The EDVERYTHING Podcast: For Everything Education: Recent Episodes
Nicole Clark&Danielle Johnson
As fellow educators, we understand just how busy your schedule is. We also know just how important it is to get regular doses of motivation to keep you going throughout the year and tips for how to make your classroom run even more efficiently day to day. Part inspiration and part implementation, you'll hear a short episode designed to provide you actionable steps regarding how to make your classroom more efficient, new technology or ideas to try out in your classroom, and other resources that we find along the way.
This week on the Edverything Podcast, we welcome Spencer Sharp, also known as @sharpthebuilder Spencer found himself in a unique situation back in his first year of teaching - to build something from nothing, and if you thought his name hinted at something, you’re right- @sharpthebuilder reflects Spencer’s path as he was approached by his school leadership to build a STEM curriculum from scratch with limited supplies and funding, and he certainly did! Spencer sits down with us to talk about his experience as a 1-person department, his philosophy on failure, and his mission to make STEM accessible no matter your subject area. Let’s get started… For more ways to connect with Spencer: Email: sharpthebuilder2020@gmail.com Feature at STEM Con 2020: https://www.steamcafe.net/virtual-stem-con-2020-pd-in-your-pjs/ Website: https://www.sharpthebuilder.com/ Podcast: https://innovativeteacherpodcast.com/ Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Sharp-The-Builder Blog: https://www.sharpthebuilder.com/blog
It feels like now more than ever educators are reexamining classroom practices and procedures with a different lens; enter: 2020-2021 school year. An ever-changing learning environment calls on teachers to get creative especially when it comes to traditional classroom procedures like student note-taking. This week, Danielle and Nicole challenging student and teacher assumptions about note-taking as they ask 3 major questions and identify valuable criteria when deciding on a new note-taking approach.
In this episode you'll hear 3 key questions every teacher should ask oneself:
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Does the style and organization matter?
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Who are these notes for?
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How can provide explicit instruction on note-taking to my students?
You'll also hear key criteria to consider when choosing a new note-taking system, procedure, or software:
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Ease of transparency in sharing student to teacher and student to student
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Accessibility of differentiation
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Storage and organization options
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Possible integration with past software
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Compatibility with discipline and subject area
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Cost to school and cost to student/family
bonus is this tool and associate learned skill a new addition to your #teacherresume? Can you update and revamp pre-existing content on TpT?
Jen Gonzalez of @cultofpedagogy
Notetaking: A Research Roundup Article
Ashley Bible of @buildingbooklove
Episode 63: Wonderful, Wonder-filled Classrooms for Any Age Group with Ashley Bible
Peardeck: formative assessment
https://www.peardeck.com/
Parlay ideas: The future of class discussions
https://parlayideas.com/
Many edupreneurs find themselves creating classroom resources to sell to other time-strapped educators. Marshall and his wife, Lindsay, decided to start a podcast, not for their fellow teachers or teacher side hustlers, but in an area where they saw a real lack: inspiring science education content. Combining Lindsay’s background in science journalism with Marshall’s passion for teaching middle school and his musical talent, the couple started Tumble, a self-described “science podcast for kids, to be enjoyed by the entire family.” In this episode, Marshall explains the process for creating each episode, how they gained the attention of brands early (and how they’ve recently leveraged this into a brand partnership), what role Patreon plays in his business (and what he’s learned that you can apply to your very own content creation account), and the invaluable role networking has played in the success of the podcast every step of the way.
To learn more about the Tumble Science Podcast:
https://www.sciencepodcastforkids.com/
To visit Tumble Patreon channel:
https://www.patreon.com/tumblepodcast
To listen to Tumble:
https://beta.prx.org/series/38125
Though going into the field of education was the single biggest career choice that we’ve made, starting our podcast 3 years ago has become a very close second. Starting a teacher podcast was a literal game changer for us. Without it, we would still be dreaming of one day becoming teacherpreneurs. As proud teacher side hustlers, we know that there are plenty of decisions that need to be made at any given point, but we can also say from experience that choosing the right platform for releasing your regular content is one that can really make all the difference. Podcasting has truly been the catalyst for so much of our success—and we want to give you the motivation and the inside scoop to help you make podcast a part of your content strategy as well.
In this episode, we talk about why we started a teacher podcast to begin with, but we go on to list a number of other reasons why podcasting might be a good fit for you as well. Whether to further your career aspirations outside of the classroom or to document your experience to track your own personal growth, we consider a number of reasons beyond promoting items from your TpT store that might make podcasting the right path for you. Once you’ve determined that podcasting makes sense for you, we make sure that you’ve thought through what you’ll podcast about.
But we won’t leave you with tons of ideas and no way to implement. In the second half of the episode, we deep dive into what you need (and what you don’t) to start recording right away. After breaking down some myths and misconceptions that might be holding you back from pressing recording or releasing your first episode, we take you through the entire process, from recording software to distribution platforms, so you’ll find your way into earbuds in no time.
In this episode you’ll hear -Why podcasting is a great platform when you are just starting out -What equipment you need (and what you don’t need to spend money on) when first starting a podcast -What software we use to record and distribute our own podcast (spoiler alert: its free)
Though teaching can feel like a rather solitary profession at times, more and more educators are realizing the benefits of working with their fellow teachers. Whether schools assign a co-teacher or encourage us to work with a team, we establish formal or informal mentorship relationships with those within our own district or teachers that we follow on Instagram, or we simply regularly listen to education-focused podcasts or attend virtual PD, nowadays, the opportunities to network and learn from other instructors seem endless.
But we shouldn’t rely on our peers alone to help make our classrooms thrive. Your district may have any number of other amazing individuals that serve as resources for not only the students but for you as an educator. One position that can help bring a unique perspective into the classroom is to work with a Behavioral Specialist, and while your particular school may not have one on staff just yet, Maria Helton is on the show to bring her top tips for how to increase positive behavior and habits in the classroom— no matter what grade level you work with.
Whether you are interacting with your students virtually or in person, Maria, of Teaching Behavior Together, explains how to cultivate the behavior we want our students to display. From building rapport to coping mechanisms, Maria demonstrates the need to model behavior, to be cognizant of providing reinforcement for the behaviors we want to see more of, and to meet students' needs at the moment rather than rush to finding blame or consequences. While there are certainly unique challenges in terms of behavior that arise in the virtual environment schools may find themselves in in 2020, Maria’s optimism shines through, seeing this as an opportunity to leave behind the relics of traditional school punishments and instead think of new, creative ways that more appropriately set students up for long term success in whatever environment they find themselves in.
In some ways, our sudden foray into remote instruction has forced us to re-examine the ways in which things have always been done in education, allowing motivated teachers the space to reinvent practices that had become standard but that could be improved with the technology now at our disposal. Perhaps more than any other single aspect of education, virtual learning necessitates a close connection with parents who are instrumental in the educational process but who can be difficult to cultivate relationships with when we don’t see them in the course of everyday interactions or due to a pandemic and social distancing, we may never actually meet them in person. Back To School Night provides teachers with the opportunity to meet the parents and guardians and begin to develop that rapport, but when the school building may not be open or may not be for visitors, how can we communicate the right tone and information and lay the groundwork for that great communication. We first discussed Back To School night way back in our second ever episode of the EDverything Podcast, but 2020 has us revisiting this topic—and the spin we are putting on back to school night has us excited to implement these tactics, even after the new normal is long behind us. In this episode, you’ll hear why recording a video intro as using a tool like Loom is something that will be making Back To School Night a better experience for everyone involved—and what to feature if you are eager to do the same!
In this episode, you’ll hear: -How recording a video can save you from some of the most common Back To School Night interruptions -Why it will save you time (and be far more environmentally-friendly than your typical Back To School Night) -How it signals your understanding of parents needs and schedules -Why it can be great for making sure that the supplies you need are the ones that actually get purchased -Gives parents a better idea of what your actual (sometimes virtual or flipped) classroom might look like -Why this can help you stand out while simultaneously taking away some of the nerves and stress typically associated with BTSN -What to cover in a virtual BTSN intro video, from the traditional topics to those that make a great addition for people who can’t come to your classroom in person
Though number of years in the profession, grade level taught, and location all have a significant bearing on the exact number, a recent Business Insider article published found that nationwide “the average public school teacher salary for the 2018-2019 school year was $61,730.” As a result, it is no surprise that so many teachers are trying to leverage their many skills into finding a profitable side hustle in order to make the most of their talents and to help them pay down students loans, make mortgage payments, or to start a retirement fund. While the allure of teacherpreneurship is obvious, the path to success is not. Erica Terry, of Classroom to CEO, shares that moving up within the education system isn’t always the path to greater financial freedom. A former school administrator, with the birth of her daughter Erica gave up the long hours that come with being school admin and traded it for a consulting gig— and a side hustle in which she helps other motivated edupreneurs find their path. This educator and mother knows how precious time is— and as a result, she makes the most of hers. In this episode, Erica explains how she uses one product to create multiple streams of revenue— and how you can do the same. Links mentioned Total Teacher Summit: edverything.com Episode 33: Making Success Your Business: TpT Is a Business, Not a Hobby with Hayley Cain: https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-33-Making-Success-Your-Business-TpT-Is-a-Business--Not-a-Hobby-with-Hayley-Cain-e41t58 Edupreneur Success Week: https://www.edupreneursuccess.com/ Erica Terry: https://www.classroomtoceo.com/
As Summit and podcast hosts, we know a thing or two about pitching. We both receive and make pitches all the time. Based on what we’ve seen first hand, we are breaking down some of the most important things to keep in mind in order to put together a quality pitch.
In episode 80, we talked about the homework that should be done behind the scenes before sending out that pitch so that when your message or application gains attention, those hosts are impressed with what they see from you in #alltheplaces. And while that episode was centered on you, much of what to do in the pitch itself is actually not.
Today, we are going to help put you in the right mindset and help you focus on the right things when it comes to filling out applications or making cold pitches. In this episode you’ll hear:
-How even without having experience with pitching, you’ve probably done something very similar before in the form of cover letters
-The ways in which being specific— and making those connections outside of the pitch itself can be invaluable
-How the emphasis needs to be on what you offer them, not what just what you’ll get out of the experience or what degrees you’ve got
Links mentioned
https://www.edverything.com/tts-july-2020-speaker-application
https://www.alissamcdonald.com/episode-37-take-your-thought-leadership-to-the-next-level-through-collaborations-and-online-pd-with-danielle-and-nicole-from-edverything-education/
https://thesprinkletoppedteacher.com/mystory https://thesprinkletoppedteacher.com/mystory (check out her fun facts—I love how memorable they are)
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Simple-One-Page-Media-Kit-Template-for-Teacherpreneurs-TpT-Sellers-5579017
As the school year starts to wind down and distance learning becomes the new norm, it seems there is no better time than the present for self-reflection and a #teacherinfluencer resume revamp. In this episode you'll hear:
Why the size of your audience isn't your single defining characteristic
Why attending a virtual summit is a perfect opportunity to earn the Professional Development you've been wanting
The homework you need to do before you hit "apply"
How to strategize and make the most of your social media bio or highlight reel
The first three things someone is looking for when they come across your page for the very first time
How you can leverage your skills as a #teacherinfluencer and apply to be a Total Teacher Summit featured speaker
Links mentioned:
Simple One Page Media Kit Template For Teacherpreneurs & TpT Sellers
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Simple-One-Page-Media-Kit-Template-for-Teacherpreneurs-TpT-Sellers-5579017
Total Teacher Summit Speaker Application
https://www.edverything.com/tts-july-2020-speaker-application
Episode 44: Why Attend A Virtual Summit
https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-44-Why-Attend-A-Virtual-Summit-e4qa2d
Episode 45: How To Get the Most Out of Attending a Virtual Summit
https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-45-How-To-Get-the-Most-Out-of-Attending-a-Virtual-Summit-e4spg1
Why showcase student work—and why not use the bulletin board
- Sends the message that you value student work
- Makes students collaborators in the shared space
- Reinforces the idea that the teacher isn't necessarily the only audience
- Gives others a glimpse into your classroom and what you are working on
Time to think outside the traditional bulletin board
Bulletin boards might be the most common method for displaying student work-- but that doesn't make it the only way to show what students can produce
- Re-doing bulletin boards isn't exactly a fun task/Using ways outside of the bulletin board actually allow you to update student work more regularly. In ASCD's "Classroom Displays: Keep the Focus on Student Work," Mike Anderson, a Responsive Classroom specialist suggests displaying drafts and works in progress, not just final products, and reminds us to leave plenty of space--even if that means you need to display work in shifts http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol6/613-anderson.aspx
- At the time of this recording, our classrooms are remote-- there is no physical bulletin board
- Sometimes, bulletin boards aren't the right "fit" for the assignment (not all great student work is visually appealing)
- Greener (yay environment!)
- Perfect for traveling teachers (reference episode)
- Bulletin boards themselves have a limited audience-- only others in the school will see them (parents, others who teach the same subject that you do, etc.)
How to display work without that traditional bulletin board
1| Embed the “show off” portion directly into the project/class routine itself
- Certain apps/websites are designed for sharing (Ex. FlipGrid, ClassroomDojo)
2| Show it off to parents in a newsletter
- Do you already send a classroom newsletter home? Why not make that another space to show off learning instead of using it simply as a platform to explain what is being worked on [TpT template opportunity?]
3| Show it off to the greater community using social media
- Does your school have official school social media accounts you can post to? This could potentially get both parents and students to see that great work at the same time
4| Get it in front of the eyes of judges
- NEA’s “Showcasing Student Work” reminds us of other ways to show off (encourage them to enter their work into contests) http://www.nea.org/tools/57917.htm
5| Digitize Your Bulletin Board-- and show it off in #alltheplaces
- Shana of @HelloTeacherLady has an amazing tutorial on customizing your Zoom Waiting Room or Google Header (check out more here!) In her example, she shows off how she replicates the vibe by including posters she loves in the virtual space she's made-- why not use your newly created bulletin board instead!
- Make it once, use it in many places! [TpT Product Template Opportunity]-- use it for the Waiting Room, post it in Stream with that day's announcements, update the Banner, post it on the LMS that you used before remote instruction began. You know the principle that you can share your one piece of content in multiple places because your audience might not be following you in all those places so you really aren't bothering anyone? The same applies here! Some students/parents may have missed it the first time around-- and none of your students will be upset at seeing their work featured once more!
- Speaking of lessons from social media...Edverything Social!
As the new normal of working from home actually begins to feel a bit more normal, it may be time to make our digital classrooms feel a little bit more like the home away from home our physical classrooms have always been. So many teachers pride themselves on making their classrooms a comfortable, welcoming space, full of personality, and inspiration. But can we say the same for our virtual classrooms? Though this may have been overlooked when the sudden transition to remote learning occurred, now that it seems likely that many schools will be settling into distance learning for an extended time, potentially even ending the year in this way, we can turn our attention to the small ways that we can make our online classrooms replicate the physical ones we left behind.
