Episodes

Ep 74 Conquering classroom management right from the start

Having a solid classroom management plan is ESSENTIAL for a successful year. No amount of curriculum planning will be effective if you have multiple students disrupting the learning. So now that you have a plan, how do you implement it? What are the possible things that could go wrong, and why do they happen? In...

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Ep 73 How to craft an effective classroom management plan

Classroom management is BY FAR every new teacher’s biggest struggle. They may have had success when they were borrowing someone else’s class during student teaching, but when faced with their own, it can be daunting. Despite the tips and tricks taught in pre-service preparation programs, most new teachers still feel woefully unprepared for dealing with...

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Ep 72 The many advantages of being a second-career teacher

Many new and current teachers came to the profession as a second career. They take the plunge for many reasons and find themselves in a tough but completely fulfilling job. Some question whether or not it’s a good idea or if they have anything to offer in education, and others are worried about the age...

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Ep 71 Top back-to-school tips for new elementary teachers

It’s the back-to-school season as evidenced by all of the supplies laid out in Target! While this is a sad end to the summer, many new teachers are still interviewing for their first job or eagerly getting ready for their very first classroom. There’s so much unknown in terms of what supplies you’ll need, how...

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Ep 70 Actionable strategies for becoming a more engaging teacher

Every teacher understands the need for students to be engaged, but what if they constantly find themselves staring back at blank stares? How can a teacher deliver a lesson so that their students aren’t falling asleep or spacing out? In addition to proper planning, lesson delivery is key to getting kids motivated to learn and...

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Ep 69 5 strategies for creating an engaging lesson

All teachers know that student engagement is essential for successfully teaching a lesson. Why? Because students don’t necessarily want to learn and participate in school, and as a result, miss out on mastering important skills. When students are engaged, they switch on their natural curiosity and are self-motivated to learn, explore, and solve problems. But...

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Ep 68 Insider tips on how to get your DonorsChoose.org project funded

If you scroll through social media, you’ll see a lot of teachers posting the amazing things they’re doing in their classrooms. This includes lessons, bulletin boards, materials, organization…if a teacher does, you’ll see it there! But what if you have bigger dreams for your classroom, but neither you nor your school has the money? Do...

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Ep 67 The ONLY advice you need to write a killer teacher resume

New teachers around the world are gearing up to find their first new job OR find a better one. Part of that job hunt is the dreadful but necessary part of writing a resume. But what if you don’t have much experience to list on your resume? Should it be one page or more? What...

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Ep 66 What purposeful tech integration REALLY looks like

Many newer teachers feel unprepared for integrating technology into their teaching. Their credentialing program or student teaching experience may have exposed them to some basic tech, but figuring out WHEN and WHY to use it is a different story. How can we meaningfully use tech in a way that isn’t overwhelming to both us and...

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Ep 65 The importance of developing a healthy lifestyle when you’re a busy and overwhelmed teacher

Pretty much everybody has good intentions to implement healthy habits after January 1, but for teachers, the BEST time to do this is when school is out for the summer! We have more time to think about it, more time to plan, and more time to gently adopt a new lifestyle without the pressures of...

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Ep 64 How to fit in exercise when you’re a busy and overwhelmed teacher

Finding time to exercise when you’ve got a 9-5 job can be tough. The thing is, teachers don’t just work 9-5, they often take work home, which means that there’s even less time to exercise. How can we fit this in when we’re exhausted at the end of the day, don’t really like to exercise in...

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Ep 63 Intuitive eating for the busy and overwhelmed teacher

Teachers often develop poor eating habits from the limited time to eat and the constant barrage of work. Think about how you work while eating, have barely any time to really enjoy your food, eating while supervising, etc. How can we possibly enjoy our food? And for those of us trying to lose weight, how...

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Ep 62 How to repair relationships with students that misbehave

It’s hard to get past someone who annoys you – whether it’s a child or adult. And we tend to place blame on circumstances beyond our control, such as parent involvement or accountability, lack of consequences from the administration, the apathy of the student. But what did WE do to mitigate those circumstances? How have...

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Ep 61 Is teaching right for you?

How do you know if teaching is really for you? This question is on the minds of new teachers year round, but especially at the end of the year. Sometimes student teaching or that first year will be that crucial time when you start feeling like something isn’t right, or maybe it’s just a little...

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Ep 60 You don’t have to quit because you’re burnt out

You may already be feeling burnout at this early point in your career. Luckily, there is no shortage of articles, podcasts, books, or Youtube videos on the topic. And the reason is obvious – teaching is hard, requires long hours with little pay, so burnout is inevitable. With all of the content on teacher burnout...

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Ep 59 Foreign language teaching struggles are relatable to us all

Foreign language teachers have a wonderful and life-changing subject area, but it definitely comes with its challenges. Reluctant speakers, struggling readers, and a subject area that is relegated as “just an elective” can make it difficult to feel like one is making an impact. Elena Spathis offers strategies on how to overcome this and turn...

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Ep 58 It’s time to start planning for the end of the year

Many new teachers are just trying to make it to the end of the year in one piece so that they can finally welcome summer break. But before we can hit happy hour and celebrate, we need to plan it out. Here are the four areas you need to start taking action on now so...

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Ep 57 How to highlight your strengths while answering any interview question

During an interview, it’s important to find a way to showcase our strengths. But how can we do it without necessarily bragging, and how can we do it in the context of the questions? Similarly, if you’re asked about a negative experience in your teaching, how can you frame your answer to put you in...

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Ep 56 How to answer authentically while still impressing in job interviews

New teachers looking for that first teaching job are often worried about their lack of experience when doing their first round of interviews. How can they talk about their experiences when they’ve only finished student teaching? Should they be upfront or pad their experiences? Rick Mohrien explains how newer teachers can still be authentic while...

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Ep 55 What to say in an interview when you don’t know the answer to a question

So you’ve sent in your resume, and finally got a call for an interview. AWESOME! You put on your most professional-looking outfit, walk in tall, shake hands firmly, and finally sit down for those questions. But what if you don’t know the answer to a question? What should you say? Should you lie? What if...

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