Teach Your Class Off Radio

What do you do when a student clearly needs extra help—but refuses to accept it? In Episode 363 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn tackle one of the most frustrating parts of teaching: knowing a student needs support but not being able to convince them to take it. We talk about how to offer help without embarrassing students, why relationships matter, and how to recognize when you've do...

Is teaching really harder than it used to be, or have we stopped adapting to the challenges in front of us? In Episode 362 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ is flying solo while Jenn and the family are away, and we're diving into some big questions about classroom management, student relationships, teacher burnout, and taking ownership of the things we can actually control. We talk about what t...

What do you do when classroom management starts slipping—or when you're walking into a classroom where the expectations were never really established in the first place? In Episode 361 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn talk about resetting a classroom, holding students accountable without becoming the "mean teacher," and why being nice sometimes means being willing to say no....

What do you do when students are trying hard—but still aren't getting the work done? In Episode 360 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn talk about the complicated space between holding students accountable and recognizing when they genuinely need more time, support, or a different approach. From perfectionism and executive functioning to honors classes and mixed-level classrooms, we'...

What happens when you're excited about creating something incredible for students—but the people around you just don't seem to get it? In Episode 359 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn talk about protecting your creativity as an educator, even when your ideas aren't celebrated by the adults around you. Sometimes the work isn't about getting recognition. It's about creati...

What do you do when you're doing all the “right” classroom management things—and your students are still disruptive? In Episode 358 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn are coming to you from the new Eagle News Network newsroom while they work on transforming the space. CJ is also feeling the reality of teaching four different preps, running a business, traveling, and trying to protect en...

How do you get students to participate because they actually want to—not just because you called on them? In Episode 357 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn dig into what it takes to build a classroom where students feel known, supported, and confident enough to participate. We talk about showing students you care even if you're not naturally "warm and fuzzy," practical ways to...

What do you do when the school year has barely started—and you're already struggling to find your motivation? In Episode 356 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn talk about navigating the reality of the beginning of the school year: tough first days, challenging students, lack of motivation, overwhelming workloads, and figuring out how to keep showing up without running yourself into the...

It’s the night before CJ heads back to school for year 21—and there’s still stuff left to do. And that’s okay. In Episode 355 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, we’re talking about what actually matters as a new school year begins: creating joy where you have control, staying grounded when you don’t feel appreciated, simplifying your systems, protecting your time, and building a classroom where student...

Join my TYCO Back-to-School Live event on Satturday, August 8th. More info here: https://www.shopteachyourclassoff.com/products/tyco-back-to-school-live-workshop-registration ______________________________________________________ Back-to-school season is here, and with it comes excitement, nerves, and a thousand things competing for your attention. In Episode 353 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ s...

What makes a great teacher? In Episode 352 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn dive into the qualities that matter most in the classroom—and why confidence might be the foundation that everything else is built on. From creating systems instead of endless rules to helping students clean up, connect, and take ownership of the classroom, this episode is full of practical ideas you can implement...

As the new school year gets closer, we're talking about how to create a classroom students actually want to be in. In Episode 351, CJ and Jenn answer your biggest back-to-school questions—from establishing classroom jobs and routines to planning engaging units, building student buy-in, and avoiding burnout. CJ also shares why creating moments of joy matters more than creating perfect lessons,...

Welcome to Season 10 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk! After 10 years of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn are back to kick off a brand-new season. In this episode, they talk about making the most of summer, preparing for a new school year, building classroom culture before students even walk through the door, and answering your questions about classroom management, first-day activities, parent c...

n the Season 9 finale of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ reflects on a life-changing senior mission trip to St. Croix, the power of student stories, losing his wedding ring in the Caribbean, and what educators can do to finish the school year strong. The conversation covers end-of-year projects, student apathy, teacher burnout, classroom management, AI in education, career transitions, and preparing...

In Episode 348 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ reflects on the emotional chaos of the end of the school year, preparing for senior trip, graduation weekend, and fundraising with students using World’s Finest Chocolate. The episode dives into teacher burnout, conference season, community support, classroom culture, mentoring, and practical advice for educators navigating transitions, interviews, c...

The end of the school year is here and with it comes chaos, big projects, and students who are either all-in or completely checked out. In this episode of Sunday Night Teacher Talk , CJ shares how he’s structuring final exam projects, keeping energy high during the last stretch, and having real conversations with students who are struggling to stay motivated. If you’re trying to finish the year st...

CJ kicks off Episode 346 with a real-life chaotic Sunday and a reminder that growth-minded teachers show up—even when it’s messy. From students not turning in work to end-of-year burnout, CJ breaks down practical strategies to re-engage your classroom, chunk projects, and refocus on what actually works. He also dives into motivation, the power of joy, and how to avoid focusing on the wrong student...

With only a few weeks left in the school year, CJ dives into one of the trickiest seasons in teaching—when you’re balancing burnout, expectations, and unfinished goals. This episode tackles scripted curriculum frustrations, holding coworkers accountable, managing difficult student behaviors, and navigating high-stress situations like classroom incidents and toxic environments. CJ also shares pract...

CJ is back solo after a long week of school and prom chaperoning—and an unexpected class pet dilemma. In this episode, he dives into real talk about having favorite students (and why that’s okay), navigating toxic coworkers and admin, handling testing season burnout, and staying rooted in your mission when school culture gets messy. He also shares powerful strategies for classroom accountability,...

This week, CJ shares a heartbreaking story from his classroom week after losing one of the family cats just before school started, and talks honestly about what it looks like to teach when life feels heavy. He answers questions about becoming a teacher resource, rebuilding trust with disconnected classes, making SEL lessons more meaningful, preparing students for major exams, using AI ethically, g...

This week on Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ gets real about coming back from a spring break that was anything but restful. He talks about feeling worn down, spiritual resistance, tech disasters, sickness at home, and what it looks like to keep showing up when you do not feel refreshed. He also shares a fascinating insight from Malcolm Gladwell on ideal class size, then answers questions about revie...

This week on Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ talks about that awkward week right before spring break, how to keep class fun without losing structure, and why student behavior often spikes before a break. He also answers questions on exhaustion, long commutes, entitled students, test prep classes, building trust with new admin, reaching discouraged students, and how to start getting your school ready...

This week on Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ opens with a powerful reminder: everything you want is on the other side of being honest with yourself. As March begins and the stretch to the end of the year feels long, CJ and Jen tackle real teacher struggles — student apathy, inconsistent behavior, tech vs. traditional instruction, AI misuse, co-teaching tension, and how to push through burnout before...

This week on Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ reflects on speaking in Kansas and why hands-on programs like woodshop, robotics, and CTE matter more than ever. He answers big questions about moving on from a school after tough evaluations, advocating for teacher support, handling co-teaching tension, student apathy, AI in writing, and encouraging students to advocate for better instruction. Plus: prac...

This week on Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ shares highlights from speaking in Kansas, why hands-on programs like woodshop and robotics matter, and how to fight the “February funk” hitting teachers and students alike. He answers questions about grading sub work, staying organized, handling co-teaching tension, navigating student apathy, and building joy into heavy seasons of the school year. Plus:...