This episode is the last for 2023, and Truth for Teachers will be back in January. 

If you want to learn more about my sabbatical process or how you can take one with me on your break, read or listen to episode 244.

I thought carefully about the message I wanted to leave you with for the coming weeks, and sinceI’ve already talked about the logistics of a sabbatical in past years, I thought I’d focus this year not on how to carve out the time or what to do during that time, but on how we can direct our thoughts.

With everything happening in the world and in our schools, this feels like a really important time for what I think of as “radical re-imagination.” This is the ability to imagine the world, life, and institutions not as they are or have been, but in an entirely new way, so that we can bring that imagination into reality. 

In this episode, I’ll share:

• Why I think winter is the perfect time for dreaming and visionary thinking
• My beliefs on the inherent value of imagination and why we shouldn’t immediately rush to practical, actionable steps when creating change
• Thoughts on the power of grassroots change and dreaming of a better path to collective action together (rather than waiting for top-down transformation)
• Questions you can ask yourself as we head toward the new year to prompt visionary thinking and help you reimagination your life and work in any area(s) that you’d like

In the stillness of winter, it may look like there’s little activity in the natural world, but that doesn’t mean nothing is happening. The time of rest is essential preparation for the activity of the spring to come. There will be a time for doing … but first, there must be a time for stillness.

You’ll hear from me each morning throughout the month of December on the Truth for Teachers Daily Encouragement podcast, and in the second half of the month when you’re on break, I’ll help you create space for dreaming and radical reimagination through those short 3-5 minute episodes so you keep this idea in the forefront of your mind. 

I’ll be back here on the main Truth for Teachers podcast in January, ready to ring in 2024 with you and sharing more resources to help make your imagination a reality. 

What if there was no such thing as innate talent? That’s the argument my guest today is making: that talent is not a cause, but an outcome. It is cultivated, developed, and learned.

I’m talking with Dr. Rishi Sriram, who serves as Associate Professor of Higher Education & Student Affairs for the Department of Educational Leadership at Baylor University. His research interests include the development of talent and college student retention, engagement, achievement, and learning, and he is currently working on a book about the development of talent.

Rishi has identified what he calls “The 5 Ms to Becoming Great” which we unpack in detail together:

• Mindset (what you believe)
• Myelin (how you learn)
• Mastery (what you do)
• Motivation (how much you care)
• Mentorship (how you are taught)

We also discuss the benefits of productive struggle and its impact on the brain, and how teachers can support students who resist tasks that require a lot of effort and concentration.

Additionally, Rishi offers advice for working with students who don’t appear to be interested in becoming great at anything or have tangible goals for themselves. He shares important information that educators can use to help students pursue greatness and be willing to put forth the effort to increase their talents.

Rishi is a fascinating guest who explains the research around talent in such an engaging, clear, practical way. Listen in to learn more about how to develop your own talents, and support students in becoming great at the things they want to do in life, too.

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

How long can you read a book without getting distracted? Do you swipe through TikToks or reels before they’re over because you’ve gotten impatient? Do you find it hard to just stream a TV show or movie without also looking at your phone or doing another activity at the same time?

Yep — the shortened attention span issue isn’t something unique to Gen Z.

It’s something that I think almost all of us in modern western culture have been impacted by…and there’s good reasons for that. In this episode, I’ll share:

• Some of the reasons why it’s difficult for us to concentrate and think deeply
• Why the ability to focus for extended periods will be like a superpower in the coming years
• A 3 step process you can teach students for redirecting their attention when they notice their minds wandering
• How to make intangible terms like “stay focused” easy for students to understand
• The 5 step classroom practice you can use regularly to help students build capacity for concentration over time
• The limits of the human ability to do focused work, and what valuable tasks students can do once they’ve maxed out concentration for the class period
• Cal Newport’s research on how to alternate periods of deep work and shallow work
• How–and why–to break the addiction to staying busy with low-level tasks and spend more time (on our own and with students) in deep work, focus, and concentration

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

Let’s try something new together! I started offering guided “mindful moments” on my new Truth for Teachers Daily Encouragement podcast about once per week, interspersing them with the main content of uplifting and motivational messages.

