Teaching to the TOP

022. A Week in the Life of a Teacher

Listen in with Bridget as you join her for a week in the life of distance learning, being a mom, a wife and running two businesses while in grad school. Bridget talks all about projects and how she plans on managing those projects during the week in order to accomplish her big goals.
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021. Get a Head Start on the Next School Year Using ONE Simple Trick

We are getting so close to the end of the school year and with all the things that take place during the end of year, it's important that we begin planning for what the summer will look like for us and how we can best set ourselves up for starting the next year stress free and seamlessly. 
If you are like so many teachers out there, you may not have access to your classroom the entire summer, and this means that you need to be even more prepared before you leave at the end of the school year. We have one simple trick that will help you be prepared to leave at the end of the year and get a head start on the next school year. 
We’ve all had experiences with setting up a first-aid kit, and we don’t create our first-aid kits as we are tending to our injuries. No. We do this in preparation for a time when we do get hurt and need to access the materials quickly. Getting a headstart on the next year is very similar to setting up a first-aid kit. The purpose is to get you prepared for what is going to come!
Unlike a first-aid kit, you need a decent size box or container to house all the materials in your Back-to-School kit. We have created a helpful checklist filled with categories and ideas that will help you get a jumpstart to filling your kit and to help give you ideas as you think of more items that work best for you and your classroom. 
CATEGORIES TO INCLUDE IN YOUR KIT:
[3:16] #1: Student materials with names
[7:10] #2: Student materials without names
[10:27] #3: Teacher materials
[12:55] #4: Instructional materials
Now, we recognize that this is a lot to get done before the end of the school year. Parents and volunteers are always so helpful during the end of the year. Ask for volunteers to make copies and begin prepping materials that you know you will need at the start of the year. 
And if the stress of getting this kit together is already starting to stress you out, please remember that you do not have to have this done by the end of the year. Consider taking this home with you and work on it over the summer. 
Just remember that you do NOT want to unload this box at home. This will open up the possibilities of losing items and things getting damaged. The box is truly meant to house your materials and keep things safe. 
Click HERE to download the FREE Back to School Kit Checklist!
CONCLUSION
The end and beginning of the year are the most stressful times for any teacher. Taking the appropriate measures to ensure that you have all the materials you need to make each one go smoothly is worth the extra time it takes to create a survival kit. 
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020. Our TOP Secrets for Ending the School Year (Stressfree)

In our experience, there are two types of teachers when it comes to the end of the year. There are teachers who have everything packed up and their room is bare a few weeks before the school year even ends, and there are teachers who are staying several days after the school year ends to finish packing up their room because they didn’t get anything done ahead of time.
We want to help you find the happy medium. This means not starting too soon but  also not waiting until the last minute to be ready for the end of the year. We want to get you to the point where your room is still functional but also can easily be finished up when your students leave.
Let’s start by discussing some of the categories that you want to consider when preparing for the end of the year. Keep in mind that these are only some of the options. 
Also, we have a freebie for you! Be sure to sign up for our email list and you’ll receive our  End of the Year Checklist.
CATEGORIES FOR THE END OF THE YEAR
[4:46] Category #1: Events
[5:55] Category #2: Inventory
[7:20] Category #3: Paperwork
[8:43] Category #4: Organize
[9:46] Category #5: Clean
[12:09] Category #6: Purge
[13:36] Category #7: Electronics and Technology
[14:46] Category #8: Miscellaneous
[15:37] TIPS FOR TACKLING THE END OF THE YEAR RESPONSIBILITIES
Click HERE to download the FREE End of the Year Checklist!
CONCLUSION
Preparing for the end of the year is a lot! We know! But taking the time to get organized and create a plan of strategy will help to make all of your responsibilities and to-dos more manageable and less stressful. 
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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!

019. A Week in the Life of a Teacher - Pre-COVID 19

While we may not be in the classroom right now, there is something very motivating and inspiring about listening to others get through a work week. 
 
Join Michelle Ferré in a week of teaching before COVID-19, and listen as she works to accomplish her goals and get things done. Michelle will share her tips and strategies that work for her as she gets through teaching, running a business, and completing grad school.
 
