As a graduate of The Educator Academy residency program Kayla Williams completed her first year of full-time teaching at Santa Fe Elementary School this past spring. After completing a year of training, she is now a full-time teacher of record. This summer, she shared her experiences teaching with KCUR Up To Date, alongside two other local first-year teachers.
The interview highlighted the challenges educators face, particularly in light of a recent study showing that 70% of teachers in Missouri have considered leaving the field. Kayla and her fellow teachers discussed the obstacles they encountered, how they overcame them, and their passion for teaching.
“As far as reaching my students, I think I did a great job. But it would have been impossible without the support of my principal, partner teacher, and mentors,” Kayla said. She addressed classroom management and difficult behaviors by building relationships with her students, their families, her school, and fellow teachers to advocate for positive change.
Her advice to other first-year teachers included, “Once 4:30 hits, don’t take anything home. You’ve done all you can for the day. It’s not a thankless career; you just don’t see the results right away. Sometimes the things you say or teach won’t impact a student until years later, and you might not be there to see the results.”
Kayla is entering her third year as an Educator Academy resident and will continue to receive coaching and mentorship throughout the next two years.
Listen to the full KCUR interview.
Are you interested in applying to be a resident or fellow? Applications are open for the 2025-2026 school year.
The mission of The Educator Academy is to recruit, cultivate, support, and retain a diverse network of empowered and effective educators. We are dedicated to preparing teachers to create transformative and equitable classroom experiences for all students. Learn more about opportunities to become a teacher with The Educator Academy.