Summer break is shrinking and teachers are feeling it. What happened to the full two months of sunshine, creativity, and true rest? In this episode, we dig into why less summer means more burnout, and why given teachers time to renew, recharge, and simply live life isn’t just a perk, but it’s essential for better classrooms.

We’ll paint the picture of what we’re missing: long days outside, fresh ideas sparked by downtime, and the joy of being fully ourselves with family and friends. Then we’ll flip the calendar forward to back-to-school season and tackle the real conversation: how do we set the year up for success?

You’ll hear 6 essential tips for new elementary teachers (straight from Edutopia) that work for any educator. We’ll also talk about how to weave these tips into your teaching from the start.

If you’re ready to start the year with less stress, more joy, and a classroom that feels like a true community, this episode is a must-listen.

Subscribe, listen, and join the conversation!

Website: www.equation2success.com

IG @equation2success

IG @skoolturf

What if the key to better education isn’t just what we teach, but who’s doing the teaching? In this powerful episode, we dig into the uncomfortable truths about teacher demographics in California and why that matters more than ever.

We zoom in on math classrooms, where fear, bias, and outdated teaching habits have turned a subject meant to empower into one that excludes. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Through the powerful stories of Vernita and KiMi, we see how showing up authentically can shift the narrative and transform student lives.

Why are so many teachers still afraid to teach math? Why are we okay with students learning from people who never taught to love, or even do, the subject themselves? We challenge these questions head on, exposing myths, rebuilding identity, and reminding listeners what joyful, rigorous learning can look like when it’s rooted in culture, passion, and authenticity. .

If you care about equity, education, and reimagining what leadership looks like in our classrooms, this episode is for you.

Tune in, subscribe, and join the conversation! DM us @skoolturf with your questions.

In this episode, we take you inside the energy and brilliance of Kurriculum & Konversation! This highlight event brought together educators, leaders, and community members to explore how culture, storytelling, and pedagogy can shift the way we teach and lead. One of the most powerful moments came from our conversation with Alton Glass, a visionary behind GRX Immersive Labs, who broke down how immersive technology and storytelling are not just tools, but pathways to liberation. Alton reminded us that when we merge innovation with education, we’re not just preparing students for the future, we’re giving them the tools to create it. Press play, take it in, and let the voices and vibes of Kurriculum & Konversation move you. Because at Skoolturf, we’re not waiting for change, we’re building it. Tune in, subscribe, and join the conversation! DM us @skoolturf with your questions. Website: www.equation2success.comIG @equation2successIG @skoolturf

People aren’t checked out of politics, they've been shut out. In this episode, KiMi and Vernita get real about why so many folks are disengaged, not because people don’t care but because the system feels like a game no one taught us how to play. What if we stopped making it all about federal elections and started teaching kids how power really moves, locally, right in their own neighborhoods? Then things heat up when we dive into a new poll showing that 41% of Californians support Christian prayer in public schools (yes, you read that right). With states like Texas mandating the Ten Commandments in classrooms and Mississippi clocking in at 81% support for teacher-led prayer, we ask: Who’s included in these decisions and who gets left out?KiMi and Vernita, two proud church kids, have a heartfelt, unfiltered conversation on faith, fairness, and freedom. From challenging poll language to questioning who these laws really serve, they unpack power dynamics and what it really means to honor faith in public spaces. Let’s talk about prayer, politics, and power. Tune in, subscribe, and join the conversation! DM us @skoolturf with your questions. Website: www.equation2success.comIG @equation2successIG @skoolturf

What if we told you that only 7% of high schoolers see themselves as a “math person”? In this eye-opening episode, we dive into the heart of one of education’s most urgent identity crises: math.

Backed by insights from EdWeek and a Gates Foundation supported study of over 700 students, we uncover why 1 in 3 students never see themselves as capable in math and what that means for their future in STEM, problem-solving, and confidence. But here’s the twist: the problem isn’t just about students. It’s layered.

• Teachers often lack the materials, training, or support to shift these mindsets.

• Systemic underinvestment in teacher development holds entire classrooms back.
• Meanwhile, culturally diverse math excellence goes unrecognized and unheard.

Join us as we explore what it really takes to make sure every student (especially students of color) can say “I am a mathematician.” We’re talking teacher pay, professional learning, equity in STEM, and the powerful role of identity in shaping academic success. What happens next could shape classrooms for a generation. Tune in to rethink what math is really about and who it’s for. Subscribe, listen, and join the conversation!Website: www.equation2success.comIG @equation2successIG @skoolturf

Teachers are called to serve. But who’s answering for them?In this unflinching episode, Vernita and KiMi dive deep into the personal and the policies shaping the future of education. They take you behind the curtain of their own journeys, revealing what it truly means to answer the call as educators, leaders, and advocates navigating a world that often demands more than it gives. But the heart of this episode? A bold discussion on Houston’s new teacher pay policy that ties salaries to performance. Sounds innovative… until you ask the hard questions:

• Who decides what “merit” is?
• How does this work in a system that isn’t equitable to begin with?
• And who gets left behind?

If you care about education, equity, or the future of our classrooms, you can’t afford to skip this one.Raw, real, and absolutely necessary: this episode is a call to everyone who believes educators deserve more than just praise. 🎙️Tune in. Share it. And answer the call. Website: www.equation2success.comIG @equation2successIG @skoolturf

What do a wildly creative fitness coach and a bright young mentee have in common? In this episode, KiMi and Vernita reflect on the people who keep them grounded and inspired, and how these relationships shed light on something much bigger. They dig into the hidden cost of wasted time (not just in classrooms, but in our systems, our workplaces, and our lives). At the center of their conversation is a hard truth: even the most passionate and capable educators are often boxed in by rigid rubrics and stripped of autonomy. The result? Burnout, broken spirits, or even questionable decisions. Through deeply personal stories and sharp insights, KiMi and Vernita reveal how too many children, teachers, and everyday people are silently battling difficult circumstances without the support they deserve. And they don’t stop there. This episode connects the dots between lived experiences and larger systemic failure - while offering a bold invitation to reimagine how we honor time, nurture talent, and redefine the purpose of education. Subscribe, listen, and join the conversation!Website: www.equation2success.comIG @equation2successIG @skoolturf

In this episode, KiMi and Vernita dive deep into grief, not only through death, but through career transitions. With honesty and reflection, they unpack what it means to keep showing up for students, family members, and others while carrying invisible losses of our own. This is more than a conversation, it is a revelation of the emotional truths people live through every day, truths too often ignored by policy and systems. Tune in as we explore how grief shapes not just how we teach, but how to lead, heal, and live. Subscribe, listen, and join the conversation!Website: www.equation2success.comIG @equation2successIG @skoolturf