Teaching to the TOP

Latest Episodes:

198. Recess Digress: Back to School Shopping, Professional Development, & Must Watch Shows Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

New series… who dis!? One of our favorite times we had while in the classroom was recess. It was a time to decompress, relax, and get chatty with our coworkers. In this new series of Recess Digress, we want to chat about three topics that we’ve seen pop up around social media, in schools, and in our own lives. So grab your coffee (or beverage of choice) and let’s chat!

In this episode of Recess Digress we talk about:

Back to School Shopping
Professional Development
Must-Watch Shows

SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE!

We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast!

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!

Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

197. Stop Self-Sabotaging: How to Get Out of Your Own Way Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

How many times have you started to work on a project, or even considered a new project, and quickly felt that self-doubt that you are not the right person to be doing this? Yup, we’ve all experienced this in some form or another. The thing is, we are often our worst enemy when it comes to trying something new or accepting a new position.

In this episode we want to talk about self-sabotage and how you can stop getting in your own way. You’ll hear what self-sabotage is and some strategies that you can easily start to use to stop these hindering thoughts.

SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE!

We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast!

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!

196. Our FAVORITE Systems for Keeping Your Life Together as a Teacher Sep 28, 2023

Show notes

We made it to the end of the month and we are wrapping up our series on systems with what we think will be your favorite episode from the series. In this episode we break down our individual favorite systems that we have used in our classrooms. We each share three favorites that cover everything from your library, paper flow, note taking and material prepping.

LINKS:

193. Systems 101: How to Increase Your Efficiency Through Step-By-Step Processes
194. 3 Must-Have Student Systems for an Efficient Classroom
195. 3 Must-Have Teacher Systems for an Efficient Classroom
Link to Bridget’s 43 Folder System
Link Michelle’s Library labels

SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE!

We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast!

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!

195. 3 Must-Have Teacher Systems for an Efficient Classroom Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

“I’m stressed.”

“I can’t get it all done.”

“I don’t know how other teachers do it all.”

Are these sentences that you may have said or even thought? Chances are that one big reason you are thinking these things is because you lack the systems that will help you be efficient in your daily tasks. Systems are those routines, templates and step-by-step processes that help you make your daily life efficient. When you’ve taken the time to create these systems AND you have worked on implementing these systems regularly then you will notice a difference.

We’ve been talking about systems all month long. In our last episode we shared student systems that will help teach them 21st century skills, while also supporting your goals, and in this episode we are breaking down three large focus areas that will help your own daily tasks. These overarching areas are:

Paper flow
Grading
Professional Development

As we dig into each area, we will discuss and analyze systems that you can be using in your own classroom.

LINKS:

141. Lesson Planning 101: How to Plan MORE Lessons in LESS Time
193. Systems 101: How to Increase Your Efficiency Through Step-By-Step Processes
194. 3 Must-Have Student Systems for an Efficient Classroom

SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE!

We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast!

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!

194. 3 Must-Have Student Systems for an Efficient Classroom Sep 14, 2023

Show notes

Teachers are not the ONLY ones who need systems! Helping your students learn 21st century skills that will help them throughout their time in school and beyond (Buzz Lightyear moment), should always be something we strive to incorporate into our lessons. Teach your students to efficient and follow systems that will also help you out *wink, wink*.

In this episode we are sharing three overarching systems that you should help your students with developing. These big ideas are:

Assignments
Material Management
Absent Work

As we share each of these focus areas, we will give you some ideas for systems that you might want to establish with your students.

LINKS:

193. Systems 101: How to Increase Your Efficiency Through Step-By-Step Processes

SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE!

We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast!

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!

193. Systems 101: How to Increase Your Efficiency Through Step-By-Step Processes Sep 07, 2023

Show notes

If you’re someone who has started a new position, teaching a new grade level, or even was introduced to something “new '' that you are required to implement into your classroom, this episode is just the thing to help you increase your efficiency and decrease your stress.

We mention systems a lot on this podcast and that is because a system will help you develop routines and templates that make you more efficient in various tasks. Even though we talk a lot about creating these systems, we’ve never really shared how to develop these on your own. In this episode we are sharing what a system is and some must know tips for getting started with them.

SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE!

We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast!

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!

192. The 3 Step Secret to Mastering Your Motivation Aug 31, 2023

Show notes

For many, motivation can come in waves. There are days when you feel like you’re getting everything on your list done and there are other days when you can barely manage to open up your to-do list. But why does this happen? How can we increase motivation? For starters, we have to look at how motivation is sustained and built. When we have a deeper understanding around motivation we are more likely to leverage this knowledge when we need it the most.

The basis of this podcast is all around self-determination theory. This is a broad framework on the study of human motivation. It defines intrinsic and various extrinsic sources of motivation that has been developed by psychologists, Richard Ryan and Edward Deci, in 1985. Now, we don’t go into a lot about self-determination theory but we do break down the three sources of motivation which are: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE!

We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast!

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!

191. A Week in Bridget’s Life (Summer Edition): Starting a New Position! Aug 24, 2023

Show notes

Starting a new position can be overwhelming. It means change and bumpy times as you learn to how to navigate new waters. In this episode join Bridget as she shares her new position and the steps she is taking to reduce the overwhelm.

SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE!

We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast!

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!

190. Set Up Your Planner for the School Year in 10 Easy Steps! Aug 17, 2023

Show notes

It’s back-to-school season and that means that it is time to break open your planners and start planning! Setting up your planners can not only give you the nostalgia of going back to school as a kid, but also set you up for success for the upcoming year. The time you take to prep and prepare will help you in being proactive and reducing stress. In this episode we are giving you a step-by-step process for setting up your planner.

Now, we are obviously going to be a bit biased and recommend that you use our TOP Teacher Digital Planner because it has everything you need to ensure you are planned and ready from the start to the end of the year. You can check out our planners by visiting the link HERE.

LINKS:

SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE!

We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast!

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!

189. Your Ultimate Guide to Teaching Procedures at the Beginning of the Year Aug 10, 2023

Show notes

The beginning of the year has a mixture of emotions that come along with it. You can feel excited to build a routine, sad to be losing your summer time, and anxious because you have a lot to do in a short amount of time. To help with this transition into a new season, we want to offer a checklist that can center your thoughts and spend some time focusing on other areas.

Procedures play a BIG role in ensuring that your year starts off right. As you start thinking about all the things on your to-do list, our best recommendation is to create a checklist. Yes, we love checklists and that’s because they work. We are going to share some categories and give you a few examples for each, then we will share 3 different strategies you can use to actually teach and review them with students, and finally we will share 3 important tips to remember!

SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE!

We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast!

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected