Who is your favourite teacher? 
In this episode, I reflect on the teachers, both inside and outside the classroom, who leave a lasting mark on our lives. From the way they show up in small, everyday moments to the ripple effect their influence carries forward, we’ll explore what makes a teacher unforgettable and how their lessons live on in us.
When you listen, I invite you to think about the people who’ve shaped your learning journey, the ones whose presence you still carry, and the ways their impact might be showing up in how you teach, lead, or support others today.
 
Listen in as we talk about:

02:27 My own favourite teacher (Mrs. Hoglund)
05:57 The ripple effect of a great teacher
07:23 A moment of reflection 
08:05 What makes a teacher great? 
09:15 Small moments that matter
11:15 The heart of great teachers
12:43 Stories from The People Teaching People Podcast
15:18 A small challenge
16:34 Bringing it full circle

 
Connect with Tiana:

Website: https://tianafech.com
LinkedIn: Tiana Fech
Instagram: @tianafech 
Facebook: @tianafech 
Book: Online Course Creation 101: A step-by-step guide to creating your first online course 

 
MY OWN FAVOURITE TEACHER (MRS. HOGLUND)
When I think about my favourite teacher, Mrs. Hoglund, it’s not the lessons I remember but the way she made me feel - safe, welcomed, and excited to learn. That kind of environment stayed with me through school and shaped my decision to become an educator myself. Years later, reconnecting with her was such a gift; she remembered details not just about me, but about my whole family, showing the deep care she carried for her students. Her impact reminds me that the best teachers aren’t defined by what they teach but by how they show up - through kindness, connection, and creating spaces where people feel seen. The real legacy of a teacher isn’t the content, but the connection that lasts long after the classroom.
 

THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF A GREAT TEACHER
“We don’t always realize it in the moment, but when someone teaches us with heart, that moment doesn’t end. It expands. It lives on in the way we show up for others.”
The influence of a great teacher, whether that’s a coach, mentor, parent, colleague, or classroom teacher, doesn’t stop in the moment. Their encouragement and belief in us become part of how we move through the world. The way they make us feel safe, supported, and seen often becomes a model for how we show up for others, from the words we share with our kids to the way we lead teams or nurture friendships. And - the most powerful part is the ripple effect: when someone teaches with heart, their impact stretches far beyond that single interaction. Great teachers, wherever we find them, plant seeds that keep growing, shaping not just us, but others we touch.
 
A MOMENT OF REFLECTION
Take a moment to think about a favourite teacher in your life. Maybe it was someone from a classroom, but it could just as easily have been a coach, a mentor at work, a professor, or even a family member who taught you something that still stays with you today. What was it about them that made their influence so meaningful? When we pause to reflect on the people who shaped us - not just with their knowledge, but with their care and presence - we not only celebrate their impact, we also uncover the qualities we hope to bring forward in how we teach, lead, and show up for others. Remembering our teachers helps us become the kind of teacher someone else will one day remember.
 
WHAT MAKES A TEACHER GREAT
When we think about what makes a teacher unforgettable, it’s rarely their polished slides or the perfect lesson plan. It’s their presence. Great teachers show up with consistency, create spaces where we feel safe to be ourselves, ask questions that spark curiosity, and believe in us before we believe in ourselves. They bring humour, humility, and humanity into the mix, reminding us that learning is as much about connection as it is about content.

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