This Teacher Life

Get ready to be mind-blown! We ALL need this regardless of what age, subject area, or ability level we are teaching! What is the “this”? My friend Beth will share it with you! Beth Skelton is a language specialist and education consultant. Her practical, engaging tips are perfect for any teacher in any content because we are focusing on the foundation to all learning, language. Check o...

Hold on for one more day! That isn’t just a lyric from Wilson Phillips, it’s also a great teacher philosophy. But how do you do that? How do you hold onto hope that this education is still for you? How do you hold your ground and create grit in kids? How do you hold off to be flexible during a pandemic? How do you “hold hands” with fellow teachers when the hand sanitizer is...

This is crazy. This is not what I signed up for. This is hard. Have you found yourself saying these things this year or at some point in your career? Me too. There is a lot of sh*t happening in schools every day, so how do we over come these tough times? The answer is CRUSH! Not sure what that means? I’ve got you! In this episode we tackle the S in CRUSH which stands for Share! There is no d...

We all want to be terrific teachers. We all strive to be exceptional educators. But sometimes it feels like we get stuck and think, “I don’t know what to do from here!?” The answer is CRUSH! Not sure what that means? I’ve got you! In this episode we tackle the U in CRUSH which stands for Utilize! I promise the 3 ideas and reflections shared here will help you be the best fr...

The importance of relationships was still “up for debate” in some schools, even a year ago. But at this point, it is so very clear that the power of building strong connections with kids is huge! If you are looking for ways to crush it for kids, you are in the right spot! Not sure what that means? I’ve got you! In this episode we tackle the R in CRUSH which is all about relations...

Does it feel like you have lost your educator energy? Do you feel deflated as a teacher? Did you actually know you are CRUSHing it! Not sure what that means? I’ve got you! In this episode we tackle the C in Crush which is all about celebrating education even when it feels like education is a train wreck right now. I promise you will walk away feeling so excited and full of ideas on how to ce...

Am I even making an impact? Are the kids even learning anything? Are we doing enough? Yes, teacher friends. The answer is yes! And if you are questioning your value as a teacher for even a millisecond, then you need this episode. Check out Kyle’s thoughts as he dishes out two quick tips to remind educators about the deep impact we make every single day!   Connect with Monica on social media:...

Get ready to tackle all of the things in this epic episode. How in the heck do we balance our online students with our in-person students? I got you. How are we even supposed to lesson plan right now? I got you. How do you handle all the negativity in education right now? I got you. How are we supposed to feel like a classroom or school community during a pandemic? I got you. How do you set bounda...

If you think Oprah’s book club is cool, you haven’t seen anything yet. Reading is not just a subject, it is a life skill and an opportunity for everybody to bring their learning to new levels! Not a readying teacher? This episode is still for you! Check out Christina’s awesome ideas as she dishes out two quick tips on how books can make a huge impact in the lives of students and teachers! &n...

Kids come to school to “learn” but that is a super generic word. What does learning even mean right now, in 2021, as we continue in a pandemic. Let’s get real. Let’s get raw. And let’s really dive into how everybody can actually learn something right now. Warning: this episode may not be what you think, which is exactly why you should have a listen. Show Links: Ready...

Every single teacher who walks in (or logs in) to their classroom deserves to LOVE that experience. The big question is, do you right now? If you aren’t able to answer “yes” don’t feel bad. If you are able to answer “yes” don’t feel guilty. We are all continuing to be on an emotional roller coaster when it comes to this love/hate relationship we have with...

Every single kid who walks in or logs into a classroom can love that experience. Teachers like you are always looking for ways to be game changers for students which is why I know you will LOVE these ideas. In this episode I throw out 4 ridiculous, but really awesome ways to get kids walking away from your class thinking, “that was really fun!” They are free, effective, and can be easi...

