Cuando los profesores se quedan

Cuando los profesores se quedan

In the series finale of Beyond the Classroom, host Amy White sits down with three inspiring guests from the Harvard Graduate School of Education: Amanda Jones, Darlene Forde, and Cristi Marchetti. Though armed with a brief script, their answers run deep—particularly when they tackle the question featured on the Gutman hub: How will you change the world?

Then, Amy looks ahead to her new show, Amy’s Room, airing Sundays at 10 AM on Radio Kingston WKNY. Described as a space "where learning is human, layered, and changes how we see the world," the show invites listeners into a space for curiosity and conversation. Like a great lesson plan, each episode begins with a guiding question and ends with an "exit ticket" for reflection.

Finally, Amy is joined by main guest Michelle Hughes, an educator with over thirty years of experience and author of the new book exploring why teachers stay in their roles rather than why they leave. From rural Indiana to New York City, Michelle shares the key conditions—trust, belonging, collaboration—that create resilient teaching communities where educators want to thrive. Find her book at https://www.routledge.com/When-Teachers-Stay-Cultivating-Resilient-Teaching-Communities/Hughes/p/book/9781041081838

Dos madres, una misión: proteger a los niños de lo impensable

Dos madres, una misión: proteger a los niños de lo impensable

In this deeply important episode, we sit down with Cristi Marchetti and Stephanee Thorton, the two visionary women behind Sharkweave, a company born from the terrifying reality that active shooter situations have become a part of American life. Frustrated by the fact that children in these crises often die not from the initial injury, but from preventable blood loss before first responders can arrive, these mothers decided to take action. They walk us through the creation of their wearable protection gear, explaining how Sharkweave is designed to be easily accessible in a classroom and intuitively used by a child to stem hemorrhaging in those critical first minutes. Beyond the product itself, we explore the comprehensive curriculum and trauma kits they are developing for classrooms, ensuring that safety is paired with preparedness and education.

We don't shy away from the uncomfortable reality that this is a conversation no parent, teacher, or student wants to have, but as Cristi and Stephanee powerfully argue, it is a conversation we must have in order to truly protect our children. The discussion is a testament to the power of turning fear into action and grief into innovation. To close this moving and urgent episode, we reflect on the emotional weight of the topic with Pearl Jam's hauntingly relevant track, "Jeremy." We encourage all listeners to learn more about this life-saving innovation and to sign up for the free pre-order at their website: sharkweave.org.

Profundizar

Profundizar

In this episode of Beyond the Classroom, we sit down with Michelle Garingalao-Ong, an award-winning education leader from the Philippines whose path to school leadership began in nursing and community psychology. Michelle shares her deeply personal journey from serving two-year-olds to leading a full K–12 school community, including founding and directing C.H.I.L.D.S. Academy in her province. Eight months into her marriage, a simple question from her husband—whether she wanted to return to teaching—became a pivotal moment that redirected her life’s work. What followed was not ambition, but what Michelle describes as a calling: to create a place where children feel safe to learn and educators feel inspired to stay.

Our conversation explores how Michelle led her school through crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic, launching the province’s only fully synchronous distance learning program, while centering mental health, compassion, and community resilience. She reflects on receiving multiple national awards not as markers of success, but as affirmations of purpose. Listeners will hear how her loving, grounded leadership has built a school culture rooted in empathy—one where service, inclusion, and emotional well-being are not add-ons, but the foundation of education. This episode makes clear why Michelle belongs in education: her work reminds us that the most transformative schools are led by those who see teaching not as a job, but as an act of care.

Lo que se dio, lo que debe devolverse: Dr. Siza Mitimbiri sobre la transformación de la educación en Zimbabue

Lo que se dio, lo que debe devolverse: Dr. Siza Mitimbiri sobre la transformación de la educación en Zimbabue

In this deeply moving and illuminating episode, I sit down with the extraordinary Dr. Siza Mtimbiri to trace a life shaped by both profound scarcity and radical possibility. Siza begins by taking us back to his childhood in Zimbabwe, growing up in a two-room house shared with his family and attending a school with nearly forty students packed into a single classroom. He speaks candidly about not learning to read until fourth grade—until one teacher, Mrs. Rouddy, began meeting with him in the mornings at a private school and patiently taught him how to read. That single act of belief changed everything. Books opened the world to him, carrying him to Christian Brothers College, an all-boys school that expanded his sense of what was possible and set him on a path that would eventually lead him to teaching in South Africa and earning a PhD at Cambridge.

At Cambridge, Siza’s academic focus turned deeply personal. Studying the effects of HIV/AIDS on families and villages, he found himself face to face with his own grief—having lost four brothers to the disease. Rather than turning away, he leaned in. What followed was a courageous act of transformation: Siza helped build a school in Zimbabwe that intentionally integrates health and education, responding to the intertwined realities facing children and families. In our conversation, he reflects honestly on early missteps, including not initially consulting local villagers when starting the school in a region where he did not grow up—a decision that surfaced deep tensions rooted in Zimbabwe’s complex and turbulent history. His humility in naming these lessons is as powerful as his vision.

