Teachers Need Teachers

Latest Episodes:

Ep 38: Make one small change for a huge impact Dec 31, 2018

Show notes

Second semester or the time after Winter Break is a great time to make adjustments in your teaching. You know your students and have some systems in place, so why not pick something small but significant to change and improve? These small changes add up over time and will lead to longer lasting results. So here’s the process I’ve found to be successful time and again, as well as what I plan to adjust this semester. Are you ready to ditch the teacher tired? Join the 40-hour Teacher Workweek Club! Click HERE to learn more, and when you sign up, please mention Kim Lepre or kim@teachersneedteachers.com. Still figuring out lesson planning? Grab my free Lesson Planning Guide here 👉🏼https://teachersneedteachers.com/lessonplan I have a new YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe! Got questions, feedback, or want to be on the show? You can email me at kim@teachersneedteachers.com Connect with me

Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, or Stitcher
Join my Facebook Group
Message me through Instagram

Identify ONE thing that you want to work on, and be specific. Don’t just say “classroom management.” Determine which students are the instigators and decide how you’re going to fix those relationships.
Now set realistic goals to fix that one thing. Don’t try to fix everything because then it won’t stick. You have all of your teaching career to try to fix everything, so pick one thing at a time
Next, picture your classroom, your students, and you. Picture what it would be like if that one change was successful. Be a fly on the wall and imagine the activities you would do, how the students would behave and work, how you would deliver the lesson and assess students, etc.
Now, write it down somewhere - on paper, in a Note on your phone, in a Google Doc. Just write it down and set your intention.
Next, write down what it will take to achieve that, and be really, really honest with yourself. You might have to rebuild relationships with some students. You might have to change some aspect of your teaching or planning. You might have to ask for someone to observe you and give you feedback. You might have to go on Teachers Pay Teachers and find a lesson or activity that will help you.
Your next step is to figure out when you’re going to start this. When is your deadline for starting this?
How will you track and assess your progress? Will your create some sort of graph, chart, or graphic organizer? Will your journal your progress? Make it concrete so that when you take a few steps back (which will inevitably happen in the process), you can look at the situation objectively and know what to fix.
How will you reward yourself along the way for hitting certain benchmarks? This part is REALLY important to keeping you motivated! Don’t just think that success is its own reward, you need something tangible so that you can push through when things get tough. It could be an extra night of Netflix, a piece of chocolate, a glass of wine...whatever makes you happy. But have a planned reward system so that you don’t give up and revert to bad habits.

Information about hyperdocs: https://hyperdocs.co/
I have a YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe!

Ep 37: All about student teaching Dec 24, 2018

Show notes

You've finally made it to the point where you're ready to student teach! You're filled with excitement, anticipation, and ANXIETY about how to prepare. Yes, your teacher preparation program has prepared you for this moment, but you still can't help but feel like you don't know what to do the weeks leading up to it. Here's practical advice on how to frame your thinking to get the most out of your student teaching experience. Preparing for student teaching GETTING TO KNOW THE STUDENTS

Have a clearly thought-out Day One. That first day is REALLY important. You truly only get one chance to make a good first impression.
Learn every student’s name by the end of week one, and use their name every time you see them. You aren’t teaching a class, you’re teaching individuals.
Work on creating a good rapport with your students as fast as possible without trying to be their friend.
Focus on building relationships
Be prepared for all of the questions students will ask you - appropriate or not. They’re genuinely curious, and if you’re young, they see you less as a teacher and more as a family member. That’s ok, just draw the line on what you share.
Let them get to know you without revealing too much. Be real.

GETTING TO KNOW THE STAFF

Talk to the teachers you will be around. They have been there. Lean on their expertise.
Be involved in the school - meetings, clubs, school events. This will create a deeper connection with the students.
Be observant of all teachers, not just your master teacher.
Introduce yourself to the office and custodial staff, and befriend them IMMEDIATELY. This is actually a good practice every time you start at a new school, but they will save and support you in more ways you can imagine.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Simplify your classroom expectations, like having only a few rules. Pick some all-encompassing rules that relate to being good human beings rather than “don’t do this” and “don’t do that.” It also makes it easier to enforce.
Be willing to use the authority you're given to create a positive learning environment.
Learn and use your master teacher’s classroom routines and procedures. Figure out how to incorporate your own way of teaching into them.
In terms of classroom management, follow what the master teacher has already established. You don’t want to create a situation where they say, “Well Mr. White lets us do that.” You also want to take their recommendations on discipline to heart, especially if they have a well-run classroom.
Classroom management will be the bane of your existence in your first few years of teaching, so try to glean whatever you can. This means record how they handle discipline issues. Ask them for copies of all of their forms. Ask them why they did “that” when they choose a particular consequence. Communicate that you’re not challenging their authority, you just want to know the rationale behind their decisions.