I don’t plan on incorporating mindful moments here on the regular podcast, but I did want to introduce you to the concept so if you like this format, you know you can get more on the Truth for Teachers Daily Encouragement Podcast.

New & exclusive ad-free episodes drop daily from Mon-Fri (approx. 20 eps each month)! Each one is a 3-5 minute uplifting message and is ad-free. You subscribe through Spotify for $3.99/month, and can then listen wherever you get your podcasts, and cancel anytime.

If you’re already a subscriber of the Truth for Teachers Daily Encouragement Podcast and you enjoy the mindful moments, I thought it might be fun to do a longer one here to allow you to take the practice deeper.

So what exactly do I mean by “mindful moment”?

It’s simply an invitation to slow down and be fully present in the moment and in your body. You don’t have to close your eyes and you’re not expected to enter a meditative state. That’s especially true for the Daily Encouragement mindful moments since they’re so short. Some folks do them while sitting at their desks during a break, or while gazing out the window before or after school, or even in the car to help calm them while driving it.

It’s just a quick moment to get out of your own head and back into your body. It’s a chance to be fully present in the moment without our minds racing ahead to what we need to do next. The mindful moments are a break in which I guide you to reflect on gratitude, non-attachment, joy, or another concept that helps you return to a state of ease and flow. 

The mindful moments that I’m offering have their roots in secular Buddhism, which is a philosophy of life and not a religion or belief system. The mindful moments that I’m offering are not a religious practice, or even necessarily a spiritual practice. Certainly you could incorporate them into your understanding of those things, but this is really about practicing presence and being intentional about what you are focusing on. The mind is extremely powerful, and visualization is a really impactful way to help you feel more grounded, centered, and balanced.

If you’ve never done this before, thank you for being open and trying this out. See how you feel afterward — does your mind feel clearer? Has your heart rate slowed and nervous system downregulated? Is it easier to concentrate or get things done afterward? Just notice what — if any — impact you feel this first time. 

If you have a meditation or mindfulness practice already, welcome! I would love for this to be something we can do together. I hope you enjoy having a familiar and hopefully calming voice to guide you through something that’s maybe a little different than what you normally do in your practice.

For today’s episode, I thought I would focus on finding the calm amongst chaos, since this is a practice all of us need. I’ll be introducing music and nature sounds periodically throughout this time together to help create a sense of calm and relaxation.

Find a comfortable, quiet place, and listen in to join us! Subscribe to the Truth for Teachers Daily Encouragement Podcast to get new mindful moment episodes on a regular basis.

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

The expectation that students be fully engaged in learning tasks from the first minute of the class period until the last is known as “bell-to-bell instruction.”

It’s a widely-accepted practice in education, but does neuroscience actually support it?

Bell-to-bell instruction works from the premise that our class time with students is precious and limited, and therefore needs to be maximized. I think we can all agree on that: wasting students’ time and dragging out transitions isn’t beneficial.

But let’s dig deeper into what it means to “make the most of every moment” with students. What if the best way to maximize our instructional time is by NOT attempting to pack every single moment with more work?

The value of offering breaks and downtime to students is self-evident to most educators, and yet many schools and districts don’t permit it.

So, I’ve curated the brain research showing that breaks are absolutely essential for maximal learning and productivity.

I’ll share 6 big takeaways from the research around how the brain learns, and 6 practical ways to incorporate that research into your classroom. My hope is that this podcast/article can be shared to open up conversations about how our schools can better meet the needs of students.

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

Need a practical roadmap for increasing student ownership? So much of teaching now revolves around teacher accountability, but the same accountability and ownership can be transformative for students as well! Students who have opportunities to increase their ownership over their learning throughout the school year can complete more assignments on time, they feel more confident during testing, and they feel less anxiety over time when it comes to academics.

In today’s episode, I’m interviewing Erika Waltherr, who’s been working in Baltimore City Public Schools since 2012 is currently doing work there as a school-based Literacy Coach. She’s observed the difference in students since the start of the pandemic, and how many of them struggle to be independent and self-motivated.

