At just 22 years old, Raya Gilman already knows exactly why she was born to teach. In this post, Coach G shares the highlights from Episode 1 of the Stay Teacher Podcast — Raya's powerful story of family legacy, a life-changing moment in a special education classroom, and the deep roots that will carry her through every storm of the teaching profession. Whether you are just starting out or twenty years in, Raya's story will remind you why you chose this path — and why it is worth staying.
In Episode 2 of the Stay Teacher Podcast, Coach G sits down with two University of Pittsburgh students — Michael and William — who are already doing the hard, beautiful work of becoming teachers. From a six-year-old boy who lost his mother and found strength in his school community, to a young man who checked out a Dragon Ball Z book from the library to connect with a struggling student — this episode is packed with wisdom, heart, and hope for the future of education. If you have ever wondered whether the next generation of teachers is ready — after this episode, you will have no doubt.
Less than 3% of teachers in the United States are Black males. In Episode 3 of the Stay Teacher Podcast, Coach G sits down with Isaac Sanders — a University of Pittsburgh senior from Detroit, Michigan, studying to become a teacher. Isaac shares why he chose education, why Black male teachers are so critically underrepresented, and what schools must do to recruit and keep them. His story is personal, historical, and deeply urgent.
At age 6, Elise Thompson was already teaching her stuffed animals on a whiteboard in her bedroom. Now she has just graduated from her teaching program and landed her first job as a special education teacher in Western Pennsylvania. In Episode 4 of the Stay Teacher Podcast, Elise shares the raw truth about entering the classroom — the obstacles, the breakthroughs, and why she chose the students who need teachers the most. This episode is for every new teacher standing at the edge of their first year wondering if they are ready.
Cashmere Starks had straight A's, graduated valedictorian, and was on her way to a chemical engineering degree. Then she asked herself one honest question — am I happy? The answer changed everything. In Episode 5 of the Stay Teacher Podcast, Coach G sits down with this Pittsburgh-born, University of Pittsburgh graduate who just accepted her first job as a special education teacher. As a Black woman entering a field where only 5% of teachers look like her, Cashmere shares why she chose this path, what is keeping Black women out of education, and what schools must do to keep teachers like her once they arrive.
Allen Taylor has been a math teacher for nearly 30 years. He grew up in the projects, had an undiagnosed reading disability, and once had no intention of becoming a teacher at all. In Episode 6 of the Stay Teacher Podcast, Coach G sits down with this veteran African American educator to talk about what has kept him in the classroom for three decades, why less than 2% of teachers are Black men, and the simple philosophy that has guided his entire career — Reach One, Teach One. This episode is for every educator who has ever wondered if their work is making a difference.
Ann Manchester spent 32 years in the classroom and decades on the soccer field — winning 7 state championships and shaping hundreds of lives along the way. In Episode 7 of the Stay Teacher Podcast, Coach G sits down with his former colleague and mentor to talk about what it truly takes to stay in education for over three decades. From a student whose shoes were falling apart to former students who came back to become teachers themselves — Chester's story is a masterclass in joy, community, and deep roots. This episode is for every teacher at every stage who needs to be reminded that the best is still ahead.