No one likes being uncomfortable, yet brain science shows that the most growth happens outside of the comfort zone. When we are exposed to new scenarios, new challenges, and new adventures, our brains literally grow and we become more capable of solving problems and thriving in our work. 

It's neuroplasticity, and it is fascinating. 

In the latest episode of the podcast, we talk about how this applies to teaching and ways we can thrive outside of the comfort zone so we can help students do the same. 

Whatever you are doing this week, whether it is laying on a beach or backyard, walking down sidewalks or school hallways, I hope you have a little time to listen to this episode and feel inspired to step out of your comfort zone in some way. As I talk about in the podcast, doing so is guaranteed to bring you life and growth.

For a lot of educators, this year has delivered a beating, and the passion for teaching is waning. Here are strategies to reignite your passion for teaching after an abnormally challenging year.

Remember at the beginning of the school year when there was this great hope that school would finally get back to normal? "Covid is over, things have settled, we can finally have the great year we've been waiting for!"

Most educators would agree that didn't happen.

So is there any point in holding out hope for a better year next year? Let's talk about it.

Are desks in rows a bad thing? Are rows outdated and therefore should have no place in the modern classroom?

Good question. 

This is what explore as well as other aspects of classroom design to maximize learning and engage students.

There are many parts of teaching that can only be learned from experience, OR from those who are experienced.

Here's why it is so crucial new and young teachers learn best practices from veteran teachers.

Summer Break may be close, but it also feels a long way off. You may be running on empty right now as you search for inspiration and energy to make it through the rest of the school. So let's talk about some ways to find energy in your work as an educator and help students finish strong as well.

The bad news: As social media and cell phones become more prevalent, it seems strong discussion skills are become more scarce. The good news: People can learn how to discuss! Discussion skills can be re-strengthened and taught. This is why discussion should be one of the key pillars in the classroom. In this episode, we talk about ways to teach student how to discuss and share strategies to get them to speak up in class more.

The Spring can be one of the most difficult times of the year to be a teacher. The energy and excitement from the beginning of the school year may be waining, testing looms, behavior problems are high, and Summer Break is still a ways off. Many teachers hit the Spring Wall this time of year. 

In this episode, we talk about concrete ways to make it past the Spring Wall and have a successful season in the classroom.

True personalized learning is often unconventional. One-size-fits-all doesn't work for every student, and so teachers sometimes have to adapt their practices to meet their needs, and this often means breaking the norm.

In this episode, we talk about the need to be unconventional to meet student-needs, what this can look like on teacher evaluations, and why my high school English teacher let me take a month off of school.

Of course I think parents can be overbearing sometimes. I’ve seen my fair share of helicopter and lawnmower parents, and have even seen an uptick in this behavior the last 10 years. However, I think dismissing them with a label misses out on a huge opportunity. The fact is, parents can be overbearing because they want what’s best for their kids and don’t always believe teachers share this same sentiment.

When parents can see that teachers have the best intentions for their kids, they can become allies like no one else.