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Inside America’s Toughest Job: Podcast Shows the Realities of Being a Teacher

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Inside America’s Toughest Job: Podcast Shows the Realities of Being a Teacher
News

News

Inside America’s Toughest Job: Podcast Shows the Realities of Being a Teacher

2024-08-14 04:44 Last Updated At:04:50

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 13, 2024--

Carnegie Learning, a pioneer in K-12 education solutions, announced today the launch of its new podcast, Year One, a documentary-style series that delves into the challenges of modern-day education by following the experience of Jenna MacNulty, a first-year, third grade teacher. The podcast aims to shed light on the current state of education – at a time when 44% of new teachers are considering leaving the profession and 75% of educators don’t feel valued by the media and society – by chronicling the everyday trials and triumphs teachers face amidst a national teacher shortage and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240813682620/en/

The first-of-its-kind podcast will transport listeners into Jenna’s classroom in rural Indiana with a lively group of 26 third-graders. Listeners will hear Jenna’s story unfold and her passion for education be put to the test over the course of 18 episodes, narrated by Kanika Chadda-Gupta, former CNN anchor turned podcast host and CEO of Kronologie Agency. From the excitement of meeting her students to the challenges of adapting to the demands of the job, each episode follows Jenna through a pivotal moment of her inaugural year in the classroom, including open house, parent-teacher conferences, state testing, and more.

“I wanted to share my story to document not only the rewarding moments of my first year in the classroom, but also the challenges,” said MacNulty. “I felt a need to break the facade that I saw so much on social media that teaching is just colorful classroom decor and perfectly curated lesson plans. Through Year One, I hope to showcase the realities of being a teacher so educators like me can feel less alone.”

As the first edtech company to produce a podcast of this kind, Carnegie Learning aims to showcase the authentic experiences of teachers in today’s educational environment and to highlight the critical issues they face, while helping them feel less alone in their teaching journeys.

“Our mission has always been to support educators, and we hope Year One provides a sense of connection and renews their enthusiasm for teaching,” said Barry Malkin, CEO of Carnegie Learning. “By shining a light on the very real issues faced in today’s classrooms, we aim to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation for the invaluable work teachers do every day.”

To follow Jenna’s journey and gain a deeper understanding of what it is like to be a teacher in today’s world, find Year One on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Learn more about the podcast and sign up for free, downloadable classroom resources with each new episode at yearonepodcast.com.

About Carnegie Learning, Inc.

Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Learning is the world’s leading edtech company using research and AI to dramatically improve learning outcomes for students. A pioneer in K-12 education for 26+ years, we provide award-winning math, literacy, world languages, professional learning, and high-dosage tutoring solutions to more than 5.5 million students and educators in all 50 states and Canada. Born out of Carnegie Mellon University, our company continues to conduct research with more than $90M in grant funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, and U.S. Department of Education, among others. Visit carnegielearning.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Carnegie Learning has just launched Year One, a groundbreaking documentary-style podcast that pulls back the curtain on one of America’s toughest and most undervalued professions: teaching. Follow REAL first-year teacher Jenna MacNulty as she navigates her first year in elementary school. Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with free downloadable learning resources in every episode. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Carnegie Learning has just launched Year One, a groundbreaking documentary-style podcast that pulls back the curtain on one of America’s toughest and most undervalued professions: teaching. Follow REAL first-year teacher Jenna MacNulty as she navigates her first year in elementary school. Available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with free downloadable learning resources in every episode. (Graphic: Business Wire)

SYDNEY (AP) — The rare unfurling of an endangered plant that emits the smell of decaying flesh drew hundreds of devoted fans to a greenhouse in Sydney on Thursday where they lined up to experience a momentous bloom -– and a fragrance evoking gym socks and rotting garbage.

Tall, pointed and smelly, the corpse flower is scientifically known as amorphophallus titanum — or bunga bangkai in Indonesia, where the plants are found in the Sumatran rainforest.

But to fans of this specimen, she’s Putricia -- a portmanteau of “putrid” and “Patricia” eagerly adopted by her followers who, naturally, call themselves Putricians. For a week, she has graced a stately and gothic display in front of a purple curtain and wreathed in mist from a humidifier at the Royal Sydney Botanic Garden.

Her rise to fame since has been rapid, with more than 13,000 admirers filing past for a moment in her increasingly pungent presence. No corpse flower has bloomed at the garden for 15 years.

The plant only flowers every 7-10 years in the wild.

“The fact that they open very rarely, so they flower rarely, is obviously something that puts them at a little bit of a disadvantage in the wild,” said garden spokesperson Sophie Daniel, who designed Putricia's kooky and funereal display. “When they open, they have to hope that another flower is open nearby, because they can’t self-pollinate.”

There are thought to be only 300 of the plants in the wild and fewer than 1,000 worldwide — including those in cultivation. Among them is Putricia, which arrived at the garden seven years ago.

When her flower was spotted in December she was just 25 centimeters (10 inches) high. By Thursday, she was 1.6 meters (5 feet 3 inches) tall -– and her flower spike was slowly opening like a pleated skirt around a majestic central tuber, the yellow-green outer curling to reveal a burgundy center.

As excitement grew in Sydney about the moment of her bloom, garden staff erected crowd barriers, giving the Victorian greenhouse the air of a rock concert. Fans trod a red carpet to view Putricia from behind velvet ropes in a display inspired by Queen Victoria’s funeral, the Rocky Horror Picture Show and the oeuvre of the late director David Lynch.

Inside, fans took selfies and leaned in for a sniff — an increasingly perilous prospect as Putricia's odor developed. One young woman raised her hands and bowed as though in worship. On social media, garden staff performed a viral dance to Chappell Roan’s summer hit HOT TO GO! against a backdrop of the stately plant.

It was difficult to say why the regal, mysterious and stinky flower had attracted such a following -– but perhaps the answer lay in the “reverence” viewers felt in the presence of “such an amazing living being,” Daniel said.

Along with her real-life visitors, Putricia’s online fandom has been rapid, global and deeply strange -– if much less smelly. A 24/7 live stream established by the botanic garden drew close to a million views in less than a week and a shared language of memes and inside jokes sprang up.

Frequently deployed acronyms included WWTF, or we watch the flower, WDNRP -- we do not rush Putricia – and BBTB, or blessed be the bloom. “Putricia is a metaphor for my life,” wrote one poster, who did not elaborate.

Commenters on social media made plans to hurry to the garden as the plant opened. In just 24 hours, Putricia’s bloom -– and her stench -– would be gone.

As she unfurled, Putricia would heat to 37 degrees Celsius (100 F) to better spread her scent, Daniel said, attracting flies and carrion beetles to burrow inside and lay eggs. Then, work will begin to hand-pollinate the plant in efforts to ensure the species' diversity and survival.

But first, thousands of Putricians will attempt to get as close as they can to their hero of a week.

“We did have a few conversations early on about whether or not we should have vomit bags in the room," said Daniel, adding that garden staff ultimately decided against it. “I haven’t heard of anyone actually being harmed."

Graham-McLay reported from Wellington, New Zealand.

An endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

An endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

A man uses a mop to soak up water from the plants where an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is on display at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

A man uses a mop to soak up water from the plants where an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is on display at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

An endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

An endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Sophie Daniel poses for a photo next to an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Sophie Daniel poses for a photo next to an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Karen, center left, and Wayne McKay photograph themselves with an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Karen, center left, and Wayne McKay photograph themselves with an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

An endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

An endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

People view an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, which is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

People view an endangered plant known as the "corpse flower" for its putrid stink, which is about to bloom at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

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