Beginning Teacher Talk

Today we’re talking about a topic that many of you may currently be planning for, or will be planning for in the near future, and that is maternity leave. Maybe you’ve just finished college, recently gotten married, and landed your dream teaching job. Day by day, you're checking off all the boxes, and your next hope and dream might be to start a family. This is such an exciting time, but it can also be a bit stressful as a teacher.  Having a baby means taking maternity leave and leaving your classroom for a certain amount of time, which can feel really scary. My guest Jordan, and I, want to help decrease your anxiety by equipping you with the information you need to prepare for maternity leave. Join us for a practical conversation about five things you can do to start planning for your maternity leave now.  Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/maternity-leave  Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB

There are two words that can quickly turn any teacher’s day upside down. Indoor recess.

When we see a student struggling, we often feel like it’s our fault and that we need to have all the answers, but I want to encourage you to lean on the staff at your school to help. When it comes to speech and language, there are so many elements to consider, and your school’s SLP has the skill set required to determine if a student needs their services. Our guest today, Hallie Sherman, is here to provide so much great information about speech and language. She’s sharing which skills are associated with speech and language, what to look out for in your students, how you can collaborate with an SLP, what you can do in your classroom to support these students, and so much more. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/speech-and-language  Grab my FREE Ultimate Classroom Management Checklist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/ultimate-classroom-management-checklist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Begin

Today marks episode three in our three-part series on how Walt Disney would manage your classroom. In part one, we talked about creating a legendary layout in your classroom. In part two, we looked at how you can establish energizing expectations, rules, and routines for you and your students. Be sure to listen to those episodes before tuning into this one! To wrap up this fun series, we’re focusing on the main reason why we all go to Disneyland in the first place. It’s something I love to call magic, love, and sunshine. You’ll hear how you can create this special magic in your classroom to engage and motivate your students.  Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/disney-management-3  Grab my FREE Ultimate Classroom Management Checklist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/ultimate-classroom-management-checklist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.

Inside episode #224, we kicked off our Walt Disney classroom management series by talking about the foundational elements included in thinking through a legendary layout for your classroom. If you missed that episode, you can check it out here. Today, in part two of this series, we’re going to imagine what Walt Disney would say about how to manage our classrooms. We’ll consider the importance of creating energizing expectations as part of your classroom management plan, and four things you can do to establish these expectations. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/disney-management-2 Grab my FREE Ultimate Classroom Management Checklist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/ultimate-classroom-management-checklist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk  Connect with Lori on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drlorifr

There’s just something about being at Disney World that is completely magical. ✨ 

As teachers, we wear so many hats every single day. We are organizers, facilitators, cheerleaders, coaches, nurses, janitors, and so much more. Often, you may even feel like you’re expected to fit the role of “classroom therapist”. But here’s the thing - you aren’t a therapist, and you shouldn’t be expected to put that hat on. I know how exhausting it can be to manage some of the personalities that you have in your classroom. When you signed up to be a teacher, you likely didn’t expect to be dealing with some of the behaviors and the challenges that you find inside your classroom. Yet, those behaviors and challenges are here, so what do you do? Our guest, Elizabeth Peterson is here to talk us through this and share some helpful strategies. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/teachers-are-not-therapists Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeach

Let’s talk about a very underrated classroom management tool…timers. Specifically, using timers in your PowerPoint slides. This is one of my favorite ways to streamline and improve classroom management. So much so that I’m shocked I’ve managed to create over 200 podcast episodes without talking about it! I am giving you 15 ways that you can use timers to streamline your classroom management in today’s episode. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/ways-to-use-timers Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk  Connect with Lori on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drlorifriesen/ Connect with Lori on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beginningteachertalk If the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast is helping you in your

“My child hates school.”  Ouch. Have you ever had a parent say this to you before? If not, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s most likely coming at one point or another - and oh my goodness, it does not feel good. Hearing "my child hates school" is one of those things that cuts deep and instantly messes with our mindset. We begin to doubt our competence as a teacher. It can be especially challenging when it happens if you’re a new teacher and already feeling so unsure about your abilities. Inside of this episode I’m going to share some important things to consider if you are ever faced with this comment. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/my-child-hates-school Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk  C

Have you heard of the term 'digital native’?  Our guest, Rachael Parlett, explains that ‘digital native’ is a phrase that describes our students in today’s world, meaning that children speak the language of technology and absorb information through technology. It’s what they’ve known their whole lives, and in many cases, it’s how they connect with people. Because of the huge role that technology plays in all of our lives, teaching strategies and best practices are shifting. They aren’t the same that they were 10-15 years ago. We have to speak to our students differently than before, and teach them in a way that they can relate to. Embracing technology is certainly one of the ways to do that! Rachael and I are going to talk about these best practices and teaching today’s kids in this episode. She will share how we can provide our students with multimedia learning experiences that are engaging and effective in all content areas. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/teaching-todays-kids Take my FREE qu

