Real Teacher Talk

Are you looking forward to the new school year? 

This is a topic that so many teachers are struggling with right now. School is starting back up and teachers just aren’t looking forward to it because they’re still trying to recover from last year. 

If this sounds like you, you’re going to love this episode of Real Teacher Talk. I sat down with my good friend Katie Knight from Teacher To The Core to talk about some things that you can do if you’re feeling like this so you can go from just surviving your job as a teacher to actually thriving. 

Teaching has always been hard, but it feels like it has been a whole new level of hard lately. We have had to learn entirely new ways of teaching, face more demands than ever, handle mean teachers, and so much more. It’s natural that teachers aren’t eager to dive back in. 

It doesn’t have to be that way though. There are things that you can do to bring the joy back in teaching so that you can start thriving in the classroom and in your personal life. You are more than just a teacher and you deserve to embrace all those other parts of you, too. 

Tune in to learn Katie’s best tips and strategies for how to make it happen. 

I would love to connect on Facebook: facebook.com/EasyTeachingTools & Instagram: instagram.com/easyteachingtools!

Show notes available at easyteachingtools.com/episode17

Resources Mentioned:

Register for Refresh and Recharge: https://courses.easyteachingtools.com/refresh-and-recharge

Check out Katie’s website: https://www.teachertothecore.blogspot.com/

Get the Check Your PLAN freebie: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Check-your-PLAN-4673593

Follow Katie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachertothecore_katie_knight/

Follow Katie on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/teacher2thecore/

Connect with Katie on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeacherToTheCore

Register for the 3 PM Teacher Training at www.easyteachingtools.com/3pmteacher!

I would also appreciate it if you would leave me a review on Apple and a rating on Spotify!

I read each of them, and they help me make sure I am providing the content that you love to hear! Plus, you get to pay it forward because it will allow other teachers like you to find the podcast!

Click here to review, then select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review”.

Have you ever felt like we are held to higher expectations than others as teachers? 

This is a common issue among teachers because guess what? We have lives too! I have taught for years and talked to teachers all around the world. There seems to be a consensus on the fact that teachers just aren’t respected the way that they should be. Not only are they feeling like they aren’t respected, but they also don’t feel valued, and it feels like they are being taken advantage of. 

We are expected to give our entire lives over for the outcome. But we are more than just teachers. We are human beings with goals, hobbies, families, and lives outside of the classroom. We should be able to live and enjoy our lives outside of the classroom without all the judgment about what we do.

The higher standard that teachers are held to is quite baffling at times. It differs from state to state, but some are so strict that it's just not fair to those teachers at all. 

Tune in to this episode to hear more of my thoughts on the expectations that are placed on teachers and my thoughts on things we can do to push back against these unrealistic and unfair standards. 

I would love to connect on Facebook: facebook.com/EasyTeachingTools & Instagram: instagram.com/easyteachingtools!

Show notes available at easyteachingtools.com/episode16

Resources Mentioned:

Get your Refresh and Recharge ticket: https://www.easyteachingtools.com/refreshandrecharge

Register for the 3 PM Teacher Training at www.easyteachingtools.com/3pmteacher!

I would also appreciate it if you would leave me a review on Apple and a rating on Spotify!

I read each of them, and they help me make sure I am providing the content that you love to hear! Plus, you get to pay it forward because it will allow other teachers like you to find the podcast!

Click here to review, then select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review”.

Are you making the most of your workday? There are so many things to get done each day that it can feel impossible to get it all done and leave on time.

In this episode of Real Teacher Talk, we are discussing how to maximize your time so that you are more efficient and effective.

There are five things that I used to do every day inside my classroom that helped me make the most of my day. These tips are things that I teach inside of my program Easy Organization Tools so teachers can prioritize what’s really important, not do everything themselves. This helps them to get the important things done and not stay past contract time. 

You don’t have a lot of time during the day to get things done, but that doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice your free time to do it all after your students go home for the day. 

Tune in to hear my top tips for things like organization, grading, administrative tasks, getting student help, and so much more so that you can maximize your time during the day and have more time to enjoy your life outside the classroom. 

I would love to connect on Facebook: facebook.com/EasyTeachingTools & Instagram: instagram.com/easyteachingtools!

