Join host Cate Tolnai for a joyful conversation with Alyssa "Farmer Faubs" Faubion, District Growth Manager for Book Creator, who shares how creativity, courage, and "Yeehaw moments" transformed her classroom—and how the grassroots EduGuardians community is proving that authentic friendship matters more than tools or titles in education. 🌾✨
🎯 What You'll Discover:
From Ohio Roots to El Paso Classrooms 🌵
• How Faubs discovered edtech while teaching digital media and building a classroom culture that celebrated student creativity
• The power of spotting every student's courage to create—and lifting them up publicly
• Why teaching kids to share their work authentically prepares them for real-world confidence
Yeehaw Moments: When Creativity Meets Courage 🤠
• Faubs' philosophy: "Creativity takes courage"—and when teachers model it, students discover their own
• Building a classroom social media page where students celebrated each other's work across classes
• How those moments of recognition sparked a ripple effect of creative confidence
Share Your Shine (Be Extra!) ✨
• Why sharing what's happening in your classroom isn't boasting—it's giving other teachers permission to be bold too
• The importance of celebrating educator creativity just like we celebrate student work
• How visibility creates inspiration and community across districts and platforms
EduGuardians: A Grassroots PLN Built on Friendship 💚
• The origin story of EduGuardians—connecting educators through authenticity rather than products or titles
• Why this movement matters: transforming isolation into belonging and keeping teachers grounded in their why
• How real community happens when people show up as themselves, not just as their roles
From Classroom Teacher to District Growth Manager 📚
• Faubs' transition to Book Creator and helping teachers unlock creative confidence in their students
• Bringing the same energy from her classroom to supporting educators at scale
• Why empowering teachers to embrace innovation creates transformative learning experiences
Key Takeaways:
✨ Creativity takes courage—model it for students and they'll discover their own bravery to create and share
✨ Celebrate student work publicly—recognition sparks confidence and inspires peers to take creative risks
✨ Share your classroom wins (be extra!)—it gives other educators permission to try bold things too
✨ Community transforms isolation into belonging—finding your people keeps you grounded in your why
✨ EduGuardians proves that authentic friendship matters more than tools, products, or job titles
✨ Yeehaw moments happen when students realize they can create something meaningful—and teachers see it happen
🎯 Perfect For:
• Teachers wanting to build creative confidence in their students
• Educators seeking authentic professional learning networks (PLNs) beyond product-driven communities
• Anyone curious about the EduGuardians movement and grassroots educator communities
• Leaders looking to foster cultures of creativity, courage, and celebration
• Teachers who need permission to be "extra" and share their classroom magic
• Educators feeling isolated and searching for genuine connection and belonging
Resources & Mentions:
🛡️ EduGuardians Community - https://www.eduguardian5.com/
📚 Book Creator - Digital storytelling and creative expression tool - https://bookcreator.com/
🌾 "Creativity takes courage" - Faubs' guiding philosophy
Connect With Farmer Faubs:
Twitter/X: @FarmerFaubs
Instagram: @FarmerFaubs
LinkedIn: @FarmersFaubs
About Alyssa "Farmer Faubs" Faubion:
Alyssa Faubion, known as Farmer Faubs, is a passionate educator, innovator, and advocate for creativity in the classroom. With over a decade of experience teaching digital media and transforming learning through technology, she has presented at FETC, AIR Show, and ISTE, and served as keynote speaker at MACUL. Now serving as District Growth Manager for Book Creator, Faubs helps teachers unlock creative confidence in their students. Believing that "Creativity takes courage," she inspires educators and students to embrace innovation and discover their "Yeehaw Moments"—those transformative periods of excitement and achievement. As co-founder of EduGuardians, she's committed to connecting, inspiring, and empowering the educational community through authentic friendship and grassroots connection.
This episode reminds us that creativity isn't just for art class—it's the courage to try something new, share your work, and lift others up along the way. Whether you're looking for your people, ready to celebrate student wins more publicly, or curious about grassroots movements like EduGuardians, Faubs' infectious energy and wisdom will inspire you to embrace your own Yeehaw moments. 🌟
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