Feeling like your students are mentally checked out lately? Need a quick way to boost engagement without adding more prep to your plate?

In this short episode, I share a simple creative activity you can use at the drop of a hat with almost any age level: Circles.

This easy, low-pressure activity helps students:

practice flexible thinking,

spark creativity,

increase focus and participation,

and reconnect with learning in a fun, engaging way.

Most importantly, it reminds us that creativity doesn’t have to be complicated to make a BIG impact on classroom energy and student engagement.

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast

Want to experience the calm and connection in your classroom again? You will inside ✨ The Classroom Reset – theinspiredclassroom.com/reset

It’s like your dream PD day—but no sub plans, no stress, and everything applies directly to your classroom.

Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider

💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on.

It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone.

👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community

✨ Connect with me!

Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson

Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom

Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom

Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom

It's May and teachers are exhausted. Students are checked out. And by this point in the school year, it can feel like you’re managing behavior more than you’re actually teaching.

In this episode, I share why creativity is about so much more than art projects or “fun activities.” You’ll discover how the creative process helps students think flexibly, stay engaged, and regulate emotions — especially during the chaotic end-of-year season.

If your classroom energy feels flat, frustrating, or completely fried right now, this episode will help you rethink engagement in a way that feels practical, supportive, and doable.

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in this Episode:

Do you have a question for me? Record it here and I'll answer it on the podcast! https://www.videoask.com/f42f127z8

Download my free RESET Roadmap! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/roadmap

Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider

💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on.

It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone.

👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community

✨ Connect with me!

Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson

Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom

Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom

Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom

Have you ever felt stuck in teaching—but also not quite ready to walk away from education completely?

In this quick episode, I’m sharing a perspective that might completely shift how you think about burnout, frustration, and finding joy in your work again. Sometimes getting unstuck doesn’t mean quitting… sometimes it means changing how you show up in education.

I’m talking about the power of trying something different, stepping into a new challenge, and giving yourself permission to evolve as an educator.

If teaching has started to feel overwhelming, repetitive, or like you’re just surviving the days until the next break, this episode will give you something hopeful to think about.

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

Are you considering a change and want to run your thoughts by someone? Record it here: https://www.videoask.com/f42f127z8

Ready to stop the burnout cycle? Visit theinspiredclassroom.com/reset to learn more about The Classroom Reset.

It’s like a spa day for your teacher soul—but with a strategy that transforms your classroom.

📍 theinspiredclassroom.com/reset

Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider

💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on.

It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone.

👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community

✨ Connect with me!

Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson

Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom

Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom

Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom

Ever find yourself carrying everything in your classroom?

The reminders.

The behavior management.

The motivation.

The emotional energy.

The responsibility for whether students engage… or don’t.

And... does it drive you crazy like it does for me?

Somehow, teachers take on more of the load while students carry less and less.

And while it may feel necessary—it’s also exhausting.

So, let's talk about it!

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

Check out Episode 135 | Student Effort Is Low… And It’s Burning Teachers Out

💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on.

It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone.

👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community

✨ You don’t have to keep reacting to behaviors all day. Inside my course, The Classroom RESET, I’ll help you shift what’s underneath it all—so your classroom becomes calmer, more connected, and actually manageable again.

You don't need a new initiative, you need a RESET!

Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset

Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast

✨ Connect with me!

Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson

Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom

Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom

Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom

What’s draining your energy the most right now?

For so many teachers, it’s not just behavior—it’s the lack of effort. The constant reminders. The students who won’t take responsibility. The feeling that you’re the one holding everything together just to get through the day.

And over time… that’s exhausting.

In this episode, I’m unpacking what’s really going on when student effort is low and a few small but powerful shifts to help you start changing the pattern.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re managing everything instead of actually teaching, this episode will help you understand why—and what you can begin to do differently.

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

✨ You don’t have to keep reacting to behaviors all day. Inside my course, The Classroom RESET, I’ll help you shift what’s underneath it all—so your classroom becomes calmer, more connected, and actually manageable again.

You don't need a new initiative, you need a RESET!

Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset

👉 If you’re ready to move from reacting to behaviors to actually rebuilding a calm, engaged classroom, I’ve got something for you.

Grab your free RESET Roadmap here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/roadmap

Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider

💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on.

It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone.

👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community

Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast

✨ Connect with me!

Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson

Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom

Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom

Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom

Some students are hard to reach.

And if you’ve been teaching long enough, you know exactly the kind of student I’m talking about—the one who seems completely shut down, disengaged, or like they just don’t care.

In this episode, I’m sharing the story of a 7th grade student who challenged me in a way I didn’t expect. He came into my classroom with a tough exterior and very little interest in what we were doing… and for a while, nothing seemed to work.

But then something shifted.

And it wasn’t a big strategy or a complicated plan.

It was something much simpler—and much more powerful.

If you’re working with a student who feels unreachable, this story will remind you that there’s often more going on beneath the surface—and that small shifts can make a big difference.

