As teachers in the modern classroom, we have the most advanced means of instruction through technology the world has ever seen. The options available to us are constantly evolving, which makes them both increasingly useful and difficult to master. Luckily, with a strong community of adventurous teachers willing to put in the effort, the ESL classroom is benefitting from the incorporation of new technologies and insightful course design. Students report increased engagement through classes that incorporate technology in holistic ways. Technology prepares students to be successful and independent learners outside the classroom.

It’s been quite a while since learning experts and business coaches have taken gamification on board – to improve student/employee engagement, experiment with new motivation techniques and unlock hidden potentials in a revamped environment. Despite all benefits enclosed, a major concern here is the lack of intrinsic motivation that needs no badges, certificates of achievement or other perks to retain students’ interest. Is there any viable manner to keep the audience focused without the carrot – or the stick?

There’s a lot of great things to be said about true project-based learning. Students learn critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They apply learning to authentic problems and grow their own agency as they become immersed in finding solutions. Entrepreneurial learning, one method of project-based learning, takes this type of critical thinking to a new level—one that applies to careers and the world outside of school.

For some people, the term ‘diverse learners’ conjures the image of students who are learning disabled. Yet for a teacher, this image is an outmoded mindset. Every student has strengths and weaknesses. Every student has her own way of learning. Most importantly, every student has her own way of best expressing what she has learned.

8 QUESTIONS is a series of interviews with teachers who have effectively transitioned their classroom skills into new and exciting careers in the field of education. We at Teach.com believe that teaching is a rigorous and diverse classroom in and of itself; the skills learned “in the trenches” can translate into an exciting portfolio of professional options. From education tech to consulting, the only “X factor” is where you want to go — our interviews hope to shine a light on the steps it takes to get there.

Teachers are stressed. If you needed evidence to convince you of this fact, other than the dark circles under your eyes or the time that you spent last night worrying about whether or not today’s lesson would go over well, a recent Gallup report found that teachers’ stress levels match those of nurses and physicians “for the highest stress levels among all occupational groups surveyed.”