In the final episode of this season of 16:1, special guest Dr. Brandi De La Cruz, 2025–2026 Tennessee Teacher of the Year, joins us for an honest, grounded look at the teaching profession. Dr. De La Cruz’s nonlinear path into mathematics education has become a core part of her teaching identity, and she speaks candidly about trying new things, building community, and deepening connections between classroom learning and community impact. We also discuss graduation pressures, funding incentives, local workforce expectations, teacher retention, professional development, and the evolving realities of AI in the high school classroom.16:1 returns January 2026 with a new season. Happy holidays!00:30 Wrap up thoughts on teaching 198406:40 Dr. Brandi De La Cruz: An indirect path to the math classroom11:20 Learning to connect with students through lived experience20:00 Local industry and applied learning connections24:00 Why teaching is worth choosing27:30 Metrics, misaligned incentives, and honest accountability36:30 Finding your people in your school43:15 What makes for meaningful professional development?For a full list of episode sources and resources, visit our website.