Lyne Frank Of Lyne Frank Coaching On 5 Things You Need to Know to Be a Highly Effective Educator or Teacher
An Interview With Jake Frankel
Teaching is What You Do, Not Who You Are. Teaching is a significant part of your life but not your entire identity. Your gifts and talents are to empower others inside and outside the classroom. Connecting with the other roles you play — whether as a mother, daughter, partner, or friend is crucial. These roles provide a support community that fuels your journey as a life-long learner and educator. The experiences you gain outside the classroom often inspire new ideas, allowing you to bring your authentic self into your teaching.
As a part of our interview series about “5 Things You Need To Know To Be A Highly Effective Educator”, I had the pleasure to interview Lyne Frank.
Lyne Frank is a seasoned teacher with over 20 years of experience, workplace wellness expert, and women’s empowerment speaker, bringing over two decades of experience to her work. She holds a Master’s of Education and is an active member of the Ontario Teachers College. As a certified life coach and women’s circle facilitator, Lyne runs her private practice, Lyne Frank Coaching. To connect with her visit lynefrank.com. She is the founder of Ignite in Community, the private group where over 1300 women gather to share, grow, and learn in sisterhood. Additionally, Lyne designed and facilitates Ignite in Circle, a group coaching program and she tours Ontario to deliver Get Unstuck, a wellness workshop curated for educators. Lyne’s work has been recognized in the Niagara News and featured on the Global Sisterhood platform.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share the “backstory” behind what brought you to this particular career path? Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your teaching career? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
It’s not a story as much as it is an experience. I grew up believing women could do anything. After my father passed away, our home became a dynamic force of four strong, independent women. My mother taught my sisters and me to move forward in everything and anything that interested us. I went to the last publicly funded all-girls high school confident and again was surrounded by strong young women who shared their ideas and talents. It was not until I started my career as a teacher that I noticed women holding themselves back by using a passive voice and walking away from leadership opportunities. I wondered why so many women were playing small. This was when I began to understand the impact of social conditioning on women. My quest became to lead by example. The more I took up space, the more my colleagues did the same. When I shared thoughts in staff meetings others did too. I learned about the power of the collective and that is now rooted in everything I do. Teaching is a female dominated profession and to be highly effective educators we must take into account how women are socially conditioned.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
Yes! This year I will be working directly with educators, sharing strategies and using a thought work model to promote workplace wellness and to create work-life balance. Sound impossible? It’s not. I am like many teachers, a mother, wife and sister but I am also a living example of what is possible when you begin to make decisions that are aligned with your true self and not your social conditioning . When I turned forty, I experienced what I refer to as my midlife awakening. You see, in my early twenties, I traveled alone; in my late twenties, I got married, started my career and bought a house. In my thirties, motherhood kicked my ass, and just like that, a decade was gone. When I turned 40, I knew there was more for me to give, and the unlearning began. I have a supportive community and used a thought work model to unlearn my conditioning. It took me years to do the deep work and reconnect with my authentic self. I discovered my soul goal to empower others by facilitating life-chaining workshops and sharing my experiences and knowledge in my keynotes. I am now a certified life coach, women’s circle facilitator, author and creator of some empowering programs. What I am sharing will help others reconnect with themselves and they will begin to understand that by loving themselves they too will become better mothers, teachers and partners. My mom is right; women can do anything and I can’t wait to bring Get Unstuck to the U.S.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the main focus of our interview. From your point of view, how would you rate the results of the US education system?
As a Canadian, I have compared our education system to the US education system throughout my 20-year career. Why? I started to do this because we are slowly moving towards an American teaching model, and sadly, it’s the wrong approach. Children learn best when encouraged to explore, use all their senses, and learn social skills through outdoor play-based activities. Unfortunately, our systems depend on standardized test scores to determine our students’ abilities, and the lack of funding stifles student growth. Academic resources are limited, and mental health support is well below what is required today. Teachers are underpaid, frustrated, and exhausted by the narrative “do it for the kids.” We are only human, and the unrealistic expectations put on teachers by people who are not in the classroom negatively impact the lives of staff and students are being left behind.
Can you identify 5 areas of the US education system that are going really great?
Really great? NO.
Can you identify the 5 key areas of the US education system that should be prioritized for improvement? Can you explain why those are so critical?
I hesitate to identify the five key areas the US and Canadian education systems should prioritize because, in this crisis, only one needs immediate attention. Employee wellness should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind when prioritizing areas that need improvement in our education system. There, I said it. Educators are the foundation of thriving learning communities, and if they are unsupported, the foundation will weaken, eventually causing the system to collapse. However, coming up are 5 things educators can do right now to promote wellness, work-life balance and be highly effective.
