Beginning Teacher Talk: A Podcast for New Elementary Teachers

What do you do when the same students keep blurting, interrupting, and disrupting your lessons, even after you've taught and practiced the classroom rules? In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori shares practical classroom management strategies to help elementary teachers address repeated interruptions, strengthen impulse control, and create individualized behavior supports without losing valuable teaching time.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to identify patterns behind repeated interruptions and blurting

• How to use private coaching conversations to teach students replacement behaviors

• Simple ways to respond to interruptions while keeping the rest of your class learning

• How to use logical consequences, positive feedback, and individualized supports to encourage progress

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Impulse Control Strategies That Work Toolkit

• What Works Clearinghouse: Teacher-Delivered Behavioral Interventions in Grades K–5

When the same students continue to interrupt, you don't have to choose between supporting their needs and keeping the rest of your class on track. These strategies will help you create a manageable plan that supports individual students while protecting everyone's opportunity to learn.

Listen now and subscribe to Beginning Teacher Talk for more practical classroom management strategies and encouragement for elementary teachers!

Need help managing repeated interruptions and challenging student behaviors?

Dr. Lori's Impulse Control Strategies That Work Toolkit includes practical trainings, classroom resources, and ten games to help students build impulse control, practice appropriate behaviors, and develop stronger self-regulation skills.

Click here to get the Impulse Control Toolkit for $47!

Stay connected with us!

Follow us on Instagram @beginningteachertalk

Looking for quick, actionable PD? Visit our YouTube channel!

Be sure to follow, rate, and subscribe to the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast so you never miss an episode.

Warmly,

Dr. Lori

Classroom management looks a little different when you're a specials teacher! How do you establish consistent routines and expectations when you teach hundreds of students, have limited class time, and manage challenging behaviors in a shared or specialized space?

In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori welcomes Jackie, a Chicago Public Schools librarian and 15-year educator, to share how she's transformed her approach to classroom management. From teaching clearer routines to building stronger student relationships, Jackie shares practical strategies that can help elementary specials teachers create calmer, more organized learning environments.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to establish clear routines and expectations in specials classrooms

• Why effective attention signals need more than a call-and-response

• How to manage transitions and student behavior without constantly raising your voice

• How stronger classroom systems create more opportunities to connect with students

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs

Listen now for practical classroom management ideas you can use in your library, art room, music classroom, gym, or other elementary specials setting. And don't forget to subscribe to Beginning Teacher Talk for more classroom management strategies and encouragement!

Need help with your classroom management as a specials teacher?

If you teach art, music, P.E., library, technology, or are a subject specialist who doesn't have your own classroom, Dr. Lori's Classroom Management for Specials Teachers course offers practical strategies to establish routines, prevent challenging behaviors, and feel more confident teaching multiple classes each week.

Click here to learn more!

Stay connected with us!

Follow us on Instagram @beginningteachertalk

Looking for quick, actionable PD? Visit our YouTube channel!

Be sure to follow, rate, and subscribe to the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast so you never miss an episode.

Warmly,

Dr. Lori

Have you ever snapped at your students, used a tone you immediately regretted, or gone home replaying one difficult moment over and over? You care deeply about your students, which is exactly why those moments can feel so awful. In Part 7 of the Impossible Standards series, Dr. Lori shares why losing your patience doesn't define you as a teacher, and what you can do next.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to recognize when frustration is building before you lose your patience

• A simple pause strategy to help you respond more thoughtfully

• How to repair a moment with students without removing the classroom expectation

• Why stronger classroom routines can reduce repeated moments of frustration

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs

Listen now for practical ways to handle teacher frustration, repair difficult moments, and move forward with more confidence. Subscribe to Beginning Teacher Talk so you don't miss the next episode in the Impossible Standards series.

Need to regain control of your classroom? Save your seat at Dr. Lori's new, free class:

Save your seat at the tropical island virtual teacher retreat, where we'll talk about how to prevent challenging behaviors from derailing your entire day, even if you feel like you've already tried everything, you don't have admin support, and parents don't seem to care.

Click here to save your seat! https://www.drlorifriesen.com/need-this

Stay connected with us!

Follow us on Instagram @beginningteachertalk

Looking for quick, actionable PD? Visit our YouTube channel!

Be sure to follow, rate, and subscribe to the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast so you never miss an episode.

Warmly,

Dr. Lori

Does being consistent mean treating every student exactly the same? In Part 6 of the Impossible Standards series, Dr. Lori explains how teachers can maintain clear classroom expectations while providing individual students with the support they need.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why consistency means stable expectations and reliable follow-through, not identical treatment

• How to separate the expectation from the flexible support a student needs

• A simple Band-Aid lesson to help elementary students understand fairness

• What to say when students ask, "How come they get to?"

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs

Listen now for practical ways to balance fairness, classroom expectations, and individual student needs. Subscribe to Beginning Teacher Talk so you don't miss the next episode in the Impossible Standards series.

