This Teacher Life

Is calling home one of your least favorite things because it creates stress, anxiety, and frustration? If you said YES, you are not alone and this episode is going to help so much. Is calling home one of your most favorite things because it creates connection, problem-solving, and solutions? If you said YES, you are not alone and this episode is going to bring your next calls to new levels. Callin...

Teachers is it time to completely ditch the directions? Giving students support and help is essential to growth, but have we crossed the education line in how we do that? There is a big difference between guiding kids into learning and giving kids the step-by-step directions on how to do or solve things. What does that look like  in your classroom? In this week’s episode of the This Teacher...

Sometimes the silliest ideas end up being the most strategic ideas! So let me ask you, how is classroom management going in your teacher life right now? Are students getting disorganized? Are students struggling to keep their hands to themselves? Are students simply not turning in work? If you are looking for a solution to solve common teacher problems you are in the right place. On this week&#821...

Have you ever heard or observed a student interaction and asked, “Why did you say that?” or “Why did you do that?” Then the student looks at you like you are crazy and they respond, “They are my friend.” or “I was just joking.” Peer interactions aren’t always as positive as we would like them to be. But, what if I told you there is a strategy c...

Teachers love innovative, fun, engaging ideas. But sometimes really dumb ideas work really well too! Simple, strategic classroom changes can make a big impact and that is exactly what we are diving into in this episode. What if I told you kids would show up to class on time, turn assignments  in that are fully finished, AND self-manage their work, all by implementing this one idea. In this week&#8...

Do you want to get all of your students participating in class? The answer is probably YES! The question is, how do we actually do that? We have all been teaching and then hit pause to say, “does anybody have any questions” and ZERO hands go up. Then, only moments later, kids are saying things like “I don’t get it” “Can you help me?” “This doesn&#821...

There is SO much hype around goal settings, resolutions, and dreaming big at the start of the new year. Have you ever felt pressure to make a resolution and found yourself giving up only a few days into Jan? Are you in the exact same place, mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, that you were at this time last year? Do you ever get frustrated with progress (or lack of it) because you are...

Paper assignments vs. computer assignments. Which is better for kids? Stern consequences or flexible behavior options. Which is better for kids? To allow AI vs. not allow AI. Which is better for kids. Educators can debate and disagree on SO many education topics. But, at the end of the day we have to ask ourselves, which is better for kids and their future? In this special episode of the This Teac...

Oprah and Reese Witherspoon are known for their incredible book clubs. Each year millions of people read titles from their award-winning lists. “Teacher Books” rarely make the cut. But what if I told you that there is actually SO much to be learned from New York Times Best sellers that we could use in your classrooms on a daily basis. In this week’s episode of This Teacher Life I...

Have you ever tried to say one thing in your classroom and it came out completely different? That comment may have cause your whole class to laugh. caused you to be embarrassed, or maybe both. Teacher mistakes are a real thing and when they happen, we have to remember they don’t make us bad teachers, they make us humans. But sometimes those mistakes end up being super hilarious! In this epis...

Thanksgiving break is over and winter break is coming soon! During this time of the school year we are SO excited because we have made it through nearly half of the academic calendar. As teachers, we are probably day dreaming about things like sleeping in, family time, watching cheesy Lifetime movies, and staying in our pjs. And let’s be serious, a majority of our students are excited about...

How awesome would it be if you could get 100% of students participating? The answer is really awesome! However, you might be thinking, is that even possible? The answer is YES it’s 100% possible with THIS idea. The full ideas is described in this week’s episode of This Teacher Life and I promise even your “difficult” “hard to reach” and “quiet” stude...

Classroom games are an awesome way to get students engaged, connecting, and participating. Classroom games are also one of my favorite ways to dive deep with kids and build really strong relationships. In this week’s episode of the This Teacher Life podcast we explore a remix of the super popular game I created called Class Connections. But in this version we had students dropping their jaws...

Teachers deserve free gifts and free resources that are going to make our classrooms even better. In this fun and festive episode of the This Teacher Life podcast I share 7 FREE things that I use in my school and with my students that I’m confident you will love! This episode is also a celebration and includes fun flashbacks like skating rinks, overalls, sketchy arcades, fanny packs, Weight...

How is balance going in your teacher life? More specifically, how is the balance between smiles and systems in your school? We all know that schools are under a lot of stress right now and when stress comes into play we forget about balance. Not sure how to solve the stress? Unsure on how smiles and systems can help> In this week’s episode of the This Teacher Life podcast we unpack the mo...

Do you struggle to get kids to turn in work? Do you wish students put forth more effort on the work they turn in? Do you feel like students are failing and they don’t care? If you answered YES to any (or all of those) questions then this week’s episode of the This Teacher Life podcast is for you! We will dive into my #1 way to get students putting for their best effort on the first try...

“Things aren’t like they used to be when I started teaching.” Have you said or heard that statement lately. The reality is, yes, things in education have changed. But, the big question is, have students changed or is it the teachers? What if it’s neither? What if it’s both? What if change isn’t actually the problem? Education is hard, but it can be easier. In th...

Sometimes in life we get stuck in a rut Here are the common problems many of us as teachers are facing: Why do I keep trying things and giving up a few days in? How can I maximize my time better? What is it going to take to get my priorities aligned? How can I feel like me again? What can I do to excel in every area of my life? There are 8 pillars of life that connect back to most problems and whe...

If we aren’t laughing everyday in our school or with our students, we should be. But sometimes we fail as teachers and these aren’t small fails, they are epic. In this episode of the This Teacher Life podcast we are sharing some hilarious, huge teacher fails that will totally get you laughing and learning. Warning #1: Your jaw could hit the floor on a few of them so prepare your heart....

Want students to be prepared for class? This episode is for you! Want students to listen in class? This episode is for you? Wants students to have respectful attitudes? This episode is for you! Want students to have charged Chromebooks? This episode is for you! Creating classroom competitions is one of the easiest, most engaging, most beneficial ways to help manage a classroom and it can be SO fun...

Do you love to laugh? Do you love to learn? I think that schools should be a place where we are laughing and learning on a daily basis. And in this episode of the This Teacher Life podcast we are celebrating 3 hilarious ways to connect with your teacher pals and have some fun in your classroom and with your colleagues. This light-hearted episode features by teacher BFF, Jack Berckemeyer, and I pro...

Parent-Teacher conferences can be a little stressful for both the parents and the teacher. Often times they take a lot of time and effort. Often times the parents don’t even show up! But what if I told you there was a structure and a strategy that would change all of that? In this episode you will hear about WHAT I call my conferences, HOW I am proactive about them, WHO is actually at the ta...

We know as teachers that classroom management is essential, but we also understand that it can be very difficult. Sometimes students are defiant. Sometimes students don’t want to work. Sometimes students are antsy and energetic. Sometimes this causes stress and struggles in school. But what if there was a simple solution to create a classroom where things were both predictable and positive?...

Sometimes as teachers we just need a fresh start! We need some new ideas that are going to make this school year awesome. We need some ways to help build strong relationships with students. We need some strategies that engage and motivate kids. We need some motivation to remind ourselves we are making a huge impact. If you want this school year to be a fresh start and have all of those keys to suc...

Want to start off this school year with some practical, easy to implement ideas? This is the place for you If you need help with the dreaded “calling home” or fun, effective ways to build relationships with kids, or a quick tip on classroom management, I’ve got you covered. In this exciting episode we talk about the pros of Google Voice, how I make difficult phone calls, ways to...