This week on Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ reflects on speaking in Kansas and why hands-on programs like woodshop, robotics, and CTE matter more than ever. He answers big questions about moving on from a school after tough evaluations, advocating for teacher support, handling co-teaching tension, student apathy, AI in writing, and encouraging students to advocate for better instruction. Plus: practical advice on organization, sub plans, and building real classroom momentum in the final stretch of the year.

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0:00 – Speaking in Kansas & Why Hands-On Programs Matter

5:30 – Outgrowing a School & Moving On After Tough Reviews

14:10 – Supporting Teachers Who Feel Unsupported

21:40 – Grading Sub Work & Managing Absences

26:50 – Staying Organized During the School Year

33:15 – Fighting Student Apathy in February

42:20 – Co-Teaching with an Uncommunicative Partner

50:30 – Tech vs. Traditional Teaching & AI Concerns

1:01:45 – Students Advocating for Better Instruction

1:07:30 – CTE Classes, Overload & Lesson Planning Strategy

1:17:40 – Brainstorming Creative Classroom Ideas

1:25:20 – Workshop Skills: Building Benches & Teaching Process

1:31:30 – Newsletter, Resources & Speaking Info

_________________________________________________________________

👉 Join us live here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRGA_FqyigEPmh5U37Yn7fA/join

Our mission: to help all educators become the teachers they are called to be. Sundays can feel overwhelming—let’s prepare together.

✉️ FREE Weekly Teaching Tips
Stay updated & get exclusive strategies in my newsletter 👉
https://teach-your-class-off-27476.myflodesk.com/newsletter

📘 Best-Selling Resources for Teachers
– Daily Classroom Management Blueprint
– Teacher-Student Relationship Blueprint
– Lesson Planning Workshop

📕 My Book
Teach Your Class Off: The Real Rap Guide to Teaching
https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Class-Off-Teaching/dp/195160010X/

🗣️ Speaking Engagements
Want me to speak at your school or organization?
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BZPBCplYTcvO8-MHm-GcCXjRcMPcGhrI?usp=drive_link

🎙️ Podcast → Teach Your Class Off Radio
– iTunes
– Spotify

📱 Connect With Me
– Instagram: @teachyourclassoffofficial
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachyourclassoff
– Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19NpRYTfWn/
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-reynolds/
– Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/realrapwithreynolds

📩 Business Inquiries: https://teachyourclassoff.com/contact/

This week on Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ shares highlights from speaking in Kansas, why hands-on programs like woodshop and robotics matter, and how to fight the “February funk” hitting teachers and students alike. He answers questions about grading sub work, staying organized, handling co-teaching tension, navigating student apathy, and building joy into heavy seasons of the school year. Plus: practical strategies for inclusion classrooms and supporting struggling learners.

_______________________________________________________________

0:00 – 71° in New Mexico & February Funk

3:15 – Speaking in Kansas: Why Hands-On Programs Matter

8:40 – Grading Sub Work (Yes or No?)

13:55 – Staying Organized During the School Year

19:20 – Handling Student Apathy This Time of Year

28:05 – Co-Teaching with an Uncommunicative Partner

36:40 – Teaching Mixed-Level & IEP Classrooms

46:15 – Resetting Expectations After Break

50:30 – If I Were a Superintendent…

55:10 – Weekend Lesson Planning Without Burnout

1:00:25 – Encouragement for the Heavy Middle of the Year

1:03:40 – Newsletter, Friday Reflection & Speaking Info

______________________________________________________________

🎥 What is Sunday Night Teacher Talk?
Every Sunday at 4:00 PM Eastern, we go live for a teacher Q&A. Think of it as your weekly prep session with a community of educators who want to start the week strong. Whether you’ve got questions about classroom management, lesson planning, or just need encouragement, this is your space.

👉 Join us live here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRGA_FqyigEPmh5U37Yn7fA/join

Our mission: to help all educators become the teachers they are called to be. Sundays can feel overwhelming—let’s prepare together.

