Happy Teaching

Episode 20: The Easiest Way to Build Scissor Skills  Want to improve your students’ fine motor skills- without adding more to your prep list?  In this episode, Alex shares a super simple solution for consistent cutting practice that’s teacher-friendly and student-approved: The Cutting Jar. ✨ You’ll hear: Why scissor skills matter more than just cutting shapes The problem with only offering occasi...

Episode 19: How to Make Clean-Up Fast, Fun, and Stress-Free If clean-up time feels chaotic or takes forever, you’re not alone. But what if this part of your day could be smoother, faster and even fun ? In this episode, Alex shares easy, actionable tips to transform your clean-up routine into a calm, consistent system your students can follow (and even enjoy!). You’ll walk away with ideas that you...

Episode 18: Managing Big Emotions - A Must-Try Social-Emotional Tip Helping young children handle big feelings is one of the most important and often most challenging parts of early childhood teaching.  In this episode, Alex shares one powerful, simple strategy that helps students build emotional awareness and empowers them to self-regulate. Whether you're working with Pre-K, TK, or Kindergar...

🎙 Episode 17: How to Handle a Loud Class (Without Losing Your Voice or Mind) If your classroom volume feels out of control or you’ve found yourself saying “Inside voices!” more times than you can count... this episode is for you. In this quick, supportive pep talk, Alex shares practical tips for lowering noise levels in your Pre-K or Kindergarten classroom without relying on yelling or constant sh...

Episode 16: 3 Simple Ways to Practice Name Writing Helping young learners write their names is one of the first big milestones of the year. One that builds both confidence and classroom routines. But it doesn’t have to involve fancy prep or stressful drills. In this episode, Alex shares 3 low-prep, meaningful ways to help students practice name writing throughout the day; without taking away from...

Episode 15: Go Slow to Go Fast – Encouraging Independence in Pre-K & Kindergarten It’s tempting to rush through routines in those first weeks. Especially when you could just tie the shoes, open the snack, or fix the problem yourself. But real classroom calm comes when we go slow first and build student independence from the ground up. In this episode, Alex shares how to create confident, capab...

Episode 14: Should We Let Things Go More in the First Days? In those first few days of school, we want students to feel safe, excited, and connected. Sometimes that leads us to wonder… Should I let some things slide while they adjust? In this episode, Alex gently but clearly explains why the answer is no,  and how setting expectations early (in a kind, consistent way) is one of the most supportive...

Whether it’s your first first day or your tenth, that back-to-school butterfly feeling never fully goes away. And that’s okay!  The first day of school sets the tone. With a few simple, tested tips, you can make it smooth, calm, and connection-filled. In this episode, Alex shares five tried-and-true strategies to help you feel more prepared and confident heading into Day One with your new little l...

Episode 12: Make Your Day Count – Early Childhood Schedule Tips Trying to fit everything into a Pre-K or Kindergarten day can feel like solving a puzzle… blindfolded… with snack time looming. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone! In this episode, Alex shares practical tips for building a classroom schedule that actually works —one that supports connection, play, learning, and calm (yes, even...

Episode 11: Letting Go of Assigned Classroom Seating in Pre-K & Kindergarten What if your students didn’t have assigned seats at all? In this episode, Alex explores the benefits and challenges of moving away from traditional assigned seating in early childhood classrooms. From building independence to supporting self-regulation, you’ll hear how flexible seating routines can empower students wh...

Episode 10: Stop Making Play a Four-Letter Word Let’s set the record straight: play is not fluff.  In this episode, Alex unpacks why play-based learning is real learning—especially in early childhood—and how we can stop apologizing for it. If you’ve ever felt the pressure to justify playful teaching (or been side-eyed for not doing more “rigor”), this one’s for you. ✨ You’ll hear: Why play belong...

Episode 9: 10 Ways to Make Your Classroom More Playful Play isn't just for free choice time—it’s a powerful approach to learning. In this episode, Alex breaks down 10 simple, meaningful ways to make your classroom more playful, even within the structure of a full-day schedule. From mindset shifts to hands-on strategies, you’ll walk away with ideas you can use right away to boost engagement, i...

Episode 8: Tools for Making Your Classroom More Playful Want to make your classroom feel more playful—but not sure where to start? You’re not alone! In this episode, Alex shares simple tools and mindset shifts to bring more joy and curiosity into your daily routine—without scraping your entire plan or adding hours to your prep. ✨ You’ll learn: What “playful” actually means in a structured classro...

🎙 Episode 7: The Truth About Teachers’ Summers “Must be nice to have summers off…” 😬 If you’ve ever heard that phrase and felt your blood pressure spike a little—you’re not alone. In this episode, Alex gets real about what summer actually looks like for teachers. Spoiler: it’s not two months of piña coladas and pool floats (though we wish!).  From mental recovery to prepping for a brand-new group...

🎙 Episode 6: What to Do When Kids Interrupt All Day Long If you're hearing “Teacher! Teacher!” on repeat, or getting constant shoulder taps during small group time — you’re not alone. Interrupting is one of the most common (and draining) behaviors in early childhood classrooms. In this episode, Alex walks you through exactly why it happens, what you can do about it, and how to set realistic e...

🎙 Episode 5: 3 Things to Say Instead of "Good Job" (That Spark Real Conversation) Let’s be clear—there’s nothing wrong with saying “Good job!” But what if you could level up your praise to build confidence, spark conversation, and boost learning? In this episode, Alex shares three powerful phrases you can use instead of generic praise to help students feel truly seen—and deepen their ref...

Tattling All Day? Here’s What to Do Instead If you’ve already heard “They’re not sharing!” or “He cut me!” more times than you can count before recess—you’re not alone. In this episode, Alex shares why constant tattling happens (hint: it’s not just misbehavior) and what to do instead —including real classroom examples, easy conversation scripts, and one gentle challenge for this week. ✨ You’ll le...

Episode 3: You’re Almost There – A Pep Talk for the Final Stretch You know it’s the end of the year when someone’s backpack is full of rocks and routines are… well, barely hanging on. If you’re juggling countdowns, theme days, and student energy that’s turned all the way up—you’re not alone. In this short but powerful pep talk, Alex is here to remind you just how far you’ve come and how much you’v...

Episode 2: Let’s Make the End of the Year Fun (Without Losing Our Minds) If your brain is half in summer mode but your classroom is still full of kiddos who need structure and fun —you’re in the right place. This episode is all about wrapping up the year with joy, calm, and connection. In this chat, Alex shares easy, meaningful ways to celebrate the end of the year without adding stress to your pl...

Episode 1: How to Actually Leave on Time on Fridays  It’s Friday. Dismissal just ended. Your to-do list? Still a mile long. 😩 And with the end of the school year in full swing, that list likely grew five extra arms. So how do you walk out on time and still feel ready for Monday? In this episode of The Happy Teaching Podcast, we’re talking about 3 simple strategies to protect your Friday afternoon...

🎙 Welcome to The Happy Teaching Podcast! This is the show for Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers who want to bring more joy, ease, and connection to their classrooms. Whether you’re sipping coffee during your commute or wrapping up your day with a quick listen, you're in the right place. In this very first episode, host Alex John — teacher, founder of The Kindergarten Connection, and playful lea...