Making the Grade Podcast
Making the Grade is an education podcast for current & former teachers to share notes, define success & assess their own happiness in the classroom and beyond. Throughout history in the US, teaching has been an essential profession that supports the next generation. However, as the world continues to evolve, the education system seems to be years behind in many ways.
“Making the Grade” explores the metrics of success in the modern-day classroom with current and former educators. We dive into the challenging circumstances teachers face, & the unrealistic standards that many feel they need to live up to in order to thrive.
Schools are now seeing alarming shortages where jobs used to be highly competitive. Why are teachers leaving the field at an unprecedented rate? How has our view of teachers changed over time? What do educators in the field want us to know about their hopes, hardships & dreams?
The problems in education may seem endless, but so are the possibilities. Listen, laugh, and leave our episodes empowered to define your own success as an educator & an individual. Be sure to leave us a review & subscribe if you like what you hear!
Making the Grade Podcast
Beautiful Stuff Project: a Conversation with Former Teacher & Founding Executive Director, Marina
S2 EP 027 | Beautiful Stuff Project: a conversation with former teacher & founding executive director, Marina
On the 27th episode of Making the Grade Podcast, Georgia and Christine connect with Marina, a former teacher & executive director of the Beautiful Stuff Project. The Beautiful Stuff Project increases access to play and the arts through the creative reuse of materials. Marina is passionate about allowing children the space to explore & create, and this is possible through the organic roots of this project.
Marina’s story highlights the viewpoints of a lifelong educator: her curiosity, advocacy & belief in access for children & families began when she first started teaching in Cambridge Public Schools in 1986. She has some great wisdom from her teacher years, being a mom, and growing Beautiful Stuff in her community. She highlights some of the reasons why she left the classroom in 2002 with reasoning around the lack of play in early childhood settings, and you don’t want to miss how she got her nickname!
This episode covers a lot: how early childhood teaching has changed over the years, parenting children who thrive outside traditional classroom settings & the importance of unstructured play in classrooms. Marina’s idea of making the world a bit better by everyone doing their part to move the needle is so inspiring & hearing the story of how her idea to help people has snowballed. Tune in if you want to hear the grassroots approach of a community project turned success story!
Find out more about Marina here!
Marina’s links:
Website: https://thebeautifulstuffproject.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeautifulstuffproject/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beautifulstuffproject/
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