How Boundaries, Love, And Logic Shape Better Teachers @StephanieCurry

What if the most powerful classroom tool isn’t a behavior chart or a booming voice, but calm, steady presence? We sit with veteran elementary teacher Stephanie Curry to unpack the craft behind a classroom that feels safe, joyful, and focused—without the yelling. We dig into why school becomes a refuge for many children and how that truth should guide our choices on Fridays, before holidays, and during tough seasons. Stephanie shares practical ways teachers can help even when they’re stretched thin. We also talk sustainability: setting boundaries, leaving near contracted time, and mastering one layer per year so joy outlasts grind. If you’ve ever wondered how to trade burnout for balance, her blueprint is honest and doable.

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introduction

SPEAKER_02 0:24

All right. Well, welcome to the Finding My Teachers podcast. My name is Thomas Buchanan. And today on the podcast, we have Stephanie Curry. And I know Stephanie from I used to, she used to be at the school that I was, we were at the same school at Rosa Parks. So I am excited to talk to her today. And just to uh just to kind of pick her brain and and see where she's at. Stephanie, why don't you tell us like how long you've been teaching, like what's your teaching story, like why you got into teaching in the first place, like all of those types of things.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

And this is my 11th year teaching. I'm at Sand Springs right now. I've actually kind of hopped around a little bit. I had the first five years of my career at Jinx, and then I did one year at Manford, and then two years at Rosa Parks and Union. And now this is my third year at Sand Springs. Um as far as getting into teaching, I never I can't remember ever not wanting to be a teacher. Like even when I was in first grade, my class, my bedroom was set up like a classroom. Like I had a whiteboard, I had the alphabet up there and everything. I would teach my little stuffed animals and stuff.

SPEAKER_02 1:39

Um had your own classroom in your in your kids' room.

SPEAKER_00 1:44

Oh yeah. I was just ready to be a teacher, and so that's that was just always the plan. I never really entertained anything else. Um and my first grade, my kindergarten and first grade teacher, her name was Mrs. Cheeks, she looped with us and she just made me love learning. And so I've just I got a really good foundation in my schooling. I had great teachers in elementary school. Um, and I just always loved going to school and pretending to be them.

SPEAKER_02 2:15

And so that's kind of see, and that kind of leads into my next question because I've I've asked this and it's it's interesting to see like the responses to this. Um and because nine times out of ten, it is because you were affected by some sort of teacher. Like that's why teachers become teachers, because they had a teacher that really impacted their life and had an influence on them. So that was the case for you. I mean, from the very beginning, right?

Early Influences And Montessori Impact

SPEAKER_00 2:43

Yeah. Yeah, she was awesome. She came to our school. Her first year at our school was my kindergarten year, and she came from a Montessori school. So she taught us, you know, Montessori style. And um, my mom always I don't remember this story, obviously, but my mom always tells this story that like she would assign reading groups and she was doing our assessments, and at the first parent-teacher conferences, she like told my mom, like she knows all her sight words, she's working really hard on this, this, and this. And my mom was like, Well, she can read. And the teacher was like, Well, I didn't ask her to read, I only asked her to do exactly this, and that's exactly what she did. So then, like, later she had me read a book to her and then realized that I could read, and like gave me my own reading group and stuff, and as part of like my learning, she let me teach others and stuff, and so I think that just kind of set off. Like, I got to be kind of a little helper in the classroom, and she just taught differently than a lot of the teachers at that school, and I got to loop with her to first grade, so she knew me really well.

SPEAKER_02 3:48

Awesome, awesome. Um, so okay, so that kind of leads into the next um thing to kind of talk about. Like what what what drives you? Like, why I and you kind of already answered it, but I'm gonna ask it anyway. So maybe there's something else. Like, what why are you so um why are you so passionate about like education in general? Um teaching, um, you know, uh things like that, like what drives you, like why are you so passionate about it?

SPEAKER_00 4:19

Um, I mean it's corny, but I do think that teaching is a calling. Like, I don't think people necessarily would choose to not make that much money and you know deal with everything that the cult school system provides.

