Welcome to the Podcast
The Empower Students Now PodcastThe Revealing Reality Struggling Readers Face within the U.S. Education System
In this episode of Empower Students Now, host Amanda interviews her sister Shelly Gonsalves, who opens up about her lifelong struggle with reading and learning difficulties. Shelly recounts her early educational challenges, the lack of support she faced, and the...
Forgotten Narratives from Frontline of the Reading Wars
In this episode, hosts, Amanda and Trina, discuss the significant challenges of reading instruction in education. They delve into their personal experiences as teachers and parents, grappling with the complexities of teaching reading effectively and the impact on...
Courageous Teachers Speak Out Against a Serious Problem Being Overlooked in K-12 Schools
In this episode, hosts Amanda and Trina, along with guest Manuwella Allen (Mani), discuss gender equity in education, with a focus on the intersection of race and gender. They address issues of sexual harassment and abuse in schools, highlighting several disturbing...
Gender Equity Issues in K-12 Schools are Neglected and It’s Harming Our Students and Staff
In this podcast episode, Trina shares her expertise around gender equity in K-12 schools. She discusses the lack of support and unjust treatment of female students in schools, emphasizing the need for comprehensive discussions on gender equity. Amanda and Trina...
True Educational Equity Reforms are NOT Happening in Schools and Repercussions are Severe
In this episode, hosts Trina and Amanda discuss the topic of educational equity and the confusion surrounding its definition. They criticize the narrowing down of the term equity to only focus on racial equity, excluding other marginalized groups. They also discuss...
An ESL Teacher’s Stand Against Canned Curriculum and the Shocking Consequences
In this episode, Amanda and Trina interview two teachers who pushed back against using canned curriculum and discuss the sensitive nature of the stories shared by teachers and the importance of protecting their identities. They share stories from Teacher A, a veteran...
Outsourcing Teacher Expertise to Canned Curriculum
In this podcast episode, Amanda and Trina discuss the use of canned curriculum in schools and its impact on teachers and the education system. They recognize canned curriculum is useful in certain contexts, such as for long term substitutes or new teachers. However,...
Red Tape and Teacher Induction Programs are Overburdening New Teachers
This is a discussion about the insane amount of time, money, and work it takes to becoming a teacher only to face even more red tape, expectations, costs, and time sucks from the teacher induction process. This podcast series is from real teachers' perspectives. Too...
The High Cost of Becoming a Teacher
In this podcast episode, Amanda and co-host Trina discuss the challenges and expenses involved in becoming a teacher. Trina highlights the financial, time, and emotional investment required to become a teacher in the United States, particularly in California. They...
A Discussion with a New Teacher Who Chose to Leave the Profession
In this podcast episode, the host introduces Kelvin Mak, a recently resigned high school English teacher, who shares his experiences and frustrations with the education system. Kelvin discusses his burnout and the lack of fair compensation for teachers. He and co-host...
Teacher Pay Scales are Outdated and Oppressive, Here’s How to Fix Teacher Pay
In this podcast episode, Amanda, the host of the Empower Students Now podcast, introduces Trina English as a special guest and co-host for a series of episodes on the teacher shortage crisis. They discuss the importance of addressing this issue, especially for...
I Found Out I Have ADHD at Age 40
In this episode of the Empower Students Now podcast, host Amanda Werner shares her personal journey of discovering that she has ADHD and the importance of teachers understanding this condition. Amanda explains that many students in classrooms may be undiagnosed with...