Auburn ED Talks podcast spotlights Alabama’s education leaders in a conversation on purpose, policy and the future of teaching

Auburn University’s College of Education recently brought statewide education leaders together for a special recording of its official podcast, Auburn ED Talks, during the university’s inaugural Education Summit. The summit, held in Auburn’s College of Education Building, convened educators, policymakers and school leaders from across Alabama to discuss the future of education in the state.

The episode featured Alabama State Board of Education member Tracie West, Liberty Park Middle School assistant principal, Auburn College of Education alumnus and ENGAGE Council member Courtney Bass and Alabama State Department of Education recruitment and mentoring specialist Kimberly Mitchell. Auburn College of Education student ambassador Kiersten Wilson moderated the conversation.

When asked on the podcast what it takes to be a successful educator today, Bass emphasized the importance of purpose.

“I would say to be a successful educator today is to truly understand your why,” he said, adding, “We have to be passionate about educating the whole child and in allowing students to be successful in all avenues and realizing that it looks different for each individual student.”

West, who represents District Two on the Alabama State Board of Education, also encouraged future educators to stay informed about policy changes that directly affect classrooms. She noted that the State Board of Education has passed “enormous, new policy since 2019” and credited teachers for driving student achievement “at historically high levels for Alabama.”

Additionally, Mitchell noted that self-care is essential for longevity as a teacher.

“You have to make sure you're paying attention not only to your mental health, your physical health, but just taking the time to understand and realizing, going back to your why you’re doing this, and developing yourself professionally,” she said. “It doesn't necessarily mean that you want to move into a different realm of education. You may want to continue teaching in the classroom, and that's wonderful. But pay attention to yourself so that you're growing right along with your students.”

Leadership as service and influence

The panelists emphasized that leadership extends far beyond job titles.

“Leadership is influence and impact,” Mitchell said. 

West shared her own nontraditional path into education leadership, beginning as a parent volunteer before serving on local and state boards. She noted how anyone can serve.  

“If you have dedication and care for education, there are a number of ways to grow and serve.”

The conversation highlighted major shifts in Alabama education, including the Literacy Act, Numeracy Act and the statewide initiative to remove cell phones from classrooms. West, who helped lead the effort on the cell phone legislation, cited research showing the impact of devices on student engagement and behavior. She noted that districts are already seeing results.

 “Alabama was one of the states that led the nation in making this change,” West said. “And I'm hearing from districts all over the state, not just District Two. Teachers are happy, coaches are happy, bus drivers are happy. Kids are engaged in the lunchroom again. They're laughing. Discipline issues are down in some districts by 70%.”  

Bass affirmed the positive impact in middle schools, saying the law gave educators “a leg to stand on” and helped restore student-to-student interaction.

Preparing Future Leaders 

The panelists identified several challenges future educators must be prepared to face, including evolving best practices, teacher recruitment and retention and rapid technological change.

Bass stressed the importance of lifelong learning.

“You have to be willing to say, I don't know this, or I don't know as much about this as I need to,” he said. “So, I'm going to read a book; I'm going to attend professional development; and I'm going to work on putting this practice into use because things are constantly changing. Children are changing. You know, what's expected of us is changing, whether that be new standards, new laws, etc. So, you have to be willing to put in the work to learn.”

Mitchell highlighted the critical need to retain great teachers in the profession. She also encouraged future educators to embrace emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, noting that “we are going to see so many things that we can’t even dream of in the next 20 years. So, it’s a very exciting time.”

The episode concluded with each leader offering a single sentence of advice:

“Teaching is a journey, not a destination,” Mitchell said. “You have the ability every day that you step into that classroom to impact and influence someone’s life, including your own.”

Bass said each decision an educator makes should always be focused on what’s best for children.  

“And if you do that, not everyone will always agree, but it gives you a leg to stand on and people can respect it. If you can say this is what's best for children.” 

West agreed, adding: “Always keep the main thing the main thing, and that’s our students.”

To listen to the full Auburn Ed Talks episode, visit the Auburn Ed Talks website or subscribe to the podcast on such major platforms as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.