We had the good fortune of connecting with Iantha Ussin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi, Iantha. Can you walk us through the thought process of starting your business? 

I was a middle school English teacher for 15 years. Somewhere around year 10 of my career, my focus began to shift. I was still very much committed to teaching my students with a spirit of excellence, but I couldn’t help noticing other teachers in the building who didn’t have the same commitment because they’d either grown weary of the profession or they hadn’t been equipped with the necessary tools to reach that level of commitment. My heart broke for the latter, which was mostly comprised of new teachers who, in most cases, hadn’t been teaching for more than a year. Many of these teachers struggled to manage their classrooms, so students were missing out on impactful instruction. And that’s what compelled me to action—students (EVERY student is MY student) not receiving the quality education they deserve.

Over a five-year period, after much prayer and enduring a season of frustration, God began to show me that there was need of me and all the skills I’d acquired as a model teacher in my school district. He showed me that it’d be impossible for me to teach every child in the nation, but if I empowered and equipped education majors, pre-service and beginning teachers, they could create classroom environments that are conducive to learning and daily institute innovative, impactful instruction for their students.

May 2021, on a direct commission from God, I retired from the classroom and formed Ms. Ussin Teaches, LLC to partner with K-12 school districts and universities, preparing new teachers for the classroom.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Only because my business operates on contracted work do I consider myself a consultant, as the true heart of my work is teacher training. I generally refer to myself as The New Teachers’ Teacher and a keynote speaker, and that’s what sets me apart. There are a host of consultants and speakers out there that cater to educators’ needs in many different capacities. As far as I know, though, I’m the only “consultant” whose focus is solely pre-service and beginning teachers, preparing them to start their careers strong with effective classroom management tools and surefire instructional strategies. And it has been a ride! Fifteen years in the classroom was sufficient preparation for the content I present at conferences, in my signature workshops and in my book for new teachers, Your Classroom or Their Playground. Second nature for me. The business side of Ms. Ussin Teaches LLC, however, not so much. Daily, I’m learning and growing in the many areas that are necessary to stay afloat—implementing systems, mastering social media, understanding taxes, and maintaining relevance, to name a few. I’m also learning the importance of building a team of people who can handle the things in which I’m not well versed. This is a work in progress, and in the process, I’m being stretched. Naturally, I’m a loner and a quiet visionary. I’m accustomed to praying about what I see, planning in God’s presence, and producing. For most “projects” in my life, I’ve done this alone or with one or two others, so I’m challenged, daily, in sharing myself, my time, my space, and the innerworkings of the business. But, if Ms. Ussin Teaches will do the great work I envision for her, I MUST.

If you had a friend visiting you for a week, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is a tough question for me. Ha ha! I’m boring. My go-to is to ask a person what they like to do and create an experience for them from there. I typically want to do quiet things at home to make memories. I enjoy board games and watching movies. If it were a weeklong visit, we’d have to do no more than one major thing outside of the house every day. That’s about all I can handle. It’d be even better if there were only 2-3 major things that week.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Mike Nelson (Mike the Motivator) – (www.mikenelsonspeaks.com)

 Steve Bollar (Stand Tall Steve) – Within Our Ranks (www.withinourranks.com)

Website: www.msussinteaches.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msussinteaches/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msussinteaches/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVvVnOEROfDZxvHkOdO0-FA

Image Credits
Crystal Smith Miller

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