Whether these customizations help you infuse a bit of your personality as a reminder to your students that you truly are there on the other side of the screen, instill a little humor or positivity to help brighten a tough time, or create motivation when it could be lacking, this effort helps make the continuation of learning feel like a true extension of the classroom you and your students have developed all year.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-Reasons why customization of your classroom benefits you, your students— and your side hustle
-How bitmojis can help you make your classroom feel more personal even without sharing an actual image of yourself
-Ways beyond the visual to make your classroom feel like your space
Links mentioned:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Edverything-For-Everything-Education
@helloteacherlady
Ep. 75: Going the Distance with @VirtualElementaryTeachers
https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-75-Going-the-Distance-Successful-Strategies-for-Remote-Learning-from-Virtual-Elementarys-Cara-Piper-ec9037
Ep. 63 Wonderful, Wonder-filled Classrooms with @BuildingBookLove
https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-63-Wonderful--Wonder-filled-Classrooms-for-Any-Age-Group-with-Ashley-Bible-e9kcgn
Ep 67: Personally Speaking
https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-67-Personally-Speaking-Showcasing-Your-Personality-In-and-Out-of-the-Classroom-eahbtp
Danielle & Nicole are here to discuss their favorite topic - virtual summits! Whether you're curious about the behind the scenes end of creating a the #totalteachersummit or you're seriously considering implementing a virtual summit in your classroom this school year, Danielle & Nicole are here to walk you through the "How-To" of virtual summit creation.
When you listen to episode 46 you know why a virtual classroom meet-up is worthwhile, and today we're building on that point, bringing you the how. In just 9 easy steps, we break down questions to ask yourself, factors to consider, and potential roadblocks to look out for.
Step 1: Pick a unit that makes sense to host as a virtual summit
- What unit is so large in scope that you always feel like you just scratch the surface with how you traditionally cover it? (Nothing comes to mind? In episode #18, we talked about how to teach topics you can’t stand— this very well might be one of them)
Step 2: Select what students will be responsible for in terms of creating the virtual summit. Think outside just the presentation itself. Student autonomy is key!
- Name of Summit. You have the general topic/concept, but let students choose a name for more ownership and creativity. How can you make this happen— have students work in small groups to come up with their name and a pitch for why.
Step 3: Craft a corresponding rubric or rubrics to use for each of the requirements students must meet
- Identify Common Core Standards you are looking to address
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What you’ll probably want included for this rubric or to have separate rubrics for:
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Presentation— creativity, accuracy, understanding audience
- Networking/Engagement—how do they interact with others “in chat.” The quality and quantity of what is said, how it is said
- The “extras”— do students need to create a corresponding PowerPoint for their talk? Do they need to create a virtual or physical thumbnail display of their talk
Step 4: Decide what technology you need to use to make this happen. When will students be viewing the presentations? How will they give their feedback?
Step 5: Determine how to model the concept and any related technology in your classroom
- Don’t assume students know how to use a particular piece of technology. Time will probably need to be built in for students to learn this. Do students need to edit their videos? Upload them? These small logistics are things that can cause a lot of problems come the due date if you don’t plan for it as students are unlikely to know what they don’t know
Step 6: Get students HYPED
Step 7: Decide what students will need extra support with to create their virtual summit and select how much class time to devote to it
Step 8: How can the summit live on/be shared with others?
- Grab our bulletin board print outs and utilize QR codes
- Use Class Dojo to share with parents
Step 9: Reflection to help you iterate
- Build-in time for you and your students to reflect on the project, stay organized, student growth and ownership, make it even smoother next time or for next year
When school is in session, whether knowingly or not, you likely have a routine. That set of tasks you do regularly, perhaps even unconsciously, from the time you wake up through your commute and continue straight through til the final bell rings and you head home for the day. And while everyone’s typical routine may look a little different, the COVID 19 outbreak has almost certainly caused a major disruption to your daily schedule. With the sudden shift to remote learning, you may feel like you are at a loss for how to manage your time and what to prioritize when things seem so far from ordinary.
When working from home, it can be more challenging to put together routines, but it can also be that much more important for creating and maintaining healthy boundaries. When your home is your office, it can be tempting to have no exact end time to your work day or to try to take each morning at a leisurely pace. While far from experts, we’ve each started settling into our new routine, and we are hoping that this episode inspires you to do just the same.
We know that everyone's routine will look a little different based on what your home situation looks like, what grade level you teach, what your school expects-- and a myriad of other factors. While we are routine enthusiasts, we don't think there is one right way to go about your day; as a result, instead of a prescriptive checklist, we have provided you with a framework—in the form of this very episode and a free, fully customizable workbook and checklist so you quickly determine your priorities and develop a routine for what actually works for you.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-What does NOT work for us in terms of our new morning routines
-Changes we’ve made to our classroom routines from day 1 of remote learning til now
-Why a classroom routine students can expect is great—but isn’t synonymous with being rigid
-A few things that you can celebrate crossing off your typical after school rings to-do list
-Why boundary setting is extra important during remote learning
Links mentioned:
-Episode 22
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/time-tasks-trauma-troubleshooting-common-teacher-stressors-with-amanda-murtaugh-lmhp?rq=amanda%20murtaugh
-Our TpT Store to get your free workbook and checklist https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Remote-Learning-Routines-Teachers-Work-from-Home-Workbook-and-Daily-Checklist-5431307
-Episode 9
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/healthy-routines?rq=michele%20hamilton
In the midst of the coronavirus, as so many schools have begun online instruction, it seems like we all became virtual teachers overnight, figuring out how to translate our lessons to the online space. And while we are all still adjusting to our new normal, now more than ever it is great to get advice from someone who is a pro at this, literally, as online instruction is the way she delivers all her lessons. Cara Piper is a traditional classroom teacher turned online kindergarten teacher for Florida Virtual School.
Whether you love online teaching and want to figure out how to make the transition to virtual education even when buildings reopen or you need tips for how to cultivate community even when students are physically attending class from separate spaces, Cara offers valuable insight whether you want to make the virtual classroom your permanent home or how to to make the most of this experience for your students for the time being.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-what a typical day in the life of a virtual elementary school teacher looks like (at an institution that has open enrollment)
-what the job application and interview process to be a virtual teacher looked like
-how parent partnership and communication is key (and why we should be thinking of them as the home educator)
-how to make the students in your classroom feel like they know you (and each other) when they may never meet you in person
-how to motivate your students on your Zoom calls (or in whatever video platform you are using)
When a lesson is going really well, it seems like time absolutely flies by. But how often have we had that same sensation, not knowing where the time went, when our daily prep period comes to an end--yet you have nothing to show for it?
We want to instill time management skills in our students, but if we are being truly honest with ourselves, we don’t always use our own as strategically as possible. When unexpected parent emails, makeup exams, and copying machine jams come up, we too often resort to dealing with what is urgent and not what should be a priority. We’ve heard all the suggestions about setting boundaries and we want to bring home less school work, but how we can do that effectively when required meetings after school or providing extra help claims that chunk of time as well? Add in the desire to grow your teacher side hustle account after the bell rings, and it can seem like there is no time at all left.
While actually getting more time is impossible, a handful of mindset shifts, online tools, and smart techniques can help you make the most of the time you do have, making those 2020 goals within reach.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
Why letting go of perfectionism is a vital first step for implementing almost any time-saving strategy
How templates can be the time-saver you need for regular interactions at home-- and how to keep those organized
The free website for lesson planning that helps you stay standards focused while saving time
What a social media scheduler is-- and how to pick one without getting overwhelmed
The monthly social media template pack, by teachers, for teachers, so you never post on Instagram without a plan again
Links mentioned:
EDverything Social
https://www.edverything.com/edverythingsocial
Ashley Bible @buildingbooklove
https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-63-Wonderful--Wonder-filled-Classrooms-for-Any-Age-Group-with-Ashley-Bible-e9kcgn
Amy Porterfield’s Interview with Atomic Habits author James Clear
https://www.amyporterfield.com/2019/12/295/
Total Teacher Summit talk: Permission Slips for Perfectionists
https://www.edverything.com/totalteachersummit
Asana
https://asana.com/
Trello
https://trello.com/en-US
For many motivated teacherpreneurs, we strive to be successful in the classroom and online. But for so many teacher side hustlers, the latter half only takes one form, and that’s TeachersPayTeachers. Like many entrepreneurs, Brooke wanted to explore what multiple streams of income look like rather than limiting herself to the traditional classroom/TpT combo. For Brooke, the natural extension of her classroom lessons was to create and curate an Amazon Storefront.
Brooke’s Instagram account, like her Amazon storefront, is all-encompassing. You won’t find just Classroom Transformation products there. Brooke realized that serving all of a teacher's needs—from providing gift guides and outfits of the day to solutions for flexible seating— would yield the greatest profit and provide teachers with #allthethings they are looking for.
Stop thinking about Amazon as just the place where you shop for the next thing you need; it’s about to start looking at it as an opportunity for generating the kind of income you want while providing your fellow teachers with tried and true recommendations that they are looking for.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-Why making connections on Instagram is the first step— literally
-Why you shouldn’t just limit yourself to one category
-How to make your Storefront turn your Wishlist into a reality
-The Do’s and Don’t of starting your Amazon storefront
Links mentioned:
Aliana Lowe's @theyoungeducator episode
https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-13-How-To-Document-Your-Teaching-Journey-And-Why-Every-Educator-Should-with-Aliana-Lowe-e2olre
@Teacherbestill
https://www.instagram.com/teacherbestill/
**As teachers, we wear many hats: educator, support system, advocate, mentor. But how many of us--even knowing the benefits--participate actively in a relationship in which we are being mentored?
It goes without saying that we are big proponents of on-going professional development--after all, it's why we host The Total Teacher Summit each year. But many teachers mistakenly don't realize that being part of a mentor/mentee relationship can be an extension of that type of PD. It can be a way to combat the isolation so common in the field of education. It can be a way to take care of ourselves.
And it doesn't need to take place in person.
In this episode, we debunk some of the most pervasive myths about mentorship, and we focus on how to be a good mentee when your mentor is only someone you know in the digital space. Viewing those Teacher influencers we look up to on social media as mentors rather than individuals we follow reframes the conversation about who can be mentors--and we share some ideas on how to give back so these are the mutually beneficial relationships that the mentor/mentee experience should be.
In this episode, you'll hear:
-Why you probably already have a virtual "mentor" but you'd never put that label on it before
-Why passively "liking" posts is not enough--and what you should do instead
-How to ask questions in a way that truly helps the mentor
Links mentioned:
-Episode 30: How To Be A Good Mentor/Mentee**
https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-30-A-How-To-Guide-For-Being-A-Good-MentorMentee-e3oufk
-Guest blog post link
https://www.teachonamission.com/blog
Ashley Bible @BuildingBookLove
https://www.instagram.com/buildingbooklove/
Mandy Rice @TeachOnAMission
https://www.instagram.com/teachonamission/
Macy Gilson @MacyGilson
https://www.instagram.com/macy.gilson/
Cara Piper @VirtualElementary
https://www.instagram.com/virtualelementaryteachers/
Make sure to tell your story; your followers want to see you. It’s the advice that we hear time and time again when it comes to Instagram.
For Speech and Language Pathologist Macy Gilson, the individuals that she helps find their voice are a critical part of her story and the word she wants to spread, and nowhere is that more obvious than in her online presence on Instagram and the web. Nowadays, the word Instagram is nearly synonymous with the word influence. But what exactly are we trying to do with that influence?
As a Disability Advocate, Macy has leveraged these platforms to make children living with disabilities more visible. Her feed not only shows the behind the scenes of what her life is like as a telecommuting speech pathologist but also highlights the beauty and joy present in these exceptional children living with a wide range of disabilities.
Macy is on a mission to demystify difference, providing resources to help both educators and parents alike have what may initially seem like challenging conversations surrounding the topic of disability.
Do those who are differently-abled feel like they have a space and a voice in your classroom? Macy provides practical, simple solutions for making sure those who are differently-abled feel represented in the classroom as well as tactics to help students focus on areas of shared similarities rather than differences.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-What it’s like to be a telecommuting speech pathologist
-How literature can be leveraged to increase inclusivity
-How to increase the visibility of those who are disabled even in non-humanities/language-focused courses
-How Macy has used Instagram to create a community for parents of children living with disabilities
-How she creates an a cohesive Instagram feed even when so many of the posts aren’t directly about her or her story
Links mentioned:
Macy's website including her blog, stories, resources, videos & more:
https://www.macygilson.com/
Macy's instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/
Macy's facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/macygilsonblog/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Macy's pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/macycapen/
:
When it comes to your #teachersidehustle, there are so many parts that come naturally; necessity sparks innovation which inspires great ideas and produces even better products. But when it comes to talking about those products, sometimes nothing could feel less natural. "Self-promotion" is one of the most challenging and critically important aspects of marketing that #teachersidehustle. In this episode you'll hear:
The Why of Promoting Yourself Online
- Building your resume for what’s next for you/crossing those other items off your bucket list
- Extra $ to help keep you in the classroom—and in the lifestyle to which you’d like to lead
- Help your fellow teachers—they need you, they just might not know it yet (or they know that they need you—they just don’t know you)
Why Promoting Yourself is Easier Said Than Done
Addressing those common objections
- Who am I to offer/promote this?
- I don’t think it’s ready yet—what if people don’t like it
- I don’t want to feel "salesy"
- I don’t want to feel braggy
Where to promote yourself
- Pinterest (lives forever AND feels low risk). Step it up and join a Tribe
- TpT—have you maximized what is there?
- To your email list—do they even know you have a product?
- Podcasts
- Social media!
How to promote yourself like a pro
- Practice your elevator pitch so you can generally explain what you offer to anyone if it happened to come up
- Work on your confidence—you GOT this (and while you are at it, stop playing the comparison game)
- Look at all your posts as an opportunity to plug -Stop making once in the blue moon product posts -Tell your story, connect it back to your product -Get guidance—EDverything Social (bonus: it will feel like your being given that permission when you follow the prompts AND by using the curated stock photos, your product will look legit!)
- When you feel too scared, go back to step 1 and remember why you are doing this in the first place!
If you are living the teacherpreneur lifestyle, you are potentially facing burnout on two fronts. Both teaching and entrepreneurship are time-consuming and energy-intensive efforts, evident in the high attrition rates in the field of education as well as the dismal percentage of small businesses that ever reach success. With so much to do and so much stacked against us, why are so many of making our lives that much more difficult by seeing teaching and our side hustle as separate rather than linked activities? With this simple mindset shift, we can save time and energy without making any sacrifices in terms of either career or ethics.