Erika wrote an article for our Truth for Teachers writer’s collective, and I’m interviewing her here to go even deeper. We’re discussing practical ways to get your students to be more independent, take more responsibility for their own learning, and shift the balance in your classroom from teacher-centered to student-centered. This advice will be especially helpful for teachers who may struggle with letting go of control in their classrooms.

Read/share Erika’s article here: https://truthforteachers.com/truth-for-teachers-podcast/student-centered-learning-reality/ 

If you teach 8th-12th grade, check out Finding Flow Solutions, my new curriculum lined designed to help students find flow in the classroom and manage their time, energy, and focused attention: https://shop.truthforteachers.com/collections/finding-flow-solutions

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

I’m starting a brand new show with short episodes dropping each week from Monday-Friday!

The purpose of the Truth for Teachers Daily Encouragement Podcast is to offer an exclusive message each day for educators who want to show up as the best version of themselves. Every weekday, you’ll receive a short message that helps you return to what matters, stay grounded in your purpose, and uplift your mood.

The TFT Daily Encouragement podcast is ad-free and exclusive to subscribers for $3.99/month.

(And don’t worry, the regular TFT podcast you already know and love isn’t going anywhere, isn’t changing, and remains free for listeners! This is something NEW and ADDITIONAL for those who want more.)

Each episode of the Daily Encouragement podcast is 3-5 minutes long: no promotions, no fluff, no filler. You’ll hear just a boost of motivation and inspiration on topics like:

• mindfulness
• self-compassion
• radical acceptance
• reframing your thoughts
• managing anxiety
• enjoying your work
• connecting deeply with students
• staying grounded in your vision and purpose

I plan to make one episode per week a guided meditation or mindfulness moment, in which you’re invited to slow down and be fully present in the moment and in your body. You don’t have to close your eyes and you’re not expected to enter a meditative state: these eps will just be a quick moment to get out of your own head and connect to your higher self or even just to your breath. It’s a break in which I guide you to reflect on gratitude, non-attachment, joy, or another concept that helps you return to a state of ease and flow.

This podcast is designed for ALL educators (anyone who works in a school), including those who ordinarily don’t listen to podcasts because they don’t have the alone time or mental bandwidth to consume lengthier episodes.

It’s designed to be the perfect short, calming listen for:

• When you first wake up to start your day on a positive note
• During your commute to school to ease into “school mode”
• On your break to re-energize yourself for the afternoon
• After dismissal to ground, calm, and re-center when the day’s done

I tried to pick a price that felt affordable for educators while staying mindful of the hosting/payment process costs, and I think that $3.99/monthly offers a really good value for a Mon-Fri daily show. If you appreciate my work in general and with the podcast specifically, I would love your support with this project!

The technical details: Subscriptions and payments are handled through Spotify so the link to subscribe is a Spotify payment link. You can use a credit card or Google Pay. Once you’ve subscribed, you can listen right in Spotify. If you have another podcast app that you like better, you can copy/paste the private RSS feed link into the podcast player of your choice and listen there. Each weekday a new episode will automatically appear in the feed wherever you want to listen to your podcasts. You can cancel anytime through Spotify, just know that your access to the podcast archives will be removed at the end of your monthly billing period.

I’m committed to the TfT Daily Encouragement Podcast ONLY for this school year, and will then re-evaluate. So, if this is something you’re interested in, sign up now!

Subscribe to the TfT Daily Encouragement podcast;
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dailyencouragement/subscribe

Learn more:
http://truthforteachers.com/dailyencouragement

The first episode drops Monday, Sept. 11th!

I hope this will be an easy, fun, way for you to hear some positive words spoken into your heart and mind on a daily basis, so you can keep showing up as the best version of yourself each day.

Thank you for supporting me and my work!

Angela

I recently read a powerful book called, “Of Boys and Men: Why They’re Struggling, Why We Should Care, and What We Can Do About It” by Richard Reeves. It’s not the first piece of media I’ve consumed about the crises men are facing in the U.S. right now, but IS the first I’ve seen with a deeply comprehensive, intersectional understanding of the problems AND practical solutions.

