ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN… END?I began this podcast in January of 2020 - ya know - before the world as we knew it changed. When I began the podcast almost 3 years ago - I could not have predicted all the changes that have occurred between then and now. There were the obvious changes like the changes brought on by the pandemic. There were so many changes in the way your classrooms were run, and the changes in the way you had to teach your students. But - teachers pivote...

YOU HAVEN’T EXPERIENCED BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT LIKE THIS BEFORE…But you’re about to. Teachers know that success in the classroom begins with classroom management. And classroom management starts with relationships. Without building positive relationships with students, you’ll be swimming upstream all year long. Shawn Young, CEO of Classcraft (a behavior management tool), knows this all too well. As a student himself, he often felt bored with school and didn’t feel a sense of belonging.&nbs...

FEELING LIKE YOUR CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT STRATEGY COULD USE A LITTLE FINE-TUNING?Well - you’re in luck! Today I’ve brought on Dr. Lori Friesen to share her most effective classroom management hacks that any teacher can implement immediately to start seeing results. And Dr. Lori knows what she’s talking about. She’s been around the (classroom) block a time or two! Dr. Lori Friesen taught for 10 years in Canada and overseas in Hong Kong and Japan before completing her PhD in Element...

CALLING ALL CHROMEBOOK CLASSROOMS!Using classroom technology can be an amazing way to enhance your students’ learning experience — but that doesn’t mean it comes without its challenges. When it comes to using technology with elementary students, teachers often find themselves frustrated and overwhelmed when students lack basic technology skills (20 minutes to login, anyone?), or don’t know where to find important websites needed at a small-group center. That’s why I brought on John Sowash - C...

BRAND NEW TO STEM INSTRUCTION?Or - have your tried implementing STEM projects in your classroom but find it results in chaos? (you’re not alone!) Then, allow me to introduce you to Naomi Meredith - former classroom teacher turned K-5 STEM coach. Naomi knows the feeling of overwhelm all to well when it comes to STEM instruction. After accepting a position as a STEM coach, she was thrusted into a new building, a new STEM classroom — and given NO curriculum. But along the way, Naomi has le...

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT!But you might not have thought to use THIS particular app in the classroom. What is it? Google Keep! If you haven’t thought about using the Google Keep app for your productivity and organizational needs in the classroom - then buckle up - all that is about to change! Today’s guest is none other than the amazing Michelle Emerson from Pocketful of Primary. Michelle Emerson has taught 2nd grade and 4th grade for seven years and now supports teachers around the w...

DO YOU EVER HEAR EDUCATIONAL BUZZ WORDS AND THINK “WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?”Am I doing that? Or even… do I HAVE to do that? Am I doing it right? Often times we hear buzz words and teachers groan because they’re afraid that that “buzz word” is likely going to bring about change in their classroom. And change can be scary. Maybe that’s how you feel when you hear the phrase 21st century classroom. I say it all the time here on the podcast and YOU might hear it and think… What does that e...

We’ve heard it said: Relationships are everything.It’s a bold statement, but - man, is it ever true…ESPECIALLY when it comes to teaching! If the pandemic and the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that teaching and the success of students is more than just the academics that are taught. At least - academics are only a piece of the puzzle. And if academics are like a puzzle... then the teacher-student relationship is the table that you build the puzzle on. And, the conver...

WE ARE ALL GUILTY OF BEING THE LAST CAR IN THE SCHOOL PARKING LOT FROM TIME TO TIME.There’s always one more thing to do. One more set of copies to make. One more…one more. And then it becomes a pattern. Staying late at school night after night… Bringing home work to complete on the weekends becomes the norm. Before you know it - you’re THAT teacher who has no boundaries and feels like their work day as no end and no beginning. Today on the podcast, we’re going to talk about ...

AS TEACHERS, WE ALL HAVE STORIES TO TELL. When you start out as a first year teacher, you're just beginning a the first chapter. And boy, oh boy the story of teaching sure has its turns, its ups and downs, and its surprising events! Sometimes our stories feel like that dark and stormy night ... (2020 anyone?) While other times you get to play the hero and win the battle! My story as a teacher sure has been all that and more. When I first began teaching 2006, I ha...