SPEAKER_02 4:31

Right. So live paycheck to paycheck like that. Yeah.

unknown 4:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:36

But I think it's a really unique opportunity and a really cool way to be called to love and serve others. And, you know, children, they all walk into your classroom with all different background stories, some of them very, very horrible. And it's inspiring to me that like these kids from these horrible backgrounds or really rough home lives come in and they still, you know, kids are just filled with so much light and love and desire to please and love others. And I think it's really inspiring that no matter what they're going through at home, they can come to school and still do their best and be happy. And you know, I think that they're a very good example for how adults should carry themselves. So not only do I get to teach the kids, you know, their ABCs or whatever, but they get to teach us about how to be good humans and have a good attitude out in life. And I think especially for the kids who have rougher home lives, like as teachers, we have the opportunity to provide a safe, nurturing, loving environment where they know that they can come for 40 hours a week and truly be safe and loved, where they might not get that in any other area. So to be that kid's kind of light is I think such an honor.

Teaching As A Calling And Service

SPEAKER_02 5:54

Right. That's awesome. Well, and and I that got me thinking about something else. Like I don't know, and uh again, you kind of said a lot of um kind of where this question is is geared towards, but um, you know, like school, school as a safe place for kids. Um say that they do come from, you know, a rough uh home life, and you know, like we talk about like, oh, we can't wait till spring break. We're in in in some cases, like spring break is not going to be good for some kids because it gets them out of routine, it gets them out of like um, you know, their safe place that they're used to, like summers, you know, it every kind of break, like um talk about like school as a safe place. And do you think, in your opinion, and I don't want you to get I don't want you to um you know uh say um I and I'm sure I'm I know you're not gonna probably say anything negative, but do teachers like forget about that aspect of it ever at all, like about school being the safe place? And does that affect like I don't know, does that affect like empathy or or sympathy for kids or anything like that? Do you think?

School As A Safe Place

SPEAKER_00 7:16

I mean, I think it's definitely person to person, like not every teacher has the same exact heart. Um, but I think the teachers that are there because they feel called to love and serve others, um, I don't think it ever leaves their mind. I think they worry even on a Friday, sending them home just over the weekend. Um I think that some sometimes everything that teachers are tasked with, far beyond our job, does lead to a lot of burnout. And so some teachers are like, I just can't simply give more. You know, I'm gonna come and do the best I can, but what I can accomplish from eight to three is what I can accomplish. And then there's other teachers who are more driven to do a little bit more outreach, and really like the counselors in the school and stuff kind of head that and do a really great job. And I think unfortunately for some children, it's kind of circumstantial what school that they're in, like what community they have. Currently, I'm in a very supportive community that rallies behind, like whenever the snap benefits were shut down, like everybody rallied to donate snacks and stuff so that we could send home backpacks over the weekend with food for the kids for the families that needed it. And I think there's a lot of opportunities like that every month of the year that a lot of teachers rally behind. Um, and I I genuinely think for the most part, if you're a teacher at a school, especially you know, an elementary school, you're there because you love children, and if you see a need, you want to fulfill it. And maybe you personally are not capable, but you know that there's people in the school that you can reach out to, like the counselors are like at the school that I'm at right now, our district has um like a McKinney Vento liaison for the homeless community or kids who are considered unhoused, and that even includes kids that are in the foster care system, or kids that like maybe they're not on the street but they're living in a hotel or something. But we have um a few members that are a part of that, and we can always reach out to them if we know, hey, this family has a need, and then they kind of take care of it. So it might not be the teacher directly doing something, but they are making the connections and putting the names and voices out there and making it happen. So even the teachers that are spread thin and burnt out, they know that they can still do something, they can send an email and accomplish something very meaningful for that child.

SPEAKER_02 9:41

Right. That's awesome. Yeah, that's so cool. Like, um, yeah, that's definitely an awesome thing. Um what um and I've asked this question before, but and and maybe this has changed for you over the years, rather like from the beginning until now, but what is your definition? What do you feel like a good teacher, quote unquote, like great teacher is? What what what do you think of when you think of like a great teacher? Like what are some of the intangibles, like some of the specific things that you see as a teacher being great? And maybe even go back going back to like Mrs. Cheeks, like I don't I don't know, you know, like because she was uh you know an influence on your life, but what what things I don't know what things make up uh a good teacher, a great teacher.

