The Teaching Toolbox - A Podcast for Middle School Teachers

We’ve covered a lot in our 100 episodes, but now in our third season, we have decided to take a break, to re-energize, re-focus, and re-evaluate.

We hope you’ve enjoyed listening, and that if you want to hear more, you reach out and let us know.

Today, we’re unpacking how perfectionism shows up in our work, what it costs us, and how to aim for purposeful progress instead of polished perfection. Because your students don’t need perfect—they need present.

Topics Discussed

• How Perfectionism Shows Up in Teaching (and Why It’s a Problem)
• Why Middle School Teachers Are Especially Prone to Perfectionism
• Practical Mindset Shifts and Strategies to Let Go of Perfectionism

Please subscribe on your favorite platform so you don’t miss an episode. Whether it’s Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or some other listening app, we encourage you to take a moment to subscribe to The Teaching Toolbox. And if you feel so inclined, we would love a review at Apple or Spotify to help other listeners find us just like you did.

This episode may contain affiliate links.

Amazon links are affiliate links from Brittany Naujok and The Colorado Classroom, LLC®. I earn a small amount from your clicks on these links.

Let’s Connect

To stay up to date with episodes, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram.

Join Brittany’s 6th Grade Teacher Success group on Facebook.

Join Ellie’s Middle School Math Chats group on Facebook.

Brittany’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Ellie’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Reach out to share your ideas for future episodes on our podcast website.

https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/contact/

Mentioned in this episode:

Back to School Support

If you’ve hit a hiccup this Back to School, I have the resources to get you back on track. From labels for all your teacher drawers, to relationship building cards, to a review of rules and the why behind them, or maybe just a pair and share tool to get you going faster each day. Check out my Back to School category on The Colorado Classroom at TPT to help you get on your way.

We’ve all been there—you're using your go-to behavior strategy... maybe proximity, a private redirection, or a behavior chart—and the student either ignores it, rolls their eyes, or doubles down.

It’s frustrating for sure. And it’s happening more often. Traditional classroom management tools are no longer effective with some middle school students.

So what do you do when the old systems don’t cut it?

Topics Discussed

• Why Traditional Behavior Strategies Might Not Work Anymore
• What To Try When Traditional Strategies Aren’t Working
• Preventative Moves That Shift the Culture Long Term

Resources

Brittany’s Tools for Classroom Norms & Check-Ins:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-Rules-and-Regulations-Lesson-Plan-Print-and-Digital-1331085

https://thecoloradoclassroom.com/mental-health-check-in

Related Episodes

Episode 57: Stress Management Techniques (for students and teachers)

Episode 1: Establishing a Positive Classroom Culture in Your Classroom.

Please subscribe on your favorite platform so you don’t miss an episode. Whether it’s Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or some other listening app, we encourage you to take a moment to subscribe to The Teaching Toolbox. And if you feel so inclined, we would love a review at Apple or Spotify to help other listeners find us just like you did.

This episode may contain affiliate links.

Amazon links are affiliate links from Brittany Naujok and The Colorado Classroom, LLC®. I earn a small amount from your clicks on these links.

Let’s Connect

To stay up to date with episodes, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram.

Join Brittany’s 6th Grade Teacher Success group on Facebook.

Join Ellie’s Middle School Math Chats group on Facebook.

Brittany’s resources can be found on her website (https://www.thecoloradoclassroom.com/shop) or on TPT (https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Colorado-Classroom).

Ellie’s resources can be found on her website (https://cognitivecardiomath.com/shop/)or on TPT (https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Cognitive-Cardio-Math).

Reach out to share your ideas for future episodes on our podcast website.

https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/contact/

Mentioned in this episode:

Back to School Support

If you’ve hit a hiccup this Back to School, I have the resources to get you back on track. From labels for all your teacher drawers, to relationship building cards, to a review of rules and the why behind them, or maybe just a pair and share tool to get you going faster each day. Check out my Back to School category on The Colorado Classroom at TPT to help you get on your way.