Need to regain control of your classroom? Save your seat at Dr. Lori's new, free class:

Save your seat at the tropical island virtual teacher retreat, where we'll talk about how to prevent challenging behaviors from derailing your entire day, even if you feel like you've already tried everything, you don't have admin support, and parents don't seem to care.

Click here to save your seat! https://www.drlorifriesen.com/need-this

Stay connected with us!

Follow us on Instagram @beginningteachertalk

Looking for quick, actionable PD? Visit our YouTube channel!

Be sure to follow, rate, and subscribe to the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast so you never miss an episode.

Warmly,

Dr. Lori

Strong student relationships matter, but they do not eliminate the need for clear boundaries and consequences. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori explains how calm, consistent follow-through can protect student relationships, strengthen trust, and prevent small classroom management problems from becoming emotional power struggles.

What You'll Learn:

• Why a student's poor choice or refusal does not mean your relationship with them has failed

• The difference between natural consequences, logical consequences, and punishment

• How to determine whether a student is unwilling to complete a task or unable to do it successfully

• Why delaying consequences can turn a small behavior problem into a larger, more emotional response

• How to plan a respectful, related, and reasonable consequence before the behavior happens again

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs

You do not have to choose between being kind and holding students accountable. Listen to this episode to learn how calm classroom boundaries and logical consequences can help students repair their choices, return to the group, and trust that your words mean something. Then follow and subscribe to Beginning Teacher Talk for more practical classroom management support created especially for elementary teachers.

Need to regain control of your classroom? Save your seat at Dr. Lori's free class:

Save your seat at the tropical island virtual teacher retreat, where we'll talk about how to prevent challenging behaviors from derailing your entire day, even if you feel like you've already tried everything, you don't have admin support, and parents don't seem to care.

Click here to save your seat: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/need-this

Stay connected with us!

Follow us on Instagram @beginningteachertalk

Looking for quick, actionable PD? Visit our YouTube channel!

Be sure to follow, rate, and subscribe to the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast so you never miss an episode.

Warmly,

Dr. Lori

Not every student will like you, and you will not naturally like every student you teach. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori releases the guilt surrounding difficult student relationships and explains why professional care is an action, not a feeling or an effortless personal connection.

What You'll Learn:

• The difference between wanting students to feel cared for and needing them to like you

• Why a difficult connection does not prevent you from treating a student with dignity, fairness, and respect

• How the need for student approval can weaken classroom boundaries and consistent follow-through

• How one honest positive observation or neutral relational action can begin shifting a difficult pattern

• Why a dependable classroom management system can protect student relationships when emotions are running high

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs

You do not have to force affection, ignore challenging behavior, or wait until you feel differently before improving a difficult student relationship. Listen to this episode to learn how curiosity, clear boundaries, and small, intentional actions can help you remain compassionate and steady, then follow and subscribe to Beginning Teacher Talk for more practical classroom management support.

Need to regain control of your classroom? Save your seat at Dr. Lori's new, free class:

Save your seat at the tropical island virtual teacher retreat, where we'll talk about how to prevent challenging behaviors from derailing your entire day, even if you feel like you've already tried everything, you don't have admin support, and parents don't seem to care.

Click here to save your seat! https://www.drlorifriesen.com/need-this

Stay connected with us!

Follow us on Instagram @beginningteachertalk

Looking for quick, actionable PD? Visit our YouTube channel!

Be sure to follow, rate, and subscribe to the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast so you never miss an episode.

Warmly,

Dr. Lori

A chatty classroom is not necessarily out of control, and a quiet classroom is not automatically well managed. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori explains why quiet is not the same as managed, and how to create a classroom where students understand when talking supports learning, when quiet protects learning, and how to move successfully between the two.

What You'll Learn:

• Why a quiet classroom is not always a well-managed classroom

• How to match the sound, movement, and participation to each activity

• Why clear boundaries and expectations support a shared learning space

• How to teach a chatty class when talking is invited and when it is time to listen

• How fresh attention-getters can strengthen predictable classroom routines

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs

You do not need to silence your students all day to have a well-managed classroom. Listen to this episode to learn how purposeful talk, clear boundaries, and predictable attention routines can help you create a classroom where students use their voices responsibly and learning remains the focus, then follow and subscribe to Beginning Teacher Talk for more practical classroom management support.

Need to regain control of your classroom? Save your seat at Dr. Lori's new, free class:

Save your seat at the tropical island virtual teacher retreat, where we'll talk about how to prevent challenging behaviors from derailing your entire day, even if you feel like you've already tried everything, you don't have admin support, and parents don't seem to care.

Click here to save your seat! https://www.drlorifriesen.com/need-this

Stay connected with us!

Follow us on Instagram @beginningteachertalk

Looking for quick, actionable PD? Visit our YouTube channel!

