Shaping Little Minds

It's so easy to fall into doing all the things once we go back to school from winter break. We feel motivated because we've had the time off. We have a lot more energy than we did before. But is that really is a reason to end up in burnout? 

Today, Adva discusses the importance of doing less. It doesn't mean don't work hard BUT it does emphasize the importance of not doing it ALL, all day every day. She talks about the specific signs of burnout she saw when she tried to do it all a few years ago and digs into tools you can use to heal that burnout if you're in the thick of it.

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Healing is LINEAR. It doesn't just take a day or two and it isn't just going to happen. You have to work at it.
• Rest continues to be an important piece to being able to show up as the teacher you envision yourself being. 
• Losing sight of who you are due to teaching is not a good thing. It's important to ask yourself this question: who are you at the CORE?

MORE FROM ADVA:

• Follow Adva on Instagram @coachforteachers

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Adva shares about pressing pause on the podcast with so many other factors needing her attention. Although Adva loves to share with you each week and give you the little nuggets you need inside your classroom, Adva had to make the hard decision to pause until 2026. 

But don't worry! There are SO many amazing guests already lined up for 2026. Get ready for another incredible season of the Shaping Little Minds podcast with some new upgrades coming soon.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Passion to Profit: A Side Hustle Blueprint for Teachers
• More Than a Teacher Weekly newsletter

MORE FROM ADVA:

• Follow Adva on Instagram @coachforteachers
• Follow Adva on LinkedIn

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I have seen many teachers posting about their colleagues disrespecting them at school and decided to do an episode on this so that you can approach these situations with grace and without having to be confrontation. In this episode, we dive into:

• why it hurts so much 
• a mindset shift that will change everything
• tactical ways to respond to someone who is being disrespectful
• and the importance of protecting your peace

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• It can feel personal when a colleague is disrespectful but know that it says more about them than it does about you
• You can respond without being confrontational
• These interactions is the reason protecting your peace each and every day is so important

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• The Teacher Side Hustle Challenge

MORE FROM ADVA:

• Follow Adva on Instagram @coachforteachers

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December is a month that can bring about stress and overwhelm in many teachers lives. It can be a month that just feel never ending and when teachers end up just counting down the days. I've definitely been there! 

In today's episode, I break down 3 tools and strategies you can use as we near the end of November, to help you prepare for a December of EASE. 

• Bringing creativity back into teaching
• Setting boundaries at work and in life
• Visualizing the reality you want to see & creating it

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• We get sucked into all the paperwork and management we have to do that we lose the creativity we used to get excited by. December is the month to bring it back! (both for you and your students)
• Setting boundaries is especially important at this time. It can be easy to let all our boundaries fall because there's so much to do.
• Visualizing the reality you want will actually help you to make that visualization a reality.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• The Teacher Side Hustle Challenge

MORE FROM ADVA:

• Follow Adva on Instagram @coachforteachers

Support the show

The holiday season is quickly approaching and it can start feel like you're running on empty. In my weekly support session with my Passion to Profit clients, this was the theme this past week. My clients came into the session feeling depleted and like they are running on empty constantly. In this episode, I give you 3 strategies that I shared with my clients to help you as you navigate the upcoming holiday season. 

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• You're not alone in feeling like you're running on empty. So many educators are feeling the exact same way.
• You listening to this podcast episode means you are taking the first step toward helping yourself get out of survival mode and get to the point of thriving. The first step is always the hardest.
• Even when you're in busy season, it doesn't have to make you feel depleted each day. There are ways to be in busy season and still thrive.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Passion to Profit: A Side Hustle Blueprint for Teachers

MORE FROM ADVA:

• Follow Adva on Instagram @coachforteachers

Support the show

It's November... which means holiday season is approaching and that could bring up stress and overwhelm for many teachers. It is no secret that I was struggling at the beginning of the school year and during fall break, I put systems into place that would create a semblance of calm. As I've said many times, the energy you bring into your classroom is the energy your students will feed off of. 

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Systems in place both in life and in the classroom helps a TREMENDOUS amount when you feel chaos is happening all around you.
• Creating a pace that works for you outside of the classroom will help set you up for more success in the classroom
• It can be easy to be REactive rather than PROactive in the classroom but it is critical for the calm you want to create inside your classroom.

MORE FROM ADVA:

• Follow Adva on Instagram @coachforteachers

Support the show

Rest is something so many use as a reward for all the hard work they do -- never listen to their body when it's screaming it needs rest. There's this belief in today's society that being busy makes a person worthy of all the things they want to achieve in life. Unfortunately, the only thing that creates is a case of severe burnout.

In today's episode, Adva discusses the phrase "Rest Creates Momentum" and how she took that not only into her teaching practice but into her life outside of the classroom. This episode dives into Adva's personal stories that ended up getting her to where she is right now -- a full time teacher, business owner and creating a life she truly loves. 

If you've been craving change in your life but haven't been sure where to start, this is the episode to start with. 

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Rest plays a critical role in how we as human beings function in our daily lives, including how we function in our classrooms
• The idea of resting when you're dead or sleep is overrated can be toxic and cause a severe case of burnout
• It's important to reflect on what's not working in order to make the cahnges necessary and that first step is always the hardest

MORE FROM ADVA:

• Follow Adva on Instagram @coachforteachers

Support the show

If you're a teacher who struggles to teach reading, know you're not alone. In today's episode, Stefanie dives into how movement can actually help children learn to read and how teachers can incorporate this into their classroom without overwhelm. 

Stefanie Hohl is the creator of ABC See, Hear, Do, a multisensory learn-to-read program that has helped thousands of children worldwide build strong literacy foundations. With a Master’s degree in Education in Curriculum and Instruction and experience as a mom of five, Stefanie combined her expertise with her passion for movement-based learning to create resources that are simple, effective, and fun. She is dedicated to equipping teachers with practical tools that engage students and align with the Science of Reading.

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Teachers unfortunately are not equipped to teach reading when they begin their teaching career and are in need of more support.
• Teaching and learning to read can be an enjoyable experience for both students and their teachers, if done with the right tools.
• Movement should always be a part of the learning process when students start to learn to read.

MORE FROM STEFANIE:

• Website: www.abcseeheardo.com
• Instagram: @abcseeheardo

MORE FROM ADVA:

• Follow Adva on Instagram @coachforteachers

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This was the year that I felt very disconnected from my students. I kept saying how much I miss my students from last school year. And to be completely honest, the recording for this podcast episode helped me find why I kept hitting barriers while also teaching YOU the importance of connection and the "how to" of connecting with your students. 

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• There is a different between being able to manage the classroom and having the ability to connect with your students
• When you build connection, you ultimately also build trust which gives your students the ability to be curious, take risks, and build resilience
• There are barriers to connection that we, as teachers, face every single day in teaching nowadays

MORE FROM ADVA:

• Follow Adva on Instagram @coachforteachers

Support the show

In today’s episode, I am covering one of my favorite topics – I’ve consistently spoken about it over the last few years. 

Reclaiming your identity outside of the classroom.

This is a critical part of becoming an incredible teacher — I believe that when you can create an identity outside of teaching and the classroom, you become the teacher you want to be. 

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Taking the first step to reclaim your identity outside of the classroom is probably the hardest part
• The burnout cycle teachers get into is so common with the expected workload but there are ways to stay who you are at the core
• It's important to be aware of who you surround yourself with -- those are the people that have the most influence in your life

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

• Side Hustle Masterclass

MORE FROM ADVA:

• Follow Adva on Instagram @coachforteachers

Support the show