Show notes available at easyteachingtools.com/episode15

Resources Mentioned:

Get your ticket to Refresh and Recharge: https://courses.easyteachingtools.com/refresh-and-recharge

Register for the 3 PM Teacher Training at www.easyteachingtools.com/3pmteacher!

I would also appreciate it if you would leave me a review on Apple and a rating on Spotify!

I read each of them, and they help me make sure I am providing the content that you love to hear! Plus, you get to pay it forward because it will allow other teachers like you to find the podcast!

Click here to review, then select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review”.

Are you feeling stressed or burned out? 

I have heard from so many teachers that even though it’s summertime right now, they don’t have the energy for anything because they are just so burned out. This makes sense because unfortunately, so many teachers aren’t being supported or respected right now, so they don’t even want to go back to teaching in the fall.

I hear you. I know it’s hard, so in this episode of Real Teacher Talk, I sat down with Dr. Christine Li to talk about how you can get inspired to go back to teaching. 

Dr. Christine Li has been working as a New York-based clinical psychologist for the past 20 years. More recently, she has taken her work online as the “Procrastination Coach.” She helps people who are struggling with underperforming at work and at home to work smoothly and with high levels of productivity. 

Her unique coaching process is a blend of mindset strategy, time and emotion management tips, and a deep belief in the power we each have when we treat ourselves with love and good self-care. Dr. Li is the author of the book “5-Minute Self-Discipline Exercises: Stay Motivated, Cultivate Good Habits, and Achieve Your Goals” and the host of the podcast “Make Time for Success.” 

Tune in to learn more about how you can incorporate things like self-care and meditation into your life, ditch the guilt, and remember your “why” so you can get your inspiration to teach back. 

I would love to connect on Facebook: facebook.com/EasyTeachingTools & Instagram: instagram.com/easyteachingtools!

Show notes available at easyteachingtools.com/episode14

Resources Mentioned:

Register for Refresh & Recharge: https://www.easyteachingtools.com/refreshandrecharge

Check out Dr. Li’s website: https://www.procrastinationcoach.com

Access Dr. Li’s resource library: https://procrastinationcoach.mykajabi.com/freelibrary

Listen to the Make Time For Success podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1548504774

Join The Procrastination Coach Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/procrastinationcoach

Connect with Dr. Li on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/procrastinationcoach/

Follow Dr. Li on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@procrastinationcoach

Register for the 3 PM Teacher Training at www.easyteachingtools.com/3pmteacher!

I would also appreciate it if you would leave me a review on Apple and a rating on Spotify!

I read each of them, and they help me make sure I am providing the content that you love to hear! Plus, you get to pay it forward because it will allow other teachers like you to find the podcast!

Click here to review, then select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review”.

Do you spend your weekends prepping for the next week of school? 

So many teachers spend Sunday night planning for the following week and then running to the copy machine early Monday morning to make copies for the day. If you're guilty of this, this episode of Real Teacher Talk is for you because I’m sharing my top tips for getting planned before the weekend so you can actually enjoy your days off. 

This topic is a pretty big deal for teachers, so it’s something that I go into more detail on in my Easy Organization Tools program. However, I grabbed the most important tips from there to share with you so that you can get out of this rut. 

I know what it feels like to spend hours planning and prepping. I didn’t want to use my weekend planning for the following week either, and when I learned that other teachers do that, I wanted to be able to help and make it a little easier for them. 

Tune in to hear my top organization tips that will help you plan for the following week without cutting into your well-deserved weekend. 

I would love to connect on Facebook: facebook.com/EasyTeachingTools & Instagram: instagram.com/easyteachingtools!

Show notes available at easyteachingtools.com/episode13

Register for the 3 PM Teacher Training at www.easyteachingtools.com/3pmteacher!

I would also appreciate it if you would leave me a review on Apple and a rating on Spotify!

I read each of them, and they help me make sure I am providing the content that you love to hear! Plus, you get to pay it forward because it will allow other teachers like you to find the podcast!

Click here to review, then select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review”.

It’s no secret that teaching has been hard the last couple of years. 

Of course, it was challenging before then, but it’s been especially tough lately. Teachers are stressed out and sadly, struggling to smile through it all and focus on the parts of teaching that they love. 