Because it’s not always about fixing behavior.

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

✨ You don’t have to keep reacting to behaviors all day. Inside my course, The Classroom RESET, I’ll help you shift what’s underneath it all—so your classroom becomes calmer, more connected, and actually manageable again.

You don't need a new initiative, you need a RESET!

Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset

👉 If you’re ready to move from reacting to behaviors to actually rebuilding a calm, engaged classroom, I’ve got something for you.

Grab your free RESET Roadmap here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/roadmap

Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider

💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on.

It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone.

👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community

Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast

✨ Connect with me!

Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson

Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom

Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom

Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom

You’re not imagining it - teaching is harder.

Today I’m talking honestly about what so many of us are seeing right now—more behaviors, less stamina, bigger emotions—and how that can leave you feeling like what used to work just isn’t working anymore.

But you don’t have to become a different kind of teacher to handle it. Instead, you may just need to see a different path forward.

One that feels more aligned.

More doable.

And a whole lot more like you.

✨ FLASH SALE:

This week only (through Thursday), enrollment is open for The Classroom RESET—and it’s available at a special discounted rate with some exciting bonuses.

I can’t share all the details here in the show notes, so be sure to head to the website to check it out before it closes.

Go here for all the details: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start building a classroom that feels calm, connected, and actually works for you…

💛 This is your moment to take that step.

~Elizabeth

✨ Connect with me!

Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson

Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom

Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom

Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom

Do you ever feel like every new idea, strategy, or initiative just adds one more thing to your already full plate?

In this episode, I’m getting real about what teachers actually need right now—and why more strategies, more programs, and more “quick fixes” aren’t solving the problem.

Because if you’re being honest… you’ve tried a lot already.

So why does it still feel like nothing is working?

Inside this episode, I’m walking you through what might really be going on beneath the surface—and why it’s not about doing more, but about building something different.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or like you’re constantly managing behavior more than you’re actually teaching… this episode will help you see things in a new way.

Because you don’t need more on your plate.

👉 You need something that actually works.

✨ FLASH SALE:

This week only (through Thursday), enrollment is open for The Classroom RESET—and it’s available at a special discounted rate with some exciting bonuses.

I can’t share all the details here in the show notes, so be sure to head to the website to check it out before it closes.

Go here for all the details: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start building a classroom that feels calm, connected, and actually works for you…

💛 This is your moment to take that step.

~Elizabeth

✨ Connect with me!

Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson

Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom

Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom

Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom

What happens when a teacher goes from feeling completely burnt out… to experiencing a true classroom transformation?

In this episode, I’m sharing a powerful conversation with a high school ELA teacher who recently went through The Classroom RESET—and her story is one so many of us can relate to.

At one point, she described feeling like she was in a pit of overwhelm. The challenges in her classroom felt like too much, and like so many teachers, she was trying to piece together strategies just to get through the day.

But what she experienced in the course wasn’t just a collection of new ideas.

👉 It was a transformation.

In our conversation, she shares:

What burnout really felt like in her classroom (and why it was so hard to get out of)

The challenges she faced as a high school teacher navigating behavior, lack of motivation, and pressure

Why The Classroom RESET felt different from other professional development she’s tried

How shifting her classroom approach led to real, noticeable change

And why this work became something she actually wanted to do—not just something she had to do

One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is how she describes this process as a form of self-care—not because it was easy, but because it finally supported her in a way that made teaching feel better again.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like nothing is really changing no matter what you try, this episode will give you a glimpse of what’s possible.

Because you don’t need more random strategies.

You need something that actually works.

~Elizabeth

✨ FLASH SALE:

This week only (through Thursday), enrollment is open for The Classroom RESET—and it’s available at a special discounted rate with some exciting bonuses.

I can’t share all the details here in the show notes, so be sure to head to the website to check it out before it closes.

Go here for all the details: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset

✨ Connect with me!

Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson

Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom

Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom

Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom

Have you ever had a class that just felt… so hard?!

In this episode, I’m sharing a real story from my own classroom about a group of students that challenged me in a completely different way. No matter what I tried, nothing seemed to stick—and at one point, it honestly felt like me vs. them.

But what I realized changed everything.

If you’ve ever found yourself questioning why one class feels so much harder than the others, this episode will help you see what might actually be going on beneath the surface—and why it’s not just about behavior.

I want to help you to stop second-guessing yourself and start looking at your classroom through a new lens—one that actually leads to change.

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

✨ You don’t have to keep reacting to behaviors all day. Inside my course, The Classroom RESET, I’ll help you shift what’s underneath it all—so your classroom becomes calmer, more connected, and actually manageable again.

You don't need a new initiative, you need a RESET!

Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset

👉 If you’re ready to move from reacting to behaviors to actually rebuilding a calm, engaged classroom, I’ve got something for you.

Grab your free RESET Roadmap here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/roadmap

Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider

💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on.

It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone.

👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community

Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast

✨ Connect with me!

Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson

Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom

Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom

Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom