Anti-Burnout For English Teachers, a podcast for inspired teaching

The grading pile just arrived and the breaks just disappeared. In this episode, we're tackling the "Long Stretch," January to Spring Break, and figuring out how to survive without drowning in take-home work. I'll walk you through how to move feedback from "delayed" (the pile) to "real-time" (the room) using jigsaw structures, Pear Deck, and the Wingperson protocol. Grab your calendar and let's fig...

Join me for this episode of the Anti-Burnout PLC, where we explore the concept of personal growth and transformation. This episode offers practical strategies for educators to reconnect with their students and themselves, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment. Tune in to discover how to create a plan that truly serves both you and your students. 🔗 Mentioned in this episode: Twelfth...

After 18 years of teaching, here are some things I FINALLY figured out. I stopped chasing homework completion. I stopped blaming students for not being ready. I started designing differently. These are the 25 lessons that changed my classroom in 2025.

Pantone chose white for 2026, and their reasoning, "clarity without coldness, structure without severity," felt like someone naming the thing I've been trying to figure out this semester. What do you do when students aren't walking with you? I'm calling my approach Loving Insistence.

Remember lining up in the computer lab to die of dysentery? There's something that pixelated pioneer simulator understood about learning that we've forgotten in our rush to make everything accessible. In this episode, I'm exploring why the best learning happens when failure is expected, feedback is immediate, and students choose to struggle because the struggle feels meaningful. We're diving into...

Dictionary.com just named "6-7" their 2025 Word of the Year. It's not even a word—it's numbers from a viral song, celebrated for being "meaningless, ubiquitous, and nonsensical." We used to think Idiocracy was satire. Now it feels prophetic. "6-7" becoming Word of the Year isn't just about slang—it reveals what we're valuing as a culture. We're not...

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds gives you both satisfaction (complete episodes) AND character development (growth across the season). What if English learning works the same way? We've been pressured to design curriculum where everything builds UP—each lesson scaffolding to the next in perfect linear sequence. But English skills aren't plot points that get resolved. They're character traits that kee...

In this conversation, I reflect on the changes in education since the pandemic and importance of revisiting effective strategies from the past, such as flipped learning, the role of homework, and the use of physical manipulatives in the classroom. Ultimately, we need to remember the core values of teaching and learning as they navigate the current educational landscape.

Your students are obsessed with Outer Banks, rewatching Friends for the tenth time, and choosing shows from before they were born over algorithm-recommended content. This isn't random—it's sophisticated rebellion against hyper-personalization and a hunger for genuine community. In this episode, we explore why Gen Z actively seeks intergenerational cultural connection and how English teache...

Feeling like you're just delivering someone else's curriculum in someone else's system? In this episode, we explore how to reclaim your professional agency by creating a distinctive classroom culture - even within the constraints of standardization. I'll share why building classroom microcosms isn't just good for students (though it is) - it's essential for teacher wellness...

Ever feel like your students are just going through the motions? In this episode, we explore why so many students operate like NPCs (non-playable characters) in their own education—and how the rise of AI has made this problem worse. Using examples from Westworld and real classroom experiences, we discuss how to design learning that breaks students out of compliance mode and into genuine thinking....

You know those creative assignments that should spark magic but end up falling totally empty…for you and for your students? I’ve been wrestling with that for a while, especially when it comes to things like “rewrite the ending” or “imagine an alternate scene.” And weirdly enough… it was a blurb about Squid Game fan rewrites that finally helped me figure it out. In this episode, I’m talking about:W...

Picture this: Everything you've ever owned, everything you've ever eaten, every experience you've ever had—all of it gets put on a bagel. That's the central image from Everything Everywhere All at Once, and it's exactly where we are as teachers right now with AI. Everything about AI is being put on the education bagel, and somehow, in the middle of all this noise, you're su...

What if your students were living their own version of Severance? In this episode, I explore how science fiction can illuminate the hidden architecture of our classrooms — starting with the unsettling parallels between the world of Severance and the way students split their authentic thinking from academic performance. From AI-written essays to the quiet grief of “bleed-through moments,” this is a...

"Back in the day, (before COVID) students could actually focus..." Every teacher has heard it. Many of us have said it. But what if our fears about "kids these days" are hiding something deeper - something the we as teachers haven't been ready to talk about that speaks to something real and urgent in education? Let's talk about what's really at stake. Flash sale - h...

In 1996, Michael Johnson won two Olympic golds by training less intensely than his competitors. Weird, right? Explore how the counterintuitive concept of 'sub-maximal' training—focusing on sustainability over constant maximum effort—might be the key to teaching excellence without burnout. This episode challenges everything you think you know about peak performance in the classroom. Resources Menti...

Why do we design our teaching as if we'll never need coverage when (almost) every teacher needs it multiple times a year? Stop coming to school sick. Stop creating emergency plans at 5AM. Stop pretending the need for coverage won't happen. Let's rethink how we plan for reality and build something sustainable. Get 10 FREE Emergency Sub Plans: https://buildingbooklove.com/ela-emergency-sub-plans-for...

How did Spotify turn "you listened to Taylor Swift for 10,483 minutes" into a story you couldn't wait to share? Meanwhile, we're still sharing student growth through numbers and charts. Something's not adding up. There's something here that could enhance how we celebrate student growth - and no, I'm not suggestion you try to turn your students' analytical progression into a viral moment. But what...

"I agree with what they said." It's possibly the most dreaded phrase in literary discussions. The polite nodding. The surface sharing. The performance of analysis without any real meaning building. But what if the problem isn't our students or even the text? What if it's how we structure the discussion itself? Drawing from years of teaching Macbeth , this episode breaks down the engineering behind...

In this episode, we go beyond the witches to explore how Macbeth offers insights into ambition, performance, and mental health —both in the play and in the classroom. Tune in for: Ambition and Inner Conflict: How Macbeth’s public persona hides his private fears—and how this mirrors the experience of teachers. Music Connections: Explore thematic connections with Janelle Monáe’s “Tightrope.” Fact-Ch...

As October rolls in, join us for a haunting exploration of Gothic literature in the classroom. In this episode, we'll uncover new ways to approach Gothic Literature. Discover how to: Transform literary analysis into a spooky architectural adventure Layer Gothic elements across classic and contemporary works Apply critical approaches that slice into texts like judges on a baking show Use modern twi...

Ever had a student crumple up their graded paper right in front of you? In this Curriculum Lab episode I share my own struggles with feedback frustration and explore methods (including some old-school Google add-ons) to hopefully ensure students not only see but use your comments to improve their writing. If feedback has felt like a losing battle, I made this episode for you.

Let's look at the world of education's hidden curriculum to explore how common school policies can unintentionally manipulate student emotions. From high-stakes assessments to rigid homework penalties, we'll uncover the parallels between reality TV tactics and classroom practices. Learn practical strategies to mitigate these effects and create a more supportive learning environment. Di...

Why are your students wearing Nirvana tees without knowing the band? Explore the world of the 'time-neutral teen' and learn how to use their nostalgic interests to deepen historical understanding...which can all lead to our students better understanding literature and the world they live in. In this episode, we'll cover: • The concept of the 'time-neutral teen' and how it affec...

Ever feel like teaching is an impossible mission? You're not alone! Join us as we explore how Star Trek's iconic 'no-win scenario' mirrors the challenges of modern education - and learn how to beat the system like Captain Kirk. From redefining success to creative compliance, we'll discuss how to "take the chair" and command your classroom with confidence. Prepare to energize your teaching and outm...