The Present Teacher Podcast

What if spending your entire summer in your classroom isn't what makes you a great teacher? For years, I believed that the best teachers sacrificed their summers to prepare for back to school. Then everything changed. During my first year in a new district, I didn't spend months setting up my classroom. Instead, I traveled to Cancun, visited a lake cabin in Idaho, and actually enjoyed my summer. I...

Last year does not define the teacher you are becoming. Maybe you were non-renewed. Maybe you received a difficult observation. Maybe you were placed on an improvement plan. Maybe you left a district that wasn't the right fit. If you've been carrying the weight of last school year into this one, this episode is for you. In today's conversation, I'm sharing one of the hardest lessons I learned afte...

With back to school fast approaching, it's easy to feel like you're behind. You look at your classroom. You look at your to-do list. You look at the calendar. And suddenly it feels like there isn't enough time to get everything done. But what if the problem isn't time? What if the problem is the lack of a plan? In today's episode, I'm sharing the story of my very first classroom and how I spent an...

So many teachers leave the profession… Not because they weren’t good teachers. But because they were in the wrong environment. In this episode, we’re talking about how to tell if a school will burn you out—before you accept the job. We’re breaking down:   Why burnout is often an environment issue (not a personal one) The red flags most teachers overlook What green flags actually look like How...

Not every school deserves you. And once you understand that… Your entire job search changes. In this episode, we’re talking about:   Why teachers feel pressure to fit in everywhere How people-pleasing leads to burnout and misalignment The difference between rejection and redirection What aligned schools actually feel like The identity shift from “please pick me” → “I choose what aligns” &nbsp...

“I didn’t get hired because I’m not experienced enough.” If that thought has ever crossed your mind… This episode is for you. Because the truth is: You’re probably not underqualified. You’re underselling yourself. In this episode, we’re talking about: Why this belief is so common (especially for new teachers) The hidden ways teachers minimize their experience What your “it factor” actually is How...

Most teachers walk into interviews thinking: “I just need them to pick me.” But what if that mindset is exactly what’s holding you back? In this episode, we’re flipping the dynamic. Because you should be interviewing the school just as much as they’re interviewing you. We’re talking about: Why saying “no” to questions is a missed opportunity How this mindset leads to burnout and misalignment What...

If you’ve ever Googled “teacher interview buzzwords”… This episode is for you. Because the phrases you think are helping you stand out… Might actually be the reason you’re blending in. In this episode, we’re talking about: The most common buzzwords teachers use in interviews Why they don’t work (and what hiring teams actually think) How to answer questions in a way that feels genuine and aligned T...

You can say all the “right” answers in an interview… And still not get the job. Why? Because it’s not just about what you say. It’s about how you show up. In this episode, we’re talking about: Why it’s normal to feel desperate during the job search How that energy shows up in your interview (even if you don’t realize it) How hiring teams actually perceive it The mindset shift from “please pick me”...

“I’ve applied to 30+ schools and nobody has hired me… what am I doing wrong?” If you’ve ever asked that question, this episode is for you. Because the truth is… You might not be doing anything wrong. You might just be doing what everyone else is doing. In this episode, we’re breaking down: Why following all the “right” advice isn’t working The 3 biggest mistakes that are costing you interviews Wha...

If you’ve been told to apply to as many teaching jobs as possible… This episode is going to challenge everything you’ve been taught. Because the teachers getting multiple job offers? They’re not applying more. They’re applying differently. In this episode, we’re talking about: Why “more applications” leads to more overwhelm (not more offers) How generic messaging is costing you interviews The real...

Everyone says the same thing to new teachers: “Just get your foot in the door.” But what if that advice is the exact reason so many teachers burn out in their first few years? In this episode, I’m sharing why I didn’t follow this advice—and how it actually helped me get hired faster than many of my peers. We’re talking about: The fear-based thinking behind “apply everywhere” The hidden cost of mis...

If you’ve been applying to 20+ districts and hearing crickets, this episode is for you. Every year, I get messages from new teachers saying they’ve applied everywhere and still aren’t getting interviews. And the truth is… that strategy might be the problem. In this episode, I’m breaking down: Why the “apply everywhere” advice is rooted in fear The biggest mistake new teachers make when job searchi...