In episode 69, we talk about how to make your school time work double duty so you won’t have to.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
• A simple solution for endless, authentic Instagram captions
• A strategy for long-form content post ideas
to put in your TpT, Etsy store, etc
• Questions to consider to help you find your next great product
• A trick for creating those often intimidating product lines
Links mentioned:
- Episode 54: The New Student Welcome Wagon
https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-54-The-New-Student-Welcome-Wagon-e6f06m
- EDverything Social
edverything.com/edverythingsocial
- Total Teacher Summit
edverything.com
- Episode 48: 3 Things We're Leaving Behind This School Year
https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-48-3-Things-Were-Leaving-Behind-This-School-Year-e5505m
- Episode 33: Making Success Your Business: TpT Is A Business, Not A Hobby With Hayley Cain
https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-33-Making-Success-Your-Business-TpT-Is-a-Business--Not-a-Hobby-with-Hayley-Cain-e41t58
We teach our students not to judge a book by its cover, but if we are being completely honest, we probably aren’t living what we preach when it comes to how we act online. Even though intellectually we realize that we may be missing out on great teaching insight in a long-form IG caption, a blog post linked to from Pinterest, or a TpT product, without an appealing visual to accompany it, it will almost certainly be overlooked.
It’s time other teachers stop missing out on all you have to offer online. It’s time to get seen and heard, and it all starts with the visual message you are sending.
While we certainly hope you use a service like EDverything Social to help you fill your IG feed with quality images when you need stock photos, for the rest of your posts, make it personal. After all, your followers want to see you. It’s time to get out of our comfort zones and get in front of the camera. Having two of our own brand photoshoots under our belts, we are sharing all the lessons we learned first hand so you don’t make the same mistakes on your first go-round.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-What exactly to set goals around to get the most out of your photoshoot
-Why a secret Pinterest board can help make your day far more successful
-What to keep in mind when selecting your photoshoot site (and why scouting the location and the time of day/year need to be factored in)
-The mindset shift you may need to hear so you don’t feel out of place as a model
Links Mentioned:
EDverything Social:
https://www.edverything.com/edverythingsocial
@TeacherByNaptime
https://www.instagram.com/teacherbynaptime/
Whether you are looking to make an impact in the classroom or on social media, being a teacher is all about making connections. But in order to do that, you need to put yourself out there, and though that may sound simple, for many of us, that act is no easy feat. In a helping-oriented industry, it can seem like talking about yourself is a way of putting yourself first, but that isn’t accurate. Those who already want to learn from you will only like and trust you more when you let them know who you are on a deeper level while those who may have initially been less intrinsically motivated might have interest in the subject matter you teach sparked by discovering you share similar tastes in something else.
Often we only think about getting to know our students and having them get to know us in return as something to dedicate time to at the beginning of the school year. But even months in, it isn’t too late; in fact, it may even be the ideal time now that students are no longer overwhelmed with the multitude of new faces to learn. Long after Meet The Teacher packets have been lost and Back to School Night seems like a distant memory, there are plenty of strategies and opportunities for us to infuse more of our personality into each lesson, getting students more invested in our class and more connected on a personal level. From working small jokes or references into your regularly scheduled lessons to being conscientious of how you present yourself during spirit days, we want you to incorporate aspects of what matters to you without making the class, day, or lessons about you.
While you may be making the effort IRL, are you doing the same on IG? So often we assume that because we want to add value that everything we post needs to be academic or classroom-centered but that would ignore the critical human element that you know is necessary to make true learning work.
It’s time to let the perspective and personality behind each lesson shine, in the classroom and online.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-How bell ringers present an easy opportunity to put a little bit of you (as in your bitmoji) into your regular warm-up activity
-Why you need to get involved in school activities like spirit days as an easy win and ice breaker
-About a simple test to put your IG feed through to see if you are showing up recognizably as “you”
-About the free guide that we made to help you come up with and remember the personal stories to share on Instagram (and how to get your hands on it)
Links mentioned:
Total Teacher Summit:
https://www.edverything.com/totalteachersummit
Edverything Social:
https://www.edverything.com/edverythingsocial
Aliana Lowe:
https://www.instagram.com/theyoungeducator/
Kayla Dessert:
https://www.instagram.com/sweetestteacher/
Haylee Harwick:
https://www.instagram.com/hellomrsharwick/
Even with an increase in emphasis on career and college readiness, when will we ever use this is one of those perpetual complaints we hear from students. It can be difficult to find time to meet all the standards while preparing students for standardized tests, leaving little room for covering some of the real-world skills that we know students need-- but don’t know where along the way they will learn them. But Thom Gibson proves that we can cover some real-life financial literacy no matter what age group or subject you teach, all the while improving classroom management, students’ responsibility, and even saving you, the teacher, valuable time.
Thom is an award-winning middle school math teacher who realized the potential of creating a classroom economy that goes far beyond having rotating students fulfill a generic role each week. Thom has customized the jobs-- and salaries-- that can be earned for each position, ensuring that he has incentivized students and covered tasks that help his classroom run more smoothly (never connect your own device to the projector again! 🙌). Monthly student-run auctions keep students interested, allowing Thom to manage student behavior by making students pay “fines” (tracked by, you guessed it, a fellow student) and instilling in students the values of budgeting and investing, all in the background of his regularly scheduled lessons.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-How Thom’s background as an audio engineering major informed his YouTube channel growth
-Why classroom jobs aren’t just for the elementary school setting
-How to determine your classroom jobs--and have students apply for them
-How the one-time prep work of setting up the classroom economy can save you time in the classroom each day
-How to “pay” students, why make students pay “rent” on their desks, what students can bid on at auctions, and how to put all the pieces together to use it as an incredibly powerful classroom management tool
Links mentioned:
Thom's Website:
https://thomgibson.com/
Thom's Podcast:
https://storiesfromtheclassroom.simplecast.com/
Thom's "Teach Kids About Money" Course:
https://thomgibson.thinkific.com/courses/how-to-teach-kids-about-money
psssst! Don't forget to use code: edverything at checkout :)
Thom's YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/gibsonedu
When a lesson is going really well, it seems like time absolutely flies by. But how often have we had that same sensation, not knowing where the time went, when our daily prep period comes to an end--yet you have nothing to show for it?
We want to instill time management skills in our students, but if we are being truly honest with ourselves, we don’t always use our own as strategically as possible. When unexpected parent emails, makeup exams, and copying machine jams come up, we too often resort to dealing with what is urgent and not what should be a priority. We’ve heard all the suggestions about setting boundaries and we want to bring home less school work, but how we can do that effectively when required meetings after school or providing extra help claims that chunk of time as well? Add in the desire to grow your teacher side hustle account after the bell rings, and it can seem like there is no time at all left.
While actually getting more time is impossible, a handful of mindset shifts, online tools, and smart techniques can help you make the most of the time you do have, making those 2020 goals within reach.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- Why letting go of perfectionism is a vital first step for implementing almost any time-saving strategy
- How templates can be the time-saver you need for regular interactions at home-- and how to keep those organized
- The free website for lesson planning that helps you stay standards focused while saving time
- What a social media scheduler is-- and how to pick one without getting overwhelmed
- The monthly social media template pack, by teachers, for teachers, so you never post on Instagram without a plan again
Links mentioned:
- EDverything Social
https://www.edverything.com/edverythingsocial
- Ashley Bible @buildingbooklove
https://anchor.fm/edverything/episodes/Episode-63-Wonderful--Wonder-filled-Classrooms-for-Any-Age-Group-with-Ashley-Bible-e9kcgn
- Amy Porterfield’s Interview with Atomic Habits author James Clear
https://www.amyporterfield.com/2019/12/295/
- Total Teacher Summit talk: Permission Slips for Perfectionists
https://www.edverything.com/totalteachersummit
- Asana
https://asana.com/
- Trello
https://trello.com/en-US
- Pomodoro timer
https://tomato-timer.com/
- Tailwind
https://www.tailwindapp.com/
- Buffer
https://buffer.com/
- Later
https://later.com/
- Lesson Planner
https://www.commoncurriculum.com/
Those in education know that teacher attrition rates are alarmingly high. Inadequate preparation, unrealistic expectations, and little support early on are only a fraction of why people flee from the field. With meager salaries, long hours of lesson planning and grading, and the ever-changing standards and requirements on one hand and the seemingly endless opportunities presented by the internet on the other, the lure of leaving the classroom behind seems a pull too strong to resist, removing some of the best from this career path.
Mandy is on a mission to help great teachers right where they belong—in the classroom—while still achieving financial success and the larger impact they crave.
Mandy got her start in the online space on YouTube, teaching other educators how to implement a flipped classroom experience. She took what she had learned teaching high schoolers AP Psych using a flipped-classroom approach and turned these insights into actionable steps. From there, Mandy wanted to help her fellow AP instructors, giving them their own time back while still helping students achieve those coveted high test scores. Mandy began a membership website and explains how others can take their content area expertise and do the same.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-Why the flipped classroom approach is student-centered and student serving
-How to flip your classroom—without getting overwhelmed
-Why opt for a membership site instead of simply posting one-off resources for TpT
Links mentioned:
Mandy's website:
https://www.teachonamission.com/
Mandy's Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/teachonamission/
Mandy's TpT store:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Login?f=/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teach-On-A-Mission
Mandy's YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCttXcluf-plubOEa-84d9aA/
As educators, our goal is to have students learn, but what does learning actually look like? English teacher and workshop creator Ashley Bible has always felt like real learning doesn’t have the traditional look of students quietly sitting at a desk in rows; in fact, nowadays you’ll find her students striking yoga poses while performing close readings and creating art inspired by the literature instead of always writing about it. While her strong pedagogical beliefs didn’t align with the first district she was hired by and ultimately ended up costing her that position, Ashley’s ability to add the element of the unexpected to the high school English classroom appeals to students and is at the core of the resources she now designs and the professional development she offers for fellow educators.
In our conversation with Ashley, we discuss how utilizing our creativity (and asking students to do the same) doesn’t mean that you need to sacrifice high standards or deeper, critical thinking. By reframing the same task in a slightly different way, we can spark students’ interest and make them feel like engaging with the content can be challenging while also being fun or relevant.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-The exact, devastating feedback that Ashely received that no first-year teacher wants
-How the vibe from a children’s bookstore inspired Ashley to network with like-minded educators— and eventually create an annual, in-person workshop for teachers
-Why experiencing wonder shouldn’t be reserved for the elementary school crowd
-A completely free, nearly zero prep time method of creating a classroom transformation
-An easy to follow framework for adding wonder into any lesson— regardless of subject matter or grade level
Links mentioned:
Ashley's website:
https://buildingbooklove.com/
Ashle'ys TpT store:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Building-Book-Love
Ashley's blog:
https://buildingbooklove.com/blog/
Whether it is helping us save time, adding an interesting new spin to an otherwise routine classroom activity, or allowing us to make our classrooms a little greener, we can’t get enough of technology. Hardly an episode goes by when we don’t reference at least one piece of technology we’ve been using, but in today’s episode, tech takes center stage.
In today’s episode, we count down our tried and true favorite tech things of 2019. While we certainly aren’t abandoning our perpetual go to’s (Socrative and Kahoot will always have a place in our lesson plans!), we want to bring some new-to-us pieces of tech to your attention this holiday season. As winter break draws nearer and attention spans (for you and your students) become a little shorter, these websites and apps will keep your students engaged and focused until the last bell rings.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-Why the time before the upcoming holiday season is the perfect time to introduce these new tech items to your class
-A language teacher’s answer to finding a safe space for authentic, real-time chat
-An app that allows you to bring oral presentations into the 21st century— and gives you a format students will feel familiar with
-Two new review games to help you mix things up (whether you need students to value accuracy or you need an added fun element on that given day)
-The must-have teacher app for managing BYOD iPads
Links mentioned:
Episode 5: 5 Mistakes Your Making When Teaching Vocabulary
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/mistakes-when-teaching-vocabulary
Episode 47: How To Create a Virtual Summit
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/how-to-virtual-summit-j8j5f-2yhen
Ashley Bible's perspective on lesson planning and student engagement:
https://buildingbooklove.com/
Cult of Pedagogy's Technology List
https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/ed-tech-tools-2019/
Now more than ever, teachers have a lot on their plate. In addition to the regular responsibilities of lesson planning and grading, additional pressures to foster classroom community, focus on student wellness, increase standardized test scores, and keep up with the competitive Instagram teacher community can leave anyone feeling stressed and pulled in many different directions. But Melissa wants to help teachers feel more in control, helping them use their time more effectively by offering high quality, research-based curriculum products and actionable advice so teachers no longer just get by but truly thrive in the classroom each and every day.
Melissa is the curriculum designer behind Teacher Thrive. Melissa explains how her foray into curriculum design happened organically, long before she had even heard about TeachersPayTeachers and while she was very much in the trenches of the classroom herself. What was a gig to craft curriculum for her district ended up aligning with her stage of life all the better, and Melissa has never looked back. Now, Melissa’s blog and shop allow her to reach even more teachers, giving them the tools they need inside the classroom and the advice they need to hear.
While Melissa has crafted curricula for many different areas, Melissa deep dives into strategies for reading fluency, providing tips that can be immediately implemented no matter what grade level or subject you teach.
In this episode, you’ll hear,
-How your own district may be just the place to start when designing curriculum
-Why teacher wellness (and particularly your sleep) play a big role in your success in and out of the classroom
-What exactly reading fluency means—and the strategies you can use in your classroom to promote reading fluency
Links mentioned:
Melissa's website, blog, and ready-made downloads
https://teacherthrive.com/
Melissa's Choral Reading freebie download
https://teacherthrive.com/2019/10/choral-reading-and-reading-fluency.html
Episode 60 is here— and with it, we have a very special guest! Leadoff Total Teacher Summit presenter and absolute organization guru Kelly Jackson comes to us all the way from Germany to give us her best advice when it comes to getting your classroom in order— and keeping it that way.
In our interview with Kelly, we chat all about how to troubleshoot common trouble areas in the classroom in terms of organization. Whether you work with little kids or big kids, students (and teachers!) require a lot of stuff— and it is up to you to make sure it all has somewhere to call home. Kelly explains how classroom organization isn’t a matter of vanity, but a necessity, showing that organization and classroom management go hand in hand. Kelly provides practical, actionable tips to get your classroom in order because after all, a classroom in working order is classroom where students can actually work!