In this episode, I wanted to open a (hopefully ongoing) conversation about this topic, sharing what I learned from the book and what educators should be aware of when considering how to to support the boys in their classrooms.

I’ll discuss:

• Just a few of the ways in which outcomes for men are lagging behind those for women, leading to an increase for men in fentanyl and opioid use; deaths of despair; unwillingness to enter college or the workforce; and vulnerability to groups that push harmful misogynistic ideologies
• How older millennials, Gen X, and Boomers may be unaware of how much boys are currently lagging behind girls in key areas of success because the opposite problem was more prevalent when we were younger
• Why acknowledging that structural and institutional support for boys/men does not negate the different types of support that are still needed for girls/women
• How schools can use redshirting, male staff members, and vo-tech programs to improve outcomes for boys
• What unlearning needs to happen around “women’s work” so that activities/careers coded as female are seen as desirable by boys (and are better compensated for everyone)
• Why the opening of doors for girls in STEM fields needs to be paired with role models and opportunities for boys in HEAL fields (health, education, administration, and literacy) 
• Why we can’t keep condemning “toxic masculinity” without offering a broad range of possibilities for healthy masculinity
• How educators can be conscious of the messages that boys receive about what expressions of their identity are acceptable
• Ways educators can help boys embody their full authentic selves and be free from limiting social constructs around what men are (and aren’t) allowed to feel, think, be, and do

This is a controversial and delicate topic, so please listen when you are in the headspace to extend grace if some of my phrasing or examples aren’t ideal! I plan to address this topic again in at least one future episode with the support of a guest expert as well as the voices of male students themselves. Resource recommendations, interview suggestions, feedback, and additional perspectives are welcome at info@truthforteachers.com.

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

This AMA is a follow-up to the 3 part summer series I created for the podcast to celebrate 20 years of sharing teaching ideas online and reflect on my personal and professional growth during that time.

In the final ep of that series, I included a link to an anonymous Google form for folks to submit questions about things I didn’t answer in the series that they’re curious about. Your questions were absolutely wonderful and you’ve brought up some super interesting things for me to discuss!

Here are the questions you'll hear me answer in this episode:

• Childfree or childless? "If it's not too personal, I wondered about your infertility journey. I remember praying for you when you shared about it before. Having gone through IVF myself, I know it may be too sensitive, and I respect that." (NOTE: If this is a triggering topic for you, skip to the 13:30 minute mark.)
• Blowback from taking a stand? "Your message about how the train was leaving the station (you can't keep waiting to convince everyone to go with you, and you are just going to move forward with what you thought was right) has really stuck with me, maybe moreso than anything else you've ever said and I've been following you since 2003. It's really been impactful on my life because I really cared way too much about making sure every possible person would be happy with every possible thing I did. I have been wondering, what were the repercussions of that? Did you have a drop in followers, angry emails, anything like that?
• Enneagram number? "Have you done any work with the Enneagram system? In the last few years, I have heard you speak in a way that sounds as though you may have. If so, I would love to hear about it."
• Highly-sensitive teachers? "How does being an empath impact your work! Can you explain with some examples?" and "As an introvert and empath myself (happily married, but no kids), I have found it hard to make friends in the teaching world. Many teachers are strong personalities who either don’t seem to understand or relate to me or I feel drained by. Any tips for introverts and empaths regarding surviving and thriving in teaching?"and "You talked about how as an introvert & empathetic person, you had to find ways to get energy from your students instead of it just being a drain. Would you share some? I related to this immensely and wanted to hear more! Thanks!
• Mental health struggles? "Do you have any advice for teachers who struggle with anxiety and depression and did you struggle with either of those things as a teacher? I love your work and appreciate your perspective so much! I am also an introvert and a highly sensitive person and sometimes I don't think I am cut out for this career because of my personality and mental health struggles."
• Admin who don't share the 40 Hour workweek vision? "Hi Angela, I love all you do and I loved your three-series podcast this summer. Thank you very much. Would you consider doing an episode about how teachers can work alongside administrators who DON'T share the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek vision? I'm talking about the administrators who routinely expect overworking as a part of the job (and some colleagues, too!)"
• Connecting with local advocacy groups? "Beyond putting this hope out into the universe and sharing it with you, I wanted to ask — as someone connected to many education justice and activist groups and orgs in the city — if you have any desire to get involved in our local work to make the NYC schools more equitable, culturally responsive, and democratic? Your voice is so powerful and we need all hands on deck. Let me know if you have any desire to get involved and I’m happy to connect you to folks who will find ways your unique gifts can serve the fight for education justice in NYC and beyond."

