Meet Iantha Ussin | The New Teachers’ Teacher

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

Hi Iantha, what do you want your legacy to be?
More than anything, I want people to remember that I lived a life by God’s leading. That would be my ideal legacy. I want people to know I simply did what God told me to do whenever He told me to do it.

I was born to be a teacher, so in 2006, when God told me to enter the teaching profession, I didn’t hesitate. When He told me to start a dance camp in 2005 that eventually became a dance school, I moved with haste. For 15 years, that dance school taught the Word of God to hundreds of girls and transformed entire families in the process. After 15 years in the classroom, God told me to retire and give my all—through my own business—to equipping new teachers for the classroom. I didn’t question His instruction. I simply followed His lead.

My business and any success it has is a result of me following God’s direct plan for my life.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
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 trainings, 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, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m a homebody, so this would be tough for me. I do, however, have some local friends that are more adventurous than I, so I’d probably lean on them. I’d definitely ask my visiting friend what they’d like to do and what kinds of things they’re interested in. I’d then present that to my adventurous local friends and let them make the plans for us all. My only request would be that we not have something to do outside of the house every day. That would be a bit much for me, and any friend I’m allowing to visit me for a week would know me well enough to know that. Yeah…I’m pretty low key.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The Richmond County School System

All 15 years of my classroom tenure were with the Richmond County School System. I am who I am as an educator because of all I was taught and all I learned there.

www.rcboe.org

Website: https://www.msussinteaches.com

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

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

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