Burnout, Support Systems, And Community Help

SPEAKER_00 10:37

Well, I feel like there's a million ways to answer that. But I think first and foremost, a good teacher is a teacher that can draw boundaries, like you have to take care of yourself, you know. Like I the first couple years teaching, it's so easy to feel overwhelmed and like you don't have enough time to get everything done. And I know my first couple years of teaching, I was staying at the school till six o'clock, and then I was burnt out and I had a little bit of resentment, you know, like you don't mean to carry it into the classroom, but you do. And um, so I think if you can draw good boundaries and just I know that whenever I learned that, like, hey, as long as I'm ready for tomorrow, I don't have to spread myself thin and try to be ready for the whole week and ready for the whole month, and it, you know, new stuff comes out up all the time, and you're just I think if you just accept, like, hey, I'm never really gonna be caught up, this is a a loop job, um, then you can kind of, you know, leave at your contracted time or pretty close after, be more efficient during your planned times and take that time to like genuinely have lunch with your coworkers, don't just sit in your room and try to work through lunch, like give yourself yourself that brain space and create those boundaries so that you're not burnt out, so that you can have a good attitude and pour into your classroom when you're in there and be fully present. Whereas if you feel like you're doing it all the time, what difference is it during those hours that the kids are in there? You know, you have to create those boundaries so that it you're excited to be in the classroom. Um, and then I think a good teacher depends on the student. Like, just like we ask our kids to work in groups and be able to work with all kinds of students, all kinds of learners, the schools should be filled with all kinds of teachers because we might have Miss Smith down in first grade who meshes really well with Johnny, and then he goes to second grade Miss Jones, and it's not such a good match. Um, but to have all different types of teachers that respond differently to different types of behaviors, different types of, you know, some teachers are more inclined to do well with the gifted kids, some do more well with the lower kids, some have a heart for the kids with a rough home life, you know, and give every kid an opportunity to get through that school and make at least one good connection. I don't think that there's one good teacher for all students, it's not a one-size-fits-all program. So I think filling your school with diverse types of teachers in their teaching styles, the way that they communicate, the way that they show love is important so that every child that walks through that door has an opportunity to connect with somebody.

SPEAKER_02 14:16

Right. So what I hear you saying, it's a like it really is a collective, like it's a team thing, right? I mean, it's a unit. Like different teachers are better, you know, at different things than than others.

SPEAKER_00 14:29

Is that yeah, is that kind of some kids do really well with like strong, fun, loud personalities. Some kids need a softer teacher, you know, a quieter teacher. Right. And it's not that one is better than the other, you know. Maybe in an interview, a loud, boisterous, over-the-top teacher seems better, especially like my lens is elementary. But maybe for those kids who carry a lot of anxiety or don't have a ton of consistency in their life, a calmer, softer teacher who they know what they're gonna get every day is gonna be much better for them. And those are different strengths, and I don't think that one is better than the other. I think that there's a spot for every teacher for every type for different types of students.

What Makes A Great Teacher

SPEAKER_02 15:14

Right. So I and you said something else too that um like got my attention. So I I I mean, I've been in a school for the past, you know, like five, six years now. Not a teacher, but in a role where, you know, I you know, I do be I am in classrooms and stuff like that. But uh so I'm trying to like gather as much information as I can um possible and and hopefully for some other new teachers um coming up, um, maybe this next school year or in two years or whatever. And so I've heard um most teachers say to not stay past your contracted time unless you have to. Kind of like what what you would advise also, like a new teacher, like just knowing that knowing that maybe, you know, just maybe you are gonna be a little overwhelmed and you're not maybe not gonna be caught up all the time. So it's important to to you know have those boundaries.

