(gentle music) - Lizzette Reynolds is the commissioner of education for The state of Tennessee, bringing deep experience in education policy and leadership.

She oversees one of the nation's most ambitious statewide literacy strategies designed to accelerate student learning.

Under her charge, Tennessee has become a national leader in implementing science of reading, aligned teacher trainings, adopting high quality instructional materials, and expanding tutoring programs.

She has served with a focus on providing all students access to high quality instruction and pathways of their choosing.

As we head back to school, Commissioner Reynolds took time to answer a few questions from students throughout the state.

(upbeat music) Well, Commissioner Reynolds, thank you so much for taking time out at the beginning of a busy school year to have a little conversation with us to welcome people back to school.

- Absolutely.

- You know it's been a busy summer.

We actually hosted a student, an emerging creator lab- - Oh.

- And featured students and teachers from across the state of Tennessee and school systems.

Partnered with the Emmys here, because they have a student competition.

And it was great.

And some of the students that we asked to ask questions of you were here.

And how was your summer, by the way, before we get to their questions?

- It was great.

It was busy.

Visited some summer camps across the state, which was really enjoyable.

Met with some kids from Jobs for America's Graduates, Tennessee.

- Yeah.

- So sat down with them and asked them about their high school experience and what we could think about when we're thinking about high school and how we can reimagine high school for the future.

So, that was really great.

They gave me some great suggestions and I really enjoyed those conversations.

- Oh, that's great.

- Yeah.

- And what a smart thing to do because that's, we all need to be re-imagining, right?

- That's right.

That's right.

- Yeah.

- And sometimes, you know, the kids are probably the best advisors to tell you what they want their experience to be so.

- I think so.

Now, you're getting ready to do something also this summer that a lot of parents are getting ready to do, and that's to help your youngest child get situated in college.

- Yep, I'm super excited.

Yeah- - That's awesome.

- I'm gonna come, we're gonna move them in next week.

- [Becky Magura] That's great.

- In the middle of August in Texas.

So looking forward to it.

Yeah, yeah.

- That's fantastic.

Well, let's get to some of our students.

We had students from East Tennessee, West Tennessee, Middle Tennessee.

All are emerging creators.

- [Lizzette Reynolds] Great.

- And they have some great questions for you.

We're gonna start, I believe, with West Tennessee.

- All right.

- I'm Bliss from West Tennessee.

How can students start thinking about their careers while still in school?

- Well, think... Well, there's a lot of things.

You know, obviously, first off is focus on your academics.

We want kids to be really in, to really look at what their academic careers need to be first and foremost, so then then they can apply their skills after that.

So one of the things that I encourage all students to do, particularly when you're in high school, is look at some of your career and technical education programs.

Like we want you focused on getting all your academic classes done.

Go for the highest maths and sciences and ELA classes that you can.

And then, think about how you're gonna apply that so that you can really address what those skills that are that you need to be in order to plan for your future.

- Oh, that makes a lot of sense.

Just thinking about that, would you encourage students to do internships, to take time during the summer, to work, maybe even job shadow?

- Yeah.

- What are your thoughts about that?

- Absolutely.

So, we have in Tennessee, we have a great work-based learning program.

And so there are in, there are business partners all across the state where students can engage and also, again, in applying the skills that they are learning in class into a job.

So absolutely, more employers are sponsoring paid internships and apprenticeships.

Because we want skills, we want kids to have both skills, right?

I think one of the things that we tend to do is when kids are on supposedly the four-year college track, we're not thinking about the fact of the matter is that once they go into those pathways, what is it do they really have, what is it that they really have to do.

And so, we are encouraging students to look earlier and earlier at applying those skills.

And we have this whole plethora of opportunities at our schools now, and students need to take full advantage of that.

- Yeah.

Great.

All right.

Now, we're gonna hear from a teacher from East Tennessee.

- Okay.

- My name's Ethan.

I'm a teacher from East Tennessee.

And I want to know what qualities you think truly make a great teacher.

- Well, thanks.

I would say the number one quality that every teacher needs to bring in the classroom is they need to love their kids.

You can teach the highest maths.

You can teach in ways that most kids can obtain the information, but there needs to be a heart alongside of that.

And when I've walked in the classrooms, you can tell when those students and those teachers have that connection, kids are engaged.

It doesn't matter how dry the content is.

They wanna learn.

And those teachers know how to apply that learning in ways that kids can actually see how it's gonna be relevant for them.