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-Why organization isn’t a 'set it and forget it' item on a teacher’s back to school list
-Why ANY teacher can get organized, no matter your personality type
-Why you need to be organized no matter what grade level you teach— and what high school educators can learn from their elementary school teaching peers
Links Mentioned:
Kelly's website
The Total Teacher Summit
Episode 50: 5 Rules of Thumb for the Traveling Teacher
Ep. 55 we were featured on Kelly’s podcast
For many new mothers, heading back to the classroom after maternity leave presents new challenges and many changes. Tune in as Danielle shares her experience and major takeaways from the lense of a new mom and experienced teacher.
In this episode, you'll hear how Danielle:
- Broke bad habits
- Created more realistic timelines/expectations for herself and her students
- Developed more strategic, streamlined grading
- Leveraged technology
- Utilized resources others have already made
Links mentioned:
The grading system created by Emily Aierstok of @readitwriteitlearnit
https://www.instagram.com/readitwriteitlearnit/
Resources created by Ashley Bible
https://buildingbooklove.com/
Podcast episode featuring Nicki Dingraudo
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-17-How-To-Make-A-Solid-Sub-Plan-in-20-Minutes-or-Less-with-Nicki-Dingraudo-e2vc9f
Teacher Observation season is upon us, and no matter your experience level in the classroom, the fact is, having another adult in the classroom can make even the most seasoned teachers feel a sense of nervousness.
In this episode, Danielle & Nicole discuss the aspects of teacher observations that often get overlooked: the pre-conference and post-conference. For many, these short meetings are seen as yet another check on the to-do list that holds little to no real value. Well, not for Danielle & Nicole who recognize this meeting as an opportunity to learn and progress as an educator.
What you'll hear:
Pre-conference
- See it as an opportunity to understand what the observer/school values
- Give context for how this lesson fits into the overall unit—but also try to highlight how this reflects what you do in your classroom
- Just like an interview, be prepared to ask what you want feedback on—and choose it carefully
Post observation
- Consider how you are taking the feedback
- Will this person be doing your next observation?
- What takeaways do you have knowing your observer?
For many of us, making our students feel seen and heard is a major priority. After all, we want them to feel valued and to know what they have to offer matters. While it may be easy for ourselves, as the educator in the front of the room, to recognize what we bring to the table inside the classroom, when we leave that environment and enter the supersaturated, competitive space that is Instagram for Teachers, we may find ourselves feeling a bit lost in a sea of seemingly similar voices. How can we find our specialty and deliver our message to those we connect with? Alissa, a teacher turned visibility coach, is ready to share just what it takes to turn that desire into a reality.
Alissa is self-taught at finding traction on social, but she approaches it from a business perspective first, given her own background as a small business owner. A once local business owner with her sister, Alissa taught herself the ins and outs of marketing for small businesses, and others started seeking her out so they could follow the same strategy. Nowadays, Alissa is applying this same framework to help fellow teachers grow their side hustle online, helping them with the element they need the most improvement with : getting visible.
Links mentioned:
Alissa's website:
https://alissamcdonald.com/
Alissa's Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/teacherbynaptime/
Alissa's Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/teacherhustle
Alissa's Podcast:
https://alissamcdonald.com/category/podcast/
This week Danielle & Nicole debrief after Nicole's experience at Create & Cultivate's first-ever Small Business Summit.
As blossoming small business owners ourselves, we're always seeking the opportunity to communicate, connect and learn alongside others especially in the presence of the greats (um, hellooo Marie Forleo!) Nicole took the opportunity to join 500 other small business owners on their journey. This all-day NYC event featured icons like Courtney Quinn, Arielle Loren, Puno Dostres, Lisa Price, Sophia Bush and Stacey London, and of course, Jaclyn Johnson.
In this episode, Danielle interviews Nicole on her experience at the Small Business Summit and how some of her key takeaways are relevant and applicable to the classroom, a growing small business, and beyond.
You'll hear some of the top content and advice from the experts mentioned above, but one key piece that Nicole walked away with is crafting a true "pitch". In the link below, you'll get a true tutorial of how to do this for your own platform.
Check out Puno Dostres' take on the ultimate pitch.
https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18069646789158033/
This week on the Edverything Podcast, we feature Stacey Ogden, the founder of @SideHustleTeachers. Stacey is a veteran music educator turned blogger turned podcaster, turned edupreneur coach. Stacey is an incredible example of owning her role as a teacher, but not allowing this to define every aspect of her life so that she can fully embrace her multiple passions and encourage others to do the same (and maybe make a little extra income along the way!)
Stacey created a free online community which allows her to deep dive with teachers who want to start a business as a way to stay busy over the summer, or want a different way to pursue their passions, or make a little extra income, or are looking to transition out of the classroom altogether. Stacey is so very present with her community to not only offer free resources, support, real-time feedback, but she offers a free 15-minute call with each new member to truly learn about how she can support and guide their transition to side-hustling.
Stacey’s goal is to help her clients become equipped with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to run successful businesses, and boy, does she do it well.
In this episode, we hone in on some of the main reasons teachers hesitate committing fully to a side business, why we need to stop learning and start doing, 3 major questions to ask yourself before starting a side hustle, and how to avoid major pitfalls associated with the early stages of side businesses.
If you do anything after today’s episode, I hope it is to join @sidehustleteachers on Facebook. Did you know there are over 2,700 members?!
Links mentioned:
Stacey's website:
http://side-hustle-teachers.com/
Stacey's Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/sidehustleteachers/
Welcoming those students who, for whatever reason, have joined your class late can be a real challenge. You want to help them adjust to the new class environment and community but may not have time to familiarize them with your classroom set up and the students there in the same way you could at the beginning of the year when everyone was in a new situation. In order to be ready and welcoming to students no matter when they join your classroom, here are some steps you can take to make the transition process as smooth as possible— for you and the students.
The inspiration for this episode was months ago— I new student welcome kit was making the rounds on Pinterest—one mostly containing classroom supplies, which sparked its own debate.
Recently, I’ve had a number of new students, and the issue has come up again. While it probably won’t be necessary to provide your students with supplies, having something ready and waiting to go and a plan for how to integrate them in the class will help make things easier for everyone involved.
The New Student Welcome Packet:
- An actual welcome letter (a pseudo table of contents for the packet)
- Copy of the syllabus
- Copy of the classroom rules/policies/expectations (you probably have this hanging in your room)
- An overview of who you are (perhaps you by the numbers or something you usually hand out to get parents getting to know you)
- A student intake survey
- Log in information/how to create accounts for websites used
- All the handouts you have created to date that they will need for the midterm/final/etc.
- Schedule for when things need to be made up/turned in if needed
How do you include them in class?
- Partner/group work that YOU assign
Teacher burnout is a real problem in education. Some of our guests have regained their passion for the field by changing grade levels or using their TpT store to spark renewed interest in education. Nicole Hoye, an elementary teacher in Canada, took a different path— but one that is sure to inspire others to similarly fall back in love with teaching.
In this episode, Nicole Hoye vulnerably discloses the exact emotions that she was feeling which led her to think that maybe she was no longer the teacher she would want her own child to have—and the wheels this revelation put in motion. Nicole decided to pursue an administrative path at her school, believing that too often teachers need more to be supported than they typically receive from leadership. But Nicole didn’t stop there. She turned a long-time dream into reality: publishing a children’s book.
With a teacher as the main character, the book itself and even the podcast episode serve as important reminders to help teachers keep perspective in this difficult profession and the realization that our students of any age are capable and aware of the unique strengths we bring to the classroom each and every day.
In this episode you’ll hear:
-How to transition from teacher to admin, whether working at the same school or in a new environment
-The biggest misconceptions around the role of admin in your school
-How writing a book could serve as another method of documenting your teaching journey
-The reason a picture book was created with the teacher as the main character
-Why you need to keep your why in mind
-What steps go into publishing a children’s book
Links mentioned:
Purchase Nicole’s book! Miss Claire Has Lost Her Flair https://www.amazon.com/dp/1513651625/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_GEiMDbE3AKYJN
Episode 30: A How-To Guide For Being A Good Mentor/Mentee
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/mentor-mentee-relationships
Episode 29: Engaging Transformations: Inspiring Students And Teachers To Get Started With Kayla Dessert https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/engaging-transformations-kayla-dessert
Episode 25: Successfully Skipping A Grade: When To Move To A New Grade Level— And How To Do It Well With Heather Planchon https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/teacherchanginggradelevelheatherplanchon
Episode 22: Time, Tasks, & Trauma: Troubleshooting Common Teacher Stressors With Amanda Murtaugh, LMHP https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/time-tasks-trauma-troubleshooting-common-teacher-stressors-with-amanda-murtaugh-lmhp
Danielle & Nicole are here with a very special message from a very special guest. This week, we feature an expert on all things IT, technology in schools, classroom tech troubleshooting, and more. We were lucky enough to sit down with Mike, who is our in house technology guru, and more widely known as Danielle's husband!
We asked you responded. When we reached out to our Instagram community about some of their biggest technology flops, the responses came rolling in. We heard the bad and the ugly when it comes to unexpected technology fails, but we're here to remind you that we're all learning.
Today's episode features some of the most common technology-related questions, comments, complaints, and struggles; and it is well worth it to take out a pen and paper to jot down all that Mike has to offer. From keyboard shortcuts to simple troubleshooting tactics to strategies for anticipating tech errors, Mike is here to help.
After celebrating their 1 year podcasting anniversary (!!!) Danielle & Nicole are here to share some of the not so comfortable parts of teaching - dealing with technical difficulties. While every teacher has had their fair share of tech-horror stories, more than half the battle is learning how to remain calm during these potentially stressful situations. Danielle and Nicole break-down some of the common technical difficulties they've experienced in their classrooms over the years and the ways they've learned to trouble-shoot and keep their cool.
In this episode you'll hear:
-Making sure students know how to use the tech especially before project submission time
-How to manage varying classroom tech setups especially as a Traveling Teacher
-How to differentiate between issues you can and cannot anticipate
Danielle and Nicole are back with their 50th episode! Woo-hoo! And while we're excited to reach this benchmark, we're back to business discussing what it's like to be a teacher "on the move". Nicole has done her fair share of traveling between classrooms, and shares her 5 rules of thumb for making these classroom transitions as seamless as possible.
Rule of Thumb #1:
Shoutout to our pal and fellow podcaster, Kelly Jackson @thesimiplyorganizedteacher for this quote; "Everything needs to have a home".
— organizational tools at home base and in teacher bag
— backups of backups chargers, batteries, pens
Rule of Thumb #2:
"Have a system"
- homework submission, classroom helpers, start and close procedures
Rule of Thumb #3:
"Spend the Time"
- stay late/go in early to set up for next day.
- No luxury of “game time decision”
Rule of Thumb #4:
"Don’t Waver on Authority"
-
traveling doesn’t mean disorganized
-
own the space
Rule of Thumb #5:
"Communication is Key"
-
talk with neighboring teachers
-
ask for help and your own permanent space in the classroom
While using holidays as a source of inspiration for lessons is a common practice in the lower grades, tackling a day as serious as 9/11 can yield important and productive teaching moments at the high school level. While some may shy away from this topic, it is possible to incorporate a respectful and meaningful lesson on Sept. 11 that connects and enhances the curriculum for your subject area discipline.
Why Discuss 9/11 in the Classroom
1| Nearly all students in k-12 education now were born after Sept. 11, 2001 and those that were alive were much too young to have first-hand memories of the event. Without speaking about it directly in class, students will have little exposure to this significant cultural moment. History classes have a lot of area to cover, and few courses will make it to something as modern as 9/11. Despite the fact that students will not have direct experience with it, the aftermath of that day is still very much a part of the political and cultural landscape even to this day. Given that students of this generation are being labeled Homelanders, it makes sense that they should know the origin intimately.
2| This provides an authentic opportunity to teach about primary sources in an accessible way. Many courses are arranged chronologically, and while this makes sense, it means that dealing with primary sources presents an even greater challenge because the style in which these sources are written seem so archaic and the topics, too, are often completely foreign. Primary sources about 9/11 will use language that seems much more familiar and the students will have a general knowledge about the events being referenced. Though outside of the typical order, students will buy into the fact that class is taking a break from typically scheduled lessons because it makes sense to cover it on the anniversary of the event itself, not realizing that you have additional motives for doing this.
3| While one might initially associate debates and 9/11 with politics and conspiracy theories, there are still other ways to use this topic to stimulate academic venturing into any overly loaded controversies. Because this event has stimulated so much art, questions regarding ownership of the event and who has the right to use this as inspiration can stimulate real debate. Whether this event genuinely changed the landscape of art or literature or cultural more generally is also a real area for academic argument.
How to Make a Lesson Centered on 9/11
Billy Collins’s “The Names” is a remarkable piece for students to examine. After reading the short poem, students can watch Collins perform it with a photo tribute to the victims here.
Take the lesson a step further with their suggested extension activity designed to make students consider when and how cultural divides form. Get this entire lesson to use with your English, Social Studies, Journalism, or History class here
The memorial itself opened on the 10th anniversary and the museum opened in 2014. Take the virtual tour and discuss what seems most impactful.
Bonus Idea Leave it to the pros
Find it all here.
New year, new me...well, sort of! Danielle & Nicole debrief after the Total Teacher Summit 2019 and share how watching more than 20+ talks put on by experts from around the world really changed their perspectives as the new school year approaches. In hearing talks that ranged from best practices for teacher self-care to automizing systems in your classroom to ultimately take less work home with you, it's safe to say that there were many major takeaways from this weekend.
If you'd like to gain access to these talks and get your hands on exclusive content provided by each of the incredible Total Teacher Summit speakers, head to https://the-total-teacher-summit.heysummit.com/
So, what exactly are Danielle & Nicole 'giving up' this school year?
Well, for Nicole, she's using elements from her talk on Teacher Perfectionism to reframe how she encounters inevitable challenges throughout the school year, personal relationships, and inner dialogue. Many of these changes were inspired by Amanda Murtaugh's quote "Don't compare someone else's month highlight reel with your average Tuesday".
Danielle is working hard to relieve some of the self-inflicted stress and pressure especially when it comes to trying to control her students' decision making. She's learning to walk away from her instinct to "recreate the wheel", and stop creating more unnecessary work for herself.
Danielle & Nicole are here to discuss their favorite topic - virtual summits! Whether you're curious about the behind the scenes end of creating a the #totalteachersummit or you're seriously considering implementing a virtual summit in your classroom this school year, Danielle & Nicole are here to walk you through the "How-To" of virtual summit creation.
When you listen to episode 46 you know why a virtual classroom meet-up is worthwhile, and today we're building on that point, bringing you the how. In just 9 easy steps, we break down questions to ask yourself, factors to consider, and potential roadblocks to look out for.