If you’ve ever: • Declined summer school • Stopped staying late • Refused to work weekends • Asked to meet during contract hours instead of after And been told you’re “not a team player”… This episode is for you. I share the first time I was publicly pressured to work summer school — including the moment admin interrupted my lesson to show me how much money I’d make — and why I still said no. We’r...

You Were Trained to Feel Guilty for Leaving on Time If you’ve ever walked to your car at contract time and felt that tightness in your chest… Like someone is watching. Like someone is judging. Like you should stay longer. This episode is for you. I share the first time a coworker accused me of not being a “team player” because I left on time — and why that moment changed everything for me. We’re d...

Teachers are told from the very beginning: “If you really care, you’ll sacrifice.” Stay late. Take work home. Be a team player. Do more. Give more. Sacrifice more. In this episode, I’m exposing the biggest lie teachers are taught about hard work — and how it leads directly to burnout, resentment, and exhaustion. I share: • The year I worked day and night and still struggled with results • Real com...

Burnout Isn’t a Time-Management Problem (It’s a Nervous System Problem) You don’t need another planner. You don’t need more discipline. You don’t need to “try harder.” In this episode, we’re talking about something most teacher productivity advice completely ignores: Your nervous system. I share a time when I had all the right systems in place to make teaching easier — and I still self-sabotaged....

You know the one. She leaves at contract time. Her classroom runs smoothly. She doesn’t look stressed. She’s planned ahead. She doesn’t bring work home. And you can’t help but wonder… How? In today’s episode, I’m breaking down what “That Teacher Next Door” actually does differently — and why it’s not about working harder. I share: • The first time I met “that teacher” • The jealousy vs. inspiratio...

Is it really impossible to have work-life balance as a teacher… or were we just taught to believe that? In this episode, I’m unpacking one of the biggest lies in education: That good teachers have to be exhausted. I’m sharing the moment I realized something had to change — when I was so emotionally drained from teaching that I couldn’t even stay present during dinner with my husband. If you’ve eve...

Want to leave school at contract time without falling behind? Learn the three essential systems every teacher needs—planning, prepping, and communication—to finally stop staying late, reduce stress, and reclaim your evenings. Download the Ultimate Teacher Prep Guide Here: https://www.thepresentteacher.com/teacher-prep-guide Grab the Book: https://www.thepresentteacher.com/book-2025 Join The Presen...

Feeling burnt out before break? Learn the top three habits contributing to teacher burnout—and what to do instead to protect your energy, work smarter, and finish the semester strong without sacrificing your well-being. Download the Ultimate Teacher Prep Guide Here: https://www.thepresentteacher.com/teacher-prep-guide Grab the Book: https://www.thepresentteacher.com/book-2025 Join The Present Teac...

Over winter break, it can be so hard to balance rest and productivity. During my first year of teaching, I made a lot of mistakes when it came to working ahead. Which is why today I am sharing the mistakes I made along my teaching journey. Today, we are diving into what most new teachers get wrong about winter break, the mistakes that lead to deeper burnout, and what to do instead to actually rest...

Let’s be honest, December is peak season for many new teachers to reach teacher burnout. It’s easy to feel like, in order to finally break the cycle, you need to work your entire break. But that’s not the case.  Learn how to prepare for January now so you can truly rest over winter break—without burnout or guilt. Discover three simple, sustainable strategies teachers can use to batch lessons,...

First-year teacher burnout is common—but it doesn’t have to be normal. In today’s content, we cover the silent signs of burnout no one talks about, what shifted in my own journey, and how to avoid or recover from burnout through simple, sustainable systems. Teacher burnout does not have to be a rite of passage for first-year and second-year teachers. There is a way out of it, and if it’s possible...

What if I told you I have my students switch centers or stations everyday without me saying anything? Freeing me up to work one-on-one with students or in small groups at the back of my classroom for an average of an hour a day. What could you do with that extra hour? Could you help individual students make the leaps in growth that you've been craving?   Today, I am talking about how my stude...