The Power of Teacher Agency | Sally Baer | ML Chat Podcast

Sally Baer, NBCT, shares how teacher agency can transform professional growth by encouraging educators to take ownership of their learning. She explains why focusing on one area of genuine interest, rather than trying to improve everything at once, leads to more sustainable growth. Through reflection and collaboration, she highlights practical ways educators can refine their practice and find greater purpose in their work. 00:00 Joyful Teaching Mindset 00:54 Meet Sally Baer 01:28 Career Pivot and Purpose 03:29 National Board Journey 06:03 Teacher Agency and PD 11:24 Critical Data Matrix 15:41 AI Ethics in Classrooms 19:31 Lifelong Learning Goals 21:45 Whack-a-Mole to Focus 26:49 Finding Joy in Heaviness 31:34 Breaking Teacher Silos 37:44 Translanguaging Excitement 45:44 Books and Next Steps 49:53 Closing Reflections