Welcome to the podcast for elementary teachers who often feel burnt out and overwhelmed! In this episode, we are going to discuss the number one way to get more done during your prep time. As teachers, we are experts at planning every moment of our students' day, but we often forget to plan our own plan time. Instead of creating endless to-do lists that can make us feel busy instead of productive, we will be using a calendar and a 6 step process to help us prioritize our tasks and accomplish more.

By following this 6 step process, you can increase your productivity, decrease the number of hours you work, and still watch your students thrive.

Don't forget to order the brand-new book How to Love Teaching Again by visiting notsowimpyteacher.com/book. This book is a practical guide full of strategies that will help you beat teacher burnout and rekindle your love for teaching.

Thanks for listening to our podcast, and have a Not So Wimpy Day!

Welcome to the Not So Wimpy Teacher Podcast, where we empower and inspire elementary school teachers to love teaching again! In this episode, we’re going to discuss how to define success as a teacher and work smarter, not harder. If you’re tired of feeling like you’re never doing enough, working too many hours, and sacrificing your personal life for your job, then this episode is for you. So, grab your coffee, take a seat, and let’s get started.

Segment 1: What Does It Mean to Be a Good Teacher? There are many misconceptions about what it means to be a good teacher. In this segment, we’ll explore some of these misconceptions and why they’re wrong. We’ll also discuss the importance of defining success as a personal goal, not a societal one.

Segment 2: How to Define Success as a Teacher in 5 Steps In this segment, we’ll walk through the 5 steps to defining success as a teacher. We’ll discuss how to identify the type of teacher you want to be, what results you want to achieve, and how many hours you want to work. We’ll also talk about how to find your “why” and use it as a motivator to work towards your definition of success.

Segment 3: Take Action to Achieve Your Definition of Success In the final segment, we’ll discuss how to take action to achieve your definition of success. We’ll talk about how to prioritize tasks and set boundaries with parents and administrators. We’ll also explore ways to spend less time lesson planning and grading, and more time focusing on what matters most.

I hope this episode has inspired you to define success on your terms and work smarter, not harder. If you want to learn more about how to love teaching again and get actionable strategies to increase productivity and work fewer hours, be sure to check out Jamie’s new book How to Love Teaching Again, available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Target.com. For more information about the book and to grab some free bonuses, visit notsowimpyteacher.com/book. Have a Not So Wimpy Day!

Are you tired of spending hours upon hours lesson planning each week? In this episode, we're sharing 5 time-saving hacks that can help you cut the time it takes to lesson plan in half.

From batching your lesson plans to using routines, year-long bundles, lesson plan templates, and pacing guides, we've got you covered with strategies that can make lesson planning faster and easier.

Plus, don’t forget to check out my new book, How to Love Teaching Again, which is packed with hands-on strategies to help you be more productive, eliminate classroom chaos, and bring back the joy of teaching. You can find more information at notsowimpyteacher.com/book.

Tune in to this episode to learn how to save time on lesson planning and enjoy teaching again!

Welcome to this episode of our podcast for burnt out and overworked elementary school teachers. Today, we'll be discussing the importance of celebrating your wins each week and how this can be a catalyst for continued success in the classroom.

As teachers, it's easy for us to celebrate others but much tougher to celebrate ourselves. At the end of the day, we often find ourselves focusing on the negative - the unfinished to-do list, a student's poor assessment, or a rude email from a parent. It's important to remember that society, admin, and parents may not always remember to celebrate us, and even our own brain may not remember if we aren't intentional about it.

So, what's the solution? Creating an "accomplishment bank" and making a deposit into it every week. In this episode, I will give you simple directions for to get your accomplishment bank started.

Recognizing wins each week becomes a catalyst for continued success in the classroom. Our brain loves to tell us when we aren't good enough. It's time to remind your brain how incredibly amazing you really are. So, start making your own accomplishment bank and deposit into it every week.

And if you're looking for more practical strategies to beat teacher burnout and rekindle your love for teaching, be sure to check out my brand-new book, How to Love Teaching Again. Learn more at notsowimpyteacher.com/book.

 This hands-on guide is full of strategies that will help you stay in the classroom while still having time for a personal life. You can find it wherever books are sold online or head to notsowimpyteacher.com/book to read more about the book and some fun bonuses we've created for you.

Thanks for tuning in and we'll catch you on the next episode.

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast!

I have a really special treat for you today. If you are teaching students online, whether it’s virtual or hybrid, this is the episode for you.

Today’s guest, Jennifer Serravallo, is a literacy consultant and speaker and has three New York Times best selling books! Her latest book is called “Connecting with Students Online: Strategies for Remote Teaching and Learning.”

I asked Jen to join me today to talk through the idea of connecting with students online. 