The episode is filled with moments of warmth and humanity, including a story that perfectly captures the realities of this work: Siza is in the process of securing a teacher for the school when a Black Mamba slithers across the path in front of them—an abrupt, unforgettable reminder of the conditions educators face on the ground. As we close, Siza issues a heartfelt call to action, inviting qualified educators from around the world to contribute—even if only for two weeks—to train teachers or teach at the school. This is a hopeful, energizing conversation about education as dignity, loss as fuel for purpose, and what becomes possible when one person decides to turn hardship into service.

Más que un rol: Cómo la mentoría se convierte en una alianza. La maravillosa relación entre Joel Lee y Melvin Loh.

Más que un rol: Cómo la mentoría se convierte en una alianza. La maravillosa relación entre Joel Lee y Melvin Loh.

Today’s radio show brought together an intimate, cross-continental conversation with my good friend Melvin Loh and his longtime mentor, Professor Joel Lee, who joined us from Singapore in the evening, our time. The discussion explored the evolution of their mentor–mentee relationship, tracing how it began, deepened, and ultimately transformed into a reciprocal intellectual partnership grounded in trust, challenge, and generosity. Melvin reflected candidly on initially resisting Joel’s encouragement to teach—pushing back against the idea before eventually discovering that his mentor had seen a calling he himself could not yet claim. Joel, in turn, described how Melvin now brings him the questions, insights, and moral clarity of his young law students—“a great idea,” as Joel calls it—allowing the relationship to flow in both directions. Together, they challenged conventional assumptions about hierarchy in mentorship, emphasizing that meaningful mentorship requires both parties to move beyond prescribed roles, remain open, and give more than their titles demand. The conversation closed with a musical offering, “Scarlet Begonias” by the Grateful Dead—a tribute to enduring creative partnership, echoing the legendary friendship of Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia and reflecting the shared gifts, mutual listening, and deep respect that define Joel and Melvin’s relationship.

Más allá del aula con Tyler Epps

Más allá del aula con Tyler Epps

¡Gracias por escuchar este episodio tan especial de Beyond The Classroom con el presentador invitado Tyler Epps! ¡Les agradecemos mucho!

Acompañando a los estudiantes en los momentos más difíciles de la universidad

Acompañando a los estudiantes en los momentos más difíciles de la universidad

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Nicole Barone, whose work ethic is truly in her blood and whose path to Harvard was shaped by equal parts grit, love, and very honest guidance. She shares how a guidance counselor’s cautionary advice—“Just apply to one college”—paired with her mother’s humorous but very real warning—“If you don’t go to college, you’ll be homeless”—became fuel for a career dedicated to helping students navigate the small, fragile moments that can determine whether they stay in college or quietly walk away. Recently named Director of Online Programs at Harvard University, Dr. Barone reflects on her life-altering move from the Bay Area at age 14, working 20 hours a week after school and on weekends to afford necessities like a car, and how those experiences shaped her deep empathy for students balancing ambition with reality. This conversation is a joyful way to start the new year—grounded, honest, and filled with insight from a loving, open, and genuinely kind leader who has helped hundreds of students find their footing in education.

La magia de la granja Ohioville

La magia de la granja Ohioville

On today’s radio show, I had the joy of interviewing Mae Copham and Rachael Lopez Connelly from Ohioville Farms, and together we explored the healing power of horses and the belief that riding can truly be for anyone. Rachael shared her deep love of working with children who process information differently, emphasizing how horses create space for learning, regulation, and confidence in ways that feel natural and affirming. Mae added that horses seem to know exactly what each rider needs, and together they broke down how easy it is to get started, including the process for signing up for lessons and Mae’s three essential questions for new riders: height and weight, what you want to learn, and your past riding experience. Mae also offered valuable insight into what to look for when choosing a riding program, while I was introduced to EAGALA, a powerful approach that focuses on healing through relationship with horses rather than riding itself. Of course, I couldn’t resist sharing my love for my favorite Hudson Valley horse, Magic—the horse my son was lucky enough to ride—and even confessing that I briefly dreamed of inviting Magic into the studio, an idea I’ll have to save for next time. We all agreed on one thing by the end of the show: horses truly are magic. 🐎✨

¡De la grasa a la laca para el cabello!

¡De la grasa a la laca para el cabello!

Tune in for a special mother-son edition of the show! We spent the hour on a fun and nostalgic trip, spinning tracks from Grease and Hairspray. We revisited forgotten gems like the "steno pool" and the "malt shop," busted out moves like the Madison and "Shake a Tail Feather," and even drew some hilarious connections between old-school phrases and modern emojis. It was an hour of laughs, great music, and a sweet stroll down memory lane—plus, I got to swoon over my favorite, John Travolta! Join us for more good times and classic goodies.