Today we’d like to introduce you to Toni Rogers.
Toni, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Education chose me eleven years ago, in a small town called Atmore, Alabama, and I have not looked back since. After working in public relations, managing the front of house staff for TGI Friday’s and freelance grant writing, I was in search of something more fulfilling and stable. I became a to substitute teacher in Montgomery, AL while I tried to figure it out and fell in love with the classroom. Fast forward to a visit to my grandparents in Atmore that led to an impromptu job interview and the beginning of my teaching career.
In 2008, I started teaching at Escambia County High School (ECHS) as a 9th & 10th grade English Language Arts teacher. By the time of my departure, in 2017, I had been the yearbook sponsor, varsity cheer coach, prom chairwoman and English Department Chair in addition to becoming a mom to Jamison Leigh, in 2010, and obtaining a Masters Degree in Secondary Education in 2015. During my tenure at ECHS, I introduced an assignment called “English in the Real World” that required my students to write a resume, apply for a job and send an email asking one of his or her teachers for a recommendation. It has always been important to me to make sure my students could sustain after graduation and could see the value in every aspect of their education. This assignment did just that, it answered the question of “when am I going to use this in the ‘real world’?”
When I left ECHS in 2017, I moved to the Atlanta Area and became a lead teacher at The Great Redan High School. Because of my previous experience, I quickly became a part of the leadership team and then promoted to the English Department Chair. The purpose behind my move to this area was to grow in my career and provide my son with more opportunities: both have surpassed my expectations. One of my main goals was to revamp the “English in the Real World” assignment and make it bigger. I wanted to impact more than the students that were in my classroom and take the focus off of testing and onto teaching the whole student. So, I put my PR skills to work and reached out to people who I knew in the area, form a variety of fields and invited them to speak to our ELA students about English in the real world and the importance of being able to write and communicate effectively in their current career.
On November 14, 2018, the speakers came to Redan High School and spoke to our students about English impacts their “real world” on a daily basis; whether it is an entrepreneur, marketing executive, engineer, fashion blogger, lawyer, entertainer, etc. I wanted to go beyond a traditional “career day” and structured the event like a real “conference.” The students were required to dress in business casual attire and attend several breaks out sessions with speakers from a variety of fields that spoke about how English is essential to their careers. The event was a success and students left the day with mentors, connections that they would not have previously had and a better understanding of the usefulness of the WHAT they learn. The goal of the conference was to provide them with WHY they learn, by giving them something tangible to walk away with and answer the question, “how will I use this in the ‘real world’?”
“English in the Real World,” is now an annual staple at Redan High School.
Being new to the area and pulling off an event of this magnitude incited a drive in me to do more and utilize my PR skills even more, which has led to me becoming a “Momager” for my 8 year old, model/actor, son, an editor for educational leadership books and workbooks, a brand ambassador for Abella Eyewear and Monlavie’s “Mink Lab,” and a consultant for several small businesses; including Full Bloom Holistics and Focused Minds Education Group.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road definitely has not been smooth, but the worth it. One of my struggles was becoming a certified teacher since my undergraduate degree was in communications; which led to me having to take a year off of work with a 1-year-old child. During this time, I could have easily just said “forget it” and left education altogether, but I knew that is where I belonged.
I am grateful for my tribe being there for me during the times that things were a struggle. My mom (Mari Kay Rogers), my aunt (Vangela Franklin), my sister/lawyer (Arneta Rogers), and my confidant and motivator (Lamyer Lewis), in addition, my other sibling’s cousins and aunts and uncles.
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am most proud of my students current and former. I learn as much from them, if not more, than what they learn from me. Many of my speakers for “English in the Real World” are my former students. They have gone on to be engineers, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, etc. They make me so proud and thankful for being a part of their journey.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
In the words of Nicki Minaj “No, I’m not lucky, I’m blessed, yes!”
Contact Info:
- Email: tjamer@gmail.com
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