SPEAKER_00 16:25

Yeah. I think that staying past your contracted time, and like, and sometimes you have meetings, so you you know, oh, I just want to get this stack graded or whatever, you know, half hour past your time, whatever, that's not sacrificing a ton. Um, but especially if you have like a family at home, you know, my first couple years teaching, uh, it was just me, so it didn't really, I didn't need to get home to anything. But once you have a spouse or children or whatever, I think it's very important to keep that balance and not grow resentment or like, you know, how do I pour into these kids all day and then go home and pour into my own kid? Like creating those boundaries, I think is important. The work will always be there, and you don't have to have their stuff like if they did an assignment on a Tuesday, it doesn't have to be graded by a Wednesday, you know. Like parents appreciate that, and it's nice if you can do that, but if you're burning yourself in order to do that, that's not the priority. If you know what you're gonna teach the next day, I think that that's plenty prepared. And the way that a lot of the curriculum is these days, it's pretty scripted. So even necessarily planning for that shouldn't take a ton of time once you kind of get into the role. And like the first couple years of teaching, if you just follow the script and that's all you do, that's enough. Once you get comfortable with the content and you get comfortable with what type of teacher you are and what type of teaching style you like, then you don't really need to, you know, follow the script. You've got your own way of explaining it, you've got your own way to relate it to the children and you know it better. Um, but that doesn't come the first or second year. So some of the best advice I got was actually from my principal at Jinx my first couple years. She says, you know, you can't do every layer the first year. Build a strong foundation and every year pick the next thing that you're gonna become a master at. Become a master at one thing, and then the next year build the next thing. Like it's it takes time. And theoretically, it doesn't take a whole year to you know get skilled at one thing. You can add a couple more things, but you can't try to spin all the plates all at once. You've got to get really good at something to where it's almost like muscle memory and then add something new, and you're not failing, you're not, you know, a happy teacher is the best kind of teacher that the kids can have. So if you're burnt out and stressed out, even if you're so prepared, but you didn't get enough sleep or you didn't get the a good breakfast, you're actually not the best you can be for those kids, you know. You have to be like Maslow's hierarchy of need, like we know we have to meet the children's needs, we have to meet yours too, so that you can be the teacher that your kids need. They don't need somebody burnt out and irritated walking in there, but they're prepared, you know.

SPEAKER_02 19:01

Well, and this is what I thought of too, and this is maybe a bad analogy, but you know, when um sharks see blood, I mean they they go to it and they take advantage of it. I mean, if your kids are seeing you in a you know, position or in a state that's not good or or burned out or whatever, or grumpy or whatever, I mean, that's you know, they may take advantage of that, like it, you know, I I I don't know, like as in like you know, just kind of playing you a little bit more, like, or pushing buttons, right?

SPEAKER_00 19:34

You know, a little bit more than what's in your energy too. Like if you're irritated now, they're more irritated, or if you're happier, they're gonna be happier. If you can bring joy, they're gonna match that. But if you're tired and kind of shut down, like that you're not gonna get engagement out of them.

SPEAKER_02 19:50

Right, yes, exactly. Um what um let's talk about, let's see. Well, yeah, let's talk about classroom strategies. What um what works for you? What have you seen that's work the best? Like, do you need specifically a strategy for yourself? Like, do you just kind of grow into it? Like, talk about that for just a moment.