NOT SO “NEWS FLASH”: TEACHERS DO MORE THAN JUST TEACH ACADEMICS…Teachers wear a lot of hats, and if we’re being truly honest, our jobs come with so many more responsibilities than just teaching reading, writing, math, science, and so on. We’re often asked to play many other roles like counselor, parent, comforter, and friend. Our students come to us with not just academic needs, but also emotional and social needs, too. And to ignore these needs would be a disservice to everyone! ...

GOOGLE SLIDES: TECH TIPToday’s tip isf for all my Google Slide users out there! You know how sometimes you have a large, lengthy Google Slides presentation, but you only need a few of the slides at a time? If you’ve ever used one of my units before, whether it’s a science unit or a social studies unit, or even one of my reading units, then you know that my units come with a Google Slides presentation for the digital version of the student activities. I always have printable and di...

What if teaching writing didn’t have to be such a struggle?When it comes to writing, teachers and students face many challenges. Not enough time, not enough motivation, not enough resources. But Megan Polk, from The Literacy Dive is about to change the game when it comes to teaching writing in the elementary classroom. Megan knows what it’s like to work with students who lack basic writing skills. She understands the busy everyday schedule that teachers are working with to try to ...

INTERVIEW WITH: SARA MARYEHave you heard the phrase “science of reading” and been afraid to ask EXACTLY what it means? (ignorance is bliss, right?) Are your worried that it’s just one more NEW thing to add to your teacher plate? (Not ANOTHER reading program!) Good News! I’ve brought on special guest, Sara Marye from The Stellar Teacher to break it all down for us (and spoiler alert - it’s NOT another new curriculum that you have to learn) In fact, the science of reading is N...

WHAT DO KLEENEX AND LINKTIVITIES HAVE IN COMMON?Kleenex and LINKtivities don’t have an obvious connection, so let me explain. You see - when you have a runny nose or need to sneeze you have no doubt what you need, right? You need a Kleenex. When you need to wipe away a few tears… You grab a Kleenex. Kleenex has become so synonymous with the word “tissue” that no one looks at you funny when you ask for a Kleenex (a totally made up word) - they know exactly what you mean. Kleenex is a household...

Interview with: Jerry KolberToday I have an amazing guest! His name is Jerry Kolber, and Jerry is the co-founder and CEO of edutainment company Atomic Entertainment Group. He is also an Emmy-nominated co-creator and showrunner of Nat Geo's biggest hit series Brain Games and Netflix's Brainchild with Pharrell Williams. He began his career within the production auditing department of New York Undercover has worked in the entertainment field with networks like Disney, Bra...

SO SUMMER IS REALLY ENDING, EH?Well - we are moving on from summer (ready or not) as we head into a new school. August is a weird time for teachers because some of you are already back at school, and some of you have a couple weeks left of summer (but, let’s be honest, are likely already thinking about school) Teachers are all over the map right now, depending on where you are in the country (or even the world). However - I think today’s topic will really help ground us all as we st...

August is a crazy busy time as teachers are preparing for Back to School! In this episode, learn some amazing ways that you can save both time and money as you prepare for a new school year! From site-wide sales, to flash sales, to giveaways and other fun events...don't miss all that we've got going on in August! Be sure to download our "August Calendar of Savings" to get all the details and links! CLICK HERE for complete show notes ---------------------- LINKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED ...

Teacher Summer Road Trip 2022: Week 8 This summer we are revisiting some of the most popular tourist destinations (aka popular podcast episodes) of the 2021-2022 school year. Each week join us here on the podcast as we revisit these action-packed, and idea-inspiring episodes as your rest, and refuel for the upcoming school year. This week’s stop: Gamification in the Upper Elementary Classroom Destination Highlights: What is gamification and how does it work in the classroom?Ea...

Teacher Summer Road Trip 2022: Week 7 This summer we are revisiting some of the most popular tourist destinations (aka popular podcast episodes) of the 2021-2022 school year. Each week join us here on the podcast as we revisit these action-packed, and idea-inspiring episodes as your rest, and refuel for the upcoming school year. This week's destination: Top Questions to Ask Before Starting Readers and Writers Workshop Highlights from the episode: How to set yourself (& your stude...