What if the research confirmed that you’re losing the equivalent of 14.5 school days every year — not to planning or grading, but to managing disruptive student behavior?

In this episode, I’m walking through what the data actually says — including a University of Nebraska-Lincoln study that sent trained observers into real classrooms to measure the time and financial cost of behavior management. The findings are striking and worth talking about.

I’ll also share what the research says happens when effective classroom management strategies are in place — and it’s not just about reducing behavior. It’s about improving student engagement, academic performance, social-emotional skills, and yes, getting more of your teaching time back.

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

The Classroom Tripod is discussed here: 148 | What a Calm Classroom Actually Looks Like (It's Not What You've Been Sold)

Behavior management time statistic based on research reported by Gormley, M. J., Overfield, R. A., Spradlin, C., Scanlan, L., & Sheridan, S. M., University of Nebraska-Lincoln, citing EAB District Leadership Forum (2019), Breaking Bad Behavior: The Rise of Classroom Disruptions in Early Grades and How Districts Are Responding.

Additional source: Jonson, A. & Witte, A. L. (2025). Reducing Classroom Disruptive Behaviors to Improve Academic Performance: An NeMTSS Research Brief. University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349570451_The_Time_and_Cost_of_Classroom_Behavior_Management

https://nemtss.unl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/25-Reducing-Student-Disruptive-Behaviors.pdf

Are you ready to jump into The Classroom RESET course? It's the natural next step to improving student behavior and getting those 14.5 days back! Let's do this! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/yes

Have a question? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast

The Classroom Reset course: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset

Inspired Classroom Insider: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider

Free community: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/community

Connect with Elizabeth:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom

The Classroom RESET Challenge starts July 21st, and in this episode I'm walking you through exactly what three days together is going to look like so that you can improve student behavior to eliminate teacher burnout!

Come for three days. Leave with more than you came with. And if you want to go further — The Classroom Reset course will be there when you're ready.

Save your spot — it's free, PD hours are available, and the replay comes to you if you can't make it live: theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge

I cannot wait.

Mentioned in This Episode:

The Classroom RESET Challenge (free, July 21-23, 2026): https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge  

Join me for a free, live 3-day challenge built for teachers who already know how to teach and are ready to walk into this school year with an actual plan for student behavior — not just hope.

📅 Tuesday–Thursday, July 21–23, 2026

🕠 5:30pm PST / 6:30pm MST / 7:30pm CST / 8:30pm EST

⏱️ One-hour workshop each day

🎓 PD hours available

📼 Can't make it live? No problem — replays go out after each session.

workshops ~ community ~ prizes ~ FUN!

✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again.

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

Connect with Elizabeth:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom

If "I don't have time for one more thing" is the thought that keeps you from trying anything new in your classroom, I want you to hear this one before school starts.

In this episode, I'm sharing some of my favorite classroom management tips — not because they're clever or complicated, but because every single one of them fits inside time you already have. We talk about three small, specific moves that address Connection, Regulation, and Engagement without adding a single extra minute to your day.

I'll also share what shifted for me when I stopped looking for what I could add and started looking at what I could redirect — and why the first five minutes of class might be the most important classroom management tip nobody talks about.

By the end, you'll have a simple three-step plan to find the moments in your day that are already there — and give them one clear job.

And if you want to dig deeper into more strategies like these, join me at The Classroom RESET Challenge — three days, one hour a day, completely free, July 21st–23rd. On Day 2 I do a live micro-engagement demo that shows you exactly what this can look like in your classroom. PD hours available.

Save your spot: theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

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

Join The Classroom RESET Challenge (free, July 21-23): theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge

Ready to take it all the way? The Classroom Reset course is where we take everything in this episode and build it into a full, supported RESET plan for your classroom. You know how to teach - now let's make sure your classroom and your students are ready!

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

Become an Inspired Classroom Insider: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider

Free community: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/community

Connect with Elizabeth:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom

If you've ever tried a new classroom behavior management strategy, watched it work for a week or two, and then felt it completely fall apart — this episode is for you.

I'm breaking down why strategies stop working, and why it almost never has anything to do with the quality of the strategy itself. The real issue is usually where you're aiming. When you're managing the symptom (the behavior) instead of the source, things will unravel every time — no matter how good the strategy is.

I want to walk you through why behavior is always pointing at something underneath, how Your Classroom's Tripod helps you figure out exactly what that is, and what changes when your energy is finally going to the right place.

By the end, you'll have a simple three-step plan to carry into fall (or next week) so you stop managing the same thing over and over — and start actually changing it.

And if you want to do this live with me, I'd love for you to join The Classroom RESET Challenge — three days, one hour a day, completely free, July 21st–23rd. We'll work through improving student behavior without clip charts or consequences, preventing burnout, and creating a classroom you actually love. PD hours included.

Save your spot: theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge

Can't wait to see you there!

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

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

Join The Classroom RESET Challenge (free, July 21-23): theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge

Ready to take it all the way? The Classroom Reset course is where we take everything in this episode and build it into a full, supported RESET plan for your classroom. You know how to teach - now let's make sure your classroom and your students are ready!

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

Become an Inspired Classroom Insider: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider

Free community: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/community

Connect with Elizabeth:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom

If you've ever thought "they just aren't trying" about a student in your class, I want you to hear this one before you step foot back into school.