Also, teachers need to just be able to communicate in a way that connects with kids.

And so a lot of that, it is just, It's that humanity part that I think we all recognize teachers bring to the table.

We hear a lot about artificial intelligence and the fear that somehow, you know, teachers are gonna be replaced.

You can never replace that human element of what those teachers bring to the classroom every single day.

And then as far as where teachers are in that heart is they have high expectations for every single kid.

It doesn't matter what they bring to the table.

Teachers believe in them and they hold the highest levels of expectations for them to succeed.

- Oh, I love that.

You know, that's a great skill for anybody.

- Absolutely, yeah.

- Really.

I mean, if I think, and you know this, if you can lead that way, if you can govern that way, if you can partner that way, it really makes all the difference.

Doesn't it?

- Absolutely.

Yeah, absolutely.

- Well, thank you for that advice.

I think we could all use that advice.

Okay, here's a student from middle Tennessee.

- All right.

- Hello, I am Janie.

I'm from Middle Tennessee.

What are you most excited about for students this school year?

- I'm excited about the fact of the, the fact is that kids are just really answering the challenge of high expectations.

Our teachers, our administrators, our district leaders, they're all coalesced around student achievement and kids are rising to the challenge.

And so, I look forward to students achieving.

I look forward to students finding the paths that are gonna just bring them into this world as our next generation of leaders.

And so, it's really not about being excited about what school brings, but what students are gonna achieve and how our teachers are gonna support them.

- Well, and you know, I think just looking at the school year, it's a, you do look at it as a holistic.

I know that about you.

So, it's families.

It's teachers, administrators, and students.

So, what do you hope for all of those audiences that this will be a year that they can really live into?

- I think what has happened in Tennessee is that all the policies, all the laws that have been passed over the past 20 years have really focused on how students can be successful.

And so, all the pieces that need to be in place, whether it's... And we have all sorts of acronyms, as you know, Becky, in education, but there are so many pieces that have been put into place over the last few years that are really supporting students at every level.

We have some amazing staff within the communities that come into the classrooms to really help teachers focus on the best opportunities, the best instructional strategies for students to be successful.

So realistically, you know, we don't touch kids every day.

We support what's going on in our schools.

And so, I'm really looking forward to just how all those pieces are coming together in order to continue this, the success that our Tennessee students are seeing every single day or realizing, I'm sorry, every single day.

- That's great.

All right, we have another- - [Lizzette Reynolds] All right.

- Student question, I believe.

Let's see what Carmen has.

- [Lizzette Reynolds] Okay.

- Hi, my name is Carmen.

I'm from West Tennessee.

What are some opportunities that high school students have that you wish you had growing up?

- Well, there was the internet, you know.

- Yes.

- The opportunities are endless in today with today's technologies and with the focus on really connecting students in their academic pathways to the future, our future careers.

We have one of the strongest economies in the state of Tennessee in the country.

So the opportunities are endless, whether it's healthcare, advanced manufacturing, our agriculture industry, and all the technology that is helping farmers sustain their agricultural futures.

It's hard because I'm 61 years old.

So, you know, again, we're talking earlier about reunions and I'm about to embark on my 40th in college, right?

- Yeah.

- So, it's like night and day.

And also, I think the other thing too is that we, because we know that the academics fuel success, we're also connecting that with the jobs of tomorrow.

And we're really focusing our coursework so that kids can meet industry and our employers where they are.

And then continue on that path, whether you're going to a two-year community college or a TCAT.

I mean, the opportunities at these two-year technical colleges are endless.

And then, our four years and all the opportunities that they're providing and really seeking Tennessee students to come to their institutions.

So it's just so hard to pinpoint because it's such a fast moving train.

And as long as kids are continuing to focus on what really matters when they're in school, they're gonna be able to catch up and be able to have and reach those opportunities that are available for them once they leave the system.

- You know, I think we were talking about high school reunions, college reunions before the show started.

I just had mine.

It was such a great time.

And I think those extracurricular activities, which we don't often put as much emphasis on and especially, I worry about kids today who are so tied to technology that maybe they're missing those really important moments, person to person moments.

- Of course, I was a band and choir kid.

And I actually sat down with a choir teacher last week who just retired and just wanted to give me some of her thoughts.

And what she brought back to me was thinking about my life as a choir and band kid when I was in middle school and high school.

And all the things that it taught me and all the opportunities it brought to me to be able to network, to be able to meet people.

I was very, very shy growing up.