We’re covering everything from how to form relationships with students to having realistic expectations for yourself and your students during a pandemic. 

Episode 94 Takeaways: 

+ When the tech isn’t working, stay calm, and remind yourself that you’re doing what you can.

+ Ask yourself if the things that are challenging you are within your control. 

+ Get your kids working off the screen as much as possible to combat Zoom fatigue. 

+ The more we can get kids off the screen, the more engaged they'll be.

+ It is possible to build relationships even though you’ve never met your students in person. 

+ Use breakout rooms to give students individual feedback.

+ Minimize the time you're spending on whole group lessons, and maximize your time with small group lessons. 

+ Make sure that the students in small groups belong together. 

+ Give yourself and your students grace.

I really hope that this episode gives you a little bit of hope. Teaching is going to look a little different right now, but you have amazing teaching strategies in your tool belt, and you can take so many of them into a virtual classroom with just a  few small tweaks!

I’d love to know what other ideas you come up with, so head over to our Instagram @notsowimpyteacher to share those with me! 

Resources Mentioned: 

www.jenniferserravallo.com 

Join The Reading and Writing Strategies Community Facebook Group 

Follow @JSerravallo on Twitter 

Follow @jenniferserravallo on Instagram 

Want more Not So Wimpy Teacher tips and tricks? Find tons of resources on our website at www.notsowimpyteacher.com and follow me on Instagram @notsowimpyteacher where I share daily! 

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast!

Word problems... Yuck! They can be such a struggle. 

Today, we are going to be chatting about math word problems and I am going to give you a fantastic strategy to use with your students.  This strategy will become a routine in your classroom that I think will help your students resolve more problems with any operation. 

I used this routine in my classroom and it made a huge difference and that’s exactly why I want to share it with you too! 

Episode 93 Takeaways: 

+ Don’t use keywords as a strategy when solving word problems.

+ Teach your students to use all four steps every time they encounter a math word problem.

+ Have them read the entire problem without a writing utensil in their hand. 

+ Tell your students to re-read as they draw a model. 

+ Don’t let them start writing an equation until they have drawn a model that makes sense.

+ Answers should be written in a complete sentence. 

+ Writing math answers in complete sentences is wonderful grammar and writing practice.

I hope that you and your students have fun practicing this word problem procedure in your classroom and that it's a huge help to you. 

Be sure to grab the FREE posters to go along with it by clicking HERE.

I’d love to know what other ideas you come up with, so head over to our Instagram @notsowimpyteacher to share those with me! 

Resources Mentioned: 

Math Word Problem Poster Freebie

Want more Not So Wimpy Teacher tips and tricks? Find tons of resources on our website at www.notsowimpyteacher.com and follow me on Instagram @notsowimpyteacher where I share daily! 

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast!

Today we are talking all about how to give students feedback about their writing. 

You know how much I love to talk about writing, but did you know that when I was a new teacher, I actually dreaded teaching writing? I just didn't know how to help my students be better writers. No one taught me that in college.

My lessons were too broad, and I really struggled to give good feedback to my writers that would help them grow and make changes. 

Do you also struggle with this? If you do, you’re not alone! 

Today I want to share some tips and tricks with you that helped me. I know that they are going to help you give effective feedback as well.

Episode 92 Takeaways: 

+ Focus more on content than mechanics.

+ Pointing out every error doesn't help students to become better writers. 

+ Feedback doesn’t have to be complicated. 

+ Use a simple rubric to guide feedback. 

+ Give one positive comment for every negative comment.

+ Frame feedback as questions. 

+ Focus on the skill you're currently working on.

+ Giving feedback in small groups makes it easier for you to get to each student in less time. 

Don’t forget to take our quiz to find out what 90s pop star you are as a writing teacher. This quiz will give you tailored resources based on your results. It’s so much fun, and I can’t wait to see your results! 

I’d love to know what other ideas you come up with, so head over to our Instagram @notsowimpyteacher to share those with me! 

Resources Mentioned: 

How to Teach Students to Edit Their Writing - Blog Post

Group Writing Conferences - Blog Post

Free Rubrics 

Take the Quiz: Find out what 90s pop star you are as a writing teacher

Want more Not So Wimpy Teacher tips and tricks? Find tons of resources on our website at www.notsowimpyteacher.com and follow me on Instagram @notsowimpyteacher where I share daily!

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast!

Are you excited for Valentine’s Day this year? 

If you told me a year ago that I'd be doing a Valentine's episode about socially distant Valentine's Day activities, I probably would have laughed at you. Now it is totally normal though and something we have to talk about!

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Whether you’re teaching online or in-person this year, it’s going to look a little different. Just because we're socially distant, doesn't mean we can't share the love.

If you need some ideas for virtual or socially distant Valentine’s Day activities, I’ve got you covered in this episode. 

