The Burned-In Teacher Podcast with Amber Harper

How to love teaching again is a question that weighs heavily on the minds of many educators.  In this episode, I’ll share my interview with Jamie Sears of Not So Wimpy Teacher and Not So Wimpy Entrepreneur.  Jamie will share her inspiring story of leaving the classroom and how she turned her passion for helping and supporting teachers into a thriving business that helps teachers rediscover their p...

For administrators, focusing on how to show appreciation for teachers is an important piece of the puzzle in supporting them against burnout amidst the many challenges they face in the classroom. In this Ask BIT episode of the podcast, we’ll explore the top 10 ways that administrators and principals can best support their teachers. From providing resources to implementing policies that promote tea...

Overcoming a toxic work environment is challenging and makes teachers believe that it’s easier to endure and “deal with it” than make a change. In this podcast episode, we explore the inspiring story of Sherree, a burned-out teacher who left a toxic environment and managed to recover from her burnout by applying what she learned as a student of Burned-In Teacher University. We’ll discuss the diffi...

Suffering from teacher burnout can be a draining and isolating experience. I have gone through it and understand the painful emotions that come with feeling overwhelmed and defeated by your work. Through my own experiences, I have come to realize that recovery is possible and that you can return to teaching even after taking a break. My interview with Alexis Shepard from The AfroEducator was an op...

There are many options for teachers leaving the profession, but the process of transition can be daunting if you don’t have the right support.  In this episode, I’m bringing back Daphne Gomez of The Teacher Career Coach.  Daphne is a former teacher who now supports other teachers in their transition out of the classroom.  I originally interviewed Daphne back in 2021, and a lot has changed in educa...

Having strategies for how to reduce stress as a teacher is essential.  Being a teacher can be quite stressful, that’s why decompressing at the end of a long week is so important.  In this episode, I talk about how to reduce stress as a teacher by changing your mindset around relaxing and sharing what you do to decompress so you can show up daily as your best self. Resources mentioned in this episo...

Merriam, a student of Burned-In Teacher University, offers insight and advice on the effects of teacher burnout and how to avoid it. In this episode, she shares her personal experience with burnout along with practical strategies for preventing it. Merriam also dives deep into her journey of self-discovery with openness, discussing the emotional aspects of teaching and how to find balance in the c...

Are you feeling overwhelmed and bogged down by teaching obligations? If so, then this podcast episode is for you! The statistics are staggering, overwhelmed teachers are quitting in droves, that’s why now, more than ever, we need to make taking care of ourselves a priority. This week, we explore how one simple mindset shift can help you make the most of your to-do list, reduce stress, and even fin...

Are you feeling overwhelmed as a teacher? Struggling to fit everything into your day? In this episode, Stephanie Palovchik of Teaching Little Learners pulls back the curtain on how to manage time as a teacher by sharing the strategies she uses to streamline productivity. Stephanie also discusses ways to make that never-ending to-do list feel more manageable, how to determine what you should work o...

It’s the middle of January, and at this time of the year, it can start to feel like we’re suffering from being “teacher tired” all the time.  You know that level of tiredness that I’m talking about - we’ve all seen those “there’s no tired like teacher tired” memes.  In this episode, I’m responding to an Ask BIT question and we’re talking about energy - specifically how to create and find energy wh...

In this episode, I’m chatting with Amy - a special education teacher and Burned-In Teacher University student - about her journey through burnout and how she was able to break free from the comfortable and go for what she really wanted. Her burnout story and desire for change will get you thinking about how to go for what you want in both your career and your life.  Do you find yourself wondering...

We are getting closer to the start of a new year, and with that comes a lot of focus on health and wellness goals for the upcoming year.  Whether or not you’re a teacher your health is important, but how to stay fit as a teacher and maintain a healthy lifestyle has some unique challenges. On this episode, I invited Bryan Holyfield to share his health and wellness tips for teachers. I knew that Bry...