In this episode of Real Teacher Talk, I sat down with Joe Dombrowski, also known as Mr. D, to talk about the funny parts of teaching that bring us joy as well as how he’s using his platform to bring awareness to issues that teachers face. 

Joe Dombrowski took the world by storm in 2017 with a viral April Fools’ Day spelling test prank that landed him multiple appearances on the Ellen DeGeneres show. 

Don't get it twisted though! It takes at least 20 years to be an overnight sensation! Joe has been doing stand-up comedy since he was eight years old in his third-grade talent show. He's never stopped! Since Joe's rise to fame, he has been traveling the globe with his stand-up comedy which often highlights his crazy life as an elementary school teacher.

Tune in to this inspiring conversation to learn more about Mr. D’s experience teaching, teacher burnout, the future of education, challenges he’s faced as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and even some funny teaching stories! 

I would love to connect on Facebook: facebook.com/EasyTeachingTools & Instagram: instagram.com/easyteachingtools!

Show notes available at easyteachingtools.com/episode12

Resources Mentioned:

Sign up for the 3 PM Teacher Training: https://courses.easyteachingtools.com/3pmsummer22

Check out Mr. D’s website: https://mrdtimes3.com/

Follow Mr. D on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mrdtimes3

Follow Mr. D on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrdtimes3

Follow Mr. D on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mrdtimes3

Follow Mr. D on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCULlREa7lPKeU8Vd1RWWOuw

Register for the 3 PM Teacher Training at www.easyteachingtools.com/3pmteacher!

I would also appreciate it if you would leave me a review on Apple and a rating on Spotify!

I read each of them, and they help me make sure I am providing the content that you love to hear! Plus, you get to pay it forward because it will allow other teachers like you to find the podcast!

Click here to review, then select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review”.

The last couple of years has been a challenge for teachers, to say the least. So many things have been thrown on our plate and it’s…overwhelming. We have been asked to do so many things, and teachers are starting to leave in droves. 

But what if you don’t want to leave the profession because you really do love teaching? The trick is to get organized so that you can actually enjoy teaching again.  In today’s episode of Real Teacher Talk, I am joined by Melissa Whitlock, a teacher who took my program, Easy Organization Tools, and is now able to leave the classroom at contract time more consistently. 

Melissa is a first-grade teacher and grade chair in Johns Creek, Georgia. She’s been teaching for 9 years. She’s a mom of 2 (an almost 4-year-old daughter and a 3-month-old son). She is also a part-time worship director at her church.

By implementing the simple strategies she learned in the program, Melissa was able to walk out of the classroom at the end of the day at a much earlier time feeling like she did her best. 

Life’s too short just to sleep, work, and not be happy. Tune in to hear how Melissa got proactive and changed her teaching life around to make more time for what really matters. 

I would love to connect on Facebook: facebook.com/EasyTeachingTools & Instagram: instagram.com/easyteachingtools!

Show notes available at easyteachingtools.com/episode11

Resources Mentioned:

Sign up for the 3 PM Teacher Training:  https://courses.easyteachingtools.com/3pmsummer22

Get the Tired Teacher’s Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ScsELeMlZFc_QlTjj2mcaPZHI9EQCmjT/view?usp=sharing

Follow Melissa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_whitlock/

Register for the 3 PM Teacher Training at www.easyteachingtools.com/3pmteacher!

I would also appreciate it if you would leave me a review on Apple and a rating on Spotify!

I read each of them, and they help me make sure I am providing the content that you love to hear! Plus, you get to pay it forward because it will allow other teachers like you to find the podcast!

Click here to review, then select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review”.

Are you ready to get your life back? 

In our very first interview on Real Teacher Talk, I sat down with Sabrena Brooks, a busy teacher and mama to talk about how she balances school with her life and the tools she uses to make it happen. 

Sabrena Brooks is a mom of two active boys with a baby girl on the way. She is a lover of camping and music, and wife to a special education para-educator by day and chef by night. Her teaching career includes kindergarten for one year, 1st grade for five years, and kindergarten ESL for one year. She has a master's degree in Teaching and Learning and was the distance learning teacher for 1st grade during the 2020-2021 school year. 

