What happens when two teacher besties decide to share a classroom and a business? We're sitting down with Kaila and Kristi, the duo behind Teachers Tea, to talk about the magic of team teaching, how they strive to keep the joy in this demanding profession and how they have built a business from an Instagram page to a full-fledged brand.

We dive into how their three-teacher double classroom actually works, why they believe collaboration is the secret to thriving and not just surviving, and how working part-time helps them protect themselves from burnout. They share the real origin story of Teachers Tea, from free choice boards during COVID to a growing business serving teachers across Alberta with plans to expand across Canada.

We also get into the stuff every teacher needs to hear including why you need to take email off your phone, stop comparing your classroom to Pinterest, and just do the hard thing, even when it's messy. Plus, they talk about their favorite resources they've created, how they divide the workload between teaching and business, and what building community means to them including their legendary annual Teacher Appreciation Week giveaways.

Grab your coffee, because despite the name, Kaila and Kristi do not drink tea! Join us for a conversation about finding joy in the chaos of teaching.

Thank you for being here!  

Can you please help us grow the Teachers Next Door Podcast?

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Every educator carries an emotional backpack into the classroom, filled with the stories, struggles, and life events we may not always see in each other.

In this episode, Nicole opens up about navigating her family member's recent cancer diagnosis while returning to the classroom, the guilt of putting work before family, and the hard lessons she's learned about setting boundaries and asking for help.

Michelle shares her own experience of loss and the moment she knew she had to step away from school entirely. Together they explore the unspoken side of teaching: writing sub plans from hospital beds, showing up when you're barely holding it together, and reminding themselves that family comes first. It's an honest, vulnerable conversation about the weight we all carry and the permission to ask for what we need.

Thank you for being here!  

As Amazon Associates, we do earn commission from purchases made through these links. https://linktr.ee/teachersnextdoorpodcast

Can you please help us grow the Teachers Next Door Podcast?

Please rate & review on Apple Podcasts: 

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Do you have a question or a topic you would like us to explore?  Please visit our website www.teachersnextdoorpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

What if the most powerful thing in your classroom only has a few pages? In this episode, Michelle and Nicole share some of their favorite picture books for the classroom, the ones they return to year after year for building community, supporting social-emotional learning, sparking big conversations, and helping students dream big.

From The Circles All Around Us to A Good Thing Happened Today, The What Ifs to Millie Fleur's Poison Garden, they dive into how each book opens doors to empathy, growth mindset, self-discovery, and classroom connection. You'll hear practical ideas for using mentor texts in writing, morning meetings, and beyond, plus a few heartwarming stories along the way, including one involving a vintage kindergarten book and another that includes a wake surfing montage.

Whether you're a teacher building your classroom library, a parent looking for meaningful reads, or just someone who believes picture books are pure magic, this one's for you. Come for the book recommendations, stay for the inspiration!

Thank you for being here!  

All of the books that were shared on this episode have been added to our shop!  As Amazon Associates, we do earn commission from purchases made through these links. https://linktr.ee/teachersnextdoorpodcast

Can you please help us grow the Teachers Next Door Podcast?

Please rate & review on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/teachers-next-door-podcast/id1887084571

Please rate & review on Spotify: 

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Join our online community on Instagram @teachersnextdoorpodcast.

You can also find us on Facebook, Youtube and Tiktok! Please like and subscribe!

Do you have a question or a topic you would like us to explore?  Please visit our website www.teachersnextdoorpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

No matter where you are at with back to school set up, or how many days you have had curious learners in your care, this back to school episode is for you. Nicole is heading back into the classroom. She is teaching grade three for the first time and feeling like a first-year teacher all over again. Michelle is returning to an associate principal role, a position that feels like a homecoming but comes with a whole new playbook.

Together, they reflect on the wisdom from the trending two-part series with Laurie McIntosh, carrying her reminders about boundaries, relationships, and the truth that "clear is kind" into the new school year. They share what their new spaces look like, from Nicole's intentionally organized classroom with subject-area zones to Michelle's student-friendly office designed to be a welcoming space.

They dig into the reality and necessity of setting up systems and routines in August that will pay off all year, and why relationships matter more than diving straight into curriculum. 

