Toss out those outdated lesson plans and forget about sticking to the book. In Ep. 4 of Season 2, we are joined by Detroit educator, Bayan Founas, who is truly redefining what it means to be an educator.

Teaching is by far one of the most important careers out there. Bayan spends a good chunk of her day shaping the future leaders, doctors, lawyers and artists of our next generation. 

But as rewarding as this may sound, teaching can also be extremely difficult.  With limited resources and disruptive environments, a career in education can be time-consuming and can provide little to no stability. Bayan dives into the unjust disruption of funding throughout the public school system and with the lack of technology and baseline materials, some low-income areas are set up to fail. 

We also discuss a disturbing national trend: The School To Prison Pipeline. 

This happens when minors and young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds become incarcerated because of increasingly harsh school and district policies. 

What this means is that the kids who need help the most are shut off and ignored. 

Bayan dives into the world of the negative consequences of disciplining students, and how most of the time “acting out” is a cry for help with several underlying factors. 

When it comes to the classroom, Bayan explains it's never just black and white. Adapting lesson plans and teaching methods to her present students can make a world of a difference. Comparing “Shakespeare” to “The Lion King” is a much more efficient way to teach. 

Science and math are very important topics, this we know. But we can't forget about the arts, which allows kids to push the envelope when express themselves. Bayan realizes the importance of it, which is why she began the first poetry club at the school she teaches at. 

Speaking of poetry…did we mention Bayan has her own poetry book?

Diary of a Daughter In Diaspora focuses on Bayan’s life experiences as a child of Algerian immigrants living in America. The highs, the lows and all things in between, this book gets the Unfiltered and Unsweetened seal of approval for sure! Enjoy and remember to follow us on Instagram: @unsweetenedandunfilteredFollow Bayan on Instagram: @thatalgerianBuy "Diary of a Daughter In Diaspora" on Amazon