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

If you need an uplifting conversation to get you energized for the new school year, this episode is a can’t-miss!

I’m talking with Dr. Deonna Smith about the ideas behind her new book, Rooted in Joy: Creating a Classroom Culture of Equity, Belonging, and Care.”

Listen in as we discuss:

• What it means to be “rooted in joy” and how Deonna uncovered the meaning of that phrase in her own work as a teacher
• The types of internal work we can do as educators to create school-based practices that are rooted in joy
• What it looks like to have a classroom that is rooted in joy
• How joy arises naturally in equitable, humanizing environments
• How a classroom can be understand as an ecosystem in which every person and practice are interconnected
• Specific practices teachers can implement to create a classroom culture of equity, belonging, and care

Learn more about Dr. Deonna Smith here: https://www.deonnasmithconsulting.com

Get her new book here: https://amzn.to/3qdOLKB 

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

I’m concluding the 3 part podcast series this summer offering a deep dive into my personal story: where I’ve been, where I’m at, and where I’m going.

Usually you can listen to my podcast episodes in any order you want, but since this is basically my life story, what I’m sharing in this episode will make a lot more sense if you’ve heard the beginning of what happened:

• EP278 How I got here: Reflections on 20 years of sharing teaching ideas online
• EP280 Where I’m at: Reflections on who I’ve become as a person and educator

In this final installment of the three part series, I'm looking forward, and talking about what's next:

• How I grapple with imposter syndrome, maintaining relevance, and criticism of my work
• Why I view my work in terms of years-long problems I'm trying to solve over the course of a lifetime
• How I plan to translate my experience and accumulated wisdom into my next big project
• Why I plan to focus more on connecting with educators via my email list and podcast instead of social media
• A dream my husband and I have for supporting educators in a way that leaves a lasting legacy
• How rediscovering lost parts of myself, childhood interests, and hobbies apart from work shapes the perspective I bring to teaching
• Why I think the future of schools is nearly impossible to predict, but I’m committed to uncovering new possibilities and finding the good
• How I stay hopeful amidst so much bad news, and the perspective that keeps me feeling balanced, energized, and optimistic

Anything you're still curious about? If there's anything I didn't talk about in this podcast series that you're still left wondering, I'm doing an AMA (ask me anything) episode next month!

Use this form to submit a question about a personal or professional aspect of my life that you'd like to hear more about. https://forms.gle/CNWQT7Y8ccT66phS6

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

It’s a myth that “having a plan” means locking yourself into a rigid schedule from which you can’t deviate. Knowing the things you want to experience and accomplish (and carving out time for them) is one of the most powerful ways to craft a fulfilling life!

Lisa Woodruff recently interviewed me for her Organize365 podcast, and I wanted to play an excerpt of that conversation for you here.

Listen in as we talk about how we each fell in love with planning and how our individual planning processes have changed throughout our various seasons of life.

We each share how we schedule our time and manage our to-do lists, and what our summer schedules look like.

You’ll also hear us illuminate a few key truths we’ve uncovered through developing various productivity systems:

• Why working toward being “finally done” with a tasks is not necessarily the goal
• How to enjoy the never-ending process of tending to your own life, needs, and healthy habits
• How planning ahead creates freedom and allows presence in whatever experiences arise
• Why the goal isn’t to execute your plan perfectly but to re-evaluate priorities

You can listen to the full conversation on the Organize365 podcast, or check out her organizational tools, such as the Education Friday workbox, which is a system that helps teachers get organized and reduce the amount of time spent on administrative tasks.