In this episode, I'm challenging a belief I've held myself — and one I hear from teachers constantly — that a checked-out, unmotivated-looking student is simply choosing not to try. What I've come to realize, in my own classroom and in working with teachers everywhere, is that what looks like a lack of effort is often a lack of access.

I'll walk you through why that shift matters, how it connects to Engagement and what to actually do differently with the student you're picturing right now.

By the end, you'll be equipped with a simple three-step process to catch yourself before making any assumptions...and how to be the teacher that kids has been needing for so long!

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

Join me this July 21-23, 2026 for the Classroom RESET Challenge. Learn how to improve student behaviors to eliminate teacher burnout! Go to https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge to reserve your FREE spot!

Other Resources:

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

✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again.

Learn more and enroll here: https://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

Have you ever wondered if you're just exhausted...or if it's something more?

In this episode, I'm joined by PTSD expert and resilience trainer Lori Owens as we talk about a question I think so many teachers are asking themselves: How do I know if I'm simply exhaused, burned out—or if my nervous system is trying to tell me something more?

You'll hear practical, teacher-friendly strategies to help you recognize the signs of burnout, regulate stress during the school day, and create healthier boundaries so you can care for your students without sacrificing yourself.

If you've been feeling emotionally drained, dreading Monday mornings, or wondering why a weekend never seems to be enough, this conversation is for you.

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

Lori's free Boundary-Setting Worksheet: https://practicalsolutionsforptsd.com/podcast

Coaching discount: Use code GUEST10 for 10% off your first coaching session with Lori.

Join me this July 21-23, 2026 for the Classroom RESET Challenge. Learn how to improve student behaviors to eliminate teacher burnout! Go to https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge to reserve your FREE spot!

Other Resources:

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

✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again.

Learn more and enroll here: https://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

Summer is the perfect time to think about next school year—but if you're simply hoping next year will somehow be calmer, you're going to need to listen to this.

In this episode, I'm sharing why hope alone has never fixed classroom management and the three common mistakes many of us make at the end of a difficult school year. I'll walk you through how to stop relying on luck, start learning from last year's challenges, and create a classroom management plan that actually supports the classroom you want.

If you've ever caught yourself saying, "Maybe next year's class will be better," this episode will help you replace wishful thinking with a simple, intentional plan that can truly change your year.

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

Join me this July 21-23, 2026 for the Classroom RESET Challenge. Learn how to improve student behaviors to eliminate teacher burnout! Go to https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge to reserve your FREE spot!

Other Resources:

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

✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again.

Learn more and enroll here: https://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

If your summers sometimes end up feeling like one big runway into next school year, this one's for you. I'm sharing three resets I actually believe in for teacher summer vacation — and the one thing almost every teacher skips without even realizing it.

We'll talk about why your body needs to catch up before your to-do list does, why a real plan beats a wish every single time, and why your phone might be the biggest thing standing between you and an actual break.

I'll also walk you through the one belief most of us never question and why that's exactly backwards.

Plus, by the end, you'll have three small, doable steps to make sure this summer actually feels different. You've earned a real rest. Let's make sure you actually get one.

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

Join me this July for the Classroom Reset Challenge to improve student behavior and eliminate teacher burnout!  It's FREE! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge 

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

✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again.

Learn more and enroll here: https://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

What do you picture as a "calm classroom?" Silent rows of kids working quietly? Only the sound of pencils writing or fingers typing? That might happen every once in a while, but is that really the ultimate goal?

Today I'm breaking down the real difference between a calm classroom and a quiet one, and why so many of us have been chasing the wrong picture for years. We'll talk about why calm starts with your own regulation before it ever touches student behavior, and why your best teaching memories probably weren't the silent ones.

By the end, you'll learn what Your Classroom Tripod is and have a simple three-step plan to carry into fall — without overhauling everything you already do.

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

The Cocktail Party Philosophy (blogpost): https://theinspiredclassroom.com/2011/02/conversations-in-the-classroom-the-cocktail-party-philosophy/ 

Ready to learn about the RESET Framework?  Get your free PDF: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/roadmap 

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

✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again.

Learn more and enroll here: https://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

You know it's true... maybe you've even said it out loud: Our students have changed!

Honestly, our students' brains have genuinely changed. Not because something is wrong with them — but because the world they live in has calibrated them for constant stimulation, instant rewards, and short-form everything.

In this episode I talk about:

Why student attention spans in the classroom have genuinely shortened — and what's driving it

The dopamine connection: what's happening in our students' brains and why school feels so hard to stay in

Why the answer is NOT to gamify your curriculum or compete with TikTok (and what to do instead)

This one is for every teacher who has a student who checks out before they even start — and who is ready to understand what's actually going on underneath that.

~Elizabeth

Mentioned in This Episode:

Be sure to listen to the interview with Natayle Brown — #146 What Every ELA Teacher Needs to Know About Struggling Readers and Student Shutdown

Get your ticket to The Unstuck Literacy Conference (free! June 23–25): theinspiredclassroom.com/unstuck

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

✨ The Classroom Reset – If this conversation resonates with you, you'll love The Classroom Reset. Inside, you'll learn how to build the foundation that helps students feel safe enough to participate, take risks, self-regulate, and engage in learning. Because before students can succeed with our strategies, they need the conditions that make learning possible.

Learn more and enroll here: https://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