Sabrena realized she needed help when she was staying at school every night until 6:30 and showing back up by 7 in the morning. She had no semblance of balance in her life. That’s when she joined my program Easy Organization Tools where I show teachers how to consistently leave school prepared at contract time so that they can be more fully present in their life. 

The organization tools Sabrena learned made all of the difference. Tune in to learn more about how the program transformed her teaching life and how she now uses these tools in her home too! 

I would love to connect on Facebook: facebook.com/EasyTeachingTools & Instagram: instagram.com/easyteachingtools!

Show notes available at easyteachingtools.com/episode10

Resources Mentioned:

Follow Sabrena on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frogs_in_first

Join the 3 PM Teacher Training: https://courses.easyteachingtools.com/3pmsummer22

Register for the 3 PM Teacher Training at www.easyteachingtools.com/3pmteacher!

I would also appreciate it if you would leave me a review on Apple and a rating on Spotify!

I read each of them, and they help me make sure I am providing the content that you love to hear! Plus, you get to pay it forward because it will allow other teachers like you to find the podcast!

Click here to review, then select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review”.

If you are still in a coma from the school year and wondering how you can make the most of this summer, you’re in the right place! 

In this episode of Real Teacher Talk, I’ve got three simple tips to help you breathe, relax, and celebrate the fact that you made it. So many teachers have told me that the last school year was the hardest in their careers, but the tips in this episode will help you get recharged and refreshed.

I know life is busy. You have so many things pulling you in a million different directions, especially in the summer because many of us try to cram in all of the activities that we couldn’t do during the school year. But you deserve the time to relax and focus on yourself, too. Put it in your schedule and make it a non-negotiable! 

As teachers, and for many of us women, we put ourselves last. We are always thinking of our students, our kids, our family, or our spouses, and we end up at the bottom of your priority list. In order to get the rest and refresh that you need, you have to change that. 

Tune in to learn more about how you can use this summer to do some relaxing activities, define your core values, establish boundaries going forward, and make “me time” a non-negotiable in your life. 

I would love to connect on Facebook: facebook.com/EasyTeachingTools & Instagram: instagram.com/easyteachingtools!

Show notes available at easyteachingtools.com/episode9

Resources Mentioned:

Join the Summer Reset Challenge: https://courses.easyteachingtools.com/classroomreset

Register for the 3 PM Teacher Training at www.easyteachingtools.com/3pmteacher!

I would also appreciate it if you would leave me a review on Apple and a rating on Spotify!

I read each of them, and they help me make sure I am providing the content that you love to hear! Plus, you get to pay it forward because it will allow other teachers like you to find the podcast!

Click here to review, then select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review”.

What type of teacher are you? 

After working with thousands of teachers inside my program, Easy Organization Tools, my free training 3 PM Teacher, and teaching for 13 years, I have finally discovered the five types of teachers. And I know what you may be thinking, why does this matter? 

In this week’s episode of Real Teacher Talk, I’m going to help you discover what type of teacher you are and why it’s actually holding you back from leaving at contract time and living a life you love. 

I need to start by saying that through my years of teaching, I have been each type of teacher! There is no right or wrong. The cool thing is that wherever you are right now, isn’t where you have to stay. No matter your circumstance, there is hope!

My ultimate goal for you is to help you with organizational tips so that you can start leaving school at contract time and achieve more work-life balance. No matter what kind of teacher you are or what your responsibilities are. 

Tune in to learn about the five types of teachers and tips for how you can shift into becoming the 3 PM teacher so that you can start leaving school on time and enjoying your life outside of the classroom. 

I would love to connect on Facebook: facebook.com/EasyTeachingTools & Instagram: instagram.com/easyteachingtools!

Resources Mentioned:

Burnout Teacher Guide: https://easyteachingtools.com/burntout 

Join the 3 PM Teacher Waitlist: https://easyteachingtools.com/podcastwaitlist

Show notes available at easyteachingtools.com/episode8

Register for the 3 PM Teacher Training at www.easyteachingtools.com/3pmteacher!

I would also appreciate it if you would leave me a review on Apple and a rating on Spotify!

I read each of them, and they help me make sure I am providing the content that you love to hear! Plus, you get to pay it forward because it will allow other teachers like you to find the podcast!

Click here to review, then select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review”.