Hi Math Teacher Lounge listeners! Here’s an episode from Amplify’s new podcast, Beyond My Years, that we think you’ll like. It features math teacher extraordinaire Fawn Nguyen, who you may remember from past appearances on this show.

On this episode, Fawn, a math educator with over 30 years of classroom experience, tells Host Ana Torres the story of her near-death experience being lost at sea while escaping Vietnam, and explains how it shaped the sense of gratitude she led within the classroom. She also discusses what it means to be yourself in the classroom, the importance of sharing your mistakes with your students, and the merits of advocacy vs. authority with students. Taking all those lessons back to the classroom, Ana and Classroom Insider Eric Cross then discuss connecting with students through shared struggles and challenges.

Remember to subscribe to Beyond My Years to hear more insights and lessons from people who have thrived over decades in the classroom: seasoned educators.

Show notes:

• Connect with Fawn Nguyen: https://www.fawnnguyen.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:
“We spend so much time [in the classroom] day in and day out. For some of us, it's actually more interaction than we have with our own family. And it is family. So be yourself. You're going to make mistakes, but what's nice about it if we think of it as family, is that we get to apologize and tomorrow is a new day.” —Fawn Nguyen