Shaping Little Minds

If you're a teacher who struggles to teach reading, know you're not alone. In today's episode, Stefanie dives into how movement can actually help children learn to read and how teachers can incorporate this into their classroom without overwhelm.  Stefanie Hohl is the creator of ABC See, Hear, Do, a multisensory learn-to-read program that has helped thousands of children worldwide b...

This was the year that I felt very disconnected from my students. I kept saying how much I miss my students from last school year. And to be completely honest, the recording for this podcast episode helped me find why I kept hitting barriers while also teaching YOU the importance of connection and the "how to" of connecting with your students.  3 KEY TAKEAWAYS: There is a different betwe...

In today’s episode, I am covering one of my favorite topics – I’ve consistently spoken about it over the last few years.  Reclaiming your identity outside of the classroom. This is a critical part of becoming an incredible teacher — I believe that when you can create an identity outside of teaching and the classroom, you become the teacher you want to be.  3 KEY TAKEAWAYS: Taking the first step to...

Ever felt like adding STEM just feels like an impossible task with everything else that needs to get done in the classroom? In today's episode, I am bringing you Dr. Jennifer Berry who will help you to simplify what seemingly feels complex about STEM and how you can incorporate it into your classroom without adding extra work to your plate. 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS: STEM is more than working in those...

The beginning of the year can be a time where teachers feel very stressed inside their classrooms; a new group of students, maybe a new age, and getting adjusted to the routines and procedures alongside the students. It can feel busy and  pretty chaotic. Today, I'm bringing you an oldie but goodie about setting routines and procedures into your classroom. 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS: Routines & proce...

Going into back to school season can feel like a lot. It can feel stressful, overwhelming and sometimes difficult to navigate. Here's the thing... when you approach a new school year positively and with a growth mindset, you end up having a wonderful school year. But the opposite is true too. If you approach the school year with negativity, that's how it will turn out for you.  You'...

Technology in the classroom is still a controversial topic. There are many that say technology shouldn't be used in the classroom and others that highlight the importance of having technology in the classroom, especially as technology continues to evolve and is becoming an integral part of society.  Dr. Leslie Gruis believes educators have a powerful role to play in shaping not just what stud...

This is the season that can bring a lot of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm. Teachers are starting to make their way back into the classroom and begin the process of setting up for a brand new school year. In today's episode, I'm giving you 3 tools you can use to help you navigate that stress, anxiety and overwhelm. 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS: Prioritizing continues to come up but when you get really...

Summer is a time for relaxation and regrouping after the school year. As you enter into vacation, I want you to really ask yourself: what kind of summer do I want? Summer goes by so quickly and so many of us end up going back to school wondering how we didn't get all the things done. This summer can be different! This summer can be the summer you approach with intentionality. This summer can...

I have a special guest on the podcast who also happens to be speaking at the summit. She is a fellow early childhood educator, entrepreneur, bestselling author, and mindset coach. She came into my world a few years ago and we both have supported each other throughout our journeys. I’m so excited to bring her back onto the podcast today. Please help me welcome Kathleen to the podcast! 3 KEY TAKEAWA...

If you've been here for a while, you'll know that I'm a HUGE fan of setting boundaries, no matter how others perceive them. Kristi is a teacher mentor who walks teachers through the process to set boundaries without any guilt. In this episode, she helps us to understand that boundaries are really just a way to show others what you need and how you want to be treated.  3 KEY TAKEAWAY...

I recently hosted a free 3-day event for teachers called Transform Your Teaching: End the Year with a BANG! This event focused on ending the year without all the stress, overwhelm, and feelings of burnout but instead being able to maximize your time and fill your cup each day leading up to the last days of school.  Today's episode gives you a taste of what one of those workshops were like. We...

This is the time of year that is stressful, overwhelming, and is really easy to let your boundaries slip. It’s the last few weeks and all you want to do is get to the finish line: summer vacation. But here’s what I don’t want for you… I don’t want you to get to summer vacation burned out I don’t want you to feel on edge over the next 2 weeks of school I don’t want you reacting to everything that h...

The education system is far from perfect. We suck it up and make it the best experience for our students. But what happens when we start using our voices?  Our voices become a ripple effect, no matter what age we teach. Change can start to happen within education, all because we spoke up.  Today, I have the incredible Carla Ward on the podcast talking about why it is CRITICAL for educators to spea...

The end of the school year can feel overwhelming, stressful, and honestly never ending. This episode is your step by step guide to help you wrap up your year, without draining what’s left in your tank. I will take you through various different actions you can take in order to not only end your year without burnout but also feel confident in your readiness for the new school year.  Segment 1: &quot...

In case no one's told you... I give you full permission to rest each day and whenever you feel you need it. In this episode, Adva dives into the culture we currently live in as US citizens and why creating space for rest is a better option. You'll learn that society encourages and promotes busy-ness, even if it comes at a cost. Adva will uncover why that's harmful to most human bein...

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to integrate AI into your day to day as a teacher, this is the episode for you. In today's podcast episode, I had the pleasure of having Chris Hull, a former educator turned founder of Otus, an education technology company. Otus provides schools across the U.S. with comprehensive solutions for assessments, data management, and insights into s...

When our students have big emotions, we know the tools they need in order to help them regulate those emotion. When we have those big emotions, have we truly learned to regulate them? In today's episode, I dive into steps you can take to help yourself regulate your own emotions so that you can show up different in your life outside of the classroom, no matter what kind of day it was at school...

There's a burnout crisis in the teaching world and my mission is to help as many teachers as I possibly can navigate the "how" of navigating and healing burnout. In today's episode, I dive into my journey through burnout and the 3 key actions I took to help myself come out of burnout and avoid it rearing it's ugly head again after going back to teaching.  Morning Pages Unl...

If you've ever heard yourself say... "I have to work after hours in order to be a good teacher." Or something along the lines of: "there's too much work to be able to leave work at work." This is the episode you're going to want to dive into today! In today's episode we cover 3 ways you can maximize your time in school to create more harmony between work and...

This is the episode I wish I had access to when I was first starting out. These are must-have essentials for classroom teachers. In this episode, I give you physical must-haves, tech must-haves, and teaching must haves. Each of the resources I provide, I've personally used for my own classroom. Join me at The Everything ECE Summit Get my free workshop on the key elements to help you thrive in...

If you are currently dealing with burnout because of struggles in the classroom but have no clue how to make things better, this episode is for you. I wholeheartedly believe that the key to helping you when things aren't working the way you'd like, is to ask yourself the hard questions and take the time to reflect. In today's podcast episode, I give you reflective questions you can...

If you're looking for ways to take back your time rather than constantly working, this is the place for you. Teaching can feel extraordinarily overwhelming and stressful given the workload. It can consume our lives if we let it. In today's episode, I dive into 3 tools I used to help me leave work at work, no guilt.  As I mentioned in the episode, I've definitely discussed these tool...

Let's just be honest... teaching can be consuming and it can consume much of your life if you let it. That's where I ended up and in the process forgot to truly live my life. If you are in that same place, in today's episode I'm sharing 5 shifts you can start to take to create the live you want outside the classroom.  Healing the part of you that always needs to work Setting fi...

Do you struggle with behavior in your classroom? Does the behavior start to make you think that you're not "good enough"?  In this episode, Ron breaks down how you can handle behaviors in a way that helps you to understand yourself and your triggers. Inside this episode, Ron moves us through various exercises you can do to help yourself in the moment and to understand your inner chi...