Balancing Work, Motherhood, and Academics

Amandy Payne, a dedicated educator and reading specialist with 17 years of teaching experience, highlights the transformative power of asynchronous learning in the ACE Curriculum and Instruction Doctorate Program, where she specializes in literacy. Despite her roles as a mother and wife, she successfully balances her commitments, crediting the program’s flexibility and family support for her accomplishments.

Recent Episodes

Teacher shortages aren’t exactly a new headline—but lately, they’ve started to feel a lot more urgent. In some places, schools have gone years without enough fully trained teachers in the classroom, exposing real flaws in how we prepare and retain educators. Add in the rising cost of becoming a teacher and training models that haven’t…

Across the U.S., the conversation about the value of a college degree is increasingly tied to one central question: Does higher education actually prepare students for the workforce? As artificial intelligence reshapes how work gets done and employers rethink the skills they need, universities are under growing pressure to ensure graduates leave not just…

Higher education is under pressure. Over the past few years, public confidence in the value of a four-year degree has declined significantly, with fewer Americans expressing a strong belief that traditional higher education delivers a worthwhile return on investment. At the same time, employers consistently report that graduates lack job-ready skills—particularly the “durable skills”…