Diverse Teaching Styles And Student Fit

SPEAKER_00 20:23

I think whatever is most authentic to you is the best. You know, if you're trying to follow a strategy just because you've heard it's awesome, but it doesn't fit your personality, like the kids will see, like, hey, this doesn't quite mesh. So if you find a strategy that is authentic to your personality, great, but don't try to force something. Um, in my first couple years, we were trained on um teaching with love and logic by Jim and Charles Bay, which is the premise is basically like if you build a relationship with the kids and they love you and they know that you love them, they'll want to please. Um, and you know, you just kind of like do it out of love, like, hey, I know you really don't care about this math problem, but can you do it for me? Then likely, you know, they'll at least try. And then the the logic part comes with like logical consequences. Like, let's say that a kid um throws some trash across the lunchroom to an at another student's head or whatever. Um, the logical consequence would be, hey, now you need to help clean the cafeteria, you need to help pick up trash when everybody's done, not like, oh, you're gonna lose recess time, or you've got to write this 10-page apology, or you know, we're gonna call mom and dad or whatever, but like the punishment fits the crime, and then they kind of automatically start to take responsibility for what they've done. Um, so I do follow that, and that that worked for me because I went into teaching because I love children, so making them feel loved was authentic to me, and trying to get them to love me back worked. Um, as far as other strategies, I haven't really dug into much else. I mean, that I learned that really early in my career and it worked. Um, I don't ever think that raising your voice in the classroom is ever a good choice. Um, I meet their chaos with silence, and that works. It does, it saves me frustration. I don't have to say like, I've I've told you guys a million times because I just don't tell them a million times. Like, if they're a little unruly or getting out of control, like I just stop and stare at them, and maybe that's wasted minutes, but it's actually more meaningful because I'm not wasting time explaining to them, like, hey, I've asked you this, I've and I'm not explaining things a million times. I'll teach my lesson, and when I'm teaching, if somebody starts talking, I just stop and I wait. And when they're quiet, I continue, and I don't make a comment like I'm waiting, or whenever you're ready, or you know, all these little quips that teachers have, I just stop and I have a very neutral look on my face. I'm not like glaring at them, I'm not showing disappointment, but I'm just waiting. You know, when we're all paying attention, we're all able to learn. And so as soon as they start talking, I just stop, and then they know, like, hey, we're never gonna get through this unless we just listen. And that only takes a couple weeks in the beginning of the year, and then it I've kind of said the premise like, when I'm talking, you're not, when you're talking, I'm not. We're gonna give each other that respect of listening to one another. And if you're not listening when I'm talking, then I'll just stop talking, no big deal. And so I don't I don't agree with any of the teachers that ever raise their voice. I don't think it's ever necessary. And I think when you elevate, the kids elevate, like you're setting the tone that, like, hey, we can get to this level in the classroom because my teacher's done it. Well, if you don't want your classroom to get to that level, you can't get to that level, you know. So I don't do the yelling. I don't like that.

Boundaries, Balance, And Practical Prep

SPEAKER_02 23:51

Well, and and and to that too, like I don't know. For and I just kind of say this because I've seen this and I've been at maybe at fault for this myself. But um for a a new teacher or somebody coming in um and and noticing how maybe I don't know, like how the the really scary teacher like really gets their kids' attention, but she's she or he is uh you know like mean. So yeah, I think that you know you can fall into the trap of um of being like, well, I'm gonna do it that way because you know they really they really get their attention. They're they're yelling, but they're getting their attention, you know, like things like that.

SPEAKER_00 24:40

And and I'm not respect out of fear rather than out of love. Whereas when you're not raising your voice at them, they don't feel fear, they don't feel scared of you. I don't want my students to be scared of me, you know, because there might be something that comes up in their life where they need an ally and they need somebody to turn to. And if they're scared of me, they're not gonna talk to me about it.

SPEAKER_01 25:02

Right.

SPEAKER_00 25:03

You know, I need to always be a safe space for them, and you don't know what those kids are walking into your classroom with or what yelling at home has done to them. It's just to me, too risky of a thing to do. And if that means that people think that my students don't respect me, I don't care. Right, I'm gonna show respect to my students. Like, I don't think any teacher wants to be yelled at by their principal or somebody above them, and so I don't think that we should treat children that way.

SPEAKER_02 25:29

Right, exactly. And I mean, I think it goes back to you to being your authentic self. Like, if that's not something that you believe in, then don't do that. Like, that's not, you know, like be yourself, do what works for you. Um okay, so here's a little uh we got a side question here, okay. Um, another side question that I think we've had a few already, but best ways or um strategic things to do to maybe bond with your admin and or like fellow teachers, like what what do you think in your opinion, what works, what doesn't work. Um, and when I say bond, I also mean get along in the best possible way, you know?