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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!

018. 5 Mistakes That Make Your Classroom Look and Feel Cluttered

Every teacher dreams of what their classrooms would look like. The thought of bringing your likes and splashes of personality to your room excites you as you begin looking for jobs. But this joy of having your own class quickly dims as the reality of the work, papers, clutter, and organization begin taking over. 
You realize, very quickly in fact, that those twenty-three bodies take up way more space than you originally thought, and don’t get us started on all the school supplies and learning materials! 
The reality of it all combined with the quick pace of the day makes you forget about the original vision you had and instead see what your classroom may really be, cluttered. 
5 MISTAKES THAT MAKE YOUR CLASSROOM LOOK AND FEEL CLUTTERED
[2:44] Mistake #1: Having Containers That Lack Functionality
[9:18] Mistake #2: Having Classroom Themes or Color Schemes that are NOT Cohesive
[14:30] Mistake #3: Having Mix Matched Labels
[19:06] Mistake #4: Displaying Trinkets and Decorations that DON’T Serve a Purpose
[24:10] Mistake #5: Filling Every Space
Our classrooms are like our second homes. We spend a lot of time in our classrooms and we want them to feel calm and inviting to guests and students. Hopefully by sharing some of the mistakes that we have made in the past, you will have the opportunity to avoid or begin transitioning your classroom into feeling less cluttered and more organized!
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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!

BONUS: Michelle's Week in a Life COVID-19

Teachers all around the world are working to establish a new "normal" routine as schools are being shut down and teachers are asked to give instruction from home. 
Join Michelle as she invites you to see how she navigates being a teacher during the COVID-19 shut down. You will hear how she works to schedule her day, accomplishes her goals and has to make adjustments because things just happen. 
This is a week-in-the-life of a teacher at home. 
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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!

017. 4 BIG Organizational Decisions We Wish We Had Made Sooner

The older that we get, the more we wish would have started certain things sooner. Like putting on that under eye cream to help prevent wrinkles or saving for retirement sooner. Just like in our everyday lives, we even have things we wish would have made sooner as teachers. 
We are sharing the 4 BIG organizational decisions that we wish we would have made sooner. Hopefully by us sharing these decisions, you might have an earlier start than we did or maybe even reconsider what you have been doing for years and finally make the switch!
4 BIG ORGANIZATIONAL DECISIONS
[3:42] Organizational Decision #1: Containers
[10:10] Organizational Decision #2: Anchor Charts
[16:34] Organizational Decision #3: Going Digital 
[23:46] Organizational Decision #4: Logging Materials
CONCLUSION
There will always be those decisions that we wish we would have made sooner. The important piece is that we don’t dwell on the past but instead look to the future and begin making those changes. Hopefully, sharing our decisions will help to shed some light on how you can improve what you are already doing or you’ve gotten a little bit of inspiration on something you never thought about doing before.
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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!

016. Simple Decluttering Hacks for Your Classroom

We all love hacks that have a way to make your life a little bit easier. We have enough going on in our lives that finding simple ways to minimize friction is key. Gadgets are one way to create simple hacks to make life easier but no matter how fancy your gadget is, having hacks to help you with organization is essential. 
Today, we want to share some simple decluttering hacks that have worked wonders in getting us organized and more importantly, staying organized!
SIMPLE DECLUTTERING HACKS
[3:51] Decluttering Hack #1: Set a timer for 5-10 minutes and work through decluttering one area. 
[6:08] Decluttering Hack #2: Create a list of things you want to declutter during the month and make it a challenge
[7:22] Decluttering Hack #3: Focus on one area at a time
[8:07] Decluttering Hack #4: Use a bucket to gather things that need to be decluttered. 
[9:34] Decluttering Hack #5: Use your students to help 
[13:06] Decluttering Hack #6: Create a space for everything
CONCLUSION
[15:00] All of these hacks will give you the results you need, but we have to give a little tough love and say that if you do not have an organizational system, things will get messy! You have to have a system in play  in order to maintain the chaos that can be our lives. 
Check out episode #015: 5 Easy Steps to Clean and Organize Your Classroom to help you with the decluttering process. 
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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!