Ever had a parent email at 6:15am ruin your whole day before the coffee even brewed? Same. That’s why I made a rule: no email before 7am.

In this quick episode, I share how breaking the “early email habit” changed my mornings, gave me back control of my to-do list, and kept other people’s problems from hijacking my day before it even started.

👉 If you’ve ever felt like your inbox dictates your mood, this one’s for you.

🎧 Tune in and find out how one small shift can protect your mornings — and your sanity.

Summary: Being a “good teacher” doesn’t mean burning yourself out to prove it. In this episode of Hall Pass, we dig into the impossible standards education has slapped on teachers—Pinterest-worthy classrooms, late-night grading marathons, and the myth that the first car in the parking lot is also the best teacher. Spoiler: it’s not. Instead, we’ll redefine what actually makes a teacher good (hint: it’s not laminating your lesson plans), talk about how to stop chasing outside validation, and share practical ways to feel successful without losing your sanity. Because a sustainable teacher isn’t just a “good” teacher—they’re the kind of teacher who actually lasts.

📘 Episode Summary: “Impact Goals That Actually Matter (and Surviving Your Evaluation)”

Evaluations don’t have to feel like a trap. In this Prep Period episode, I pull back the curtain on how I’ve approached goal-setting and growth using the 5D+ framework—earning multiple “Distinguished” ratings along the way.

Here’s the truth: it’s not about crafting the perfect lesson or picking the perfect goal to impress your evaluator. It’s about choosing growth areas that matter to you and your students, collaborating with your administrators, and showing up as a professional who wants to get better.

I’ll walk you through:

•How to choose meaningful goals that actually impact your teaching.

•Why regular check-ins with administrators are more powerful than one formal observation.

•What evaluators really want to see (hint: it’s not perfection).

•Why reaching out for feedback is a strength, not a weakness—especially for new teachers.

If evaluations make you nervous, this episode will help shift your mindset from performing for admin to growing as an educator. Because when you make it about impact, the ratings tend to take care of themselves.

💡 Episode Summary: “The Emotional Emergencies Drawer”

Ever wish you had a secret stash to deal with those moments when teaching gets overwhelming? In this episode of Bathroom Break, I share my idea of the Emotional Emergencies Drawer—a collection of little tools and strategies you can turn to when stress, frustration, or burnout starts to creep in.

From practical pick-me-ups to mindset resets, I’ll walk you through how to build your own drawer (literal or figurative) and why having one is essential for surviving the rollercoaster of the school year. Think of it as a self-care fire extinguisher: you hope you won’t need it, but when you do, you’ll be glad it’s there.

Take a quick break with me and learn how to stock your drawer with what works best for you—because even teachers need an emergency plan for their emotions.

Are you addicted to feeling needed? In this episode, I explore why many of us chase the high of being indispensable at work and in life, how it can quietly drain our energy, and practical ways to break free so you can show up without burning out

🎙️ Episode: “Covering a Class Doesn’t Mean Losing Your Mind”

Covering a class during your prep period can feel like being asked to sprint a marathon on your lunch break—again. In this episode of Hall Pass, we take a hard look at the realities behind this common (and often exhausting) practice.

Whether your district pays for coverage or not, teachers everywhere are grappling with the same questions:

→ How do we protect our prep time without feeling like bad teammates?

→ What happens when some teachers cover constantly, while others avoid it altogether?

→ And how can we keep our sanity when we’re asked—yet again—to sub for someone else’s class?

Oliver unpacks the systemic causes behind chronic coverage issues, shares some real talk about boundaries, and offers strategies that can help you protect your energy while still being a solid colleague.

Because covering a class shouldn’t mean compromising your well-being—or your own students’ success.

🎙️ Episode: “Toxic Productivity: When Doing More Stops Working”

If you’ve ever felt like no matter how much you do, it’s never enough… you’re not alone—and you’re not broken.

In this powerful episode of Hall Pass, Oliver tackles the insidious pressure many educators face: the belief that constant productivity is the measure of our worth. Rooted in both personal patterns and broken systems, toxic productivity masquerades as dedication but often leads to burnout, resentment, and disconnection from the work we used to love.

You’ll hear:

•Why overworking is often rewarded—but at what cost?

•The difference between being productive and being effective

•Personal stories from the classroom (and home)

•A blueprint for breaking free from the cycle

This episode offers both reflection and relief: a reminder that your value as an educator isn’t defined by how many hours you give, but by how much of yourself you still have left at the end of the day.

The classic “turn and talk” strategy once promised instant engagement and collaboration — but in many classrooms, it’s turned into an off-topic time sink. In this first Prep Period segment, I break down why “turn and talk” often fails in real-world teaching, the hidden reasons it still lingers in lesson plans, and five better, data-backed alternatives that boost student thinking, equity, and accountability. You’ll walk away with practical strategies you can use tomorrow — and none of them involve waiting for that one pair of students to finally stop talking about last night’s Fortnite match.

Remember, you can email us at

🎙️ Episode: “How I Stopped Taking Work Home (Mostly)”

If your dining room table has ever doubled as a grading station—or your weekends have blurred into lesson planning marathons—this one’s for you.

In this episode of Bathroom Break, Oliver shares his journey from overworked rookie teacher to a seasoned educator who finally drew the line. Through the chaos of parenthood, personal upheaval, and the grind of secondary teaching, he learned to focus on what actually matters—and let go of the rest.

You’ll hear about:

•The myth of being “caught up”

•How a divorce and new priorities reshaped his workload

•Why feedback can be strategic and sustainable

•Practical ways to stop assigning work that burns you out

This isn’t a how-to on cutting corners. It’s a story about reclaiming your time, your peace, and your purpose—without sacrificing the quality of your teaching.

🎙️ Episode 5: “Toxic Positivity Is Not Helping Anyone”

We’ve all heard it—“Good vibes only!” or “Just stay positive!”—but when you’re working in a school under real pressure, toxic positivity can feel like gaslighting. In this episode of Hall Pass, we’re calling it what it is: a harmful oversimplification that shuts down honesty, masks burnout, and demands emotional labor from teachers who are already at their limit.

Join Oliver as he breaks down why toxic positivity thrives in schools, how it silences real problems, and what we can do instead. We’ll talk about the power of emotional honesty, how to build a culture where it’s okay not to be okay, and how to spot the difference between encouragement and denial.

This one’s for every educator who’s been told to smile through the storm.

Spoiler: You’re allowed to feel the rain.