Real Teacher Talk
Do you feel like you are being pulled in a dozen different directions as an elementary school teacher? Are you constantly overwhelmed because you can’t get caught up? Do you ever get the feeling that no matter how hard you work, you still aren't doing enough for your students or for your family at home?If your answer is yes to any or all of these questions, you need a better way. You simply can't go on like this.Join Kristen Donegan of Easy Teaching Tools and The 3 PM Teacher as she talks about how to make teaching sustainable so you can finally say goodbye to grading papers after-hours and missing out on time with family and friends.While she can't fix the education crisis, each week Kristen will help you work smarter, not harder, have time to focus on the curriculum, enjoy teaching again, and still have plenty of time outside of the classroom to do what you love.Tune in to Real Teacher Talk and listen closely because it’s time to take back your power, finally leave school at 3PM, and enjoy your life!To find out more, visit easyteachingtools.com
Episodes
38 episodes
Taking a Break
Hey there. I wanna thank you for being such a loyal listener to The Real Teacher Talk podcast. We're going on a brief hiatus, but I'd still love to connect with you. The best way to do that is over on Instagram at
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Episode 37
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1:29
How to Get Your Life Back with Sabrena Brooks
Are you ready to get your life back?As we look forward to all things 2023, This week we decided to drop back to our very first interview on Real Teacher Talk, I sat down with Sabrena Brooks, a busy teacher and mama to talk about how ...
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Episode 36
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18:04
The Sunday Blues
Some people call them the Sunday blues. Some people call them the Sunday Scaries. Others just flat-out say, “I am dreading going to work tomorrow.”Whatever you call it, if you’ve had this experience, you aren’t alone! All sorts o...
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Episode 35
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9:58
Navigating Student Loan Debt with Meagan Landress McGuire
If the thought of student loan debt makes you want to crawl into a hole and hide, this episode is for you!Student loan debt is overwhelming for anyone, but especially for chronically-underpaid teachers. If you’re in the boat of...
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Episode 34
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19:30
Toxic Teacher Environments
Last week we chatted about how to handle it when you’re struggling with one specific coworker or team member.Today, we’re going to go a little bit deeper and discuss what to do if the environment you’re in becomes too toxic. Mayb...
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Episode 33
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13:54
Dealing with Challenging Team Members at School
Do you have a coworker at your school that just really irritates or bothers you? I’m not talking about the coworkers that are outright mean or offensive, but the sort of coworker that just gets under your skin.I bet you have at l...
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Episode 32
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15:28
My Hardest Year Yet
I’m doing things a bit differently this episode, and I’m opening up about the hardest teaching year I’ve had so far in my career. I explain the different factors that worked together to make it a perfect storm, and why I want to ...
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Episode 31
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18:26
Sassy Guardians
We aaaaaaaall have them in our classes. THOSE parents. You know exactly which parents I’m talking about.The ones who email you at all hours of the day and night, the ones who question every single decision you make, the ones disp...
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Episode 30
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15:59
Make Parent Volunteers Work for You
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by parents or caregivers offering to volunteer in your classroom?I know that lots of schools don’t have parent volunteers, but for those that do, it can become a lot of work to prepare for them! If ...
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Episode 29
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20:15
How to Use Data to Improve your Classroom with Dr. Matthew Courtney
As a teacher, have you ever asked (or been tempted to ask) WHY are we doing this?!If so, you aren’t alone. Collecting and analyzing data in the classroom can give us answers to why we’re doing certain things and give us a road map fo...
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Episode 28
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27:35
Streamlining the data collection process with Rebekah Poe
Data collection is a super important part of teaching, but so many teachers dread it! I promise you don’t have to.There are ways to make the process simple, effective, and meaningful. I sat down with Rebekah Poe to chat about how...
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Episode 27
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40:02
Successful Parent or Caregiver Conferences
If the thought of parent or caregiver conferences makes you feel a little sweaty, you’re not alone! What is it about talking to other adults that can be so scary?I learned a lot during my time in the classroom, mostly from making ...
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Episode 26
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18:21
Quiet Quitting isn't happening, but this is...
Have you heard the phrase “quiet quitting” and wondered how it related to teaching?Quiet quitting is a hot topic right now. It’s the idea that people are “giving up” or “quitting” on their jobs without actually resigning....
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Episode 25
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20:21
Creating a Classroom Environment where All Students Thrive with Johnny Tiersma
Do you ever wonder how you can create a positive classroom environment and still get everything done that needs to get done?If so, you’re in good company. But trust me, it’s possible!In this episode of Real Teacher T...
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Episode 24
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32:17
3 Tips for a Successful Sub Day with Kelsey Sorenson
Does the mere thought of preparing to have a substitute in your classroom make you feel sick to your stomach? If so, you aren’t alone!In this episode of Real Teacher Talk, I sat down with Kelsey Sorenson of Wife...
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Episode 23
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34:41
Can We Bring Fun Back Into the Classroom? with Matt Halpern
Do you ever feel like it’s impossible to have fun in the classroom anymore? There are often so many “other” things to care about, that fun can be the last thing on our minds.In this episode of Real Teacher Talk, I sat down with Ma...
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Episode 22
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47:40
Simplifying your Centers with Farrah Henley
Have you ever felt like your centers are a little overwhelming? Sometimes the systems in our classroom are way more complicated than they need to be, and we need to take a step back and simplify so that we can do our jobs more...
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Episode 21
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27:01
Why Every Teacher Needs a Timer for Themselves
Do you have any specific tools that you use in the classroom to help you stay organized? As teachers, there’s so much to get done each day. It can get overwhelming fast if you don’t have a good classroom system in place that will he...
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Episode 20
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12:11
Classroom Management without a Clip Chart with Allie Szczecinski from Miss Behavior
Are you worried about classroom management this year? I have heard from a lot of teachers that they are a bit worried about heading back to the classroom because of how rough the last couple of years were with all of the classroom b...
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Episode 19
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21:53
5 Tips to Start the School Year Organized with Michelle Emerson from Pocketful of Primary
Are you feeling stressed out at the thought of heading back to school? Many teachers are feeling even more overwhelmed about heading back to the classroom than normal this year. There is just so much to do and they are already tired...
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Episode 18
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24:49
Thrive Not Survive with Katie Knight
Are you looking forward to the new school year? This is a topic that so many teachers are struggling with right now. School is starting back up and teachers just aren’t looking forward to it because they’re still trying to recover f...
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Episode 17
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49:11
Teachers Have Lives Too
Have you ever felt like we are held to higher expectations than others as teachers? This is a common issue among teachers because guess what? We have lives too! I have taught for years and talked to teachers all around the world. Th...
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Episode 16
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12:47
Maximize Your Work Day
Are you making the most of your workday? There are so many things to get done each day that it can feel impossible to get it all done and leave on time.In this episode of Real Teacher Talk, we are discussing how to maximize your time so ...
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Episode 15
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19:33
How Do You Go Back to Teach When You Don’t Want To? with Dr. Christine Li
Are you feeling stressed or burned out? I have heard from so many teachers that even though it’s summertime right now, they don’t have the energy for anything because they are just so burned out. This makes sense because unfortunate...
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Episode 14
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23:19