One Tired Teacher With Trina Deboree

The school year restarts, the weather turns wild, and our schedules fill faster than a radar screen during a storm. We’re leaning into a smarter way to teach: integrating reading and science through a focused study on severe weather so every minute pulls double duty. From thunderstorms to hurricanes, we use clear, kid-friendly texts to teach main idea, text features, vocabulary in context, and que...

The first days back after break don’t need to feel like a sprint through fog. We map out a gentle re-entry that keeps your class connected, your planning sane, and your energy intact. Instead of diving headfirst into new content, we focus on three anchors that make the day feel calm and productive: a purposeful morning meeting, a cozy read-aloud that sets tone and focus, and a respectful reset of...

The holidays are done, the calendar is rolling toward a new year, and your energy tank is somewhere between low and blinking. Let’s make winter break feel like it actually refills you. We pull back the curtain on what a real teacher reset looks like when you set aside perfect plans and choose small, human rituals that restore your mind, body, and heart. We start with the quiet stuff that matters:...

If January has ever felt like educational whiplash, this conversation is your warm landing pad. We walk through a practical plan to protect your peace after winter break, built on a few high-impact moves you can set up before you unplug: print-ready sub plans, a back-from-break packet that rebuilds community, and plug-and-play units that spark engagement without draining your energy. We start by n...

December doesn’t have to be a stress test. We unpack five blissful, low-prep strategies that keep kids learning and let you breathe, so you can walk into winter break proud, present, and not wiped out. We start with Elf Diaries, a creative writing approach that turns classroom elf hype into voice, perspective, and narrative skills without the daily setup grind. From there, we pivot to Holiday Woul...

December doesn’t have to be glitter storms and lost learning. We share a practical, story-driven way to turn holiday energy into real science with a Christmas-themed matter unit that keeps kids focused, curious, and proud of their work. Think stockings and balloons for inferring solids, liquids, and gases. Think hot cocoa tests that make temperature, dissolving, and fair experiment design click. T...

December doesn’t have to be survival mode. We’re sharing ten Christmas read‑alouds that bring the room to a cozy hush while still nailing essential skills like character analysis, sequencing, vocabulary, point of view, and fluency. Each pick comes with a clear teaching angle and simple prompts you can use tomorrow, so you can steer into the season’s energy without losing rigor. We break down why h...

The week before Thanksgiving can feel like a carnival on wheels—school-wide feasts, cupcake drop-offs, half the class rehearsing for a turkey play, and attention spans migrating toward grandma’s pie. We lean into that reality with a grounded plan that keeps learning meaningful without draining your last nerve. Instead of cramming a full unit or launching new systems, we focus on survival with purp...

What if the most meaningful lesson in a noisy month is the quietest one? I share the story of a short read-aloud—Molly’s Pilgrim—that shifted my classroom from scattered to centered, and why one complete book can spark more empathy and insight than a week of themed activities.  November often pushes teachers into survival mode : short weeks, sugar crashes, and last‑minute crafts that fill time but...

The pre‑Thanksgiving stretch can feel like a sprint you didn’t sign up for, and we’re done pretending it’s fine. This candid bonus drop is for every tired teacher who needs permission to step off the hamster wheel, set healthier boundaries, and protect hard‑won peace. We name the pressure points—grading through the parade, last‑minute bulletin boards, “extra PD” masquerading as team building—and s...

Tired of being told to “just be grateful” while you’re juggling a crowded class, endless testing, and a to-do list that never ends? I open up about gratitude without the guilt—how to honor real exhaustion and real care at the same time—so you can model emotional health without faking it. Instead of platitudes, I break down the difference between a scarcity mindset and actual scarcity in schools, a...

The quiet snap of November hits hard: the adrenaline fades, the sinuses throb, and suddenly “powering through” isn’t noble—it’s costly. We open up about the annual crash so many teachers face and lay out a calm, practical path to protect your peace without sacrificing your students’ progress. No fluff. Just a clear system for calling out with confidence, and a reminder that rest is part of the job...