Reluctant learners aren’t new—but in today’s classrooms, they’re showing up in new ways. Maybe it’s disengagement. Maybe it’s anxiety. Maybe it’s resistance that masks a struggle.

Today we’re unpacking who these students are, why they might be hesitant to engage, and most importantly, how we can help them re-engage, build confidence, and start to thrive again.

Topics Discussed

• Who Are Reluctant Learners in Middle School?
• Why Do Students Become Reluctant Learners?
• Strategies to Reach and Support Reluctant Learners

Resources

https://cognitivecardiomath.com/cognitive-cardio-blog/how-to-use-math-mistakes-as-a-teaching-tool/

https://cognitivecardiomath.com/cognitive-cardio-blog/systems-for-student-success/

https://cognitivecardiomath.com/cognitive-cardio-blog/first-week-growth-mindset-in-math/

https://cognitivecardiomath.com/cognitive-cardio-blog/how-to-foster-a-positive-math-mindset/

https://cognitivecardiomath.com/cognitive-cardio-blog/low-stress-ways-to-boost-student-motivation-in-math-class/

Related Episodes

Episode 14: Effective Morning Routines and Classroom Greetings

Please subscribe on your favorite platform so you don’t miss an episode. Whether it’s Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or some other listening app, we encourage you to take a moment to subscribe to The Teaching Toolbox. And if you feel so inclined, we would love a review at Apple or Spotify to help other listeners find us just like you did.

This episode may contain affiliate links.

Amazon links are affiliate links from Brittany Naujok and The Colorado Classroom, LLC®. I earn a small amount from your clicks on these links.

Let’s Connect

To stay up to date with episodes, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram.

Join Brittany’s 6th Grade Teacher Success group on Facebook.

Join Ellie’s Middle School Math Chats group on Facebook.

Brittany’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Ellie’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Reach out to share your ideas for future episodes on our podcast website.

https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/contact/

Mentioned in this episode:

Back to School Support

If you’ve hit a hiccup this Back to School, I have the resources to get you back on track. From labels for all your teacher drawers, to relationship building cards, to a review of rules and the why behind them, or maybe just a pair and share tool to get you going faster each day. Check out my Back to School category on The Colorado Classroom at TPT to help you get on your way.

When you think of classroom jobs, you probably picture elementary students passing out papers or feeding the class pet. But what about middle schoolers?

Can classroom jobs actually work with tweens and teens… or will you just be met with eye rolls and resistance?

Topics Discussed

• Classroom jobs that work at the middle school level
• Pros and cons of classroom jobs
• Tips for success with classroom jobs

Resources

Brittany’s Dot Dude Decor Resource

Please subscribe on your favorite platform so you don’t miss an episode. Whether it’s Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or some other listening app, we encourage you to take a moment to subscribe to The Teaching Toolbox. And if you feel so inclined, we would love a review at Apple or Spotify to help other listeners find us just like you did.

This episode may contain affiliate links.

Amazon links are affiliate links from Brittany Naujok and The Colorado Classroom, LLC®. I earn a small amount from your clicks on these links.

Let’s Connect

To stay up to date with episodes, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram.

Join Brittany’s 6th Grade Teacher Success group on Facebook.

Join Ellie’s Middle School Math Chats group on Facebook.

Brittany’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Ellie’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Reach out to share your ideas for future episodes on our podcast website.

https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/contact/

Mentioned in this episode:

Back to School Support

If you’ve hit a hiccup this Back to School, I have the resources to get you back on track. From labels for all your teacher drawers, to relationship building cards, to a review of rules and the why behind them, or maybe just a pair and share tool to get you going faster each day. Check out my Back to School category on The Colorado Classroom at TPT to help you get on your way.

In a world where information is just a click away, are we doing students a disservice by banning cheat sheets… or are we setting them up to fail when they don’t have formulas, definitions, chemicals, and other important information memorized?

Topics Discussed

• What are cheat sheets?
• Pros and cons of cheat sheets
• Tips for using reference guides effectively

Resources

Ellie’s Math Wheels/ELA Wheels

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/cognitive-cardio-math/category-math-doodle-wheels-all-303188

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/cognitive-cardio-math/category-grammar-doodle-wheelsnotes-303189

Brittany’s ELA/Math Reference Guides

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Upper-Elementary-Reference-Sheets-for-Privacy-Folders-or-Student-Offices-7108772

Please subscribe on your favorite platform so you don’t miss an episode. Whether it’s Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or some other listening app, we encourage you to take a moment to subscribe to The Teaching Toolbox. And if you feel so inclined, we would love a review at Apple or Spotify to help other listeners find us just like you did.

This episode may contain affiliate links.

Amazon links are affiliate links from Brittany Naujok and The Colorado Classroom, LLC®. I earn a small amount from your clicks on these links.

Let’s Connect

To stay up to date with episodes, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram.

Join Brittany’s 6th Grade Teacher Success group on Facebook.

Join Ellie’s Middle School Math Chats group on Facebook.

Brittany’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Ellie’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Reach out to share your ideas for future episodes on our podcast website.

https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/contact/

Mentioned in this episode:

Back to School Support

If you’ve hit a hiccup this Back to School, I have the resources to get you back on track. From labels for all your teacher drawers, to relationship building cards, to a review of rules and the why behind them, or maybe just a pair and share tool to get you going faster each day. Check out my Back to School category on The Colorado Classroom at TPT to help you get on your way.

Today, we’re diving into a quick supply survival episode: what you actually need for middle school students, how to store it all without losing your mind, and how to make it work whether students stay in your room or rotate between classes.

Topics Discussed

• Why it's worth worrying about supplies
• How to organize supplies
• Supply storage tips

Resources

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Supply-Labels-Teacher-Toolbox-Organizational-Classroom-Labeling-System-5-Sizes-12356047

Related Episodes

Ep. 17 Pencil Dilemma: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4g5GzCWEhJjNwi3IJpRgnv?si=6KuRWF_MTAOso0JNq_IrWg     or

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pencil-dilemma/id1708462661?i=1000643494050

Please subscribe on your favorite platform so you don’t miss an episode. Whether it’s Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or some other listening app, we encourage you to take a moment to subscribe to The Teaching Toolbox. And if you feel so inclined, we would love a review at Apple or Spotify to help other listeners find us just like you did.

This episode may contain affiliate links.

Amazon links are affiliate links from Brittany Naujok and The Colorado Classroom, LLC®. I earn a small amount from your clicks on these links.

Let’s Connect

To stay up to date with episodes, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram.

Join Brittany’s 6th Grade Teacher Success group on Facebook.

Join Ellie’s Middle School Math Chats group on Facebook.

Brittany’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Ellie’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Reach out to share your ideas for future episodes on our podcast website.

https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/contact/

Mentioned in this episode:

Back to School Support

If you’ve hit a hiccup this Back to School, I have the resources to get you back on track. From labels for all your teacher drawers, to relationship building cards, to a review of rules and the why behind them, or maybe just a pair and share tool to get you going faster each day. Check out my Back to School category on The Colorado Classroom at TPT to help you get on your way.

When students leave class for different services—like pull-out interventions or ELL support—it’s a great resource. But it can also mean missing key classroom moments and disruptions.. Teachers often ask: How do I help those students catch up without slowing down the class? And if service providers come  into  the room, how do we keep things smooth and focused?

So today we’re diving into practical strategies for teachers to help students stay on track, collaborate with inclusion providers, and keep classrooms inclusive and productive.

Topics Discussed

• How to keep pull-out students from falling behind
• How to make a push-in setup work for all learners
• How to deliver modifications and accommodations when you are solo

Please subscribe on your favorite platform so you don’t miss an episode. Whether it’s Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or some other listening app, we encourage you to take a moment to subscribe to The Teaching Toolbox. And if you feel so inclined, we would love a review at Apple or Spotify to help other listeners find us just like you did.

This episode may contain affiliate links.

Amazon links are affiliate links from Brittany Naujok and The Colorado Classroom, LLC®. I earn a small amount from your clicks on these links.

Let’s Connect

To stay up to date with episodes, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram.

Join Brittany’s 6th Grade Teacher Success group on Facebook.

Join Ellie’s Middle School Math Chats group on Facebook.

Brittany’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Ellie’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Reach out to share your ideas for future episodes on our podcast website.

https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/contact/

Mentioned in this episode:

Back to School Support

If you’ve hit a hiccup this Back to School, I have the resources to get you back on track. From labels for all your teacher drawers, to relationship building cards, to a review of rules and the why behind them, or maybe just a pair and share tool to get you going faster each day. Check out my Back to School category on The Colorado Classroom at TPT to help you get on your way.

In this episode, we’re breaking down how to make parent communication more strategic, sustainable, and supportive for everyone involved. We’ll talk about why it matters, what methods actually work, and how to set yourself up with realistic systems that won’t take over your week.

Topics Discussed

• WHY parent communication matters
• HOW to manage parent communication
• A parent communication game plan

Resources

https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/mkraft/files/kraft_dougherty_teacher_communication_jree.pdf

Please subscribe on your favorite platform so you don’t miss an episode. Whether it’s Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or some other listening app, we encourage you to take a moment to subscribe to The Teaching Toolbox. And if you feel so inclined, we would love a review at Apple or Spotify to help other listeners find us just like you did.

This episode may contain affiliate links.

Amazon links are affiliate links from Brittany Naujok and The Colorado Classroom, LLC®. I earn a small amount from your clicks on these links.

Let’s Connect

To stay up to date with episodes, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram.

Join Brittany’s 6th Grade Teacher Success group on Facebook.

Join Ellie’s Middle School Math Chats group on Facebook.

Brittany’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Ellie’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Reach out to share your ideas for future episodes on our podcast website.

https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/contact/

Mentioned in this episode:

Back to School Support

If you’ve hit a hiccup this Back to School, I have the resources to get you back on track. From labels for all your teacher drawers, to relationship building cards, to a review of rules and the why behind them, or maybe just a pair and share tool to get you going faster each day. Check out my Back to School category on The Colorado Classroom at TPT to help you get on your way.

Ever feel like the first few weeks of school are a tornado of papers, emails, meetings, and missed to-dos? You are not alone. But what if you could start the year with systems that actually stick—and save you time in the long run?

Topics Discussed

• Digital organization
• The paper monster
• Communication systems

Resources

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Back-to-School-Meet-the-Teacher-or-Open-House-Activities-Forms-Resources-1315984?utm_source=TTPC&utm_campaign=August-Podcast-Episodes

Please subscribe on your favorite platform so you don’t miss an episode. Whether it’s Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or some other listening app, we encourage you to take a moment to subscribe to The Teaching Toolbox. And if you feel so inclined, we would love a review at Apple or Spotify to help other listeners find us just like you did.

This episode may contain affiliate links.

Amazon links are affiliate links from Brittany Naujok and The Colorado Classroom, LLC®. I earn a small amount from your clicks on these links.

Let’s Connect

To stay up to date with episodes, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Instagram.

Join Brittany’s 6th Grade Teacher Success group on Facebook.

Join Ellie’s Middle School Math Chats group on Facebook.

Brittany’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Ellie’s resources can be found on her website or on TPT.

Reach out to share your ideas for future episodes on our podcast website.

https://teachingtoolboxpodcast.com/contact/

Mentioned in this episode:

Back to School Support

If you’ve hit a hiccup this Back to School, I have the resources to get you back on track. From labels for all your teacher drawers, to relationship building cards, to a review of rules and the why behind them, or maybe just a pair and share tool to get you going faster each day. Check out my Back to School category on The Colorado Classroom at TPT to help you get on your way.