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

This is the 2nd episode in my 3 part summer podcast series offering a deep dive into my personal story: where I’ve been, where I’m at, and where I’m going.

Usually you can listen to my podcast episodes in any order you want, but since this is basically my life story, what I’m sharing in this episode will make a lot more sense if you’ve heard the beginning of what happened.

In this second installment of the three part series, I'm sharing more about the lived experiences and personality traits that shape who I am, how I interact with the world, and the kinds of resources I create.

Content warning: In the second half of the episode, I will share how my religious and spiritual beliefs have changed over the last 20 years. If you're not interested in hearing my experiences in this area, you can listen to the first half of the episode, and I'll let you know when I'm about to shift into discussions of religion.

Listen in as I share:

• My honest answer about whether I miss being in the classroom
• How the focus area I choose for my Masters degree lit a spark that led to the work I'm doing now
• What I discovered about myself through the National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) process
• What my close friendship with the teacher next door taught me about my own strengths and weaknesses as an educator
• The ways being an introvert and empath impact my work and how I see the world
• How I rebounded from religious trauma as a teenager and found a new way back to the Christian faith in my mid-20s
• How spending years doing prison ministry and mentoring the incarcerated has shaped my thinking
• Why I began to feel pushed out of the Christian faith and disillusioned with the doctrine
• Where I'm at now spiritually and what brings me a sense of peace and joy
• How these changes in my belief system, personality, and identity shifts have impacted my marriage

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

The first FREE online summit focused entirely on saving teachers time is happening July 10th and 11th!

The 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Online Summit is:

• Entirely online Completely FREE
• Beneficial for all K-12 teacher
• Includes 30+ presentations and roundtable discussions
• Opening and closing keynotes by 40 Hour founder Angela Watson (that’s me)
• No fluff, filler, icebreakers, or pitches: each session is just 15-20 minutes long
• All session presenters are current K-12 classroom teachers + 40 Hour members!

In this podcast episode, you’ll get to listen to excerpts of 8 different presenter’s time-saving tips!

Tip #1: Use learning contracts to transfer ownership of assignments to your students.

Tip #2: Carve out time buckets for life, career, relationships, and self so you can ensure your life isn't just about work. '

Tip #3: Share the grading load with a coworker.

Tip #4: Give fewer assignments and fewer grades.

Tip #5: Give yourself (and your students) something to look forward to when you return to school after the weekend.

Tip #6: Delegate responsibility to students through classroom jobs.

Tip #7: Get ahead in your lessons by batching the task.

Tip #8: Create theme days for specific tasks so you can focus without feeling pulled in so many directions.

If you enjoy these excerpts from the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Online Summit, sign up to join us for the full FREE live event happening July 10th and 11th!

And if you can’t attend a session or want to watch and rewatch at your convenience, the Forever Access Pass will get you the recordings, plus a note-taking guide, summary of key ideas for each session, full transcripts, and special bonuses. It’s just $19 right now (the price will increase once the event begins.)

See you at the Summit — sign up to join us here!

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

I’m getting deeply personal and vulnerable in this 3 part summer podcast series, and sharing things with you that I’ve NEVER talked about publicly before!

This was sooo hard for me to do … but it’s the 20 year anniversary of my teaching website (I built the first iteration back in July 2003) and I didn’t want to let the occasion pass without reflecting on all that’s happened over the past two decades.

Some of you have actually been on this journey with me for the entire 20 years I’ve been sharing ideas online, which is just mind-blowing! I think you’ll really enjoy this look back on the previous two decades together. Others of you have come along more recently, and I hope this series gives you the backstory and context to connect with me on a deeper level.

Here’s the release schedule for these episodes:

• May 28: How I got here: Reflections on 20 years of sharing teaching ideas online
• June 25: Where I’m at now: Reflections on who I’ve become as a person and educator
• July 23: Where I’m going: Reflections on what excites me about my work and the future of schooling

Content warning for this first episode: I will briefly allude to sexual assault, and also talk about my personal experiences with race and religion. This episode will be very different from what you’re used to on Truth for Teachers, so make sure you’re in the right headspace before pressing play.