SPEAKER_00 26:26

Admin is always tricky because some admin are super available to their staff and some admin are not. Um, but I think just a simple good morning, how are you? And anytime that you're interacting with them, like when they say, hey, how's it going, you know, there's some teachers are like, Oh, I'm here, or oh, another day. But I think like be positive, be a light, you know. We're not nobody loves going to work all the time. Like nobody thinks that going to work every day for eight hours a day is super awesome, right? But you get to make it what you want, so you don't have to say, like, oh, I'm here, you know. So I think those positive, like, hey, how are you? Hope you have a great day, whatever. Um, as far as with staff, I think like having lunch with your team or whoever's on the same lunch break, um, going in on plan and just having a little chat. I think um the work environments that I've enjoyed the most are when I know more about my coworkers, like at the first school that I was at, everybody went to lunch and we didn't talk about the students or the classroom. Like I knew all of their kids' names, their pets' names, what activities their kids were in, like I knew about their personal lives, and it that was awesome. At the next school I went to, everybody just complained about you know, regular classroom complaints and all the things that they need to get done, and it was not personal at all, and not that you have to be besties with your coworkers, but I think just having those moments of unplugging from like, oh, I'm a teacher with everything to do, to hey, you're a human being with a life outside of this, and just asking, I think, trying to remember like what they have going on. Like, if you know that they had a doctor's appointment about whatever, hey, did everything check out okay at that? You know, just like following up on things that they've shared, letting them know that like you were listening, you thought about it, you cared, you followed up. I think those are very simple ways to make people feel seen as more than oh, I'm a kindergarten teacher or whatever, because I think a lot of teachers put a lot of their identity in being a teacher. So validating that they are whatever their name is outside of that, I think really helps.

SPEAKER_02 28:39

Right. Yeah, that's awesome. I mean, right, just being a being a kind, um decent, like listening human being, like being interested in in them and what they have going on, right?

SPEAKER_00 28:52

Yeah.

Classroom Management: Love And Logic

SPEAKER_02 28:54

Um okay, so what and and we've kind of we we may have hit on this and already, but I I want you if you could just sum up like what makes up what makes up like a teacher's voice? Like what to you um and and it this could this is a general question, but I mean, what to you makes up a teacher's voice? What to you makes up their whole um psyche, like who they are, like what how and well a two-parter, so that, and then how did you come about um getting your teacher's voice? And when I say teacher's voice, I mean the um comfortableness of like, okay, this is I I've got this, like this is this is how I do this, this is how I do this, like I feel comfortable, I feel completely comfortable now, and I can do this, that sort of thing.

SPEAKER_00 29:56

I think at first, the first couple years it will be hard um to really find your like authentic teacher's voice because you're learning, you know, and you should. I think your first year or two, maybe three, depending on how quickly you catch on or how confident you are. Um, it is good to kind of sit back and just like look at the other veteran teachers around and how they carry themselves and what they do, and kind of decide, hey, I'm gonna, I like this about this teacher and this about this teacher, and I want to kind of form this. Um, I think over time you can develop your own authentic teacher voice, but I do think it takes a few years of experience and just seeing and working with different students and different families and learning from other coworkers. Um, for me, I felt like I really found my teacher's voice whenever I knew these are the areas I really want to advocate for, and these are the areas I feel strong advocating for my students for because ultimately, like we're all there at the school for the students, and the students are the ones that most of the time don't have the voice. And so we have all these higher-ups, admin and you know, people in government and everything that are making these decisions that are not in the classroom with those students, and so I think it's our job, use our teacher voice to advocate for what we truly see and what those kids need, and be loud, be the squeaky wheel, you know. Right. Um, yeah, and I think just having the confidence that you are the professional in your classroom and you are the um what am I trying to say, like the master, and you know all of that, then it's your job to carry that out for those kids who no nobody is listening to, you know, because they're a kid or whatever. So I think having the confidence and the authenticity to advocate for what you know to be right.

SPEAKER_02 31:47

Right. That's awesome. So good. Yeah, I appreciate that answer. That's really good. Um, okay, so we're about to wrap things up, but are you uh we're gonna kind of lighten the mood a little bit um with some just funny general like rapid fire questions here. Is that okay?

SPEAKER_01 32:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:09

Okay, all right, cool. Well, and first of all, uh uh is the whole six, seven thing is it passing at all at your school? Is it is it decreasing? Is it decreasing at all? Because that's our school.

SPEAKER_00 32:23

Because I do K1, two, three, four, five spit. So I see all the grade levels, and it's definitely dropped off with the older kids. And now it seems like my first and second graders are kind of the ones more so doing it, but not near as much.