The fall and winter months come with lots of sick children, and in turn, absent students from your class. You know what that means - extra work for you! When your students miss school, that means they need to catch up on missing work (among other things) when they get back. With everything that you are already responsible for as a teacher, managing missed work due to absences can become very overwhelming very quickly.  Today I’m sharing 10 ways that you can handle missing work and absences without taking up a ton of your time and energy. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/missing-work Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk  Connect with Lori on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drlorifriesen/ Connect with Lor

Can teachers really get all of their lesson planning done during their contract hours? This is probably the holy grail of teacher questions. Is it actually possible? The answer is yes, it is absolutely possible.  Today I’m joined by my close friend, Sara Marye, and we’re tackling this hot topic. Sara is sharing five great tips for lesson planning so that you can take back your nights and weekends by planning more efficiently and more effectively.  Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/5-planning-tips Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk  Connect with Lori on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drlorifriesen/ Connect with Lori on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beginningteachertalk If the Beginning Teacher T

Have you ever received an email from your school’s secretary letting you know that you’re getting a new student? Getting this news can sometimes cause a bit of panic as you run through the list of everything you need to do to get ready for them to join your class.  From the student’s perspective, it can be really difficult to start at a new school, especially mid-year. They’re often walking into your classroom without knowing anyone, not knowing the routines, or even how to get around the school building.  Today we’re going to talk about how to manage all of that. I’m going to share some simple and strategic things that you can do to make new students feel like they belong from the first day they step into your classroom. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/new-student-mid-year Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lo

Are you struggling with classroom management, or something else that is holding you back from becoming the teacher you've always dreamed of being? If so, it's time to ask for support from admin, and I'll show you how. I have four key ways that you can ask for help from your admin, as well as what to do if you aren't feeling supported by your admin. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/support-from-admin Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk  Connect with Lori on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drlorifriesen/ Connect with Lori on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beginningteachertalk If the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast is helping you in your teaching and if you're feeling extra loving, I would be so grat

How many times have you spent your entire weekend working and then resented having to go into work on Monday morning? When you show up, you’re completely exhausted and would give just about anything to crawl back into bed and sleep for just a few more hours. If it sounds like I know a little bit too much about this, it’s because I’ve been there. I’ve made the mistake of spending my weekends deep in school work, especially during my first few years of teaching. It sucked all of the energy, inspiration, and creativity from me - yet I continued to do it. In today’s episode, I’m sharing how I turned things around and learned that I could become a better teacher when I allowed myself to rest…and how you can too! Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/reduce-overwhelm Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk  Connect wi

Spooky season is here and as teachers, we know what that comes with, right?

Have you ever been sick, but still showed up to teach anyway? Teachers do this so often, and it’s usually for one of two reasons. They feel like it’s easier to go in than it is to try and put together sub plans (even when they’re feeling awful!) or they feel guilty for calling in sick…especially with the current sub shortage.  Our guest today, Kelsey Sorenson, is here to encourage you to change your thought process around taking a day off. She’ll share how you can plan for a sub ahead of time so that you can actually take a day off. You will also hear exactly how to prepare your students for your absence, and how you can ensure that your sub feels welcome and will want to return in the future. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/plan-for-a-sub Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk  Connect with Lori on Pinte

Do you feel genuinely happy in your day to day life, both in and out of the classroom? Happiness is something that we all long for, and I think it’s one of the most important topics that we can talk about on this podcast.  The older I get, the more I realize that what really matters, and how much we actually enjoy our lives, is determined by how happy we are. So the big question is, if you aren’t happy, how do you change that? How do we become happier in our everyday lives? Most importantly, from a teacher’s perspective, how do we start enjoying teaching more even when we feel like there’s always so much to do? It is totally possible to learn the habit of being happy and loving your job. I’m going to share with you how I found ways to be happier, more satisfied, and more fulfilled. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/how-to-be-happier Grab your copy of Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers by Grace Stevens: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0998701947/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=

Raise your hand if you’ve ever experienced the struggle of running small groups.

Over the past couple of weeks on the podcast, we've been talking about a couple of different topics. One of them was how to set up your teacher planning binder. And the other one was how to manage all of that student data.  As I was recording those episodes, it really got me thinking about how classroom management is a much broader topic than what we traditionally think about classroom management as. I've worked with more than 1,500 teachers inside the R.E.A.D.Y for School Academy over the last few years, and what's become so much clearer to me than ever before, is that classroom management is not just about managing students. I realized that it all really boils down to four key areas, all of which fall under the larger umbrella of how I define classroom management. I’m sharing those key areas with you today. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/struggling-with-classroom-management Grab your copy of my FREE Ultimate Classroom Management Checklist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/ultimate-classroom-