacher: a Conversation with Matt Georgia & Christine are coming at you from Florida today in a really candid conversation with former principal turned curriculum designer, Matt. It’s clear why Matt was an effective educator & principal - his story feels like listening to a really motivating TED Talk! Matt shares how leaving the classroom allowed him the ability to care for himself - he found time to get back into swimming, baking, and even lost 50 pounds in the process...

EP 005 | On this next episode of Making the Grade podcast, Georgia & Christine are back in the classroom talking to 1st-grade teacher of 10 years (& Georgia’s cousin!), Meghan. This episode really gets into it - as passionate as Meg is about what she does, she also gives her hot takes on the struggles she & other educators are facing as an educator, mom & individual. This one is full of authentic moments: from balancing motherhood & teaching, standardized testing, & the little moments that keep...

EP 004 | On this next episode of Making the Grade podcast, Georgia & Christine chat with transitioned teacher Kristen about her unique perspectives as a mom & educator who knows the importance of taking a step back (three times!) from the classroom to reflect & explore. Kristen’s journey is “bumpy” or not linear, and it’s a good reminder for all educators (& individuals) to remember that sometimes our heart can get there before our head does. This conversation covers it all: from Lizzo’s advice...

EP 003 | "I teach, what's your superpower?" This is a phrase that many of us have heard, or have maybe even seen on teacher-themed decor or a gift one of our students gives us during the holidays. When you hear it so often, it loses its meaning-- but on today's episode, Georgia and Christine are talking to Andrea, who seems to embody the phrase all on her own. Andrea, a bilingual Pre-K teacher, joins the conversation with Christine and Georgia about her history in education and how her persona...

EP 001 | In the debut episode of the Making the Grade Podcast, educators Christine and Georgia share their insights on classroom success and the challenges and rewards of teaching. Christine’s personal experience with an exchange program is discussed, providing a unique perspective on education and expanding one’s worldview. Listeners will gain valuable insights from the hosts’ personal experiences as educators and their passion for exploring the different aspects of teaching. Throughout the ep...

EP 002 | On the second episode of Making the Grade podcast, Christine and Georgia talk to Amanda, an international teacher who took a chance and moved from Massachusetts to Southeast Asia to teach kindergarten at an international school. Amanda shares how the international teaching community is welcoming and supportive, and how she found comfort in the similarities between schools around the world. Amanda also discusses her experience teaching at a school for refugees and how education can empo...

Welcome to Making the Grade, an Education podcast for current and former teachers to share notes, define success, and assess their own happiness in the classroom and beyond. We are your hosts, Christine and Georgia. The problems in education may seem endless, but so are the possibilities. Listen, laugh, and leave our episodes empowered. Find your own success as an educator and an individual. Support the show