Here’s to fresh starts, new routines, and giving ourselves permission to go slow to go fast. You’ve got this.

Thank you for being here!  

You can still browse our LinkTree Shop!  As Amazon Associates, we do earn commission from purchases made through these links. https://linktr.ee/teachersnextdoorpodcast

Can you please help us grow the Teachers Next Door Podcast?

Please rate & review on Apple Podcasts: 

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Do you have a question or a topic you would like us to explore?  Please visit our website www.teachersnextdoorpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

In the second half of our conversation with teacher, author, and advocate Laurie McIntosh, we dig into the topics educators need to hear most. Laurie shares about her work with the Outside Pin Consulting collective, her upcoming role mentoring student teachers, and why teacher wellness has to be at the center of everything.

We explore what it really means to set boundaries as an educator, not as walls, but as kindness to ourselves and to others. Laurie breaks down her "clear is kind" philosophy, how saying no actually builds trust and community, and why productive struggle matters just as much among colleagues as it does with students. 

She also reflects on the lasting relevance of Teachers These Days, drops a hint about her next book for anyone who's ever left a PD session thinking "Yeah, but how?", and shares some must-read picture books to kick off the school year with connection and community at the forefront.

Pull up a chair, and get comfy because this is one conversation you will be happy to have in your pocket!

You can find Laurie online at https://www.lauriemcintosh.ca/ and @mrsmacskinders on Instagram.

Thank you for being here!  

You can still browse our LinkTree Shop!  As Amazon Associates, we do earn commission from purchases made through these links. https://linktr.ee/teachersnextdoorpodcast

Can you please help us grow the Teachers Next Door Podcast?

Please rate & review on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/teachers-next-door-podcast/id1887084571

Please rate & review on Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/show/7bBmnnzYtjqIa4IdHjJqgZ?si=cf8d766e8c5a4759

Join our online community on Instagram @teachersnextdoorpodcast.

You can also find us on Facebook, Youtube and Tiktok! Please like and subscribe!

Do you have a question or a topic you would like us to explore?  Please visit our website www.teachersnextdoorpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

She's our most requested guest, and we were thrilled when she accepted our invite to join us on the Teachers Next Door podcast.  We are incredibly honoured to welcome Laurie McIntosh, aka Mrs. Mac's Kinders, to the show! 

Laurie is a kindergarten teacher, author, speaker, and advocate who brings pure heart and relentless joy to education. In this first part of our conversation, Laurie takes us through her winding journey into teaching, one that includes rejection, heartbreak, healing, and ultimately falling in love with kindergarten. 

Together, we talk about giving kids voice and choice, the difference between knowing your students and actually using what you know about them, why we need to stop "awfulizing" and start celebrating wins, and the one mindset shift every teacher could bring into the classroom this year.

Laurie also shares what's next for her: a new role with Outside Pin Consulting, and preparing future educators at the University of Lethbridge. Grab a cup of coffee and press play. This episode is special.

You can find Laurie online at https://www.lauriemcintosh.ca/ and of course, at @mrsmacskinders on Instagram.

Thank you for being here!  

You can still browse our LinkTree Shop!  As Amazon Associates, we do earn commission from purchases made through these links. https://linktr.ee/teachersnextdoorpodcast

Can you please help us grow the Teachers Next Door Podcast?

Please rate & review on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/teachers-next-door-podcast/id1887084571

Please rate & review on Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/show/7bBmnnzYtjqIa4IdHjJqgZ?si=cf8d766e8c5a4759

Join our online community on Instagram @teachersnextdoorpodcast.

You can also find us on Facebook, Youtube and Tiktok! Please like and subscribe!

Do you have a question or a topic you would like us to explore?  Please visit our website www.teachersnextdoorpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

In this episode, Nicole and Michelle each share their personal, tried-and-true lists of classroom essentials heading into a new school year. From Flair pens to electric pencil sharpeners, magnetic manipulatives to dry-erase pocket sleeves, they're revealing the tools, gadgets, and supplies they genuinely can't teach without.

Nicole is heading back into the classroom and Michelle is making the move into administration so their lists overlap in some fun and surprising ways. Plus, they dish on the great pencil sharpener debate (do you let the kids use it?), the legendary "Woah Boa," must-have teacher snacks, and the student who doubled as a personal AirTag.

