A brand strategist turned elementary school teacher, Jira moved from Thailand to the United States in 2016 and joined Teach For America in 2017. She taught 4th grade ICT in Harlem and 6th grade math in the Bronx.

TFA corps members work full time in inner-city schools while also studying for their Master’s degree in Teaching. Not being a native speaker, Jira found herself in a challenging situation that causes many to leave the profession during their first year. But she stuck with it and helped over 85% of her students get scores of 3 or 4 on New York ELA and Mathematics State Tests in her first year.

Realizing that time management, effective teaching, and a resilient mindset are key to surviving the first year, Jira started the First Year Flourish podcast. She hopes to empower and support first-year teachers in inner cities to work more effectively, maximize their time, and create lasting positive impacts for their students without feeling overwhelmed. She believes that when teachers flourish, their students do too.