Скачать или смотреть The Real Work of Authenticity: Teacher Will on Identity, Accents, & Building a Global Community

Authenticity isn’t a buzzword—it’s a strategy, a mindset, and sometimes a survival skill.

In this episode of Real Work, Jennifer Tarle sits down with Teacher Will (Ask Teacher Will), an educator, mentor, and community builder whose journey spans business development, international teaching, and leadership in adult education.

From getting laid off on his birthday during the 2008 financial crisis, to earning his TESOL certification, to spending 2011–2022 teaching and training in Saudi Arabia, Will explains how discipline, curiosity, and service shaped his path. Then, how five students (“the core”) pushed him onto social media in 2016, where he built a global “family,” not just followers.

This conversation goes beyond “tips and tricks.” It’s about pronunciation vs. accent, training your ear, cultural humility, and claiming your voice without chasing someone else’s definition of “proper English.”

In this episode, we discuss:
Reinvention after setbacks
What it means to teach naturally (not “sound like a native”)
Accent bias, native-speakerism, and the “Faces of English” perspective
How to be better understood: ear training, pronunciation, and confidence
Building a network that changes your life and paying it forward.

🎙️ Part of the Real Work series
📺 Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts

📌 Find Teacher Will:
Instagram / YouTube / Snapchat: @ask_teacherwill (Ask Teacher Will)

If you want to understand leadership, language, culture, and power more deeply, here’s the list we discussed. Shop the List on Amazon https://amzn.to/3N3jJ3n

📖 Leadership, Strategy & Influence

The Godfather – Mario Puzo
A masterclass in power, negotiation, loyalty, and organizational hierarchy.

The Art of War – Sun Tzu
Ancient military strategy that still shapes modern business thinking.

The Prince – Niccolò Machiavelli
Brutally honest lessons on power, perception, and political survival.

📚 Culture, Identity & Society

The Bluest Eye – Toni Morrison
A profound novel exploring race, identity, and cultural narrative.

Rabbit Run Series – John Updike
(Rabbit Run, Rabbit Redux, Rabbit Is Rich)
An exploration of American life, ambition, restlessness, and change.

🧠 Academic & Research Thinking

Qualitative Research – Creswell & Poth (5th Edition)
For those interested in deeper academic or research-based thinking.

📘 Books I Recommended to Will

The Wide, Wide Sea – Hampton Sides
A sweeping look at Captain Cook and exploration, power, and contradiction.

Undaunted Courage – Stephen E. Ambrose
The Lewis & Clark expedition — leadership, risk, and American expansion.

🎧 Podcasts Worth Exploring

How I Built This
Entrepreneur stories and business lessons.

Geography by Geoff
Understanding the world through geography and systems.

Tim Black TV
Politics, commentary, and cultural perspective.

The Phillip Scott Show
History, current events, and Black global analysis.

If you want to grow in business, communication, or leadership — read beyond your field.
Your vocabulary expands with your worldview.

Video Referenced in Interview:
White Privilege/White Supremacy: Is ELT A White Only Industry?
   • White Privilege/White Supremacy: Is ELT A ...  

Sign up for Will's Class:
Shall We Play A Game: Learn English In A Fun Way
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81991843088...
Meeting ID: 819 9184 3088
Passcode: 391857

To register, Let's Learn English: Shall We Play A Game – Fill out form
RSVP by Friday, February 27, 2026.