In the final episode of this season of 16:1, special guest Dr. Brandi De La Cruz, 2025–2026 Tennessee Teacher of the Year, joins us for an honest, grounded look at the teaching profession. Dr. De La Cruz’s nonlinear path into mathematics education has become a core part of her teaching identity, and she speaks candidly about trying new things, building community, and deepening connections between classroom learning and community impact. We also discuss graduation pressures, funding incentives, local workforce expectations, teacher retention, professional development, and the evolving realities of AI in the high school classroom.
16:1 returns January 2026 with a new season. Happy holidays!
00:30 Wrap up thoughts on teaching 1984
06:40 Dr. Brandi De La Cruz: An indirect path to the math classroom
11:20 Learning to connect with students through lived experience
20:00 Local industry and applied learning connections
24:00 Why teaching is worth choosing
27:30 Metrics, misaligned incentives, and honest accountability
36:30 Finding your people in your school
43:15 What makes for meaningful professional development?
Sources & Further Reading:
Collierville High School – News
Collierville High School math teacher named 2025-26 Tennessee Teacher of the Year
Collierville High teacher named Tennessee Teacher of the Year | ABC24
Collierville Teacher Named Tennessee’s 2025-26 Teacher of the Year | WKNO FM
Tennessee Announces 2025-26 Teacher of the Year | tn.gov
Collierville High’s Dr. Brandi De La Cruz Named Tennessee’s 2025-26 Teacher of the Year | Hoodline
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
16:1, Episode 121 – Voices in Teaching feat. 2020 Nebraska Teacher of the Year Megan Helberg