Next Chapter for Teachers Podcast

One of the greatest challenges of my teaching career and personal life has been learning to manage my panic attacks and anxiety. Teaching is an anxiety-inducing profession, and unchecked stress from the classroom can contribute to teacher burnout. In this season where teachers are continuously overworked and overwhelmed, taking care of your mental health is of the utmost importance. For this final...

Not everyone is going to be thrilled when you start setting boundaries as a teacher, even if your goal is to avoid burnout. Colleagues may feel hurt or disappointed that you don't take on the extra tasks you have in the past, or that you are prioritizing other things over the classroom. This upset can make you feel as if you are in the wrong or as if you need to go back to how things were whe...

Scripted curricula and strict adherence to teaching standards can threaten to destroy your love for teaching . How can teachers combat the loss of teacher autonomy and freedom to be creative in their lesson planning when they're handed a scripted curriculum ? Elizabeth Peterson of The Inspired Classroom shares in this interview how teachers can infuse their classrooms with joy, social-emotion...

Sometimes, when you're a childless teacher, you're more prone to burnout. When you don't have kids of your own to go home to at the end of the day, it can be easy to take on more classroom and school responsibilities to fill the void. If you have ever felt less than or not enough because you aren't a parent, you'll want to listen to this episode. It's very personal to...

Are you tired of hearing your students say "6 7," "sigma," or any other random phrases or noises that disrupt your classroom? This year, it seems the repetitive , disruptive noises from students are at an all-time high. Spurred by what's trending on social media, these seemingly harmless fads tend to distract our students from learning - and wear on our teacher patience. I...

Are you sick all the time once the school year starts, and your students start passing around illnesses? Cold and flu season is here, and it's more important than ever for teachers and students to stay well. What do you do when you are surrounded by germs all day? Listen to this episode for some strategies for avoiding illnesses, even when your classroom feels like germ central. You and your...

Nothing will cause teacher burnout faster than a classroom full of kids whose visions of candy bars and Halloween costumes dance in their heads. It can be a recipe for crazy, out-of-control student behavior when the holidays hit your classroom, but that doesn't mean it has to descend into sugar-infested chaos. Whether it's pumpkin season or your classroom is ready to jingle all the way,...

It's time for parent-teacher conferences - are you ready to communicate with your students' caregivers about what they need to be successful in the classroom? A parent-teacher conference is an opportunity for you to start a line of communication between home and school .  Parents and caregivers need to hear from you to know how their child is progressing - but it's important that al...

Don't love teaching anymore? The stress and demands of the classroom can lead any overworked teacher down the road to burnout. In this episode, we not only celebrate that  Teachaholic: The 7-Day MindSET Shift to Conquer Burnout, Set Life-Changing Boundaries, and Reignite Your Love for Teaching  is a #1 BEST SELLER (!!!), but we also dive into the #1 thing that will destroy your love for teach...

If you have ever thought to yourself, "Should I quit teaching?" you want to listen to this episode on dealing with the expectations, overwhelm, and disillusionment that lead teachers down the path to burnout. While leaving the teaching profession may seem like the only answer to not staying up late grading, dealing with a broken system, and wrangling the student behavior choices that abo...

It's hard enough to prevent teacher burnout and overwhelm with the "normal" daily events of the classroom, but teaching when you're experiencing a medical or personal crisis - that's an entirely different experience. Teaching when your life is falling apart, like a soft-shell taco, is enough to make anyone feel hopeless and incompetent. In this episode, you'll get fiv...

Do you feel like school and teaching just take over your life from August to May? Are you already feeling overwhelmed this school year, even though it's just getting started? It may be time for some boundaries. If you can check yes to any of these things mentioned in this episode, it may be time to stop and set some rules for yourself for where the school day ends and your personal life begin...

Teacher burnout is for real. With the high expectations on teachers and the teacher shortage, the stress that teachers experience daily is the fast track to burnout. In this episode, we will cover the five signs that signal you are headed for burnout - but there is hope. We as teachers are capable of not only overcoming burnout, but living lives where we don't have to feel downtrodden and emp...

Are you a teacher that's so tired and drained from teaching and life in general that you can't get into the holiday spirit? Teaching during the holidays is its own kind of exhausting. The most wonderful time of the year can be especially stressful for teachers when you're also dealing with emotions and stress that many people deal with this time of year. As we end season three of th...

If the students in your classroom are getting too loud, too impulsive, and more than a little out of control, you don't want to miss this episode! Student behaviors that make it more difficult for you to teach can make you want to quit teaching - but you have what it takes to teach students the expectations for your classroom. Disruptive behaviors tend to ramp up around the holidays and right...

Are you a people pleaser? Teachers are often put in a position where they feel they aren't "good" or a team player if they don't try to agree to everyone's request. The trouble is, people pleasing is a sure way to end up in teacher burnout mode. You won't be happy, and you won't have the resources to do your best in the classroom. In this episode, I'll go in...

If you're an exhausted teacher, this episode is for you. Teachers often feel tired as they begin a new school year, and the fatigue often impacts their lives outside of the classroom and their health. While we can't change everything in the classroom environment that causes teacher tired, there are way to reduce decision fatigue and prioritize rest when you're exhausted. Listen to f...

Are you a teacher feeling overwhelmed and stressed out as you head back to school? This is a short message that you can listen to as you head back to your classroom on your first day of school. Things have to change if we are going to attract and retain teachers . While we can't control outside forces, we can work on regulating ourselves and managing our time spent on classroom tasks. Teacher...

Back to School Night (or Meet the Teacher Night ...or Open House ) is the first BIG event of the new school year...but it can leave teachers stressed and overwhelmed as they set up their classrooms and prepare for the new school year. What should you focus on for back to school night, and what can you let go by the wayside for now? Find out in this podcast episode what the essentials are for meeti...

Are you ready to set up your classroom for back to school. It can fill any teacher with overwhelm when trying to unpack your classroom and get reading for a new school year. In this podcast, you'll learn how to arrange and organize your classroom to minimize chaos and disruptions and maximize time spent learning. This real teacher talk episode will prepare you for a smooth start to a new scho...

Do you want to manage student behaviors effectively and with fewer disruptions? Learn three simple but powerful statements to make a part of your behavior management plan in your elementary classroom this school year. Back to school is the time to begin establishing how students should self regulate and interact with their peers, These statements will help you redirect your students and model for...

Effective classroom management is the basis for establishing the rules, routines, and expectations when you head back to school. What are the keys for teachers to create  success for all classroom management strategies? In this podcast, you'll learn how to use presence, procedures, and practice to establish the foundation for the behaviors and actions you want to see from your students. You&a...

Are you ready to set up your classroom for back to school? Many people and influencers will tell you all the things you need to get your classroom ready for the first day, but what about the things you DON'T need to be a successful teacher or a successful school year? In this episode, I'm sharing the five things you can take off your checklist for your classroom set up and back to school...

We’re going to talk about ChatGPT, a form of artificial intelligence you have probably heard about over the past year - what it is, what it means for classrooms, and how you can harness its abilities to assist with the things you do as a teacher. You don't want to miss this episode - it could save you time in the upcoming school year and allow you to create countless resources for your studen...

Grading papers and projects, assessing students in general takes a lot of time and energy. It is the “side hustle” if you will of being a teacher - you teach the kids when they are in your presence, and then, often after they have gone for the day or for your planning, you are left the task of reviewing and providing feedback on their work.  How can teachers cut down on time spent grading? Listen...