Sometimes we all just need a quick pep talk, and that is exactly what is happening in this episode. Welcome to a new year, 2021! During this year I really believe we can all start off on a good note, just by focusing on these 3 things. They may be simple, but I promise they are significant. Show Notes: This is going to make your teacher life awesome in 2021: monicagenta.com/awesomecon Connect with...

Teachers are the BEST at getting creative, especially right now! We are turning trash-like circumstances into treasure-like opportunities for our kids. And in this episode Eric Crouch is going to help us get those creative juices pumping! Listen in on Eric’s amazing ideas as he dishes out two quick tips on how literally anything can be turned into a learning experience for kids! Because free is in...

There are 5 totally different, totally awesome ways to give and receive love to friends, family, and students right now. Do you know what those 5 look like and sound like? In this episode we dive into how the concept of the 5 Love Languages can work during a holiday season, but also during the hard that we are experiencing in our classrooms. Whether you have never heard of love languages before or...

Do you understand the power in practicing mindfulness as a teacher? If you think it’s one of those “weird” things, I get it. (I used to think that too) But it’s totally connected to objective thinking, positivity, and being pro-active. Things we could all use right now! Check out Caitlin’s awesome ideas as she dishes out two quick tips on how positivity and self-care can ma...

Feeling stressed? Totally overwhelmed? Wanting a raise? Needing more time? You are not alone! One of the best things we can do for our motivation and mindset right now is be reminded that these feelings are real and raw, but your fellow teacher family is feeling the same way! Give yourself permission to take a few minutes and just listen in order to feel better. I promise by the end of the episode...

Students need our support in SO many ways right now. And sometimes that means we just need simple reminders on how we can make that happen! Check out Luke’s awesome accent as he dishes out two quick tips on the importance of building relationships with all students and how every one of us is an essential mentor for kids. Episode Notes:  Get your FREE copy of my book Crushing It For Kids here: http...

  Feeling like it is time to dig a little deeper with your students? Wanting to show kids how to connect on an SEL level with their peers? In this episode we dive into part three of this three part relationship series with: compassion. Find out how we can bring love to another level in all classrooms. If you are you feeling like there is just something “missing” from this school y...

Wanting to get your kids more engaged in your virtual classroom? Needing to get your students being more open or talk more often? Struggling to get more than 1-word answers? In this episode we dive into part two of this three part relationship series with: communication. Find out to get your kids talking, even if they have a wall up! If you are you looking for super fun ideas to bring your classro...

Are you looking for super fun ideas to bring your classroom relationships to the next level? Then you are in the right place. In this episode we dive into part one of this three part series with: camaraderie. Find out how this fancy words is really all about having fun with your students. I promise you will laugh and learn and also play and participate in really exciting ways while you listen! Epi...

Thankfulness is the theme of November, but it can be REALLY hard to feel thankful with everything going on in our world. But I promise there was 4 things that we, as teachers, can do to make sure that we are focusing on thankfulness this month, and always. This episode will give you month-long momentum to have the right mind-set now and always. Focus on these 4 things and your students, schools, a...

  3 really important letters in teaching: IRA. I’m not talking about Individual Retirement Accounts here. We are diving into some awesome ideas about interactive read-alouds! You will love Juan’s quick tips on how we can help students create passion within the pages of books of books, regardless of what teaching environment you are currently in.   Episode Notes:  Did you like the r...

Confession: I have been keeping something from people for the past few years. I have been dying to tell you, I just wasn’t sure when was the right time. Well, it turns out it is NOW! Get ready to hear this mind-blowing announcement. I am 100% confident you are going to say, “AWESOME!” Are you ready to bring your new year to a new level? Grab your copy of 365 Days of Awesome! Visi...

Education is evolving. Are you evolving with it? In this episode, Ashley Bible dishes out two quick tips on how we can re-think making education awesome, especially for our older students. Now is the time to step-outside of our teacher boxes and this short, but sweet segment will help all of us do just that!                       Episode Notes...