Beyond My Years

Amplify Education
  • 4.8 (34)
  • PERSONAL JOURNALS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
Beyond My Years

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. FEB 5

    No broken children—only broken systems, starring Kareem Weaver

    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 f...

    49 min

  2. JAN 22

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

    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. T...

    50 min

  3. JAN 8

    Your starter pack to mentorship, starring Serena Klosa

    Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres gets wisdom from Serena Klosa, an educator with 37 years of experience as a teacher, principal, and now deputy chief of schools. Serena discusses what it takes to be a good mentor and to be mentored by others—stressing the humility it requires and the strength it creates. She also shares stories of the “Queens of the Third Floor” and their no-nonsense approach to mentoring, and opens up about the lessons she won’t let herself forget. Taking all those ...

    49 min

  4. 12/19/2024

    The best of Beyond My Years (so far!)

    To close out the year, we’re revisiting some of our favorite moments from the first nine episodes of the Beyond My Years podcast – and looking ahead at some of what’s to come in 2025! Listen to Beyond My Years: Subscribe to Beyond My Years on AppleSubscribe to Beyond My Years on SpotifyListen to Beyond My Years via web browser

    3 min

  5. 12/04/2024

    Advancing together as educators, starring LaTonya Goffney, Ed.D.

    On this episode of Beyond My Years, Ana Torres picks up every nugget of wisdom she can learn from LaTonya M. Goffney, Ed.D., superintendent of schools for the Aldine Independent School District in Texas. LaTonya shares her journey through many different roles in education before she ended up in an educational leadership role. She stresses the importance of building a teaching community, including finding teacher mentorship, having people advocating for you, and valuing the work you do. LaTony...

    47 min

  6. 11/20/2024

    Para enseñar se necesita confianza, con Luz Selenia Muñoz

    En este episodio especial de Beyond My Years, Ana tiene el placer de hablar con Luz Selenia Muñoz en español, su idioma de origen. Luz ha sido maestra por 20 años, en dos países diferentes y en dos idiomas distintos. Con toda esa experiencia, Luz comparte las lecciones que le han parecido trascendentes para todos los estudiantes y todas las escuelas, como la importancia de crear conexiones significativas con los estudiantes, ser paciente con sus estudiantes y consigo misma, así como encontrar...

    14 min

  7. 11/20/2024

    Teaching takes trust, starring Luz Selenia Muñoz

    Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres walks alongside Luz Selenia Muñoz as she retraces the path that led her from planning to become a psychologist in Puerto Rico to living in Chicago as a veteran bilingual teacher with 20 years under her belt. Luz shares how finding her happy place in second grade took time, describing how she quickly learned that teaching upper elementary was not for her. She also dives into how immigrating from Puerto Rico to the United States taught her how to persev...

    50 min

  8. 11/06/2024

    Teaching takes joy, starring Rebecka Peterson

    Today on Beyond My Years, host Ana Torres delves into the wisdom offered by Rebecka Peterson, an educator whose journey began much like Ana’s: as a young immigrant to the United States. Rebecka shares all that she has come to love and appreciate about the K–12 environment after a tough transition from teaching college-level courses. She also reveals her most important lesson learned: Teach humans over content. Rebecka talks about her “One Good Thing” blog, where she documented daily positives...

    50 min
See All (16)

4.8
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Amplify Education
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Beyond My Years
  • Show Website
    Beyond My Years

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