✉️ FREE Weekly Teaching Tips
Stay updated & get exclusive strategies in my newsletter 👉
https://teach-your-class-off-27476.myflodesk.com/newsletter

📘 Best-Selling Resources for Teachers
– Daily Classroom Management Blueprint
– Teacher-Student Relationship Blueprint
– Lesson Planning Workshop

📕 My Book
Teach Your Class Off: The Real Rap Guide to Teaching
https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Class-Off-Teaching/dp/195160010X/

🗣️ Speaking Engagements
Want me to speak at your school or organization?
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BZPBCplYTcvO8-MHm-GcCXjRcMPcGhrI?usp=drive_link

🎙️ Podcast → Teach Your Class Off Radio
– iTunes
– Spotify

📱 Connect With Me
– Instagram: @teachyourclassoffofficial
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachyourclassoff
– Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19NpRYTfWn/
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-reynolds/
– Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/realrapwithreynolds

📩 Business Inquiries: https://teachyourclassoff.com/contact/

This week on Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and his wife Jen dive into the tough realities of leaving the classroom, balancing motherhood and identity, and why some teachers need to take a mental health day—guilt-free. They also cover strategies for teaching mixed-level classes (especially in therapeutic or IEP settings), how to bounce back after long breaks, why leadership visibility matters, and how to find joy during the midyear slump. Bonus: CJ reveals a new classroom resource and what he’s reading lately.

✉️ FREE Weekly Teaching Tips
Stay updated & get exclusive strategies in my newsletter 👉
https://teach-your-class-off-27476.myflodesk.com/newsletter

📘 Best-Selling Resources for Teachers
– Daily Classroom Management Blueprint
– Teacher-Student Relationship Blueprint
– Lesson Planning Workshop

📕 My Book
Teach Your Class Off: The Real Rap Guide to Teaching
https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Class-Off-Teaching/dp/195160010X/

🗣️ Speaking Engagements
Want me to speak at your school or organization?
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BZPBCplYTcvO8-MHm-GcCXjRcMPcGhrI?usp=drive_link

🎙️ Podcast → Teach Your Class Off Radio
– iTunes
– Spotify

📱 Connect With Me
– Instagram: @teachyourclassoffofficial
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachyourclassoff
– Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19NpRYTfWn/
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-reynolds/
– Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/realrapwithreynolds

📩 Business Inquiries: https://teachyourclassoff.com/contact/

In Episode 335 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ reflects on how tracking small wins and classroom buy-in can re-energize your teaching midyear. He and his co-host Jen dive into questions about: resetting expectations after big projects, writing honest but compassionate feedback for student teachers, managing disruptive classes, and overcoming anxiety when stepping into the classroom after a long break.

Plus:

• Sprinkling magic as a substitute

• Making snow days count

• Whether student behavior contracts actually work

• Classroom management when you're outnumbered

• And how to leave a room (and a school) better than you found it.

💬 Know a teacher who needs a little extra support this week? Share the podcast with them!

✉️ FREE Weekly Teaching Tips
Stay updated & get exclusive strategies in my newsletter 👉
https://teach-your-class-off-27476.myflodesk.com/newsletter

📘 Best-Selling Resources for Teachers
– Daily Classroom Management Blueprint
– Teacher-Student Relationship Blueprint
– Lesson Planning Workshop

📕 My Book
Teach Your Class Off: The Real Rap Guide to Teaching
https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Class-Off-Teaching/dp/195160010X/

🗣️ Speaking Engagements
Want me to speak at your school or organization?
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BZPBCplYTcvO8-MHm-GcCXjRcMPcGhrI?usp=drive_link

🎙️ Podcast → Teach Your Class Off Radio
– iTunes
– Spotify

📱 Connect With Me
– Instagram: @teachyourclassoffofficial
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachyourclassoff
– Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19NpRYTfWn/
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-reynolds/
– Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/realrapwithreynolds

📩 Business Inquiries: https://teachyourclassoff.com/contact/

This week on Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ reflects on KnowledgeCon in Los Angeles and the power of surrounding yourself with people who sharpen your vision and re-ignite your passion. He shares updates from the classroom, including why he transformed his room into a jungle, how he resets after winter break, and how to make even midterm testing feel supportive, joyful, and human.

Also in this episode: writing activities that work during tech transitions, how unstructured play is deeply underrated, why he changes up even successful lessons when they start to feel stale, and how a SPED teacher can manage 192+ students with rhythm and strategy.