Listen in as I answer the following questions:

• How did your childhood experiences shape the person you've become today?
• Why did you always want to be a teacher even though you weren't a good student yourself?
• You've mentioned before that your teenage years were rough — what happened?
• What was your college experience like, and how did you get your first job as a teacher?
• What happened when you started feeling burned out and decided to change grade levels?
• How did you get started sharing ideas online?
• Why did you relocate and transition to instructional coaching and working for BrainPOP?
• How do you process your legacy among the very first wave of educators in the early 2000s to share their resources online?

I hope listening to this episode gives you more insight into my “origin story” and what has shaped my worldview and fueled my passions. 

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

If you’re constantly covering for absent colleagues, supporting temporary hires in your building, or otherwise taking on additional duties because there aren’t enough people on staff … you’re not alone. 

Teacher shortages have been one of the most difficult lingering effects of the pandemic, and unfortunately, we’re continuing to see things trend downward.

There’s no way around it: when some folks are gone, it creates more work for the people who remain.

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

We all want students to be self-directed in their learning and take initiative to figure things out for themselves. We want them to think critically and engage in the struggle of understanding so they come out on the other side truly owning their own learning, ideas, and beliefs.

Two of the most powerful ways to help students experience this kind of learning are:

1. Explicitly teaching students how to optimize concentration, time, and energy
2. Model these strategies for students with enthusiasm, curiosity, and intellectual humility

That’s exactly what this episode is designed to help you do.

The first and most important step is to shift from viewing learning as something that you’re trying to get students to do and they’re resisting, and instead view learning as something that you experiment with together.

Listen in to learn more about flow theory, and why I prefer its focus on joy and ease over just “managing time” or “getting more done.”

You and your students can internalize this way of thinking about time, energy, and attention, and establish the goal of finding flow in the classroom whenever possible.

• Learn more about FINDING FLOW Solutions and check out curriculum previews: http://findingflowsolutions.com/
• Download the free Foundations of Flow unit for teens
• Purchase the complete set of 6 units for teens as a beta tester
• Get notified when elementary resources are ready
• Get notified when middle school resources are ready

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

Who you ARE matters just as much as what you DO. How can you show up as the best version of yourself each day, not only for students, but in every aspect of life?

I’m talking today with Elena Aguilar, a writer, leader, teacher, coach and the author of seven highly acclaimed books including The Art of Coaching, (2013) Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators (2018), Coaching for Equity (2020), and The PD Book: 7 Habits that Transform Professional Development (2022).

Elena is the founder and president of Bright Morning Consulting, and host of The Bright Morning podcast (which is a phenomenal listen, by the way.) She also collaborated with Dr. Rebecca Branstetter and I on the Reversing Educator Burnout course–you can hear her as a special guest expert in Module 2. 

Listen in as Elena and I discuss:

• Why “bringing your best self” brings ease rather than “one more thing” to your plate
• The power and simplicity of being fully present in challenging moments
• Trying harder vs letting go
• The traits and dispositions we display when we are our best selves
• What to do when you’re too exhausted to bring your best self to the classroom

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As a child, I didn’t think I was a “math and science” person. But you know what I did like?

Robots.

Robotics would have been an easy inroad into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) practices that would have piqued my interest in a way the regular school curriculum didn’t.

If I’d been able to experiment with robotics in school, I might have unlocked an entirely new passion apart from the reading/writing skills I was far more comfortable with. I might have begun to see myself as a person who could take an active role in experimentation, problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership.

While most of us as educators didn’t get the opportunity to experience robotics and STEM projects when we were kids, we do have the opportunity to have fun experimenting with these challenges NOW alongside students. In fact, being brand new to the ideas can help you practice being a fellow learner with kids and experience the joy of making new discoveries together.

If you’re intrigued, listen in on my conversation with Jason McKenna. He’s sharing how exposing kids to STEM opportunities can change the way they think about themselves and transform their engagement in school.