Step 1: Pick a unit that makes sense to host as virtual summit
- What unit is so large in scope that you always feel like you just scratch the surface with how you traditionally cover it? (Nothing comes to mind? In episode #18, we talked about how to teach topics you can’t stand— this very well might be one of them)
Step 2: Select what students will be responsible for in terms of creating the virtual summit. Think outside just the presentation itself. Student autonomy is key!
- Name of Summit. You have the general topic/concept, but let students choose a name for more ownership and creativity. How can you make this happen— have students work in small groups to come up with their name and a pitch for why.
Step 3: Craft a corresponding rubric or rubrics to use for each of the requirements students must meet
- Identify Common Core Standards you are looking to address
-
What you’ll probably want included for this rubric or to have separate rubrics for:
-
Presentation— creativity, accuracy, understanding audience
- Networking/Engagement—how do they interact with others “in chat.” The quality and quantity of what is said, how it is said
- The “extras”— do students need to create a corresponding PowerPoint for their talk? Do they need to create a virtual or physical thumbnail display of their talk
Step 4: Decide what technology you need to use to make this happen. When will students be viewing the presentations? How will they give their feedback?
Step 5: Determine how to model the concept and any related technology in your classroom
- Don’t assume students know how to use a particular piece of technology. Time will probably need to be built in for students to learn this. Do students need to edit their videos? Upload them? These small logistics are things that can cause a lot of problems come the due date if you don’t plan for it as students are unlikely to know what they don’t know
Step 6: Get students HYPED
Step 7: Decide what students will need extra support with to create their virtual summit and select how much class time to devote to it
Step 8: How can the summit live on/be shared with others?
- Grab our bulletin board print outs and utilize QR codes
- Use Class Dojo to share with parents
Step 9: Reflection to help you iterate
- Build in time for you and your students to reflect on the project, stay organized, student growth and ownership, make it even smoother next time or for next year
You know that you need to make your students give presentations. Being able to present is a lifeskill they need to have and it may even be part of your Common Core Standards. But oral presentations might inspire you with just as much dread as your students. Whether you are filled with trepidation knowing how anxiety-ridden some of your students will get at at the thought of standing in front of the class, exasperation at the monotonous subject matter that too often fills the speeches, or downright resentment as you watch the rest of the class tuning out the speaker from their desk, pleased to do the bare minimum as they skate by for the class period, oral presentations seem like a stale vestige of what education looks like.
In this episode, Danielle and Nicole discuss how reframing the traditional oral presentation as a virtual summit breathes new life into this tired assignment. Though virtual summits are only now gaining traction in the online education and entrepreneurship communities, we think they have incredible potential for the classroom setting as well. From having students practice soft skills to increased critical thinking and options for demonstrating that they truly know their audience, we dig into why we believe that a class-wide virtual summit would be a great addition to your the projects your planning for your students this upcoming school year.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-How the typical oral presentations have the same pitfalls as essays
-How to save class time by using making use of the Flipped Classroom concept
-How using “Chat” makes for a more authentic way and engaging way for the “viewers” to participate
-How student ownership and virtual summits go hand in hand
Links mentioned
The Total Teacher Summit! Get your free ticket 🎟 https://www.edverything.com
Kristin Yann
Episode 27: Busting Boredom: Creating Choice Boards That Leaves Students Wanting More With Kristin Yann
https://www.instagram.com/schoolandthecity/
Haylee Harwick
https://www.instagram.com/hellomrsharwick/
Episode 12: A Teacher's Guide To Gift Giving
Episode 20: 5 Ways Your Students Are Cheating Right Now
As always, check out our free resource library! https://www.edverything.com/resource-library-opt-in This is where you can get a free bulletin board to help display your virtual summit offline as well!
We're back again to discuss our favorite topic...virtual summits! As you likely already know, the Total Teacher Summit is our all virtual, all free teacher conference chock full of 20+ presenters over 2 days covering 10+ categories! Today we're diving deeper into how to get the most out of attending any virtual summit, regardless of the subject area or topic.
Here are some key pieces to keep in mind:
- Register and mark it in your calendar. We will also send you reminder emails about the talks/topics you said you were interested in!
- Tell others about it so you can attend with friends. #TotalTeacherSummit is the hashtag to use! Consider having a watch party with one or two of your #teacherbesties
- Follow the speakers that you are interested in—tell them you are excited about hearing their talk!
- Fill out your virtual name tag and post it to start making connections with other attendees
- Get your free goodie bag via email
- Grab the freebie offered from the speaker -This should help you get even more out of the presentation
- Join the private FB group for the event!
- Close those other tabs -You tell your students multitasking doesn’t work so don’t be that person
- Take notes (and post those too!)
- Get in the chat and ask questions. -LiveChat
- Tell others in the private FB group how you plan to use the new strategy! You are far more likely to make it happen
- Don’t let it end when the conference ends! Stay connected with those that you’ve met and the presenters you’ve been introduced to and consider registering for the All Access Pass so you can listen again when you need it most and score some incredible extras in our bundle or exclusives/exclusive deals
We tackled many of the most common questions we’ve gotten in this episode of the EDverything Podcast, but we wanted to include some of those answers— and more— right here as well!
-Where is the summit taking place?
Online. Completely online. No hotel stay or plane ticket required! Enjoy all the summit has to offer from the comfort of your own home!
-I’ve never attended a virtual summit before. If the summit is all online, do I need a webcam to be an attendee?
Absolutely not! While you will get to see our faces as hosts and the faces of most of our presenters, you do not need to appear on camera in any way. Go ahead and attend in those pajamas if that is whatever makes you most comfortable!
-If the summit is all online, is there a way to connect with other attendees?
There sure is! We know that one of the biggest motivations behind attending a conference is networking. We are have a private Facebook group where you can connect with all those like-minded educators! All attendees will get invited to the group via email right before the summit begins on Aug. 24th.
If you want to go a step further, consider hosting a few of your closest teacher friends for a viewing party! Have everyone bring a dish, binge some amazing PD, and share a pic of the watch party on social using the hashtag #TotalTeacherSummit
-Do I have to watch all of the presentations?
Nope! You know what you need. Check out the talks that interest you! All attendees, including those who have registered for free, can watch every single talk if they so choose the weekend of Aug. 24-25th!
-Is this summit only for a specific grade level or discipline?
Our presenters are from a range of subjects and grade levels and the vast majority of the talks are designed in a way to be applicable no matter what age group or subject matter is your specialty.
-This sounds great…so why is it free to attend?
We are truly passionate about the idea of professional development, which is why we started our weekly podcast last year. We think outstanding PD is possible and should be readily available. We know that our fellow educators are some of our greatest resources, and we are so pleased to be able to offer these deserving educators a platform to share their talents, transforming teachers and classrooms around the country and around the world as a result.
-I love the mission of the summit! How can I support the summit?
We designed this summit to bring together like-minded individuals, and we truly appreciate your eagerness to give back. There are a few different ways:
-Help spread the word about the summit. Post about it to your social media channels so other like-minded teachers can find their way to this summit as well! Tag a friend or two (or 30) on Instagram. Retweet what comes in your registration email and follow us in both places.
-If you love the summit, we know you’ll enjoy our podcast as well. Subscribe to the EDverything podcast to receive even more free PD on a weekly basis, and if you like what you hear, leave us a review or rate the show.
-Shop Brands We ❤️! Planning to do a little back to school shopping anyway? If you do your online shopping at one of the stores listed here, we will receive a small affiliate commission for any purchase you make by clicking through our link at no additional cost to you.
Organization is on the top of our minds—that is what we’ve been doing! The Total Teacher Summit is keeping us busy, and we are organization central! Scheduling talks, coordinating with our nearly 2 dozen speakers at this point—it can be a lot to manage.
But we know that we aren’t the only ones that have to think about organization…as we approach August, now is the time to start thinking about all the systems to put into place, because, honestly, if you think things will just fall into place…they won’t. You need to be intentional.
-Fitting for the final episode of the Summer Series Playlist— this is the logistics episode!
-When thinking about those first few days, don’t forget about the time before
Episode 31: Flexible seating with Nicki Dingraudo
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/flexible-seating-nicki-dingraudo
Kelly Jackson of @thesimplyorganizedteacher
Unpacking #allthethings — Season 4 episode 51
https://thesimplyorganizedteacher.com/simply-teach-podcast/
and keeping things where they belong once the year has started
https://thesimplyorganizedteacher.com/stay-organized/
Episode 8: Don’t forget to organize your time featuring Danielle & Nicole
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/leaving-school-checklist
Playlist 4: Creating great activities and assessments
Do your classroom activities or assessments need a makeover for the 2019 school year? After you’ve considered how you will get to know your students in those first few days and weeks (listen to last week’s recommendations in playlist 3 for help with that), it’s time to think about how to create lesson plans and assessments that work for you and your students. Whether it’s how much class time to dedicate to a particular topic, how to give assessments that challenge each individual student, or how to make students care by making real world connections, Pam, Kristin, and Emily will inspire you to revamp the way you think of activities and assessments—and it’s sure to change the way your students think as well!
Ep 27 Choice Boards with Kristin Yann
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-27-Busting-Boredom-Creating-Choice-Boards-That-Leaves-Students-Wanting-More-with-Kristin-Yann-e3ish7
-Makes sure that you have a challenge suited for each student
-So you won’t forget any components, choice board checklist
Ep 21 Curriculum that Motivates with Emily Aierstok
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-21-Curriculum-That-Motivates-And-Reignites-Your-Passion-For-Teaching--with-Emily-Aierstok-e370bh
-interdisciplinary, connected to the real world
-you are more interested as well as the students (longevity in the classroom)
Ep 35 Breaking Down The Writing Process with Pam Olivieri
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-35-Reluctant-To-Rockstar-Writers-with-Pam-Olivieri-e46f0b
-what do you need to slow down in order to effectively teach
-how can you model each step
With July in full swing, many teachers start thinking about the upcoming school year. As thoughts about the approaching school year, concerns about getting to know an entirely different group of students may start to creep in. Getting to know our students is one of our top priorities in those first days and weeks, but how can we do so in a way that is effective? Amanda, Janelle, and Kayla share what you need to know to get to know those new kiddos—and strategies that help you see what they really need right from the start
Amanda Murtaugh:
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-24-Sources-Of-And-Solutions-For-Student-Stress-An-Interview-with-Amanda-Murtaugh--LMHP-e3d370
-
assess what students need
-
use invitational language from the very start
- asking last years instructors for any tips for teacher
Janelle Everetts:
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-15-The-How-and-Why-of-Building-Meaningful-Student-Connections-with-Janelle-Everetts-e2sb31
- Letting students get to know a bit about you to establish trust and shared interests
- Seeing the decor in your classroom as an opportunity to get to know one another
- Connecting with students through writing
Kayla Dessert:
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-29-Engaging-Transformations-Inspiring-Students-and-Teachers-To-Get-Started-with-Kayla-Dessert-e3n57d
- Lists a bunch of ways to gain insights into what your students are into—and a reminder to make sure you know what is in right now
- Infuse your own personality into your lessons
- Let them share their “wins” and learn what that means to them
Week 2 of the summer series has us turning our attention to TpT We've had a little bit of time to relax and recover from the end of the school year sprint Last week, we featured episodes about teacher wellness and getting routines down to help you stay happy and healthy, a great foundation for getting in a routine to work from home— which can be easier said than done If you aren’t working during the summer, your mind might be thinking about how to make a little extra cash Whether you have yet to open your TpT store or you have one that might as well not be open because it has gained such little traction, begin with Yari’s advice in episode 19. If you need some mindset work to get you started so you stop making excuses or some tactical tips for first steps in starting an account and picking your freebie, Yari has you covered. This is a perfect episode to pair with a crash course in branding from Amanda Thompson, episode 37 of the podcast. Amanda explains how branding is more than just colors and fonts— though she does provide some killer tips for making sure that you pick a name that will actually work for you long term. She will also help you get over that perfectionism that has been keeping you sidelined for too long Want to take your TpT game to the next level? Listen to Hayley’s second time on the show in episode 33. This TpTer has hit a number of impressive milestones and she shares her secrets behind it. Before spending your time uploading #allthethings you’ve ever created, listen to Hayley’s advice on product lines so you have repeat customers right from the start With trainings for budding teacherpreneurs as well as those more focused on strategies for the traditional classroom, make sure you save the date for The Total Teacher Summit! Aug 24-25! If you register for the talks and listen when they go live, it is completely free to attend, so make sure you join us for this virtual summit!
Links mentioned:
Yari's episode: https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-19-Why-You-Should-Be-on-TpT-and-How-To-Get-Started-Today-with-Yari-Aguilu-e32rve Hayley's episode: https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-33-Making-Success-Your-Business-TpT-Is-a-Business--Not-a-Hobby-with-Hayley-Cain-e41t58 Amanda's episode: https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-37-Genuinely-You-to-Genuine-Growth-Building-Your-Brand-Expertly-and-Authentically-with-Amanda-Thompson-e4attn
Kicking off the Summer Series: Teacher Wellness
Summer is synonymous with taking it easy— but that doesn’t mean doing absolutely nothing. In fact, that is a recipe to leave you feeling completely exhausted when the school year does roll around
Start doing some of the prep this summer to get you into routines that will feel like second nature by the time the next school year begins
Ep 22 with Amanda Murtaugh
She explains why you might be feeling so exhausted—and it’s not just the hours of grading that could be taking a toll. Now is a great time to check in with yourself to evaluate if anything needs to be balanced by taking the Self Assessment she recommends—and picking times throughout the year to do it again!
Ep 9 with Michele Hamilton
In our very first interview, Michele talks about the habits she put into place that helped her fend off the burnout that had been creeping in. She talks about taking care of both mind and body in her episode, covering everything from affirmations to actually completing that workout you said you would do. I love her discussion of using a regular brain dump, and if you start putting that into practice during the summer, you are far more likely to stick with it during the school year (and get even more done this July and August!)
Ep 17 with Nicki
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we will get sick during the school year. Nicki has a 20 minute sun plan that she uses as she copes with chronic illness. She explains what to put in place early so you can make changes from your phone when you are too sick to get out of bed—and now is the perfect time to put some of those frameworks in place
These episodes originally aired throughout season 1, but listening to them all together can make all this information that much more actionable. Want even more great PD on your schedule? Make sure to mark your calendar for August 24-25 so you can join us for the Total Teacher Summit—just like these episodes, we are putting together trainings that serve all parts of the educator’s life, from wellness to lesson plans and everything in between!