And sometimes, it forces you into doing things and being public.

- [Becky Magura] Yeah.

- That you never thought you'd have to do or stand in front of a judge and sing by yourself or play your instrument.

I think even within my own home, my kids, you know, whether it was football or track or art, I mean, my daughter's an artist.

All the opportunities and connectivity that those extracurricular activities bring are just tremendous, of tremendous value.

And yeah, you can still play on your technology or whatever, but it shouldn't be all you do.

And I think we're getting smarter as a society about how much technology is just enough.

- Yeah.

- And how we pull our new generations into experiencing what the outdoor world is.

And as you know, in Tennessee, I mean, all the state parks and the outdoor living and activities that are available here I think more kids are gonna be able to experience those.

And I think, you know, it's such a, it's a society thing sometimes.

And social media is here to stay.

But we are gonna have to think differently about how we take advantage of opportunities outside the screens- - Yeah.

- To really think how to really bring more expansive experiences to kids, and that's why I talk about.

So, what high school look like?

How could we redesign opportunities within school so that you don't escape in a way that you're not really building out what it is that you want to do for the rest of your life?

Because it's so easy just to see what's in front of you, especially when you're young.

- [Becky Magura] Yeah.

- And we want you to do that.

We don't want you necessarily just so stressed out about what that future is gonna be.

But part of that is being able to take advantage of what those opportunities are outside of whether it's the classroom or technology or whatever.

But I don't know, that's kind of a long explanation to an issue that I think we're gonna be tackling every single day, especially as artificial intelligence gets more advanced.

And we try to harness it in a way that is going to be productive and not harmful to society in general.

- I think, well, the answer was great.

And, you know, I think what you're talking about is learning to build community.

- Yeah.

- Really just learning to build community, which is good.

It's a life skill.

- Yeah.

- And needed.

- Yes, absolutely.

- All right, so let's hear from another student.

- Okay.

- Hi, my name is Caleb.

I'm from Middle Tennessee.

And how do you celebrate when Tennessee students accomplish something amazing?

- Well, as I said earlier you know, we're at the state level, so we celebrate holistically.

But I brag all across the country as in many opportunities that I can about Tennessee students and their achievements, whether it is continuing to achieve on our annual TCAP assessment, which all of our students are continuing to show steady progress all the way to what they are doing in our schools with the funding that the General Assembly and Governor Lee championed.

Just to really take different opportunities to be successful beyond just math, reading, social studies and science, right?

- Yeah.

- To celebrate students that are getting their two-year degrees and going into industry in leadership positions.

Just taking advantage of all the opportunities that are provided.

At my level, it really is about the holistic transformation of our education system.

And the fact of the matter is that Tennessee students are rising to the challenge.

I said that earlier.

And we're also always looking for additional opportunities.

I think one of the things that we continue to do, that we could continue to do better as a state is really looking at the individual successes of our campuses all across Tennessee.

Not everybody's do, you know, doing 100%, but that's okay.

- [Becky Magura] Yeah.

- Because there are individual challenges that are being met every single day, whether it's a student getting their associates while they're still in high school or taking dual enrollment classes that are gonna give them that leg up to go to a post-secondary institution.

We just try to really elevate that as much as possible at the department.

But at the end of the day, it is all about what that success is looking like at the local level.

- Well, and I know you also celebrate teachers.

In fact, coming up this fall, you're gonna have a excellence in education- - Yes.

Yes.

- Ceremony.

So, you are finding ways to celebrate.

- Sure, sure.

And we're all excited about that event, because we're bringing in not only of our teachers of the year, but our supervisors of the year and our administrators of the year.

So, it's gonna be a big celebration before we've kind of parceled them out.

So yeah, those teachers and administrators are really what makes education happen in our state.

And at the end of the day, those are the ones that are celebrating individual students every, you know, every chance they can.

- Well, we're excited in public television here in Tennessee to be partnering with you on that.

- Yes, thank you for doing that last year.

that was awesome.

- Oh, we'll be doing it again.

- Yes.

- We're excited.

So, stay tuned.

- That's right.

- We'll be able to see that.

All right, we have a couple more questions from students wanna be sure and get in.

- My name is Ethan, and I'm from West Tennessee.

If you can go back and give your younger self one piece of school advice, what would it be?

- I think about that one a lot, but I would say stop worrying about whether people think of you.

And that is something that I think even as adults, we struggle with.

I know I do- - Yeah.

- Every single day.

