Hi, I'm Dave Isae founder of StoryCorps.

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Hey, folks, this is Max Young Rice from the StoryCorps podcast.

Just want to remind you that we want to hear your personal stories.

So call our voicemail at 702-706 Talk.

This week, we want you to tell us what's the most important advice you could give someone.

Give us that advice in a voicemail at 702-706, T-A-L-K.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Don't hate me for this, but summer's over, basically.

I know, I know. But hear me out, it's an exciting time. A new school year could be a fresh start.

It was around fifth grade when I told my friends and family I was transgender because up until then, I did not know that the word existed.

Freshmen are being dropped off at their college campuses. Being the first one to go to college and my whole family of over 50 of us, that's my biggest

motivation. And teachers, well, teachers are bracing themselves. It's one of the most challenging,

if not the most challenging jobs you will ever face. But I love it here. So this week, we're diving

into our archive, the largest collection of human voices ever recorded,

to bring you stories about the classroom, a place that shapes everyone who passes through it,

young and old, where even if you're not a student, you still might have something to learn.

I'm Jasmine Morris, and this is the StoryCorps podcast from NPR. Up first, we got a pair of stories about teachers figuring out who they are in the classroom.

Ron Cushman spent nearly 30 years teaching kindergarten.

But that wasn't always the plan.

...