PLANNING

When it comes to planning definitely ask for help or input
Try to plan far in advance if possible, but be ready to pivot as necessary. Being flexible will save you a lot of headache and anxiety.
If you're a 1:1 school, ALWAYS have paper copies and a plan B if the wifi goes down!!
If students are just staring at you with blank looks, have them do a quick think-pair-share and ask them to teach what you just discussed, but in their own words
Accept that not all lessons will be successful.
Admit when you make a mistake and laugh about it together with the students. Being human goes a long, long way.

YOUR MASTER TEACHER:

Go in with an open mind when working with your master teacher.
Even if you don’t agree with what they’re doing, absorb everything because later on in your career you may find that you want to adopt some of their policies and procedures!
If you don’t like/get along with your guide teacher try to find some common ground and avoid any confrontation just because they are doing us a huge service by helping us and they can also serve as a reference later on
Keep a journal and take notes.
Ask for feedback a lot, and when you get the feedback you don’t like, take it as an opportunity to improve

Still figuring out lesson planning? Grab my free Lesson Planning Guide here 👉🏼https://teachersneedteachers.com/lessonplan I have a new YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe! Got questions, feedback, or want to be on the show? You can email me at kim@teachersneedteachers.com Connect with me

Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, or Stitcher
Join my Facebook Group
Message me through Instagram

I have a YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe!

Ep 36: You're doing TOO MUCH! Dec 17, 2018

Show notes

There's never a shortage of teachers who feel overwhelmed and stressed by all of the demands of teaching. It honestly feels like there's no time to get everything done AND have time for family, friends, and self-care. That's about to change. Angela Watson shares her candid insight on how new teachers can finally learn how to prioritize and do what will have the most impact on their teaching. We also discuss how she helped me become the efficient and effective teacher that I am today. Are you ready to ditch the teacher tired? Join the 40-hour Teacher Workweek Club! Click HERE to learn more, and when you sign up, please mention Kim Lepre or kim@teachersneedteachers.com. Here's how to connect with Angela:

Her website: https://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/
Twitter: Angela_Watson
Instagram: Angela.Watson
Facebook: Cornerstone for Teachers
Love this show?

Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, or Stitcher
Join my Facebook Group
Message me through Instagram

I have a YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe!

Ep 35: Stop obsessing about what you SHOULD be doing Dec 10, 2018

Show notes

It’s not unusual for a teacher to suffer from a case of the “shoulds” – a ubiquitous and harmful affliction that affects ALL teachers (ok…everyone). When images of Pinterest-perfect classrooms and abundant sharing on social media are paired with less-than-ideal student work or a miserable teaching environment, teachers start thinking about the things they should be doing. Here’s my personal experience as well as how I plan to deal with it. Still figuring out lesson planning? Grab my free Lesson Planning Guide here 👉🏼https://teachersneedteachers.com/lessonplan I have a new YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe! Got questions, feedback, or want to be on the show? You can email me at kim@teachersneedteachers.com Connect with me

Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, or Stitcher
Join my Facebook Group
Message me through Instagram

I have a YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe!

Ep 34: Your students have the right to fail Dec 03, 2018

Show notes

This idea of students needing to fail, it seems counterintuitive, right? But what if it's actually in the best interest of the student? Why should a teacher "allow" a student to fail a class? While teachers are charged with ensuring that all students learn and grow academically, there are times when it's just not possible for a student. In this case, letting a student fail gives an accurate picture of their abilities and deficiencies, and allows them to get the proper support they deserve. Still figuring out lesson planning? Grab my free Lesson Planning Guide here 👉🏼https://teachersneedteachers.com/lessonplan I have a new YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe! Got questions, feedback, or want to be on the show? You can email me at kim@teachersneedteachers.com Connect with me

Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, or Stitcher
Join my Facebook Group
Message me through Instagram

I have a YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe!