Links mentioned:
Amanda Murtaugh:
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-22-Time--Tasks---Trauma-Troubleshooting-Common-Teacher-Stressors-with-Amanda-Murtaugh--LMHP-e38ur9
Michele Hamilton:
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-9-Cultivating-Healthy-Routines-For-Life-Outside-The-Classroom-with-Michele-Hamilton-e2j66j
Nicki Dingraudo:
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-17-How-To-Make-A-Solid-Sub-Plan-in-20-Minutes-or-Less-with-Nicki-Dingraudo-e2vc9f
In the finale of season one, Danielle and Nicole have their most difficult task yet: selecting their most memorable moments from the first year of podcasting. With so many great interviews and takeaways, picking just a handful of sound bites for a second listen was no easy task. Along with listener nominated favorite sound bites, Danielle and Nicole each pick their top 3 and explain why they stuck out in their minds.
Mentioned in this episode
-The Summer Series Playlist being published each week of July
-The Total Teacher Summit
-Michele Hamilton
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-9-Cultivating-Healthy-Routines-For-Life-Outside-The-Classroom-with-Michele-Hamilton-e2j66j
-Amanda Murtaugh, episode 22
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-22-Time--Tasks---Trauma-Troubleshooting-Common-Teacher-Stressors-with-Amanda-Murtaugh--LMHP-e38ur9
-Episode 30 https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-30-A-How-To-Guide-For-Being-A-Good-MentorMentee-e3oufk
-Episode 29
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-29-Engaging-Transformations-Inspiring-Students-and-Teachers-To-Get-Started-with-Kayla-Dessert-e3n57d
-Episode 23
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-23-From-Attending-to-Presenting-Getting-the-Most-from-Education-Conferences-with-Ashlyn-Ellsworth-e3b325
-Episode 21
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-21-Curriculum-That-Motivates-And-Reignites-Your-Passion-For-Teaching--with-Emily-Aierstok-e370bh
-Episode 13
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-13-How-To-Document-Your-Teaching-Journey-And-Why-Every-Educator-Should-with-Aliana-Lowe-e2olre
-Episode 11
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-11-Decode-Standards-Like-A-Pro-An-Interview-With-Hayley-Cain-e2lh10
-Episode 37
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-37-Genuinely-You-to-Genuine-Growth-Building-Your-Brand-Expertly-and-Authentically-with-Amanda-Thompson-e4attn
In our longest and last interview of season 1 of the podcast, Danielle and Nicole talk to Amanda Thompson of Thompson’s Teachings. Jersey native Amanda is a 1st grade teacher and a branding expert, and though she has a natural eye for design, she firmly believes that great branding is so much more than fonts and a color scheme. Amanda has built a devoted following on Instagram, and she runs the thriving Facebook group Instagram Connection for Educators. Amanda put in the time to make personal connections and in both spaces, Amanda leads by example. She shows that being real resonates more deeply than being stereotypically Instagram perfect. The entire episode is a tutorial in being yourself, and for Amanda, her authentic self is reflected in the platforms she has invested be time in and the deep connections she’s made along the way by being who she truly is. Amanda delivers seriously good advice on branding without taking herself too seriously. An episode with as many laughs as there are nuggets of branding wisdom, this is a must-listen for teacherpreneurs at any stage of business.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-How who you are in your classroom can help you find “the thing” that becomes your brand
-The right way to work the DMs on Instagram— and why you absolutely should
-How Amanda decided which platform was right for her, and how you can pick the one you should build on (in fact, she explains what order to conquer the platforms in for total beginners)
-4 steps to creating a recognizable brand that is truly you
Links mentioned
Amanda’s Facebook group: Instagram Connection for Educators
https://www.facebook.com/groups/igconnectforeducators/
How to check if your handles are available across platforms in the click of just one button
https://www.namecheckr.com
Episode 33: Making Success Your Business: TpT Is a Business, Not a Hobby with Hayley Cain
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-33-Making-Success-Your-Business-TpT-Is-a-Business--Not-a-Hobby-with-Hayley-Cain-e41t58
Episode 29: Engaging Transformations: Inspiring Students and Teachers To Get Started with Kayla Dessert
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-29-Engaging-Transformations-Inspiring-Students-and-Teachers-To-Get-Started-with-Kayla-Dessert-e3n57d
Episode 35: Reluctant To Rockstar Writers with Pam Olivieri
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-35-Reluctant-To-Rockstar-Writers-with-Pam-Olivieri-e46f0b
Episode 15: The How and Why of Building Meaningful Student Connections with Janelle Everetts
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/building-meaningful-student-connections
Episode 13: How To Document Your Teaching Journey (And Why Every Educator Should) With Aliana Lowe
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/how-to-document-your-teaching-journey
How can we end the school year strong when 180 days can sometimes feel like a real test of our endurance? When summer is so close you feel like you can taste it, you are susceptible to these 5 common mistakes. Learn where many teachers go wrong so you can avoid these missteps and end the year on a high note. After all, at the end of the school year, there often is no time to for second chances.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-How absences tend to stack up
-What to make sure you’ve followed through on (even if you’d been putting it off)
-How to make the most of the final days
-How to get feedback that’s informative
-Reflecting and putting into place what is needed for success next year
-Why PD should be on your summer to do list
Links mentioned:
Episode 32: Classroom Spring Cleaning
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4fIVMCl5WGwIXdGUrjmWAn?nd=1
Episode 6: 7 Types Of Disruptive Student Behavior (That Aren't Just Side Conversations) https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/disruptive-classroom-behavior
Episode 23: From Attending To Presenting: Getting The Most From Education Conferences With Ashlyn Ellsworth
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/ashlynellsworth-getting-the-most-from-education-conferences
Episode 24: Sources Of And Solutions For Student Stress: An Interview With Amanda Murtaugh, LMHP https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/studentstressors
Resource library
EDverything presents The Total Teacher Summit
https://www.edverything.com/resource-library-opt-in
After 26 years in the classroom, Pam Olivieri of @rockinresources is an expert at reaching students by speaking their language. An elementary educator by trade, Pam’s ability to take a different approach towards a subject that many students and teachers tend to shy away from—writing—makes those around her take notice. Pam values quality over quantity, making her take on the writing process radically different from what is too often accepted as the status quo.
In this episode, Danielle and Nicole talk to Pam about what first got her started with TeachersPayTeachers, why she has decided to focus her energy on writing specific products, how she pivoted to developing trainings for teachers (and what her average day looks like now that she has officially left the classroom and manages an entire team). We pick Pam’s brain about where students and teachers alike usually go wrong with the writing process, and what steps we can take to make sure that we are cultivating students who are confident and competent writers.
What you’ll hear in this episode
-Why motivating students is key—and how Pam uses language to do it
-Why explicit teaching and modeling is critical for seeing progress
-The real time commitment it takes to teach writing the right way
-Steps to take to create rockstar writers in your classroom, no matter what grade you teach
Links:
Grab your student survey in our free resource library
https://www.edverything.com/resource-library-opt-in
Head to Pam’s website for professional development resources
https://rockinresources.com
The secret exclusive Pam created just for our listeners!
https://rockinresources.com/edverything
An episode an entire school year in the making, Danielle and Nicole finally open up about themselves! After more than 30 episodes and a dozen interviews, co-hosts Danielle and Nicole discuss how they got into teaching, how their friendship developed, and why they opted to start a podcast— even though it was something that was far out of their comfort zones.
After all this time, we share our own answers to some of our most common interview questions. From why Nicole decided to teach Spanish to Danielle’s first online teaching business, we share it all. We reflect on how far we’ve come since those early episodes and reveal what is next for Edverything. If you’ve ever wondered about the voices behind the mics, you will get an inside look in this honest, unedited episode, one that will hopefully give you, too, the inspiration to try something new and permission to leave your excuses and perfectionism behind.
In this episode, you’ll hear
-Why we didn’t do this episode earlier (and what happened when we initially tried)
-How a school trip created a long-term friendship
-How our mission never changed, but how the way to execute it effectively took time to develop
-The crucial lessons we’ve learned after a school year of podcasting
Links mentioned
Aliana’s episode
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/how-to-document-your-teaching-journey
Danielle’s TOEFL website
GetTestObsessed.com
Danielle’s TOEFL/ESL YouTube channel
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCKF2Y1GWZOSDwzbG9DksgxA
Podcasters we can’t get enough of
Jenna Kutcher
Amy Porterfield
Steph Crowder
According to the TeachersPayTeachers website, 5 million educators used TpT in the previous year alone. While it is easy to start a store and plenty of reasons to do so, as Yari Aguili described in episode 19, there can be a large gap between those who have opened a store and those who are on track to replace their full time income exclusively with what they make on TpT.
In today’s episode, Danielle and Nicole welcome Hayley Cain of ActivityAfterMath back to the show, this time to share her expertise in terms of growing your TpT business like a boss. Hayley has been on TpT since 2014, and in that time, she has seen stunning growth. With more than 200 products and a planned product line launch in the works, Hayley explains how she has been able to hit multiple TpT milestones. Hayley talks both mindset and tactics, explaining how joy is key to making your TpT store sustainable, how she views customer service that has earned her nearly 10K reviews of 4.0 - the highest customer rating possible, and why you need to stop seeing your TpT as a hobby to see real returns. Hayley isn’t just talk--as always, she has the numbers to back up what she says, and she shares her store’s impressive revenue growth year after year. Don’t miss the secret that Hayley says helped her get over her own selling plateau that Hayley describes as instrumental in taking her from 8% growth to 49% in the course of just one year!
What you’ll hear in this episode:
-What mistakes Hayley made early on-- that is typical of new TpT sellers
-Why knowing your goal-- and how to brand your products-- can make all the difference
-How connecting in Mastermind Groups and on the TpT forum can keep you on track
-What a product line is, why your freebie needs to be created with it in mind, and why everyone should have one
-The 3 takeaways for how to scale your business-- from someone who has done it right
Links mentioned:
Hayley’s first time on the show! Episode 11: Decode Standards Like A Pro: An Interview With Hayley Cain
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/decode-standards-like-a-pro
Episode 19: Why You Should Be On TpT— And How To Get Started Today With Yari Aguilu
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/why-you-should-be-on-tpt-and-how-to-start
Google Keep (for organized list-making)
https://www.google.com/keep/
Tailwind
https://www.tailwindapp.com
Smartphone Marketing School with Tabitha Carro
https://tabithacarro.com
It isn’t just students daydreaming of the summer in the last few days of school. Teachers, too, may start to mentally check out, and the last thing you will want to think about it getting yourself organized. Cleaning out your classroom at the end of the year can be a very time consuming endeavor, and even if you’ve spent hours putting everything into boxes, bins, and binders, there is little guarantee you have done it in a way to set yourself up for a successful fall when summer is so close you can taste it. Utilize any extra time you have this spring break to set yourself up for the closing weeks of school-- and for next year.
In this week’s episode, Danielle and Nicole discuss the ins and outs of fully cleaning and prepping your classroom to make it easier to pack up this summer and unpack next fall. We explain why you shouldn’t underestimate the power of changing up your space, and how a small spruce can make a big difference for you and your students. Beyond the mindset shift that can help you and your students cross that finish line, we discuss that it isn’t just your physical classroom space that you need to prepare before heading out for the beach this summer. If you neglect your digital classroom space, you are leaving so much to sort through in upcoming months-- and potentially money on the table!
What you’ll hear in this episode:
-Why the end of the year is the perfect time to spruce up your classroom-- or try out something new
-How to get to inbox 0 (and stay that way) before the last day of school
-How (and why) to use an email template
-What digital files to get rid of (and how to make the most of the ones you keep)
-How cleaning (or using) the right calendar makes a major difference for end of the year events
Links mentioned in this episode:
Episode 31: Seat Yourself: How to Make Flexible Seating Successful With Nicki Dingraudo
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-31-seat-yourself-how-flexible-seating-can-be/id1433962469?i=1000437028845
Episode 19: Why You Should be on TpT-- and How To Get Started Today
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/why-you-should-be-on-tpt-and-how-to-start
Episode 22: Time, Tasks and Trauma: Troubleshooting Common Teacher Stressors with Amanda Murtaugh
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/time-tasks-trauma-troubleshooting-common-teacher-stressors-with-amanda-murtaugh-lmhp
Spark for email
https://sparkmailapp.com
Michael Hyatt’s new book https://freetofocusbook.com
Michael Hyatt’’s interview on Amy Porterfield’s Podcast where he talks about master email templates
https://www.amyporterfield.com/2019/04/258/
Review of the best calendar apps of 2019
https://zapier.com/blog/best-calendar-apps/
And of course, our free resource library!
https://www.edverything.com/resource-library-opt-in
A simple search on Pinterest or a scroll through an educator’s Instagram feed clearly demonstrates that flexible seating continues to be all the rage in classrooms across the United States. But beyond the envy-worthy images, does flexible seating truly work for teachers and students? Can it work for all age groups? Do students (and teachers) actually benefit from this new arrangement? How do teachers get started giving students the choice of where to sit? In today’s episode, Danielle and Nicole welcome Nicki Dingraudo of the SprinkleToppedTeacher, the second grade teacher behind the 20 Minute Sub Plan, back to the show to share her expertise in terms of flexible seating. Nicki’s background in Special Education and Physical Education initially intrigued her to look into flexible seating, and before long, Nicki was learning all she could about the topic in order to propose this seating arrangement for her own classroom. Nicki shares the ins-and-outs of flexible seating, from the logistics of finding different seating options for students to setting up rules to make these choices work on a daily basis for the students in your classroom. Nicki clears up the common myths and misconceptions around flexible seating, explaining how students and parents have reacted to this set up in her own classroom. After hearing about how beneficial flexible seating has been with regards to teaching soft skills like responsibility and sharing and discovering just how inexpensive it can be to get started, you’ll want to implement flexible seating in your own classroom, no matter what grade or subject you teach. Be sure to check out Nicki’s blog post which takes you on a behind-the-scenes look at her classroom so you can get a sense of how it works-- and what it really costs. In addition to being an inspiring classroom tour, Nicki also has some additional takeaways and pointers to help you make flexible seating a reality in your own school.
What you’ll hear in this episode: -Common objections to flexible seating-- and why those points might not be so valid -How classroom procedures and modeling strategies help make flexible seating work (even for young students) -When is the “right” time in the school year to start with flexible seating -How being creativity can help you create amazing flexible seating options-- for under $50! -How parents respond to flexible seating when first seeing it during a Back-to-School Night
Links: Nicki’s first time on the show! Episode 17: How To Make a Solid Sub Plan in 20 Minutes or Less https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/sub-plans-in-20-min-or-less Spark https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Revolutionary-Science-Exercise-Brain/dp/B001GAUS6E Nicki’s website: http://www.thesprinkletoppedteacher.com Nicki’s Blog: http://www.thesprinkletoppedteacher.com/2019/05/flexible-seating-ideas-for-classroom.html?m=1
When it comes to a teacher mentor/mentee dynamic, relationships can look many different ways. To start, there are the individuals assigned to help those who are new to the school setting, then there are those who seek help on their own terms for advice and feedback. Like any healthy relationship, communication is key, which is why this week, Danielle and Nicole highlight the many pieces to consider when entering into a strong mentor/mentee relationship.