✉️ FREE Weekly Teaching Tips
Stay updated & get exclusive strategies in my newsletter 👉
https://teach-your-class-off-27476.myflodesk.com/newsletter

📘 Best-Selling Resources for Teachers
– Daily Classroom Management Blueprint
– Teacher-Student Relationship Blueprint
– Lesson Planning Workshop

📕 My Book
Teach Your Class Off: The Real Rap Guide to Teaching
https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Class-Off-Teaching/dp/195160010X/

🗣️ Speaking Engagements
Want me to speak at your school or organization?
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BZPBCplYTcvO8-MHm-GcCXjRcMPcGhrI?usp=drive_link

🎙️ Podcast → Teach Your Class Off Radio
– iTunes
– Spotify

📱 Connect With Me
– Instagram: @teachyourclassoffofficial
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachyourclassoff
– Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19NpRYTfWn/
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-reynolds/
– Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/realrapwithreynolds

📩 Business Inquiries: https://teachyourclassoff.com/contact/

🎥 What is Sunday Night Teacher Talk?
Every Sunday at 4:00 PM Eastern, we go live for a teacher Q&A. Think of it as your weekly prep session with a community of educators who want to start the week strong. Whether you’ve got questions about classroom management, lesson planning, or just need encouragement, this is your space.

👉 Join us live here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRGA_FqyigEPmh5U37Yn7fA/join

Our mission: to help all educators become the teachers they are called to be. Sundays can feel overwhelming—let’s prepare together.

✉️ FREE Weekly Teaching Tips
Stay updated & get exclusive strategies in my newsletter 👉
https://teach-your-class-off-27476.myflodesk.com/newsletter

📘 Best-Selling Resources for Teachers
– Daily Classroom Management Blueprint
– Teacher-Student Relationship Blueprint
– Lesson Planning Workshop

📕 My Book
Teach Your Class Off: The Real Rap Guide to Teaching
https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Class-Off-Teaching/dp/195160010X/

🗣️ Speaking Engagements
Want me to speak at your school or organization?
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BZPBCplYTcvO8-MHm-GcCXjRcMPcGhrI?usp=drive_link

🎙️ Podcast → Teach Your Class Off Radio
– iTunes
– Spotify

📱 Connect With Me
– Instagram: @teachyourclassoffofficial
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachyourclassoff
– Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19NpRYTfWn/
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-reynolds/
– Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/realrapwithreynolds

📩 Business Inquiries: https://teachyourclassoff.com/contact/

This week on Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ kicks off 2024 with real talk about easing back into the classroom, navigating grading overwhelm, and how to show up with purpose and joy—even when the work feels heavy. He shares first-day-back routines, practical tips for grading essays and tests without drowning, and why teachers need both play and structure to thrive.

Topics also include: navigating burnout in chaotic schools, what to do when admin withholds critical info about student behavior plans, and reflections on whether CJ would ever become a school leader himself. Plus: goal-tracking systems, concession stand joy, and summer travel hopes for New Jersey and beyond.

📥 Need mentoring, PD, or a speaker for your school? Visit: https://www.reynolds.town/mentor

✉️ FREE Weekly Teaching Tips
Stay updated & get exclusive strategies in my newsletter 👉
https://teach-your-class-off-27476.myflodesk.com/newsletter

📘 Best-Selling Resources for Teachers
– Daily Classroom Management Blueprint
– Teacher-Student Relationship Blueprint
– Lesson Planning Workshop

📕 My Book
Teach Your Class Off: The Real Rap Guide to Teaching
https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Class-Off-Teaching/dp/195160010X/

🗣️ Speaking Engagements
Want me to speak at your school or organization?
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BZPBCplYTcvO8-MHm-GcCXjRcMPcGhrI?usp=drive_link

🎙️ Podcast → Teach Your Class Off Radio
– iTunes
– Spotify

📱 Connect With Me
– Instagram: @teachyourclassoffofficial
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachyourclassoff
– Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19NpRYTfWn/
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-reynolds/
– Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/realrapwithreynolds

📩 Business Inquiries: https://teachyourclassoff.com/contact/

In this low-key, holiday break episode, CJ reflects on the first half of the school year and shares his goals for a more intentional and joyful second half. Topics include helping students build confidence and creativity, choosing new core texts like Tuesdays with Morrie and Of Mice and Men, and using storytelling-based assessments.

He also chats about parenting during tech-heavy times, how he uses winter break to realign his faith, family, and classroom vision, and why working the school concession stand is his new favorite way to connect with the community. A cozy, encouraging listen for anyone resetting over break.

