Beyond My Years

Amplify Education

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.

  1. 1日前

    Helping students "not hate" math, starring Ian Brown

    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 coversation 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: Read I Hate Math by Ian Brown. (Also, for one week, Mr. Brown is making the Kindle Edition of I Hate Math available for free! Mr. Brown asks folks to consider supporting an organization that has helped his school, Operation School Bell.)Subscribe to Advice for the Math Classroom on Amplify’s YouTube channel: amplify.com/mathclassroomadvice Subscribe to Advice for the Literacy Classroom on Amplify’s YouTube channel: amplify.com/literacyclassroomadviceFollow us on Instagram.Subscribe to Beyond My Years.Connect with Ana Torres.Connect with Eric Cross.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

    42 分鐘
  2. 4月15日

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

    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: Check out the full change management bundle — including the change management playbook— at amplify.com/MathChangeManagementSubscribe to Advice for the Math Classroom on Amplify's YouTube channel: amplify.com/mathclassroomadvice. Check out our new math change management playlist!Check out our new student-centered math practices playlist!Subscribe to Advice for the Literacy Classroom on Amplify's YouTube channel: amplify.com/literacyclassroomadvice.Follow us on Instagram.Subscribe to Beyond My Years.Connect with Ana Torres.Connect with Eric Cross. 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

    39 分鐘
  3. 2月4日

    Embracing productive beliefs to transform your teaching, starring Mike Flynn

    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: Connect with Mike Flynn on LinkedIn Learn more about Flynn Education: https://flynneducation.com/ Subscribe to Advice for the Math Classroom on Amplify’s YouTube channel: amplify.com/mathclassroomadvice Subscribe to Advice for the Literacy Classroom on Amplify’s YouTube channel: amplify.com/literacyclassroomadviceFollow us on InstagramSubscribe to Beyond My Year.Connect with Ana TorresConnect with Eric CrossQuotes: "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

    41 分鐘
  4. 1月21日

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

    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:  Connect with Daniela Anello on LinkedIn. Learn more about Daniela’s work at DC Bilingual. Check out the Marshall Memo. Follow us on Instagram.Subscribe to Beyond My Years.Connect with Ana Torres.Connect with Eric Cross.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

    40 分鐘
  5. 1月7日

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

    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: Visit Mitchell Brookins' website: https://brookinsconsulting.org/Connect with Mitchell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchell-brookins-ph-d-6a7259274Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amplify.education/Subscribe to Beyond My Years: https://amplify.com/beyond-my-yearsConnect with Ana Torres: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anayansi-ana-torres-m-ed-26a10654/Connect with Eric Cross: https://www.ericcross.org/ 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

    38 分鐘
  6. 22/12/2025

    Teach with resilience in the new year, starring Fawn Nguyen

    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: Connect with Fawn Nguyen: https://fawnnguyen.substack.com/ Subscribe to Beyond My Years https://amplify.com/beyond-my-yearsFollow us on Instagram @amplify.education Connect with Eric Cross: https://www.ericcross.org/ Connect with Ana Torres: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anayansi-ana-torres-m-ed-26a10654/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

    52 分鐘

關於

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.

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