Super. Here is the main question of our interview. Can you please share your “5 Things You Need To Know To Be A Highly Effective Educator?” Please share a story or example for each.
5 Things You Need To Know To Be a Highly Effective Educator
As a seasoned educator with over 20 years of experience, a Master’s in Education, and certification as a life coach, I’ve learned what it takes to be a highly effective teacher while achieving work-life balance. My journey as an elementary school teacher and educational assistant in high schools has taught me five essential principles that every educator should embrace.
The following principles will help you avoid common pitfalls and thrive as a highly effective educator:
- Teaching is What You Do, Not Who You Are
Teaching is a significant part of your life but not your entire identity. Your gifts and talents are to empower others inside and outside the classroom. Connecting with the other roles you play — whether as a mother, daughter, partner, or friend is crucial. These roles provide a support community that fuels your journey as a life-long learner and educator. The experiences you gain outside the classroom often inspire new ideas, allowing you to bring your authentic self into your teaching.
2. Create Boundaries to Prevent Burnout
As a mother and a teacher, I understand the weight of mother guilt and teacher guilt. They make you feel like you need to do more. In my 15th year of teaching, I realized that without clear boundaries, I was exhausting myself with a never-ending to-do list, constantly driven by the mantra to “do it for the kids.” To protect my energy, I consciously decided to limit the work I brought home and preserve my lunch hour for myself. By prioritizing self-care — taking walks and enjoying uninterrupted meals — I could return to the classroom with more patience, positivity, and readiness to teach.
3. Define What Makes an Excellent Teacher
As a life coach and workplace wellness expert, I’ve seen many teachers go above and beyond without intentionally choosing to do so. When asked what makes a good teacher, responses often include leading extracurricular activities, club organization, and maintaining an aesthetically pleasing classroom. However, in Get Unstuck, a wellness workshop curated for educators, I ask participants to take a moment to reflect on what they truly believe is an excellent educator, and they often redefine these qualities based on personal values and expectations. For me, a key part of being an excellent teacher is nurturing a love and respect for the environment. This awareness led me to incorporate outdoor education into my programming and take on the lead teacher role for our school’s Eco certification. Passion-driven work is always more fun;)
4. Find a Teacher Bestie
Teaching is a unique profession; having someone who truly understands your experience is invaluable. A teacher bestie will hold you accountable and bring laughter into your workday, and together, you will foster a thriving learning community at your school. Be intentional in building these relationships — ask your colleagues about their lives outside work or walk together during lunch. These shared moments can create lasting friendships, making a significant difference in your work life.
5. Understand the Value of Less is More
You might be working harder than necessary if you still need to adjust your teaching strategies. Our students are different now, and it’s vital to prioritize quality over quantity in your lessons. A single assignment can yield valuable insights, and meeting learners where they are is key to rebuilding their self-esteem and resilience. Don’t let the unrealistic expectations of those outside your classroom dictate your work. Remember, less is more.
In summary, to be a highly effective educator, you need to remember that teaching is what you do, not who you are; create boundaries to prevent burnout; define what makes a good teacher based on your values; find a teacher bestie to support you; and embrace the principle that less is more. Applying these principles allows you to achieve work-life balance while being a highly effective educator.
As you know, teachers play such a huge role in shaping young lives. What would you suggest needs to be done to attract top talent to the education field?
Teachers need to be adequately compensated to attract top talent to the education field. I don’t mean pizza lunches on a Friday. I mean a salary that allows them to pay their bills, send their kids to summer camp and reduce financial stress. I can list other needs, but they are all a distant second. This solution will also solve the employee retention problem school boards and districts are currently facing. Pay your educators the salary they deserve.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Nothing changes unless something changes. As individuals, we have more control over our daily decisions than we’d like to admit. Unfortunately, we’ve become a blaming society, and every time we blame the parents, the school districts, and the administrators, we lose our power and stay stuck. Change is hard, I know — I’ve been there, done that. It is also worth it, so together, let’s be the change.
We are blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)
I’d love to have lunch with Pink. We are a Hollywood-driven society, and I’d love to conspire a plan to bring our current education system’s needs and flaws to the forefront. I chose Pink because she understands women’s empowerment and, at the same time, knows about the crippling effects of social conditioning. 76% of teachers are women, and I do believe that is why we are underpaid, overworked and standing alone to fight our battles. Join us, Pink. I double-dog dare you!
How can our readers follow you on social media?
For more teaching hacks and mindset shifts, follow me on Instagram @iamlynefrank
Thank you so much for these insights! This was so inspiring!