✉️ FREE Weekly Teaching Tips
Stay updated & get exclusive strategies in my newsletter 👉
https://teach-your-class-off-27476.myflodesk.com/newsletter

📘 Best-Selling Resources for Teachers
– Daily Classroom Management Blueprint
– Teacher-Student Relationship Blueprint
– Lesson Planning Workshop

📕 My Book
Teach Your Class Off: The Real Rap Guide to Teaching
https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Class-Off-Teaching/dp/195160010X/

🗣️ Speaking Engagements
Want me to speak at your school or organization?
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BZPBCplYTcvO8-MHm-GcCXjRcMPcGhrI?usp=drive_link

🎙️ Podcast → Teach Your Class Off Radio
– iTunes
– Spotify

📱 Connect With Me
– Instagram: @teachyourclassoffofficial
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachyourclassoff
– Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19NpRYTfWn/
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-reynolds/
– Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/realrapwithreynolds

📩 Business Inquiries: https://teachyourclassoff.com/contact/

n this episode of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ unpacks what it means to lead with kindness—even when students act entitled. He shares how to respond when your classroom data gets called out, how to restore confidence through honest conversation, and why teaching with joy is a radical act in hard times.

We also dive into media-based storytelling projects for December, parenting with purpose in a tech-heavy world, and what a faith-based teacher workshop might look like. Whether you’re heading into break or hanging on by a thread, this one will remind you: you’re not alone, and you were made for this mission.

✉️ FREE Weekly Teaching Tips
Stay updated & get exclusive strategies in my newsletter 👉
https://teach-your-class-off-27476.myflodesk.com/newsletter

📘 Best-Selling Resources for Teachers
– Daily Classroom Management Blueprint
– Teacher-Student Relationship Blueprint
– Lesson Planning Workshop

📕 My Book
Teach Your Class Off: The Real Rap Guide to Teaching
https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Class-Off-Teaching/dp/195160010X/

🗣️ Speaking Engagements
Want me to speak at your school or organization?
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BZPBCplYTcvO8-MHm-GcCXjRcMPcGhrI?usp=drive_link

🎙️ Podcast → Teach Your Class Off Radio
– iTunes
– Spotify

📱 Connect With Me
– Instagram: @teachyourclassoffofficial
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachyourclassoff
– Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19NpRYTfWn/
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-reynolds/
– Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/realrapwithreynolds

📩 Business Inquiries: https://teachyourclassoff.com/contact/

Back from Thanksgiving break with three weeks 'til Christmas—and it’s already chaos. In this episode, CJ talks about navigating shifting schedules due to sports tournaments, whether to cancel the long-awaited brain rot project, and how to reset classroom expectations in December. He also dives into what to do when students trash-talk you for holding them accountable, how to come back after a rough sickness, and where to find encouragement when your admin won’t give it. Plus: funny holiday game ideas on the cheap, showing grace to students with medical challenges, and a look at joyful teaching as a healing practice.

🎥 What is Sunday Night Teacher Talk?
Every Sunday at 4:00 PM Eastern, we go live for a teacher Q&A. Think of it as your weekly prep session with a community of educators who want to start the week strong. Whether you’ve got questions about classroom management, lesson planning, or just need encouragement, this is your space.

👉 Join us live here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRGA_FqyigEPmh5U37Yn7fA/join

Our mission: to help all educators become the teachers they are called to be. Sundays can feel overwhelming—let’s prepare together.

✉️ FREE Weekly Teaching Tips
Stay updated & get exclusive strategies in my newsletter 👉
https://teach-your-class-off-27476.myflodesk.com/newsletter

📘 Best-Selling Resources for Teachers
– Daily Classroom Management Blueprint
– Teacher-Student Relationship Blueprint
– Lesson Planning Workshop

📕 My Book
Teach Your Class Off: The Real Rap Guide to Teaching
https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Class-Off-Teaching/dp/195160010X/

🗣️ Speaking Engagements
Want me to speak at your school or organization?
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BZPBCplYTcvO8-MHm-GcCXjRcMPcGhrI?usp=drive_link

🎙️ Podcast → Teach Your Class Off Radio
– iTunes
– Spotify

📱 Connect With Me
– Instagram: @teachyourclassoffofficial
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachyourclassoff
– Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/19NpRYTfWn/
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-reynolds/
– Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/realrapwithreynolds

📩 Business Inquiries: https://teachyourclassoff.com/contact/