Ep 33: When your students won't do any work Nov 26, 2018

Show notes

Every teacher is faced with one or several students each year who just refuse to do any work. No matter what they try, these students slouch in their seats and avoid all attempts to produce any evidence of learning. Many teachers give up on these students eventually and just let them fail. But what if they didn't? Here are some reasons why YOU as their teacher deserve much more from these students and why you should keep persisting until they do. Still figuring out lesson planning? Grab my free Lesson Planning Guide here 👉🏼https://teachersneedteachers.com/lessonplan I have a new YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe! Got questions, feedback, or want to be on the show? You can email me at kim@teachersneedteachers.com Connect with me

Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, or Stitcher
Join my Facebook Group
Message me through Instagram

I have a YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe!

Ep 31: How to tackle grading when you're waaay behind Nov 19, 2018

Show notes

Do you have piles of assignments that need grading? Are you feeling overwhelmed by it? You're not alone! All teachers find themselves buried in grading at some point, and it can seem like there's no way out of it. While there's probably no way around having to sit down and do the dirty work, here are some tips to do it efficiently as well as avoid getting into this situation again. Steps for getting your grading under control

Commit to being organized
Stop adding assignments (seriously!)
Reconsider how you grade
Set aside blocks of time
Streamline your feedback

Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, or Stitcher
Join my Facebook Group
Message me through Instagram

I have a YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe!

Ep 31: How to personalize math and make it meaningful to students Nov 12, 2018

Show notes

Math teachers are tasked with teaching students concepts that they'll use for life while also getting past students' fixed mindset of, "I hate math, and I suck at it." How can teachers keep students motivated and engaged in a Common Core world? Ray Steinmetz explains how personalizing learning, setting up strong systems for formative assessment, and using targeted interventions will produce huge math gains. We also discuss advice for new teachers on what to focus those first years of teaching. How to get in touch with Ray:

His website, BlendedLearningMath
On Twitter: @Blended_Math
His podcast, Instant Relevance

Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, or Stitcher
Join my Facebook Group
Message me through Instagram

I have a YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe!

Ep 30: When your lessons just aren't working Nov 05, 2018

Show notes

Regardless of how long you've been teaching, there will be many moments when your lessons just don't seem to be working. This is especially frustrating when you've taken time to plan the "perfect" lesson or unit, and the students still can't grasp the concept! When this happens, it can be a valuable learning experience if you take the right steps to correct your course. 5 steps (in order) to making it better next time:

Don't blame the students
Take responsibility
Reevaluate
Use something that has worked before
Ask for help

Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, or Stitcher
Join my Facebook Group
Message me through Instagram

I have a YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe!

Ep 29: How to handle an angry parent email Oct 29, 2018

Show notes

Every teacher will receive at least one (if not more) emailed from disgruntled parents. Regardless of who's at fault, it can be a nerve-wracking experience and have lasting negative effects if not handled properly. How can we address the email in a diplomatic way without having to compromise our class policies and dignity? I provide 10 steps on how to handle the email so that the situation doesn't escalate to the point where the parent becomes angrier and you set off red flags with your administration. Steps for handling an angry parent email: 1) Investigate the issue the parent is upset about. 2) Take a moment to understand the parent’s perspective. 3) Have another colleague take a look at it. 4) If you feel compelled to, draft your angry reply in a different medium 5) Give your principal a heads-up. 6) No matter what, you'll need to respond, but stay cool. 7) After crafting that email, save it as a draft and come back to it when you’re not upset. 8) Don’t blame or lecture the student the next day. 9) Find a way to prevent this issue from popping up again. 10) If you’re delivering unhappy news, have another colleague take a look at it. Still figuring out lesson planning? Grab my free Lesson Planning Guide here 👉🏼https://teachersneedteachers.com/lessonplan I have a new YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe! Got questions, feedback, or want to be on the show? You can email me at kim@teachersneedteachers.com Connect with me

Subscribe to Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, or Stitcher
Join my Facebook Group
Message me through Instagram

I have a YouTube channel! Join me over there and subscribe!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected