A new website, www.teachlift.com, was launched in early 2023 by Pittsburg High School Teacher Brandon Lawson aimed at providing students and teachers with learning resources.
The website currently features teaching tips, professional development resources for educators, wellness and well-being support, and resources for diverse groups of students.
For example, one article highlights tips for struggling with classroom management and provides 10 effective techniques to create a better learning environment. Another talks about avoiding burnout and how to navigate recovery.
“The idea came about when I found it difficult to get my education blog posts published on other sites, so I decided to create my own platform to share my insights and provide valuable services to the education community,” explained Lawson. “As a teacher, I noticed a gap in the resources available to educators, students, and parents, which inspired me to add content tailored to their needs on the website.”
The 10th grade English teacher explained that he manages the website himself, but also does receive some assistance from his associates and acquaintances but admits it is time-consuming to manage.
“I would often find myself getting carried away and working past my set goals for the day,” said Lawson.
With a new website, the goals keep expanding as the site continues to grow. He now is working on expanding the site reach and seeking to empower educators with as many resources a possible.
“I plan to add more sections, including content tailored to special education and homeless students, as well as college preparation resources,” said Lawson. “The ultimate goal of the website is to serve as a valuable resource to teachers, students, and parents and to help anyone feeling stuck or exhausted in their education journey.”
Lawson says he is using his experience as a teacher and author to influence the website while also working to promote his recently published children’s book, Adventures of Thunder Girl, and have been in touch with schools to arrange book signings.
“My books provide yet another avenue to serve students and put them at the forefront of my work,” said Lawson. “Even for Nova’s Blade which came out last year, it’s still a way for me to serve students as students like the book, so it’s great to see students being engaged with reading.”
According to the Pittsburg Unified School District, Lawson holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Cal State East Bay and enjoys a well-rounded lifestyle, including time at the gym, movie theater, writing, and reading. Not only is he a writer, but has a passion for filmmaking and will be making an indie web series on his YouTube channel this summer.
