In this episode of The Inspired Educator: Empowering New Teachers to Thrive, Dr. LaToya Crockett shares honest and practical advice on what to do when students start testing the rules. Whether it’s off-task behavior, ignoring directions, or pushing limits, these moments are part of every teacher’s journey but they don’t have to shake your confidence.

LaToya walks you through why students test boundaries and how you can respond with clarity, consistency, and calm, without raising your voice or second-guessing yourself. She also shares real examples from her kindergarten classroom and simple strategies new teachers can start using immediately.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why testing behavior is developmentally appropriate (and expected)
• How to shift your mindset from frustration to calm
• What to reflect on before responding to off-task behavior
• How routines, tone, and body language shape student response
• Why consistency and positive reinforcement matter more than consequences

This episode is perfect for:

• First-year teachers building classroom management skills
• Career changers and student teachers preparing for the first week of school
• Educators who want to stay calm, clear, and confident under pressure

Lets stay connected:

• Join the Thrive with Purpose Facebook community
• Follow Dr. LaToya Crockett on LinkedIn

In this episode of The Inspired Educator: Empowering New Teachers to Thrive, we continue our classroom management series with a thoughtful conversation about what it means to manage a classroom in a way that honors students' backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences.

Dr. LaToya Crockett is joined by Anjali Bajaj, founder of AHINSA Leadership Collective and a longtime educator and school leader. Together, they explore how culturally and historically responsive education can guide your routines, relationships, and expectations, even if you're just starting your teaching journey.

This episode will help you:

• Understand what culturally responsive classroom management looks like in practice
• Reflect on how your own identity and values shape your teaching
• Build routines that are respectful, relevant, and clear
• Strengthen your relationships with students from day one
• Approach the first weeks of school with confidence and purpose

Whether you’re a first-year teacher, student teacher, or transitioning into the classroom, this conversation will help you lead with clarity and care.

📬 Connect with Anjali Bajaj

Anjali Bajaj of AHINSA Leadership Collective Inc.

Email [email protected]

IG @ahinsaleadershipcollective

LinkedIn: Anjali Bajaj

💡 Thrive with Purpose links

Facebook: The Inspired Educator: Support for New and Aspiring Teachers

LinkedIn: Dr. LaToya Crockett

If this episode spoke to you, share it with a fellow educator and follow the show for more practical guidance and encouragement.

Welcome to Episode 2 of our four-part series on classroom management. If you're preparing for a new school year, this episode is designed to help you start strong by understanding one of the biggest misconceptions new teachers face: the difference between classroom management and discipline.

Dr. LaToya Crockett is joined by veteran educator and leadership consultant Lisa Norwood, founder of iLead Education Services. With more than 25 years of experience as a teacher, coach, and turnaround principal, Lisa shares clear, actionable advice on building structure, creating routines, and leading your classroom with confidence.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why classroom management is about prevention, not punishment
• How routines and procedures create security for students
• The role of consistency in building student trust
• What new teachers often misunderstand about discipline
• Practical strategies you can implement before your first day

This conversation is packed with insight and encouragement to help you plan intentionally and avoid burnout later in the year.

Connect with Lisa Norwood

Website: ileadeducationservices.com

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-norwood-williams-b1a06615/

Connect with Dr. LaToya Crockett

Join the Thrive with Purpose Facebook group for continued support

Follow LaToya on LinkedIn: Dr. LaToya Crockett

Welcome to Season 2 of The Inspired Educator: Empowering New Teachers to Thrive!

To start this season, we're launching a focused four-part mini-series on classroom management.

This first episode sets the foundation with one essential truth for new teachers: behavior must be taught, modeled, and practiced just like reading.

Dr. LaToya Crockett sits down with Tangela Leggett, founder and CEO of Leggett Educational Consulting, to explore how routines and expectations can be built from day one through clarity, structure, and relationship-building.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why behavior expectations must be taught explicitly — not assumed
• How to model and practice key routines in a K–5 classroom
• Tips for building consistency and calm through repetition
• The connection between routines and strong student relationships
• Encouragement for new teachers who are still finding their voice

New teachers, if you've ever felt unsure about how to support students with IEPs, collaborate with special education teams, or create a classroom where every child feels seen, this episode is for you.

In this powerful conversation, Dr. LaToya Crockett sits down with Shannon Poynter, a special education teacher with over 17 years of experience, to discuss what inclusion really means and how to make it a lived reality in your classroom.

You'll learn:

✔️ What inclusion looks like beyond buzzwords

✔️ How to build respectful collaboration with paras and resource teachers

✔️ 3 simple strategies to make your classroom more inclusive

✔️ What parts of the IEP you really need to understand as a gen ed teacher

✔️ How to build trust, structure, and belonging for all students

Whether you're a first-year teacher, student teacher, or career changer, this episode will leave you encouraged, informed, and ready to lead an inclusive space with heart and purpose.

📱 Follow on us on FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567457680782

💼 Connect on LinkedIn: Dr. LaToya Crockett

If you're a new teacher stepping into summer school with extra income on the way, this episode is your financial wake-up call!

In today’s conversation, Dr. LaToya Crockett sits down with Dr. Melissa Weathersby — a financial wellness consultant, educator, and advocate for financial literacy — to break down smart money habits every early-career educator needs.

You’ll learn:

✔️ What to do with your summer school paycheck

✔️ How to build an emergency fund (even on a tight budget)

✔️ Why teachers should stop overspending on their classrooms

✔️ Budgeting basics using the 50/30/20 rule

✔️ Mindset shifts to go from spending to investing

✔️ The #1 financial trap new teachers fall into — and how to avoid it

Whether you're teaching summer school or gearing up for your first year, this episode will help you manage your money with confidence and clarity.

