What Get Your Teach On Gave Me That My School Couldn’t: Finding Community and Joy as a Teacher

May 18

What GYTO Gave Me That My School Couldn’t

There is something important teachers do not talk about enough.

You can love your school… and still feel like something is missing.

You can have supportive coworkers, strong leadership, and students you adore, but still crave deeper connection, inspiration, or understanding as an educator.

On this episode of The Flip Side, I sat down with Alexia Perkins and Heather Duncan to talk about how the GYTO community gave them something they were struggling to find elsewhere.

Not because their schools were bad.

But because sometimes teachers need community beyond their building walls.

And that realization can change everything.

Sometimes You Need More Than Your School Can Give

One of the biggest themes in this conversation was belonging.

Alexia and Heather both talked about being the “extra” teacher.

The teacher who sings, dances, decorates, creates experiences, and pours everything into the classroom.

And while that passion can be celebrated in some places, it can also feel isolating in others.

Sometimes teachers feel like they have to tone themselves down to fit in.

That is exhausting.

What stood out in this conversation was how powerful it was for them to finally be in a space where their passion was not questioned.

It was celebrated.

You Should Never Have to Dim Your Light

One of the most emotional parts of the episode was hearing how easy it is for teachers to start shrinking themselves.

To stop sharing ideas.
To stop showing excitement.
To stop bringing full energy because they worry about judgment.

But authenticity matters.

Students respond to real people, not polished perfection.

And teachers deserve spaces where they can fully be themselves without apology.

The truth is, what makes you “extra” might actually be your greatest strength.

Social Media Can Inspire or Discourage You

We also talked about the complicated relationship teachers have with social media.

It can be inspiring.
It can also trigger comparison quickly.

Alexia shared a perspective that felt incredibly healthy. Instead of looking at other teachers’ ideas as competition, she chooses to see them as inspiration.

That shift matters.

The goal is not to become someone else.

The goal is to learn, adapt, and make ideas your own.

Social media becomes much healthier when it fuels creativity instead of insecurity.

Professional Growth Should Feel Energizing

Another major takeaway from this conversation was how transformative the right professional development can be.

Not all PD creates excitement.

But when teachers find learning experiences that actually connect to their passions and classrooms, everything changes.

Alexia and Heather talked about bringing strategies back from GYTO that immediately impacted their students.

That is the kind of professional growth teachers deserve.

Practical.
Inspiring.
And rooted in joy instead of obligation.

You Do Not Have to Build Your Community Alone

One of the most encouraging parts of the conversation was the reminder that teachers are allowed to seek support outside of their school.

That is not disloyalty.

It is growth.

Whether it is through conferences, online communities, or social media connections, teachers need people who understand the work and encourage them in it.

And sometimes those people become lifelong friends and collaborators.

How to Find Your Teaching “Happy” Again

If you are feeling disconnected right now, start by asking yourself a simple question.

What feels missing?

Maybe it is inspiration.
Maybe it is community.
Maybe it is simply the feeling that someone understands you.

Then start searching intentionally.

Follow educators who encourage you.
Join communities that align with your values.
Attend professional development that excites you instead of draining you.

Most importantly, stop apologizing for caring deeply about what you do.