Published by 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.
Listen on Apple PodcastsHost 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: Learn more about Pedro Noguera, Ph.D. Connect with Pedro Noguera. Take your learning further with these episodes: The science behind a joyful classroom, starring Tracey Severns, Ed.D. Learning alongside your multilingual learners, starring Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Ed.D. Give your multilingual/English learners the strongest writing instruction with these free ebooks . Follow us on Instagram . Subscribe to Beyond My Years . Connect with Ana Torres . Connect with Eric Cross . 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
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!
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: Read I Hate Math by Ian Brown . 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/literacyclassroomadvice . Follow 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
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/MathChangeManagement Subscribe 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
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. Watch: Beyond My Years season two wrap-up Catch videos of host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross on our new YouTube Channels: @AdviceForTheMathClassroom @AdviceForTheLiteracyClassroom
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: Watch the Beyond My Years season two wrap-up Catch videos of host Ana Torres and Classroom Insider Eric Cross on our new YouTube Channels: @AdviceForTheMathClassroom @AdviceForTheLiteracyClassroom Watch the edWebinar video and earn CE credits Subscribe to Beyond My Years Subscribe to Science of Reading: The Podcast
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/literacyclassroomadvice Follow us on Instagram Subscribe to Beyond My Year . Connect with Ana Torres Connect with Eric Cross 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
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
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-6a7259274 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amplify.education/ Subscribe to Beyond My Years: https://amplify.com/beyond-my-years Connect 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
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-years Follow 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
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: Instagram: @enchantedkindergarden Website: www.enchantedkindergarden.com Read Keri's blog Follow us on Instagram Subscribe to Beyond My Years Connect with Ana Torres Connect with Eric Cross 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
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: Connect with Neysa Olivares-Torres on LinkedIn Read the "Achieving student growth in middle school" district success story Subscribe to Beyond My Years: https://amplify.com/beyond-my-years Follow 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: "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
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: Connect with Tina Boogren: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-tina-boogren Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thboogren.bsky.social X: https://x.com/thboogren Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/selfcareforeducators/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thboogren Website: https://www.solutiontree.com/tina-h-boogren.html Podcast: https://www.selfcareforeducators.com/ Resources: Read The New Teacher Center’s “Phases of First-Year Teaching.” Read The Maslach Burnout Inventory . Subscribe to Beyond My Years Follow 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: “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
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: Resources: Phones in Focus survey: https://phonesinfocus.org/ Read: Schools don’t know how well cellphone policies are working. You can help Connect with Angela Duckworth: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeladuckworth X: https://x.com/angeladuckw Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angeladuckworthgrit/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelalduckworth/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aduckworth Website: https://angeladuckworth.com/ Subscribe to Beyond My Years https://amplify.com/beyond-my-years Follow 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: “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
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: Resources: Book: Literacy Foundations for English Learners Listen: Season 1, Episode 8: Teaching takes trust, starring Luz Selenia Muñoz Listen: Temporada 1. Capítulo Especial: Para enseñar se necesita confianza, con Luz Selenia Muñoz Subscribe to Beyond My Years https://at.amplify.com/beyond-my-years Follow 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/ Access free accompanying resources: https://amplify.com/beyond-my-years 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
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: Connect with Dan Meyer: Subscribe to Dan’s Substack, Mathworlds . Resources: Five Twelve Thirteen by Dylan Kane Subscribe to Beyond My Years https://at.amplify.com/beyond-my-years Follow 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/ Access free accompanying resources: https://amplify.com/beyond-my-years 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.
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: Connect with Tracey Severns: Instagram: @tracey.severns Linkedin Resources: Read: “ Mistakes, Missteps, Missed Opportunities: Lived Lessons from the Real World of Educational Leaders ” Subscribe to Beyond My Years https://at.amplify.com/bmy Follow 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: “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
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: Subscribe to Beyond My Years: https://at.amplify.com/bmy Follow 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/ Trailer: Get ready for Science of Reading: The Podcast's comprehension season
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: Connect with Susan Lambert: Podcast: Science of Reading: The Podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-lambert-edd-b1512761/ Resources: Science of Reading: A New Teacher’s Guide Scarborough’s Reading Rope The Knowledge Gap by Natalie Wexler Subscribe to Beyond My Years https://amplify.com/beyond-my-years Follow 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: “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
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: Episodes mentioned: Simone McQuaige Rebecka Peterson Fawn Nguyen Subscribe to Beyond My Years: https://amplify.com/beyond-my-years Follow 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: " 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