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 Easy Teaching Tools, our website, EasyTeachingTools.com, or by Email. And the bonus of that is when you sign up, you'll get tips to get organized with your lesson planning by going to EasyTeachingTools.com/LessonPlanningPod I can't wait to continue collaborating on those three different platforms. Register for the 3 PM Teacher Training at www.easyteachingtools.com/3pmteacher! I w ..read more

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 she balances school with her life and the tools she uses to make it happen. Sabrena Brooks is a mom of two active boys with a baby girl on the way. She is a lover of camping and music, and wife to a special education para-educator by day and chef by night. Her teaching career includes kindergarten for one year, 1st grade for five years, and kindergarten ESL for o ..read more

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 of people, teachers included, can feel this way on Sunday evenings. Although this feeling is normal, I am passionate about helping teachers enjoy their lives both inside and outside of the classroom! In this episode of Real Teacher Talk, I’m chatting about three simple things you can do this week to alleviate the Sunday blues. Resources Mentioned:My blog post about t ..read more

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 feeling overwhelmed, you are not alone. In this episode of Real Teacher Talk, I sat down with student loan expert, Meagan Landress McGuire to discuss how to get started tackling this daunting topic.  We chat about how to navigate between your different loan forgiveness options, what the new forgiveness program could mean for you, and how to possibly get a ..read more

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. Maybe it’s too much negativity, or maybe your environment is swinging the other way to toxic positivity! Cattiness, bullying, gossiping, and retaliation are the kinds of things I’m referring to in this episode. In this episode of Real Teacher Talk, I’m sharing five tips for how to handle it when you’re in the thick of it, and some advice for how to move forward.  As ..read more

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 least one person coming to your mind! We all have them. It can definitely be a challenge working with someone who you struggle to get along with, but many times we have to! In this episode of Real Teacher Talk, I’m sharing six things you can do to help you deal with those difficult team members.  I talk about things I’ve tried that have worked for me, what to do ..read more

If you are still in a coma from the school year and wondering how you can make the most of this summer, you’re in the right place!  In this episode of Real Teacher Talk, I’ve got three simple tips to help you breathe, relax, and celebrate the fact that you made it. So many teachers have told me that the last school year was the hardest in their careers, but the tips in this episode will help you get recharged and refreshed. I know life is busy. You have so many things pulling you in a million different directions, especially in the summer because many of us try to cram in all of the activ ..read more

Are you ready to finally clear classroom clutter?  We are almost to summer break, so it’s time to start thinking about clearing all that clutter so you can start the summer knowing you’ll have a fresh and clean classroom to come back to. I know many teachers are in survival mode this time of year and lots of things are piling up. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and ready to clear the clutter for good, this episode is for you.  In this episode of Real Teacher Talk, I am diving deep into 5 simple things that you can do to declutter your classroom or your home so that you can ..read more

Have you noticed how many teachers are leaving the profession lately?  It’s incredibly disheartening to see how many are leaving, but I don’t blame them! They are burned out and demoralized. If this sounds like you, you’re in the right place.  I know many of us are just counting down until break or may not even want to go back next year, so in this episode of Real Teacher Talk, I am sharing six steps that you can use in your life right now if you are dealing with burnout.  To understand this issue, we have to get clear on what burnout is and what demoralization is. They are t ..read more

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, Teacher, Mommy to talk about how to successfully prepare for a sub day! We discuss what stops teachers from planning ahead for inevitable sub days, how to realistically take the time to plan ahead, and what exactly needs to be included to make your day away a success. Kelsey Sorenson is a former third-grade teacher and substitute teacher. She is now a homeschool mom to 3 kids a ..read more