Beyond the Bell
A college-and-career counseling podcast designed to provide students with tools and tips to look beyond the bell of their high schools into their futures (be it, college, careers, trade schools, or gap years) where bells do not exist. Beyond the Bell is hosted by Evelyn Lauer, who has worked in education for nearly 25 years, serving primarily as a high school English teacher, but also assuming roles as an instructional coach, college writing instructor, workshop leader, and journalism/media advisor. Lauer is also currently a graduate student at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago where she is studying school counseling. She is a mother to two sons, who are in 10th and 7th grade. She also serves on the board of Friends of Amundsen High School. Topics discussed will include: college admissions, college essays, trade schools, gap years, finding one’s passions and future careers.
Lauer's work has been published in The Huffington Post, Education Week, The English Journal, Sentence, and elsewhere. She served as the PR/Publications director for the Journalism Education Association for six years and is currently serving that organization as a mentor teacher. BTB was highlighted in the New York Times Education Briefing during the pandemic. Episodes from 2020-2022 are about teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. They include interviews with educators from across the United States about their experiences teaching remote, hybrid, and in-person during the pandemic.
Beyond the Bell
Sachin Jhunjhunwala
Mathematics teacher Sachin J. Jhunjhunwala and host Evelyn Lauer discuss the magic and humanity in remote learning, the importance of group work, and the escape of John Hughes films.
Jhunjhunwala is a second-year Instructional Coach and third-year mathematics teacher at Highland Park High School in Highland Park, IL. There, he has taught Algebra I Survey, Geometry, and AP Statistics. Prior to that he taught at Evanston Township High School for nine years as a mathematics teacher, where he taught AP Statistics, PreCalculus, Algebra II, Geometry, and Algebra I. Before teaching, Jhunjhunwala was a Director of Technology, Product Manager, and Program Manager for Expedia, Inc. in the Puget Sound area and in London. He currently lives in Evanston, IL with his wife and two sons.
Follow host, Evelyn Lauer, on Twitter and Instagram, @evelynalauer.
BTB is produced by Evelyn Lauer. Its music is written and performed by Jim Streisel and his band, The Dead Squirrels.