SPEAKER_02 32:36

Yeah, so we got through it. We made it through. Yeah, greatly. On a scale of one to ten, how much does that get on your nerves now? Or does it even no?

SPEAKER_00 32:44

I'm just like, whatever. That they'll it'll pass. There's worse things they could be saying. I don't know what it means, so whatever, as long as it's not horrible.

SPEAKER_02 32:53

Right, exactly. That's true. Um, okay, so um, so here's a question for you. Are you a, and I think I know the answer to this already, but are you a strict but secretly soft teacher or chill but has limits teacher?

SPEAKER_00 33:11

Chill with limits, boundaries.

Calm Authority Over Yelling

SPEAKER_02 33:14

Okay, all right. Um, what what would be your walk-up song um to come into your classroom? Like what song would would um what's your walk-up song?

SPEAKER_00 33:26

Hmm.

SPEAKER_02 33:28

What do you think? That one's kind of hard to do.

SPEAKER_00 33:30

There's something something light like Here Comes the Sun or something.

SPEAKER_02 33:35

Okay, all right.

SPEAKER_00 33:36

Something uplifting, wake you up for the day. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 33:40

Okay. Um if you're okay, so if your classroom had a theme song, what would it be? And why?

SPEAKER_00 33:49

Um what's that one from is it from Louan that's like, let's get down to business?

SPEAKER_02 33:56

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:57

What's that Disney song?

SPEAKER_02 33:58

That one, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:59

But it's like we're gonna we're gonna get stuff done, but it's a fun Disney movie and we're gonna have fun and you know, right love each other doing it.

SPEAKER_02 34:06

That's awesome, as it should be anyway. That's cool. Um okay, what's your uh what's your teacher superpower? Do you think?

SPEAKER_00 34:18

I hope that it's making kids feel loved and that they leave my classroom knowing that they are valued and they are important and they matter.

SPEAKER_02 34:28

That's awesome. Yeah, I think that's one of the best superpowers, probably, that you can have. Um okay, so one more. What's the most teacher-ish thing that you said this week when you're not at school, maybe?

SPEAKER_00 34:48

Um let's see. Is that your best work? Sometimes I like to ask my husband that.

SPEAKER_02 35:00

Yeah. If he does laundry or something or does clean something, you're like, is that your best work?

SPEAKER_01 35:06

Yeah. Where's the reality? Are you giving me your best?

SPEAKER_02 35:11

That's awesome. Um, well, hey, uh Stephanie, thank you so much uh for taking time out of your schedule to be with us today.

SPEAKER_01 35:21

Absolutely, thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02 35:23

And um, I tell you what, tell us any any well, here's the thing: any any parting words for any new teachers, upcoming teachers, like if you had to tell them to do one thing their first year, what would it be?

SPEAKER_00 35:41

Um, ask for help. Find a mentor teacher if they're not if your school doesn't assign one to you. Find somebody that you admire or um that you think that you might want to have similar teaching strategies to and buddy up with them and ask for help when you need it. I had a mentor teacher my first year, Jennifer Burgess. She's the greatest. And uh shout out to Jennifer. Yes, watches the best.

SPEAKER_01 36:10

She listened to this.

SPEAKER_00 36:11

Um, she rescued me so many times. There was one time I was teaching, she luckily we had opposite plans. So I was teaching, she was on plan, and I like ran down to her. I was like, I don't know what I'm doing with this lesson, it's a complete flop. Please come help me. And she went in there and she finished the lesson with my kids, and I got to kind of regroup and go back in, and you know, stuff like that's gonna happen, and you can't force anything and you can't be too hard on yourself. And I think you just have to be humble and let people know, like, you know, you don't have to pretend to know it all. Everybody nobody knows it all. Everybody's working through their own stuff. So I think um ask for help, build build a community of other teachers around you that you guys can support each other.

SPEAKER_02 36:55

Right, that's awesome. That's great. Hey, I appreciate you, Stephanie. Um, thanks for being on, and we'll talk to you soon, okay?

SPEAKER_00 37:03

Sounds good. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 37:05

All right, bye-bye.