🔗 Learn more about Dr. Melissa Weathersby at melissaweathersby.com

Connect on LinkedIn: Dr. LaToya Crockett

Summer school teachers, this is for you!

The secret to a thriving classroom, even in the summer, starts with genuine connections.

I’m Dr. LaToya Crockett, and today I chat with transformational speaker and educator Wynette Richardson—aka “The Teacher’s Champion”—on how to lay the foundation for learning through authentic rapport in a short amount of time.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

• 🎯 Why Relationships Matter: How Ms. Mildred Echols and Ms. Wanda White shaped Wynette’s why—and how you can discover yours.
• 🔑 Day-One Strategies: Showing up as your true self, framing intentional get-to-know-you questions, and embedding “not optional” participation without pressure.
• 🤝 Inclusivity Tactics: Paper-and-pen alternatives, talking pieces, and flex options that ensure every learner’s voice is heard.
• 🌱 Short-Term Contexts: Quick rapport-building norms for summer school and long-term subs that accelerate trust—even in 20 days.
• 🛠️ Daily Check-Ins: Mood meters, 1–100 scales, and emoji prompts to keep your finger on the pulse of student well-being.

Love this episode? Subscribe, rate, and share with a fellow educator!

Connect with Wynette: https://www.wynetterichardson.com/

In this inspiring episode of The Inspired Educator: Empowering New Teachers to Thrive!, Dr. LaToya Crockett is joined by Tanjarae Porter—arts educator, certified reading specialist, and founder of Cultivated Connections—to explore how arts integration can be a powerful tool for student engagement, inclusivity, and personal teacher wellness.

Whether you're a first-year teacher, a career changer, or someone looking to spark creativity in your classroom, this episode is filled with practical strategies and heartwarming stories that will remind you why this work matters.

🎨 What you’ll learn in this episode:

• What arts integration really means (and how it’s different from arts enhancement)
• 3 easy-to-implement arts-based strategies to engage all learners
• How to integrate the arts without needing to be “an artist”
• Why creativity is essential to supporting student voice, confidence, and literacy
• How arts integration supports special education students and English learners
• Why arts education is equity work—and how to make it culturally responsive

✨ This episode is a must-listen for:

✔️ New and aspiring teachers

✔️ Teachers working in diverse classrooms

✔️ Educators looking to make learning more inclusive, joyful, and effective

🎧 Listen now and learn how to empower your students—and yourself—through the power of creative teaching.

🔗 Additional Resources:

🖥️ Learn more about Cultivated Connections: https://www.cultivatedconnections.org/

Download your No Prep Arts Integration Activities:

https://www.cultivatedconnections.org/Resource_NoPrepArtsIntegration

📥 Download the FREE End-of-Year Behavior Guide: https://thrive-with-purpose-consulting-and-development-llc.kit.com/18f873c94f

Feeling like you’ve poured every ounce of energy into your classroom… and now there’s nothing left? You’re not alone. I’m Dr. LaToya Crockett, and in this episode I sit down with licensed therapist Timeka L. Muhammad of The Courage To Cope to break down what educator burnout really looks like—and share therapist-approved habits to reclaim your passion for teaching.

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

• 🔍 What Burnout Really Is — A clear, relatable definition so you can spot it early
• 🚩 3 Key Warning Signs — From chronic fatigue and irritability to forgetfulness and aches
• 🛠️ Three Burnout-Busting Strategies
  1. Set Firm Boundaries — Leave work at work so you can fully show up at home
  2. Wind-Down Rituals — 5–10 minutes of stretch, journal, or deep breathing before “off-duty” mode
  3. The “Not Now” List — Politely defer extra requests until you have bandwidth

Grab Your Free Guide 🎁 Download the 7 Behavior Strategies to Finish the Year Strong

Connect with Timeka 🌐 https://www.thecouragetocope.com/about-8

Love this episode? 👇 Subscribe, rate, and share with a fellow educator! 👇

Feeling exhausted, emotionally drained, or just overwhelmed as the school year winds down? You’re not alone. In this powerful episode, Dr. LaToya Crockett sits down with educator wellness expert and founder of Teacher Recess, Daryll Wharton, to explore what burnout really looks like—and how new teachers can create sustainable boundaries to protect their energy, purpose, and passion. This episode is filled with affirming, actionable wisdom to help new educators stay grounded, reflect with intention, and shift from merely surviving to truly thriving.

💡 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

What burnout really looks like (it’s more than just being tired)

The difference between being out of alignment and being overworked

How to identify what’s in your “teacher bag” and decide what to carry or let go

Practical boundary-setting phrases and mindsets every new teacher needs

Why saying "no" is a form of professional strength—not selfishness

Tools to help you regulate emotions, set intentions, and recharge daily

Why teacher wellness isn’t a luxury—it’s essential for student success

🔑 Key Takeaways:

✔️ "No" is a complete sentence.

✔️ You teach people how to treat you—start with yourself.

✔️ Burnout is a sign you’re out of alignment, not just overworked.

✔️ Teaching from overflow, not emptiness, protects your purpose.

✔️ Reflection and mindfulness help you reset—not just react.

✔️ Teacher wellness should be built into school culture, not added on.

🎯 This Episode is For:

First- and second-year teachers feeling stretched thin

Career changers and student teachers struggling with balance

School leaders and mentors who want to better support new educators

Educators seeking a more sustainable, purpose-driven teaching life 📌

Resources Mentioned:

🌐 Visit Teacher Recess Consulting - https://teacherrecess.com/

🎧 Free “Active Meditation” Audio for Teachers https://teacherrecess.com/

🗣️ Share the Love: If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow educator or mentor.

✨ Subscribe, download and review!