Don Dumas Makes History Relevant to All of His Students

Don Dumas Makes History Relevant to All of His Students

Author: Teacher Stories January 11, 2021 Duration: 39:49
As a high school student, Don Dumas didn't feel he mattered because the curriculum was disconnected from his experience. "I was kicking and screaming on my way toward graduation," he said. But Joyce Suber, a Black high school English teacher, took notice, introduced him to books like The Autobiography of Malcolm X and Manchild in the Promised Land, and urged him, Dumas says, to use his experience "for your own elevation and your own self-realization for who you are and who you want to be." Now, as I high school teacher himself, he was recently recognized as one of five teachers of the year among 40,000 educators in San Diego County. Dumas says he tries to emulate what he learned from Ms. Suber--most importantly her belief in all of her students. "She never gave up on us," Dumas, said, despite frequent suspensions, expulsions, and run-ins with the law. "She never let us believe we couldn't achieve more than what our circumstances dictated."

Behind every person who learns, there is someone who taught them. Teacher Stories is a quiet space dedicated entirely to those someones. This podcast moves beyond the general appreciation for educators to share the specific, often overlooked moments that define a life in the classroom. Each episode features a different voice-sometimes a teacher recounting a breakthrough or a challenge, other times a former student sharing how an educator’s influence quietly shaped their path years later. You’ll hear the unscripted reality of the profession: the small victories that happen off the report card, the frustrations that never make it to a staff meeting, and the profound connections that form in the most unexpected ways. By listening to these personal narratives, we get a clearer, more human picture of the immense role teachers play in stitching the fabric of our communities together. The stories collected here are a testament to the lasting impact of a single dedicated individual. Tune in for a genuine, heartfelt exploration of education from the inside out, one story at a time. This podcast is an ongoing conversation about why these personal histories matter, inviting everyone to reflect on the educators who left a mark on their own lives.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 71

Teacher Stories
Podcast Episodes
What Makes a Good Teacher? A Conversation with Alfie Kohn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:56
Alfie Kohn (alfiekohn.org) has written extensively about teaching, parenting, education, and schooling. In this thought-provoking podcast, Alfie says we must be clear about our shared, long-term goals for children before…
Teaching Mindfulness to Fifth Graders—What Do Parents Think? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:10
Tavis Danz is a fifth grade teacher and has incorporated "mindfulness" into his classroom to enhance academic, social, and emotional learning. But he has occasionally worried that the parents of his students might disapp…
From The Rodeo to University President [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:33
Robert Nelsen was content to work on his ranch in Montana and to ride in the rodeo. As "punishment" for being a "smart ass," Nelsen's high school teacher made him apply for college. Now Dr. Nelsen is now president of one…
Karina Figueroa-Ramirez Could Relate to Her Latinx English Teacher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:36
Until becoming a teenager, Karina Figueroa-Ramirez had never had a teacher who shared her cultural background or looked like her. That changed when she was assigned to a Latinx English teacher in 7th grade who supported…
Emili Danz Uses Performing Arts to Transform Lives [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:47
Emili works with a teacher in South Central Los Angeles who helps a young, angry high school student deal with her emotions--through dance. This teacher story is about trust, the freedom to fail, and how the arts can tra…
Drama Teacher Helps Efrain Solis Find His Voice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:49
During high school, a time in his life when he was desperately trying to blend in (and perhaps go unnoticed), Efrain Solis was encouraged to take center stage. Now a professional opera singer, he shares how his special h…
The Passion of Brian Rankin's High School Physics Teacher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:40
Brian Rankin's high school physics teacher lies on a bed of nails. He then places a cinder block on his chest and asks Brian to smash it with a sledge hammer -- all to demonstrate a key physics principle to his students.…
John Lescroart: Typist to New York Times Best-Selling Novelist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:55
John Lescroart is a New York Times best-selling novelist who says that he might be still be a typist in a law office--or, possibly, homeless were it not for his English teacher, Father Stadler at Junipero Serra High Scho…
How Nikki Ahrenstorff's Life was Transformed by Gary Childs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:45
Nikki Ahrenstorff believed that her high school was "reserved for a special group of people" and that she wasn't part of it. That changed when she took an English class with Mr. Childs.