Whether you're a new teacher building your classroom from scratch or a veteran replenishing your go-tos, this episode is packed with practical ideas and a few laughs along the way.

Coming up next week: a brand new episode that you won’t want to miss! 

Thank you for being here!  

All of the items mentioned can be found in our Linktree Shop: https://linktr.ee/teachersnextdoorpodcast

As Amazon Associates, we do earn commission from purchases made through these links.

Can you please help us grow the Teachers Next Door Podcast?

Please rate & review on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/teachers-next-door-podcast/id1887084571

Please rate & review on Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/show/7bBmnnzYtjqIa4IdHjJqgZ?si=cf8d766e8c5a4759

Join our online community on Instagram @teachersnextdoorpodcast.

You can also find us on Facebook, Youtube and Tiktok! Please like and subscribe!

Do you have a question or a topic you would like us to explore?  Please visit our website www.teachersnextdoorpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

This week, Michelle and Nicole join The Stunt Brothers, Martin and Roy, as guests on the After the Bell podcast for a lively podcast crossover conversation about teaching, podcasting, and the incredible friendships that exist behind both shows.

They dive into class sizes, the invisible workload of teaching, favourite classroom moments, and the joy of finding "your people" in this profession. 

Funny, honest, and full of heart, this ‘podcast within a podcast’ is a must-listen for teachers everywhere!  

You can find the After The Bell podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere you listen to your favourite podcasts! 

Thank you for being here!  

Can you please help us grow the Teachers Next Door Podcast?

Please rate & review on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/teachers-next-door-podcast/id1887084571

Please rate & review on Spotify: 

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Join our online community on Instagram @teachersnextdoorpodcast.

You can also find us on Facebook, Youtube and Tiktok, too! 

Do you have a question or a topic you would like us to explore?  Please visit our website www.teachersnextdoorpodcast.com or email us at [email protected]. 

In the final episode of their summer series, Michelle and Nicole explore what it really means to ease back into the school year without losing the peace you worked so hard to find this summer. They chat about who's actually listening to the podcast (surprise: it's not just teachers), why the "all or nothing" approach to back-to-school is overrated, and the small, intentional shifts they're each making this year — from asking for help setting up classrooms, to refusing to let summer "end" just because the bell rings. If you're worried about school starting up in the fall, this episode is your permission slip to take off on your own terms instead of feeling launched out of a cannon.

Coming up next week: Michelle and Nicole are podcast guests for the very first time when they join the Stunt Brothers on the After the Bell podcast! 

Thank you for being here!  

Can you please help us grow the Teachers Next Door Podcast?

Please rate & review on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/teachers-next-door-podcast/id1887084571

Please rate & review on Spotify: 

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Join our online community on Instagram @teachersnextdoorpodcast.

You can also find us on Facebook, Youtube and Tiktok! Please like and subscribe!

Do you have a question or a topic you would like us to explore?  Please visit our website www.teachersnextdoorpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].

You survived another school year and now it's time to thrive this summer without the guilt. In this episode, Michelle and Nicole dive into the real, year-round phenomenon of teacher guilt and why it hits extra hard once the school year ends. 

They unpack why teachers struggle to switch off (spoiler: there's no "shutoff valve" built in to the job), how the "back to school" content cycle creeps in way too early, and why comparison on social media can quietly steal your rest. 

Drawing a parallel to high-performance athletes, they reframe rest as an essential part of doing the job well, and share practical boundary-setting strategies to help you actually recharge this summer. They also chat about the wild response to their husbands' guest episode before wrapping up with a preview of the 4th segment of their series: “The Gentle Runway”, which is all about stepping back into the classroom on your own terms.

Thank you for being here!  

Can you please help us grow the Teachers Next Door Podcast?

Please rate & review on Apple Podcasts: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/teachers-next-door-podcast/id1887084571

Please rate & review on Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/show/7bBmnnzYtjqIa4IdHjJqgZ?si=cf8d766e8c5a4759

Join our online community on Instagram @teachersnextdoorpodcast.

You can also find us on Facebook, Youtube and Tiktok! Please like and subscribe!

Do you have a question or a topic you would like us to explore?  Please visit our website www.teachersnextdoorpodcast.com or email us at [email protected].