As we get closer to the New Year, there is a lot of discussion about resolutions and goal setting as we look ahead at what we want to accomplish in the upcoming year.  This episode is more than just New Year’s resolution tips, information about New Year's resolutions, and how to keep them.  Instead, of focusing on lofty goals, I’ll share with you the power that one thoughtfully and carefully chose...

You’re new to teaching, but you already feel like you’ve been on the job for years. You’re exhausted, stressed out, and feeling overwhelmed by everything you have to do. You’re not alone. Many first-year teachers experience burnout during their first year of teaching. In this episode, I interview Burned-In Teacher member and student Jadah, a first-year teacher who didn’t want to become part of the...

In this episode, I’m going to share my top three systems for managing overwhelm both before and during the school year so you are no longer feeling overwhelmed to the point of shutting down. It’s obviously not the beginning of the school year, however, I truly believe that we can always create a new beginning whenever things aren't going quite as we had hoped that they would. These three things ar...

Is stress addictive? Being addicted to stress is real, and it could be an underlying cause of your burnout.  In this episode, I share the mic with Brittany Blackwell and we talk about stress addiction signs and causes and how to stop being addicted to stress. Brittany shares the signs and symptoms of stress addiction and how to begin breaking the stress addiction cycle so you can live a happier, m...

We’re talking about the “October Blues”, the emotions that can sometimes be associated with it, and how to stop being sad every day.  Teacher friends, if you feel or have felt this way, I want you to know that I’ve been there.  You’re not alone.  In this episode, I share my own very personal story of the “October Blues” and why I believe that it can become a habit if we aren't being mindful of or...

In this episode, I'm going to share with you my interview with a Burned-In Teacher University student, and member Melissa. My heart broke as she shared her story - she had so many challenges coming at her from multiple places in her life, but she kept trying and she continued to show up for herself and her students as she tried to find the right fit for her.  I know that many of you are going to r...

In this episode, I take my good friend Molly Wheatley, a fifth-grade teacher as well as CEO of Literacy Fundamentals and MollyWheatly.com, through all 8 steps of the Burned-In Process.  The truth is, we are all busy both inside and outside of the classroom - maybe you’re a teacher with a side hustle, a parent, or have hobbies - and not finding some sort of balance can lead to burnout. Together, we...

In this episode, I’m answering this Ask BIT question: “How can I stay positive when my co-workers are burned-out and negative?” Whatever space you’re in, it’s possible that you’re either observing or hearing a lot of negativity.  Whether it be about curricular choices, student behaviors, parents, administration, or maybe in a situation outside of school -  the amount of negativity that you’re expe...

In this episode, I share my interview with a Burned-In Teacher student and member, Maggie. After transitioning back into an elementary classroom, in addition to having two small children at home, her exhaustion was only amplified by her trying to keep up with all the “new” teachers.  She shares that from the get-go of her career she formed bad habits, but by rectifying all those habits and belief...

In this episode, I answer a question submitted through Ask BIT: “What do I do when all I want to do is run away from all the demands?” To answer this question, while also focusing on managing stress and mental health, I address both the why and what behind that innate need to “run away” - so to speak - when extreme feelings of overwhelm hit during the moments when there is just so much demanding y...

In this episode, I open up about some of the struggles that I’ve been facing both professionally and personally and share with you what I’ve learned through reflecting on them.  When you’re being a human teaching other humans, it can be very hard to draw a line between personal and professional struggles, and that’s okay!  But we cannot continue to silo ourselves and struggle alone in silence. It’...

In this episode, I share with you strategies that you can apply when you’re feeling overwhelmed by the seemingly endless list of to-dos.  Whether you are a new teacher, starting a new position, or just getting ready for the school year, feeling like there is so much to do and not any time to do it can leave you feeling unbalanced and - eventually - burned out. The steps that I share with you in th...

In this episode, I interview Burned-In Teacher University student and member Sandra about her burnout journey and how she applied what she learned in the course to grow through her burnout. She shares how the course and community impacted her and how the community supported her to make important mindset shifts that impacted both her career and life so she could remain BURNED-IN. For more informati...