But when you're younger, you know, there's so much peer pressure and so many challenges that you have within yourself because you're finding yourself, right?

- Yeah.

- You're trying to find what that future you is gonna be.

And if you're so focused on what other people think or what other people saying, that is gonna be a block for you when, even when you know that you can't, that you are... Let's see, how do I put this?

Even when you know that you can do something or you know that you're better than what somebody, what you think somebody else thinks, it always is, it just puts a hold on you.

And so, you've got to let that go.

You've got to forge ahead, focus on yourself.

Focus on what really matters to you, and to your family, and to your future.

- Yeah.

- And for me, that's just something that, again, I struggle with every single day.

But if I didn't have to worry about that, if I was able to get that out of my head when I was a lot younger, I think I would have a lot more confidence and really be able to just be who I really wanna be.

- Right.

- Without that doubt, just that lingering doubt.

So, don't do that anymore.

Don't do that.

Just forge ahead and you will be successful.

- That is such a great answer.

And thank you for that.

Thank you for the vulnerability of that, truthfully.

Because I think we all struggle with it.

I struggle with it.

I think anybody does.

And but it is true, it will hold you back and it will make life harder than it needs to be, really- - Yeah, it sure does.

- So, thank you.

Okay, we got another question.

- All right.

- And we're almost out of time, so we got to get this one in.

- Hi, my name is Robert, and I'm from West Tennessee.

Who was one teacher that made a big difference in your life?

- You know, I know I've answered this before about Mrs.

Shirley, my third grade teacher, but I wanna talk about that choir teacher I met last week.

She's retired and she reminded me of my high school... She was my middle school choir director, and then she she got promoted into the high school.

And we had an amazing choir, Mrs.

Brumley.

And she was tough, and she was beautiful, and she had the most amazing voice, and she was an incredible teacher, and we always just loved going to class.

And, but, you know, my senior year, I was getting a little senioritis.

And I remember her bringing me aside and just kind of like reminding me that I was in school for a reason, and it was really the foundation by which the rest of my life was gonna take on.

And as a senior, it was time to start looking at things more seriously than I had been.

And it was choir.

So, you know, I mean, you know, you have to do really bad to get a bad grade in choir.

But she just reminded me that everything matters, and respect matters more than anything.

And going to class, being engaged, committing yourself in whatever that is is truly the foundation by which the rest of your life is gonna serve and serve its purpose.

And so, I started thinking about her after talking to Mrs.

Andrews last week, and about how she really made a difference for me, particularly times when I just didn't really want to put an effort in.

And I just thought, you know, Mrs.

Brumley wouldn't put up with that.

So yeah- - I love that.

And boy, wouldn't she be proud of you?

- Oh, I hope so.

- Yeah.

So I think, and this is just the last question I have as we kind of wrap up.

I think you probably have one of the hardest jobs in government, truthfully.

Because the outcome is so critical.

It is our future.

- Sure, absolutely.

And students, teachers, everyone who's driving for a better Tennessee starts really young.

- Yeah.

- And so with that, I know we're kind of Governor Lee brought you here.

His term is almost up.

What's next for you and what are you most proud of?

- Yeah.

I don't know.

I've been so focused on the work here in Tennessee that, you know, it's really a matter of continuing to build that foundation by which the next administration can continue to do better, which is what I'm really proud of.

I like to talk about the Tennessee way.

I like to say we are the southern star of the Southeast.

And a lot of that has to do with the fact of the matter is that education has always been a priority in Tennessee.

And back in the day when we were at the bottom of the 50 states, alongside some of our other Southeast partners, nobody really thought that we could be where we are today.

But these governors, these, the General Assembly have made those commitments to our Tennessee kids.

So, I'm really proud of continuing to add to that story.

And I think the next administration is just gonna keep it going and we're gonna see kids continue to achieve.

And it is my dream that, you know, at some point, we're gonna have so many of our kids achieving academically pursuing the pathways that they wanna pursue, because we've put all the pieces in place.

That the future is so bright and it continues to be, and it will continue to be bright for all the kids here in the state of Tennessee.

- Thank you for that.

And thank you for all the support you've given us and all the support you give each and every student and teacher and family.

Most of all, thank you for coming our way.

- Absolutely.

- We're so happy.

- I love it here.

It's great.

- Great.

- Thank you.

- And we hope everyone will have a great school year, right?

- Absolutely.

Have a wonderful school year.

(upbeat music) (solemn music) (lively music)