The birth of "The We Do Not Care Club: Teacher Chapter" might be the most honest conversation about educator burnout you'll hear this year. After discovering a hilarious TikTok creator who gave women permission to stop caring about societal expectations during menopause, I realized teachers desperately needed the same liberation. What started as a few casual videos quickly erupted i...

Feeling the October teaching slump? When attention spans dwindle and classroom routines grow heavy, fairy tales, folk tales, and fables offer the perfect remedy. These timeless genres breathe fresh life into your curriculum while delivering powerful standards-based instruction wrapped in enchanting narratives. Traditional tales work magic in the classroom because they naturally teach moral lessons...

Ever found yourself torn between Halloween excitement and curriculum demands? You're not alone. That tension between creativity and standards alignment represents a false choice we don't need to make. Remember that administrator who once told me schools shouldn't have crayons and children should practice sight words during recess? That mindset risks creating environments where child...

Feeling that mid-fall classroom fatigue? You're not alone. The back-to-school adrenaline has faded, student behaviors are surfacing, and those carefully crafted routines are starting to fray at the edges. It's the perfect storm of teacher exhaustion that hits just as the calendar turns to October. This episode tackles the very real phenomenon of "teacher fog" – that overwhelmin...

Sugar highs, costume talk, and boundless energy—October's Halloween excitement can quickly derail even the most carefully planned lessons. But this seasonal shift doesn't have to steamroll your learning objectives or your sanity as a teacher. This episode dives into practical strategies for maintaining classroom stability during the Halloween season. We explore why October presents uniqu...

Ever feel like science gets pushed to the back burner because reading and math dominate your teaching schedule? You're not alone. The struggle to fit everything in is real, especially when administrators sometimes suggest cutting science altogether. Let me introduce you to a different approach: seamlessly weaving science into your ELA block. This isn't about adding more to your plate—it&...

Remember the days when getting kids to focus in class didn't feel like competing with a digital circus? Today's students—even third graders—are coming to school with phones in hand, already accustomed to constant digital stimulation and instant gratification. The result? Classrooms filled with children struggling to transition, wait, focus, and fully engage with real-world learning. As t...

Ever found yourself sacrificing read-aloud time for pre-assessments and curriculum demands? You're not alone. In this heartfelt exploration of keeping reading routines strong, we dive into why those beautiful reading structures we create in August often crumble by September. The paradox of early-year teaching hits hard when faced with pre-assessments that seem designed to highlight what stude...

A worried watermelon might be exactly what your students need to navigate their big feelings this year. Meet Wally – the adorable protagonist of author Erin Waters' new children's book that's transforming how we approach anxiety in the classroom. Drawing from her seven years as a first-grade teacher and her personal journey with worry, Waters has crafted a story that resonates deepl...

Christine Devane takes us on her journey from classroom teacher to published children's author, revealing how patience and persistence led to the publication of her book "Elephant Beach" after nearly a decade of waiting. What started as a manuscript written during her teaching years perfectly aligned with her current life as a mother of three, creating a beautiful full-circle moment...

Struggling to establish reading routines that don't leave you exhausted? Discover the magic of sustainable reading practices that transform your classroom culture while building essential literacy skills. The most powerful reading routines aren't complicated—they're consistent, joyful, and purposeful. In this episode, we explore how simple structures like read-aloud, turn-and-talk,...

Ever found yourself cringing through yet another awkward icebreaker activity? You're not alone. As teachers, we know building classroom community is essential, but finding engaging ways to do it can be challenging. The good news? Creating meaningful connections doesn't have to be painful or embarrassing for you or your students. When students feel safe, seen, and connected, everything im...

Every teacher knows the feeling: waking up with a scratchy throat or fever, but dreading the thought of writing sub plans while sick. What if you could eliminate that stress with some smart planning now? The beginning of the school year brings excitement, fresh starts, and, unfortunately, exposure to countless classroom germs. As someone who battled chronic sinus infections throughout my teaching...