Jason has over 20 years of classroom experience implementing STEM programs and robotics competitions for students at all levels. He now works as the Director of Global Educational Strategy for VEX Robotics, so his job is to oversee all curriculum development and classroom integration for the company. He’s also the author of the book, “What STEM Can Do for Your Classroom: Improving Student Problem Solving, Collaboration, and Engagement.” 

VEX makes it possible and affordable for students to explore educational robotics so they can experience autonomy and get comfortable with the process of iteration. The curriculum makes it super simple for ANY classroom teacher to bring robotics into the classroom. Go to VEXrobotics.com to learn more, and listen in to learn why robotics might be just the thing you need to help students get more deeply engaged in learning.

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When it feels like there’s no good answers, that may be a sign that we’re not asking useful questions. If we can frame our thinking with better questions, we can uncover better answers.

There are so many ways you can use questions to shift your emotional state, focus on what’s most important, and help you problem-solve constructively.

This episode will help you find a framing for things you’re confused or frustrated about so you can find the path to solutions. I’ll also share how you can use better questions with students to help them reflect on their choices, as well.

Curiosity over judgment. Wondering over assumptions. These are always safer places to land. You don’t have to have all the right answers, but having some great questions will get you headed down a more productive path.

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Want some practical strategies backed by brain research that can help you and your students co-thrive together?

My guest today is Dr. Rebecca Branstetter, Ph.D. She’s a school psychologist, speaker, and author on a mission to help children thrive by supporting educators, mental health providers, and families. She is the founder of The Thriving Students Collective and Thrive Hive TV™ Network, online platforms for boosting the mental health and learning needs of children. She is also my co-creator for our professional development course called How to Reverse Educator Burnout.

Listen in as we discuss:

• What can people who aren’t current classroom teachers add to conversations about educator burnout?
• What are the brain research-based markers of thriving in life and in work?
• What are some specific practices backed by neuroscience that teachers can use to make their classrooms a place where co-thrive with kids?

Let your school or district know that How to Reverse Educator Burnout is 50% off through March 10th, 2023, and purchase orders are accepted. This is relevant, practical, and enjoyable PD to help schools go beyond talking about self-care and burnout, and instead provide support to educators with practical tools.

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“Just do your best” is not always helpful advice for perfectionists, people-pleasers, and folks struggling with anxiety.

The phrase is meant to offer comfort, but can create pressure, because you know what your best looks like, and how much time and effort it involves!

The truth is: you can’t possibly give your best effort to everything on your plate, and not everything you need to do deserves your best effort.

What if you only aimed for A+ work on the most important stuff in life and work, and aimed for B+ work in everything else?

You might be thinking, “This is an interesting concept, Angela, but my brain doesn’t work that way. I can’t give less than 100%.”

This podcast episode will give you 5 things to remember in order to really internalize healthier expectations for yourself so that you can decide where to focus your time and energy.

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

Artificial intelligence can help you work more efficiently and save hours each week! Listen in as I talk with Dr. Monica Burns, an author, speaker, and former New York City public school teacher. Monica shares incredibly practical ideas for teachers on her website ClassTechTips.com, and is prolific on Twitter as well.

This episode was recorded live at the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), and Monica and I discuss why artificial intelligence is exciting us right now in the world of ed tech. Monica shares specific ideas for how the free AI tool ChatGPT can accelerate your work so you can produce better results, faster.

Download a free guide to simplifying your workload with ChatGPT here.

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Truth for Teachers is back for Season 17! We’re kicking things off with a powerful concept that can help transform your relationships with others (and yourself) in 2023.

I’ll share how to examine the usefulness of your thought system, and explain why we ourselves always seem to be right.

Once you grasp this teaching, I think you’ll find it’s easier to work with–instead of against–people who think differently than you. Use the principle of separate realities to help you approach students, colleagues, and parents from a place of empathy, intellectual humility, and a genuine desire to understand and connect. You can also apply these ideas to personal relationships.

If you want to do a deeper dive into mindset, join us throughout the month of February 2023 in an online book club! We’re discussing the NEW second edition of my book, “Awakened: Change Your Mindset to Transform Your Teaching.”

Get the book and/or join the free book club here: https://truthforteachers.com/awakened

Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.