Teaching to the TOP

070. How to Set Boundaries (and Stick to Them!)

We all have to set boundaries in our lives. Whether you are like Bridget and drink too much diet coke or you are like Michelle and you can get engrossed in a project and commit every breath you can to getting it done. Boundaries are what helps to keep the balance in our life. 
 
The problem with setting boundaries is not necessarily recognizing what needs to be done but how to maintain the boundary.  A lot of what we recommend in our episodes is to build discipline but we’ve also figured out a few strategies that you can take in order to establish and stick to the boundary you’ve created. 
 
In this episode we discuss:
The steps for establishing a boundary in your life
Explain ways for how to stick to boundaries
Give insight into our own personal boundaries and what we have done to stick to it over time
Identify roadblocks that are preventing you from maintaining your boundary
What it means to say NO more often
 
Be sure to check out our planner launch on May 1st!!! You can click HERE to grab it now. 
 
You can also submit your TSH HERE to be featured on a future podcast episode. 
 
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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!

069. A Week in the Life of a Teacher | Bridget

Join Bridget Spackman, creator of Bridging Literacy and face of the Lettered Classroom as she shares her week of navigating a busy to-do schedule and a life with two rambunctious boys, her golden-doodle, Walter, and husband. 
Bridget shares how she structures her work work to ensure that she is moving forward in her business, as an educator, and spending time with family.
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!

068. Google Drive: The What, Why and How for Teachers

Are you still using a Flash Drive or External Hard Drive? Do you store all of your documents on your desktop? Is your organization system nonexistent? If you’ve said yes to any one of these questions, this podcast episode is for you. 
 
So much of what we do as educators is now online. 2020 has thrusted our careers into the digital age and now is the time to begin embarrassing what technology can do for your productivity and for your teaching. However, new ways of going about every day can pose new problems. Today, we are giving you one really BIG solution to several problems. 
 
The first is to STOP using a flash drive or external hard drive to store your documents. The risk of you forgetting, damaging or even losing these portable devices is not worth the hours and pain you might suffer. Google Drive is the solution for you. We know. You might be thinking but I’ve used it and I like having all my items on a flash drive. We get it. In  fact, Bridget was echoing your thoughts not too long ago. 
 
Google Drive is a free, online cloud-based storage solution through Google. This is a place to store all your documents and files. You receive 15GB for free but there are reasonable paid options for either a monthly or yearly rate. This is connected to your Google account and it has integrated applications such as Google Slide, Google Docs, Google Sheets and more. 
 
In this episode we share our knowledge on the what, why and how of Google Drive for teachers. In this episode you will learn…
How to create a free Google Drive account
Tips for organizing your Google Drive folders
Tips for converting Powerpoint or Word files to Google Drive
Methods for customizing your Google Drive
Tips for maximizing your productivity in Google Drive
 
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!

067. A Week in the Life of a Teacher | Michelle

Ever wonder how Michelle Emerson tackles her busy schedule? This week Michelle is sharing her new schedule as she transitions to hybrid in the middle of the year. Listen as she shares how she manages to accomplish her goals, keep her school work at school and manage a successful business and YouTube channel.  
 
Michelle will dig deep into how she establishes her plan for the day, tackles a busy to-do list and establishes boundaries for doing more of what she loves. 
 
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!

066. How WE Play Catch-up When We Get Behind

Life has a way of throwing curveballs, especially during times when  you feel like you have it all together. Earlier this year we both had a period that took the rug right out from under us. It put us behind in our personal tasks, and work tasks. While this can be overwhelming and frustrating, there are strategies that have helped us not only reduce stress but also play catch-up.
 
While these tips we are sharing are not evolutionary, they are a good reminder during difficult times. Save this episode, and come back to it as a mode of inspiration that will guide you through stressful and overwhelming times. 
 
In this episode we share: 
Prioritize what is important (What is glass and what is rubber?)
Create a plan but brain dumping every task and to-do in your head
There are times when we have to break the rules
Ask for help, and know that this does not make you a failure
 
LINKS:
 
045. The REALITY of Establishing Balance
064. How WE Handle Stress as a Teacher
Submit your TSH
 
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!

065. 10 Easy to Implement Grading Hacks

There are always things that get in the way of  our teaching. We have papers overflowing our desks, copies that need to be made, and  emails that need to be answered. At the end of January we asked you which would you choose and overwhelmingly, you all said no grading.
 
Today we want to share 10 hacks that will help you tackle your grading woes! 
 
10 EASY TO IMPLEMENT GRADING HACKS
Hack 1: Stop Grading Everything
Hack 2: Create a Template
Hack 3: Schedule a Time
Hack 4: Batch your Grading
Hack 5: Create a paper Flow System
Hack 6: Alphabetize Your papers
Hack 7: Use Technology
Hack 8: Squeeze It In
Hack 9: Use a Grading Station
Hack 10: Check in and Grade
 
Links:
30 Days to ONLY Working Contract Hours
 
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!

064. How WE Handle Stress as a Teacher

Everyone experiences stress, but how we choose to handle stress can determine the impact that it has on your overall happiness and productivity. Most of us view stress with a negative connotation, but stress can in fact be healthy to experience. 
 
Consider how diamonds are created. The pressure experienced reveals a beautiful diamond that can last for years to come. When we understand how we respond to stress then we can develop strategies for how we plan on controlling the stress in the long term. 
 
Over the years we have experienced a variety of stress as teachers. In this episode, we are sharing some of our tips on how we personally handle stress as teachers. We hope these tips will help you in the same way that they have helped us. 
 
In this episode we share:
Try and be proactive so that you are not completely blindsided
Ask yourself what habits you can put in place not to prevent stress from occurring
Create a checklist of tasks you need to complete and place them categories
Create a plan for getting it all done
Stress comes from worry, so developing a plan will create structure for how you plan on accomplishing your tasks
Focus on the one task causing you the most stress
Have a productive way to release stress
Reevaluate your goals and tasks to stay focused and keep you on the right path
 
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!

063. Notes App: The What, Why, and How for Teachers

Everyday we forget tasks that need to be completed because we fail to process the information and write it down. So often, we tell ourselves “Oh, I need to remember to…” only to forget it with little hope in recovery of what we intended to do in the first place. We have a solution to this problem! 
 
The Notes app is a free app that comes standard to Apple devices. You are able to take and store various types of notes and access the information across all Apple devices that are connected to the cloud. This application has the potential to store brain dumps, checklists, recipes, gift ideas and more. 
 
Learn how we use this app to increase our productivity, reduce forgetfulness, and organize various aspects of our life. You’ll discover the WHAT, WHY and HOW of the Notes App. 
 
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!