- How to get the help you need (hint it has everything to do with how you ask)
- How to set parameters for your relationship
- Why planning matters
- When to infuse personality and sensitivity
- Why consistency in contact, word choice, and encouragement makes all the difference
The best teachers recognize that they have the power to inspire others by transforming the space—and even the people—around them. Some, like Kayla Dessert of SweetestTeacher.com, realized this from a young age and demonstrates how she is able to naturally connect, pique curiosity, and initiate do-able challenges in order to promote learning and personal development.
In this week’s episode, Danielle and Nicole talk to Kayla, a 6th grade teacher who has an innate talent for finding ways to motivate those around her. She explains how coming from a family of teachers helped inspire her—and how seeing her mother and grandmother put on some of her own “classroom transformations” years before it became trendy helped Kayla internalize what truly excites students. From starting a summer camp of her own while still a kid herself to teaching 3rd grade and eventually making the move to 6th grade teacher, Kayla has found ways to make lessons engaging for learners of all ages. Drawing upon her students own interests, pop culture, her coaching background, and current events, Kayla makes every day of school exciting and impactful for those she reaches. Kayla tackles the misconceptions surrounding the time, money, and effort that transformations need take place and instead outlines the 3 steps you actually need to take in order to help students and teachers alike leverage small wins and build momentum towards their larger goals.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- Why working with “big kids” doesn’t need to be intimidating-- or less engaging
- How a brain break activity sparked confidence to make a bigger classroom transformation
- The lies we tell ourselves about transformations--and how they don’t need to be overwhelming
- Tips for getting to know your students (and how routines can help them find time to share and feel a part of a process that feels natural)
- The 3 step approach to classroom transformations that work: identify student interests, select standards/content, and bridge the gap
Links:
Kayla's Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/sweetestteacher/
Kayla's Blog:
https://www.sweetestteacher.com/
Kayla's TpT Store:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Sweetest-Teacher-Mrs-Dessert
On setting healthy boundaries Episode 22: https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/time-tasks-trauma-troubleshooting-common-teacher-stressors-with-amanda-murtaugh-lmhp
On going to bed early and creating a morning routine that works Episode 9: https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/healthy-routines
This week, Danielle and Nicole reflect on what it was like to be new to the classroom, and the habits and decisions they made as new and eager teachers. Danielle and Nicole have different levels of teaching experience and roads that led them to the classroom, but, they have one thing in common: the many decisions they made as first year teachers that they simply wouldn’t do again. Having recently made a transition to a new school, Nicole is speaks about the many emotions and challenges associated with being new to a school setting, and how this change has prompted her to revisit what it was like as a first year teacher.
In this episode you’ll hear:
When and why it’s ok to say “no”
The importance of teacher socialization and community
First year teacher habits to avoid
How to utilize your voice and point of view no matter your experience level
Links mentioned:
Episode 15: The How and Why of Building Meaningful Student Connections with Janelle Everetts
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-15-The-How-and-Why-of-Building-Meaningful-Student-Connections-with-Janelle-Everetts-e2sb31
Episode 22: Time, Tasks, & Trauma: Troubleshooting Common Teacher Stressors with Amanda Murtaugh, LMHP
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-22-Time--Tasks---Trauma-Troubleshooting-Common-Teacher-Stressors-with-Amanda-Murtaugh--LMHP-e38ur9
Episode 23: From Attending to Presenting: Getting the Most from Education Conferences with Ashlyn Ellsworth
https://anchor.fm/nicole-clark/episodes/Episode-23-From-Attending-to-Presenting-Getting-the-Most-from-Education-Conferences-with-Ashlyn-Ellsworth-e3b325
PS - When we asked our listeners to best define their first year of teaching in only a few words, one of our favorite responses was “tomorrow is a new day!”
We hear so much about personalized learning, but how do we actually achieve this and make that learning visible? Kristin Yann of @Schoolandthecity has figured out how to do just that—in a way that leaves fellow teachers impressed and students begging for more!
In this week’s episode, Danielle and Nicole talk to Kristin, a 3rd grade teacher who has drawn upon her background training with gifted students to address the needs of all learners in her elementary ed classroom. What started as a way to augment the social studies and science resources that were lacking in her own school evolved into an entire year long method of assessment that students loved: choice boards. Since successfully developing choice boards for her own students, Kristin has gone on to create choice boards for other teachers and grade levels. Kristin has become an expert on crafting robust, relevant, and student-centered choice boards that engage all learners and allow students to showcase their own unique talents. She explains how this type of project can empower students, giving them flexibility while allowing teachers the chance to challenge students to reach their own potential. Kristin shares tips for helping us make our own choice boards so we, too, can watch our students thrive, eager to display the work that they have created.
Kristin has generously put together a checklist to help other teachers design choice boards that work for their own classrooms. Kristin shares her system for putting together effective choice boards, and with this handy checklist, you can start making these tools for your own students immediately. Score yours here.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
- The biggest misconception and mistakes teachers make when it comes to choice boards
- How to make choices that are interdisciplinary and engaging
- How to address multiple intelligences and utilize Bloom’s taxonomy (and how your students can benefit from recognizing Bloom’s, too)
- Why students and teachers both benefit from choice boards
Links:
Kristin's Choice Board Blog Post
http://schoolandthecityblog.blogspot.com/2018/07/3-reasons-to-use-choice-boards-in-your.html
Kristin’s Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/schoolandthecity/
Kristin’s website
http://schoolandthecityblog.blogspot.com
For most educators, being a classroom teacher is vital to our identity to the extent that it may even seem impossible to imagine our classrooms without us. However, circumstances may arise when you need to step away from the classroom. While most teachers have had to use the occasional personal day or sick day, for those dealing with a longer term health situation, like a planned surgery, or stepping into a new life stage, like becoming a parent, you may find yourself coming to terms with the fact that you may be spending weeks or months away from your students and your school.
In this week’s episode, Danielle and Nicole discuss what goes into setting your classroom up for success during a long term, planned teacher absence. With an upcoming maternity leave planned, Danielle shares what her experience has been like as she prepares to leave her classroom in someone else’s hands. Danielle explains how she and her sub worked together to ensure a smooth transition for her students, and she shares the 7 questions that you should ask yourself so the change occurs as seamlessly as possible for your students, your sub, and yourself.
If you loved the 7 questions we’ve outlined in the episode and you want a copy as you prepared for your own leave, get yours for free in our resource library!
What you’ll hear in this episode:
-Considerations about how to break the news to your students-- and how Danielle did it
-How to signal that you and the sub are on the same team, sending signals of trust to your students
-What information/documents to share with the sub to make the transition smoother
-7 questions to ask yourself to help set yourself, your students, and your sub up for success
Links mentioned in this episode:
Episode 17: How To Make A Solid Sub Plan In 20 Minutes Or Less With Nicki Dingraudo
https://www.edverything.com/podcast/2019/sub-plans-in-20-min-or-less
Are you itching for a change? If one of the reasons you were initially drawn to education as a profession was that you thrive off of being in an atmosphere that is different every day, just a few short years in, you may start to feel doubt regarding your career choice. While some educators love honing their craft in one grade level and relish the opportunity to iterate year after year, others, like Heather Planchon of The Primary Party find this draining and find themselves questioning what to do next.
In this week’s episode, Danielle and Nicole interview Heather regarding how she successfully made the transition from teaching kindergarten to teaching 4th graders. Heather shares candidly about the struggle she had coming to terms with a lack of satisfaction at a job she was really good at (and one she had known she had wanted for a long time). She talks about the self doubt she experienced making such a big leap in grade level, the support systems that helped her throughout, and why in the end, she feels like it was the best decision for her. Heather’s story reminds us not to settle just because something is comfortable and illustrates that by being honest with ourselves and articulating our goals to the right people, we can find ourselves in the places and grades where we feel we belong.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-Why you shouldn’t ignore your gut feeling
-How transitioning into a new grade can bring up many of those same “first year teacher” feelings all over again
-The pros and cons of making a big grade level switch
-5 steps to make even the biggest transitions as seamless as possible
Links:
Heather's Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/stories/theprimaryparty/
Heather's TpT store:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/The-Primary-Party-Heather-Planchon
Heather's Blog:
https://theprimaryparty.com/
Whether intentionally or inadvertently, students can be a large cause of teacher stress. But what causes student stress? While many teachers might immediately assume homework, friends, and tests— the things that students complain about most— this does not encompass the full scope of the most common stressors that students may be dealing with. As teachers, we want what is best for our students and to provide them with the tools they need to be successful. In order to do that, we need to investigate the top sources of student stress and find solutions to troubleshoot each.
In this week’s episode, Danielle and Nicole bring back friend of the show Amanda Murtaugh, M.A., LMHP to discuss what is really weighing heavily on the minds of our students. As a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner who has worked with many students as clients, Amanda explains what she sees as the 4 main sources of student stress. She provides tons of detail and examples to show how everything from extra responsibilities at home to parental attitudes towards academics to social media addiction and everything in between can play a big role in terms of potential obstacles to student success.
If you loved the Tips for Teacher mentioned in today’s episode, we’ve designed a free template of the questions for you to use with your own students! Just print and go, already sized for a standard 5 x 3 index card. Get yours for free in our resource library
What You’ll Hear:
-Popular misconceptions about student stressors
-The top 4 sources of student stress
-How to access what resources students can access and truly need
-How (and when) to use “Tips for Teacher” or other self-advocacy tools that can empower students
-How invitational language and believing what you are told can have a powerful, long-term healing impact
-How to incorporate appropriate online etiquette, technology usage, and the 5 C’s of Positive Youth Development in your classroom
Links mentioned:
Amanda's LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-murtaugh-b665837a/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0044118X17697850?journalCode=yasa
https://securingtomorrow.mcafee.com/consumer/family-safety/6-tips-to-help-protect-and-improve-your-childs-online-reputation/
Melissa Diebel
As teachers, we are always looking to improve our classrooms and our lessons. While our fellow colleagues at school, images on Pinterest, and suggestions from social media are all a great place to start, there is nothing quite like in-person, live conferences to foster genuine connections and to hear about pioneering practices that can be applied in our school districts. But attending a conference, let alone presenting your own ideas at one, may seem so intimidating that too many of us don’t give this invaluable professional development experience a chance.
In this week’s episode, Danielle and Nicole interview Ashlyn Ellsworth of @TheCreativeClassroom, a teacher, social media influencer, and top-tier conference presenter. Ashlyn explains how she naturally fell into the world of teaching-- as well as her impromptu journey into the realm of being a teacherpreneur. From starting a TpT store and helping design t-shirts to fearlessly attending a conference on her own to being recruited to speak at the prominent (and growing) Teach Your Heart Out conference, Ashlyn demonstrates how connection and networking have changed the shape of her career-- and, as a result of her presentations, classrooms around the world. Ashlyn gives us the roadmap for how to get involved at conferences, from mindset shifts to the logistics of funding a trip to a conference, so new and veteran teachers alike can reap all the benefits that in-person conferences have to offer.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-Who is the right type of person to attend/present at a conference
-Exactly what to look for when selecting which conferences to attend
-Ways to get involved (even if you don’t want to present) at the conference that suits you
-How to fund your way to the conference you have your eye on
-The importance of networking, both online and in person
People and links mentioned:
Ashlyn's instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thecreativeclassroom/
Ashlyn's linkinprofile:
https://linkinprofile.com/thecreativeclassroom
The Wright Stuff Chics instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thewrightstuffchics/
Apples and ABCs instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/applesandabcs/
https://www.donorschoose.org
https://www.teachyourheartoutcon.com
Teaching can be an incredibly stressful profession. Balancing work/home life, consistently and fairly managing your classroom, and creating engaging lesson plans only scratch the surface of the multitude of stressful situations that teachers must navigate daily. Teachers are problem solvers, and as a result, many of us have devised some coping mechanisms to help us deal with the stress that we regularly encounter. Getting the insight of a mental health professional, however, can help us.
Danielle’s long-time friend Amanda Murtaugh is a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner specializing in the intersection of psychology and education. Amanda has worked with both the K-12 population as well as in high ed, assisting both students and faculty handle sources of strain and pressure. In today’s episode, Amanda outlines the most common sources of stress for teachers that she has observed from working with clients. For each of the top 3, Amanda provides several different techniques for how to tackle the issues at hand, giving teachers an invaluable set of tools to draw upon for when stress inevitably pops up in our lives and classrooms.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-How a lack of boundaries causes burdens on our time and emotions
-How the sheer number of voices from students with diverse identities and beliefs can lead to uncomfortable classroom situations
-How those in helping fields are susceptible to vicarious trauma
-Action steps for creating appropriate boundaries (even in small spaces)
-Tips for making classrooms that are inclusive and reflective spaces
-Evaluations to assess yourself and the resources you may not even know are at your disposal
Links mentioned:
https://socialwork.buffalo.edu/content/dam/socialwork/home/self-care-kit/self-care-assessment.pdf
How can you set not only your students but also yourself up for long term success in the classroom? How do you create a classroom that you look forward to walking into day after day and year after year?
Emily Aierstok is an educator with an impressive resume that demonstrates that she is both an expert in her subject matter as well as authority on all matters in the classroom. In a field with a reputation for burnout, Emily stands out. She has worked at the same school, teaching 7th grade ELA for seventeen years and her passion for it is evident to this day. Emily is a self-proclaimed “curriculum junkie” and she uses this interest to plan engaging, meaningful lessons that keep challenging her students and to see what they are capable of.
In this episode, you’ll hear
-how to adapt to curriculum changes
-how to plan lessons that are both fun and keep students on their toes
-why making something relevant to students doesn’t mean compromising standards or expectations
Links mentioned:
Emily's Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/readitwriteitlearnit/
Emily's Blog
https://www.readitwriteitlearnit.com/
Emily's TpT Store
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Read-It-Write-It-Learn-It
Cheating in schools is nothing new, but the who and how of cheating seems to be changing.
In today's episode, Danielle and Nicole discuss some staggering statistics as awareness is the first step of addressing this widespread problem before delving into some strategies students are using to get away with academic dishonesty.
When it comes to cheating, technology can be a double edged sword. While we have more resources to help us detect or prevent cheating, students also have more access to tools that make cheating easier than ever. In this episode, we discuss 5 ways students are cheating right now based on information provided in testimonials given by students and colleagues. For each modern day cheating technique, we feature tips for detecting or preventing this issue before it enters your classroom.
In this episode, you’ll hear
- How rampant cheating is, where it may start, and what types of students are now most likely to be involved (and their justification)
- What types of work are most susceptible to having answer keys found online
- What items students absolutely should not have on their desks
- How to prevent students from changing answers after assessments have been handed back
- How air dropping photos and AirPods in particular can be used for cheating
Links mentioned
http://www.glass-castle.com/clients/www-nocheating-org/adcouncil/research/cheatingfactsheet.html
https://www.plagiarism.org/article/plagiarism-facts-and-stats
https://www.instagram.com/missconnellsclassroom/
https://www.instagram.com/edverythingeducation
bitl.y/edverythinglibrary
You’ve heard of TeachersPayTeachers. You may have even purchased products from there or downloaded a free piece of content from someone else’s store. Maybe you’ve even flirted with the idea of opening your own—but something has always prevented you from taking that leap. This episode is exactly what you need to hear and gives you the exact steps to take so you can finally start selling your teaching resources on this lucrative platform.
Yari Aguilu makes a strong case for why selling on TpT can be a rewarding experience, both financially and personally. With a promotion having removed her from the day to day interactions with students in the classroom, Yari still finds fulfillment when seeing her resources being used by teachers and students around the world. Yari has been a successful seller on the platform for years now. She explains how her process and her skills have evolved and draws upon her own experience to give pointers and confidence to those of us ready to begin our own journey on TpT.
What you’ll hear in this episode:
-Concerns you have about selling on TpT that are holding you back—and why they are totally unwarranted
-What makes someone a good candidate for opening a store? What kind of person should consider selling on TpT?
-How to pick a name, an account type, and a freebie to get you started
-Why branding matters (and how to make yours cohesive)
-Why growing your social media presence is an essential part of becoming a success on TpT
Links mentioned:
Yari's Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/sweettoothteaching/
Yari's TpT store:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Sweet-Tooth-Teaching
Yari's Blog:
http://www.sweettoothteaching.com/2018/11/getting-started-on-teachers-pay-teachers.html
What is the chapter of the book or the unit in your curriculum map that fills you with a sense of dread—the topic that if you could, you would entirely cut out or skip? While this is sure to vary depending on the age group you serve and the discipline you are in, almost invariably something will have jumped to mind immediately. How do you deal with teaching something that your heart just isn’t in? How do you teach a lesson on something that even you as the instructor dislike?
In this week’s episode, Nicole and Danielle discuss exactly that. We have come up with 5 questions to ask yourself to help you diagnose the exact reasons why you are feeling this way towards this topic. By pinpointing the source of the tension, you can apply the tips we provide for how to address the underlying stressors so that way you can plan an effective lesson and leave the negativity behind.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-Our definition of what it means to hate a particular topic
-Why you need to acknowledge your feeling towards the topic before you start to teaching it
-The 5 reasons why you might dislike a topic— and how to troubleshoot each before stepping foot in the classroom
Links mentioned:
https://www.instagram.com/thetownieteacher/
Episode 11: Our interview with Hayley Cain
Being a teacher is a stressful job, and this feels especially true when we are experiencing illness. While in most professions informing your employer that you will not be in on a given day is all you need to do before you head back to bed to get the rest your body desperately needs, for classroom teachers, our obligation is typically far from over. Between feelings of guilt over letting down the students who most need us there and overwhelm at the prospect of spontaneously coming up with an effective sub plan, you may feel tempted to just go in as it seems like an easier option than staying home. But it doesn’t have to be this way— and it has nothing to do with falling back on the irrelevant emergency sub plan you had to submit months ago. In today’s episode, Danielle and Nicole interview Nicki of SprinkleToppedTeacher, the second grade teacher behind the 20 Minute Sub Plan. Based on her own health struggles, Nicki developed a system to make sub plans that work—and only take mere minutes to complete. Her process is thorough and adaptable for any grade or class, yet it doesn’t take much effort on your end on a day you need to be out, a complete necessity when you are feeling run down. Whether you need to make these modifications to the sub plan from your bed or a hospital room, all you need is an internet connection and access to the Google template Nicki has made so you can finally rest easy and recover quickly without a second thought about school. What you’ll hear in this episode: -How a one time 30 minute investment of time can help provide the sub with all the extra details they need -How to use the 20 Minute Sub Plan when you didn’t plan on being out (and how to leverage your team members) -Best practices for sub planning (and it doesn’t take extra time) -Actual feedback from subs and teachers alike who have implemented this plan in their own lives Links: Nicki's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thesprinkletoppedteacher/
To purchase The 20 Minute Sub Plans: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/The-20-Minute-Sub-Plans-3465551
Nicki's Blog: www.thesprinkletoppedteacher.com
(FREEBIE) Sub Plan Checklist: http://www.thesprinkletoppedteacher.com/2019/01/the-20-minute-sub-plan-checklist.html
Sunday Email List full of freebies and encouragement for the week: https://mailchi.mp/8e278f85103e/happyteacher
Despite planning engaging lessons, reviewing important concepts in class, and providing students with study guides, there still may be a handful of students that struggle come test time. It is often from these students that we hear the sounds of frustration as they insist that they spent a significant amount of time studying— and still, to their amazement and displeasure, they failed the exam.
In this episode, Danielle and Nicole explore the disconnect that is happening all too regularly when students think they are studying even though what they are spending their time on is the furthest thing from that a teacher could imagine.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
-How to recognize the language students use when they truly believe they are studying
-Some of the most common misconceptions students have about what constitutes studying
-4 steps to take to help those students form better study habits immediately
For most teachers, the subject matter is the easy part. Building rapport with the students, on the other hand, might be a far harder task. For Janelle of Ms_Fourth, building real, meaningful connections with her students has always come naturally. Janelle advocates for making student relationships a top priority. Her care and connection with her students manifests itself in her spirited, positive and bright classroom and is only matched by her enthusiastic attitude towards her interactions with students. Janelle explains how we can build these ties from the very start to the closing bell each and every day.
Links mentioned:
Janelle, Ms_Fourth instagram
https://www.instagram.com/ms_fourth/
Miss 5th instagram
Brittney Root
https://www.instagram.com/miss5th/
Fairchild in Fifth instagram
Maddie Fairchild
https://www.instagram.com/fairchildin5th/
While nearly everyone at a school, from the students to the faculty, looks forward to long weekends and breaks from the daily grind of school, almost no one likes the task of planning what to do and keeping a classroom running smoothly in those minutes leading up to those days off.
In this week’s episode, Danielle and Nicole go over the do’s and don’ts of classroom management during one of the most challenging times of the year: the days right before a long break. It can be tempting for students and teachers alike to take the days leading up to break less seriously than typical class time. Make the most of that time by planning lessons that work for the time of year, and make sure that students will be able to adapt back to life post-break with ease by keeping consistent with your rule sand expectations. Need ideas for how to make that happen? We’ve got tips for not just surviving but thriving in the classroom for those final minutes leading up to break.
In this episode you’ll hear:
• Why rules and structure need to remain
• How to acknowledge the break without letting it ruin your lesson
• How to use the upcoming break for inspiration for your lesson
• Ideas for what types of lessons work really well (and what to avoid doing) on the days before breaks
Links mentioned:
Our free, private Facebook community, the Thoughtful Teacher Team: a place to discuss the latest podcast episode and to bounce ideas off of other amazing educators bit.ly/edverythingfb
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edverythingeducation/
Entropy Isn’t Destiny from Moore-English: http://moore-english.com/entropy-is-not-destiny/
New teachers don’t always realize all they have to offer, but the valuable lessons they pick up can often have an impact far beyond just their own development. Meet Aliana, an Australian teacher who proves that those who are new to the profession can provide incredible insight. Ali is able to speak so eloquently on all of the growth she has made during her first two years as a teacher because she documented her experience in a unique way, leveraging the power of Instagram to create a record of her own learning that has evolved into an asset for other educators as well. Ali’s story creates a compelling case for why we should all be reflecting on and documenting our journey as educators, and she ends by telling us how we can do just that.
Check out Aliana's Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/theyoungeducator/
Are you ready for the most wonderful time of the year? As the holidays approach, there can be a lot of demands on our time— and our wallets. This isn’t just the case for our relationships outside of school. For many, time and money will be spent planning on purchasing gifts for colleagues and potentially even our students. If you are going to participate in gift giving, how can we do so in a time and cost effective way?
In this week’s episode, Danielle and Nicole provide recommendations for how to give meaningful gifts at school that won’t break the bank. We talk about gift ideas that aren’t overly generic— or overly expensive. The best part of all is our small gift for you: a round-up of ideas and a few printable for you to utilize in your gift giving this year! Get yours here!
In this episode you’ll hear:
• Ideas for what gifts to give students in your classroom
• Suggestions for gifts for peer co-workers
• Tips for gift giving to those elsewhere in the school hierarchy
• The Do’s and don’ts for gift giving to administrators at school
Links mentioned:
Get ideas for what to give your fellow teachers, admins, or even class this holiday season! Save time and money with these practical, meaningful suggestions. As an added bonus, we’ve included some printable for you to use. Simply print and give or print and frame for a convenient gift for those at your school! Get Danielle and Nicole's guide: https://www.edverything.com/gift-guide
Emily Posts Guide To Gift Giving at the Office: http://emilypost.com/advice/five-holiday-gift-giving-pointers-for-the-office/
Teach For America’s 10 Inexpensive Gift Ideas for Students: https://www.teachforamerica.org/stories/10-inexpensive-gift-ideas-for-students
Are students truly learning in your classroom or are you just presenting information to the class? How can we create a standardized environment where all students in a grade level are held accountable for the same information without limiting teacher creativity and autonomy?
In this week’s episode, Danielle and Nicole interview Hayley Cain, an elementary school teacher from Georgia with a specialty for making common core standards common practice in her classroom. Hayley shares her experience transitioning from the middle school to the elementary level and the lasting lessons she picked up having previously worked at a “failing” school. Hayley has witnessed first-hand how powerful deconstructing standards and team planning time can be, and she has taken these strategies and applied them successfully to a new school and grade level. With her insights—and the handy checklist she created— you’ll be able to see and measure real change and growth in your own classroom.
In this episode you’ll hear:
• Why teachers may initially resist looking at state and common core standards
• How to break down any standard into what students need to know
• How to utilize regular, standardized, formative assessments
• Ways to differentiate learning to measure success for low achieving as well as gifted students
Links mentioned:
The Intentional Teaching Checklist: http://activityaftermath.blogspot.com/2018/11/intentional-teaching-checklist.html?m=1
Common Core App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.masteryconnect.CommonCore&hl=en_US
Hayley’s TpT store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Hayley-Cain-Activity-After-Math
How can you go into Parent-Teacher Conferences with confidence instead of dread? How can you make the most of this night, truly viewing it as an opportunity rather than just another teaching obligation?
In this week’s episode, Danielle and Nicole explain just how to make this important mindset shift, focusing on how to make the most out of Parent-Teacher Conferences. We explain the exact steps to take, both before and during conferences, to help you make the process both less stressful and more productive. With honest, thoughtful, and strategic communication, conferences have the potential to turn parents into partners and allies, a situation that benefits teachers, parents themselves, and ultimately students.
In this episode you’ll hear: • How to give each individual conference structure • The what and how of giving feedback • How to leverage a growth mindset attitude during conferences • What resources to have handy • Why you may need to “educate” parents during conferences • How to wrap up each meeting
Links mentioned:
General tips and resources:
http://bit.ly/parentteachertips
Conference forms:
http://bit.ly/conferencesheets
How can you make sure that you are giving your absolute best to your students each and every day without sacrificing your own personal well-being and self- care? As dedicated educators, we give so much of ourselves to our careers and our students that too often we neglect working on ourselves.
This week, Danielle and Nicole interview Michele Hamilton, a veteran teacher from Texas who shares openly about her own struggles with work life balance—and the exact steps she has taken to become the best version of herself, both personally and professionally. Michele’s unconventional journey into the teaching profession and a decade in the field that left her on the verge of burnout demonstrates that with the right attitude, it is possible to overcome any challenge. Her touching story of changing her mindset in order to take back control of her weight, her classroom, and her career path is absolutely empowering. Michele provides actionable tips that any listener can implement to replicate the morning routine she herself, one that has gotten her not only back on track but into a space where she can truly thrive. Michele now lives the growth mindset, and she shows us how we—and our students—can do the same.
In this episode you’ll hear:
• How and when to incorporate daily prayer and affirmations
• How to get in a real workout that you won’t just “half step” or skip
• How to set your mind for the day
• How to prioritize and organize with regular brain dump to find margin in every day
Connect with Michele:
Michele's Instagram: instagram.com/michelehamilton_/
Michele’s website: http://redefinehappiness.com/
Though you might feel a sense of relief when the last bell of the day rings, a teacher’s job is far from over at that point. You already know that success tomorrow depends on what you do in those minutes after school before you get in your car for your commute home, but how many of us critically consider how we truly spend that crucial time? This week Danielle and Nicole discuss the why and how to create your perfect after school routine. Don’t leave school until you’ve accomplished these tasks. We will help you batch and organize your way to a less stressful next day with a no-fail routine that works no matter what class you teach.
In this episode you’ll find:
The Teacher's Toolkit: Before Leaving School Checklist
bit.ly/BeforeYouLeaveChecklist
The bell rings, but the day isn’t over just yet. Set yourself up for success with a system, a fool-proof, customizable routine so you never find yourself at home stressed about tasks you missed again. Click to download now!
Wunderlist
wunderlist.com
Wunderlist is the easiest way to get stuff done. Whether you’re planning a holiday, sharing a shopping list with a partner or managing multiple work projects, Wunderlist is here to help you tick off all your personal and professional to-dos.
Why teachers should get involved in moderating an after school activity, and how to do it right.
How can you go into Parent/Teacher Conferences with confidence instead of dread? How can you make the most of this night, truly viewing it as an opportunity rather than just another teaching obligation?
In this week’s episode, Danielle and Nicole explain just how to make this important mindset shift, focusing on how to make the most out of Parent/Teacher Conferences. We explain the exact steps to take, both before and during conferences, to help you make the process both less stressful and more productive. With honest, thoughtful, and strategic communication, conferences have the potential to turn parents into partners and allies, a situation that benefits teachers, parents themselves, and ultimately students.
In this episode you’ll hear:
• How to give each individual conference structure
• The what and how of giving feedback
• How to leverage a growth mindset attitude during conferences
• What resources to have handy
• Why you may need to “educate” parents during conferences
• How to wrap up each meeting
Links mentioned:
General tips and resources:
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/parent-teacher-conference-resources-matt-davis see bit.ly below:
http://bit.ly/parentteachertips
Conference forms:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Parent-Teacher-Conference-Forms-for-Parent-Conferences-EDITABLE-1403890
http://bit.ly/conferencesheets
Learn how to engage your students with an icebreaker activity that is both academically rich and exciting!