A Disruptor's Journey Through Education with Aurelius Raines II
What happens when the bad kid becomes the kind of educator the system never saw coming? In this episode of The Exit Interview, Dr. Asia sits down with Aurelius Raines II, whose unorthodox path into education began not with a degree, but with curiosity, care, and disruption. From aftercare teacher to museum-based innovator, Aurelius shares how his early struggles with school shaped his radical approach to teachingand why his students thrive because of it. Together, they unpack what it means to teach without permission, learn outside the lines, and reimagine what a science education can look like when rooted in joy, justice, and relevance.
What happens when the bad kid becomes the kind of educator the system never saw coming? In this episode of The Exit Interview, Dr. Asia sits down with Aurelius Raines II, whose unorthodox path into education began not with a degree, but with curiosity, care, and disruption. From aftercare teacher to museum-based innovator, Aurelius shares how his early struggles with school shaped his radical approach to teachingand why his students thrive because of it. Together, they unpack what it means to teach without permission, learn outside the lines, and reimagine what a science education can look like when rooted in joy, justice, and relevance.
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Peace out,
Dr. Asia Lyons
Aurelius Raines II
Educational Programmer for the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
I have been a classroom teacher or over 20 years. Although my focus has been in the Sciences (Physics), I've been a Gen Ed for elementary and middle school. I did a lot pioneering work in teaching Computer Science in low resource schools in the 00s.
People often call Bill Nye the White Aurelius Raines and my teaching has always been a form of activism. I currently get to marry my love of Science, Narratives, and Student Engagement as the person who writes programming for the largest Science Museum in the western hemisphere.