Be sure to follow, rate, and subscribe to the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast so you never miss an episode.

Warmly,

Dr. Lori

If you are exhausting yourself trying to keep every student entertained during every minute of every lesson, it may be time to release an impossible standard. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori explains why student engagement naturally fluctuates, and how clear classroom management systems can help students return to learning without requiring you to turn every lesson into a three-ring circus.

What You'll Learn:

• Why a student losing focus does not automatically mean your lesson failed

• How trying to make every lesson more exciting can create additional classroom management challenges

• Why student engagement depends on clear routines, boundaries, and expectations, not entertainment alone

• How to use three simple questions to identify which students are engaged, who is drifting, and how to bring them back

• How to teach students practical re-entry strategies so they can return to learning more quickly and independently

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs

You do not need to become louder, stricter, funnier, or more entertaining to improve student engagement. Listen to this episode to learn how small cues, clearer participation routines, and calm follow-through can help students find their way back to learning, then follow and subscribe to Beginning Teacher Talk for more practical classroom management support created especially for elementary teachers.

Need to regain control of your classroom? Save your seat at Dr. Lori's new, free class:

Save your seat at the tropical island virtual teacher retreat, where we'll talk about how to prevent challenging behaviors from derailing your entire day, even if you feel like you've already tried everything, you don't have admin support, and parents don't seem to care.

Click here to save your seat! https://www.drlorifriesen.com/need-this

Stay connected with us!

Follow us on Instagram @beginningteachertalk

Looking for quick, actionable PD? Visit our YouTube channel!

Be sure to follow, rate, and subscribe to the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast so you never miss an episode.

Warmly, Dr. Lori

If your classroom felt calm during the first week but is already beginning to slide, it does not mean your classroom management plan failed. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori challenges the impossible standard that students should master expectations the first time and explains why your classroom may simply need a focused reset.

What You'll Learn:

• Why students testing expectations does not mean you are failing at classroom management

• How treating behavior and routines like curriculum changes the way you respond

• Why collecting random classroom management strategies creates more overwhelm instead of a reliable system

• How to reset one challenging routine through modeling, practice, specific feedback, and consistent follow-through

• Why calm, related, and predictable consequences can support reteaching while still holding students accountable

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs

You do not need to become a harsher teacher, scrap everything you have created, or wait for a new group of students. Listen to this episode to learn how a deliberate classroom management reset can help you rebuild calm, clarity, and confidence, then follow and subscribe to Beginning Teacher Talk for more practical support for elementary teachers.

Need to regain control of your classroom? Save your seat at Dr. Lori's new, free class:

Save your seat at the tropical island virtual teacher retreat, where we'll talk about how to prevent challenging behaviors from derailing your entire day, even if you feel like you've already tried everything, you don't have admin support, and parents don't seem to care.

Click here to save your seat! https://www.drlorifriesen.com/need-this

Stay connected with us!

Follow us on Instagram @beginningteachertalk

Looking for quick, actionable PD? Visit our YouTube channel!

Be sure to follow, rate, and subscribe to the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast so you never miss an episode.

Warmly, Dr. Lori

If the school year has barely begun and you already feel exhausted, there is nothing wrong with you. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori offers a reassuring back-to-school pep talk for elementary teachers who feel overwhelmed, depleted, or pressured to have everything figured out from day one.

What You'll Learn:

• Why back-to-school teacher exhaustion is not a sign that you are weak, ungrateful, or failing

• How to separate what is truly essential from what is simply impressive at the beginning of the school year

• Why readiness does not require a perfect classroom, a fully planned year, or endless energy

• Practical ways to simplify your workload, close the school day intentionally, and protect your limited energy

• How small, consistent acts of care, clarity, and connection can create a meaningful school year

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Feed the Monster, a free classroom management app

• Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs

You do not need an entire school year's worth of strength today. Listen to this episode for the reminder that you can be tired and still be a wonderful teacher, then subscribe to Beginning Teacher Talk for more warm, practical support throughout the school year.

Ready to make classroom management feel more positive and fun? Try Feed the Monster, a free classroom management app that helps you reinforce one specific behavior, strengthen classroom routines, and celebrate your students' progress together.

Click here to try it now: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/feed-the-monster-opt-in

Need to regain control of your classroom? Save your seat at Dr. Lori's new, free class:

Save your seat at the tropical island virtual teacher retreat, where we'll talk about how to prevent challenging behaviors from derailing your entire day, even if you feel like you've already tried everything, you don't have admin support, and parents don't seem to care.

Click here to save your seat! https://www.drlorifriesen.com/need-this

Stay connected with us!

Follow us on Instagram @beginningteachertalk

Looking for quick, actionable PD? Visit our YouTube channel!

Be sure to follow, rate, and subscribe to the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast so you never miss an episode.

Warmly, Dr. Lori