Episode 91 Takeaways: 

+ Do something active because February is also Heart Health Month.

+ Have students write a couple of sentences about their favorite book. 

+ Drop off postcards to your students telling them one thing that you love about them.

+ Have them create a Google slide filled with pictures of things they love. 

+ Make Valentine’s Day paper bag books.

+ Do STEM activities.

+ Make cards for medical professionals or nursing home residents. 

+ Write “I Love You More Than…” poems.

+ Do a project-based learning activity. 

I really hope that you have so much fun with your students this year for Valentine's Day, and I hope you're feeling the love. 

I’d love to know what other ideas you come up with, so head over to our Instagram @notsowimpyteacher to share those with me! 

Resources Mentioned: 

Paperbag Resource with Printables 

Little Bins, Little Hands STEM Activities Resource 

Valentine’s Day Vocab Freebie 

60 Free Writing Prompts 

“I love you more than” Poem Template 

Project-Based Learning Valentine’s Day Resource

Want more Not So Wimpy Teacher tips and tricks? Find tons of resources on our website at www.notsowimpyteacher.com and follow me on Instagram @notsowimpyteacher where I share daily! 

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast!

Are you looking for a new way to keep your students engaged and motivated? 

Today we’re going to be talking about how to use project-based learning in the classroom. 

I fell in love with project-based learning when I first started teaching. As a student, I would always ask my teachers these questions: “when would I use this, and why do I need to know it?”

Does this sound familiar? 

I know those questions can be super annoying sometimes, but as a learner, I really did need to understand the real-life application for the skills I was learning! 

When we help our students to understand when they will use all the skills we are teaching and to practice skills they're learning in school in a more life-applicable way, it motivates and encourages them.

Episode 90 Takeaways: 

+ Project-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered teaching method that encourages learning through curriculum-based, real-world problems or challenges.

+ Project-based learning can help develop skills like communication, teamwork, and leadership. 

+ Learning should be fun for all students.

+ As students find solutions to challenges, they build confidence. 

+ Your role is to be a facilitator or guide.

+ Your students should be challenged but ultimately able to succeed. 

Project-based learning is so much fun, and it’s really easy to add into your classroom a little at a time. 

Check out our Valentine’s Project-Based learning resource and see how it works in your classroom!

I’d love to know what other ideas you come up with, so head over to our Instagram @notsowimpyteacher to share those with me! 

Resources Mentioned: 

New Valentine’s Project-Based Learning Resource

Want more Not So Wimpy Teacher tips and tricks? Find tons of resources on our website at www.notsowimpyteacher.com and follow me on Instagram @notsowimpyteacher where I share daily! 

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast!

You asked for an Inauguration Day resource, so I’m delivering. 

Today on the podcast, I am walking you through a resource for you to use with your second, third, fourth, or fifth graders on Inauguration Day.

Talking about anything political can seem uncomfortable, but when it comes to the inauguration, you don't have to be political. This is a historical event!

The idea behind teaching isn't to tell students what to believe but rather give them the tools and the opportunities to decide what they believe on their own. That is what this resource will help you to do. 

Episode 89 Takeaways: 

+ It’s important to teach from both sides of the spectrum.

+ Give your students the tools and opportunities to decide what they believe on their own.

+ You don’t have to get political when talking about the inauguration.

+ The inauguration is a great learning opportunity as it only happens every four years. 

+ Teach the terminology associated with inauguration.

+ Have your students take “friendship oaths.”

You can grab the Inauguration Day freebie from the link below! I can’t wait to see how you use it and what fun things your students come up with! 

I hope this episode helped to see that you can teach about the inauguration without stressing about the political side of things. 

I’d love to know what other ideas you come up with, so head over to our Instagram @notsowimpyteacher to share those with me! 

Resources Mentioned: 

Free Inauguration Activities for Grades 2-5 

Want more Not So Wimpy Teacher tips and tricks? Find tons of resources on our website at www.notsowimpyteacher.com and follow me on Instagram @notsowimpyteacher where I share daily! 

Welcome back to the Not So Wimpy Teacher podcast!

Do your students forget everything over winter break? I think that’s pretty normal for all of us. 

You’re likely going to need to review classroom routines and procedures with them anyway, so there is no better time to refresh your writing instruction with them as well.

I want to chat about starting your writing instruction fresh in the New Year. A fresh start is exactly what I want this year. Does that sound good to you too?

Don’t worry about what happened before break because we’re leaving that in the past and taking this opportunity to start fresh. 

Here’s to helping your students love writing!

Episode 88 Takeaways: 

+ Start fresh. 

+ Focus on procedures. 

+ Review things that might have been forgotten over the break.

+ It’s okay to change up things that weren’t working. 

+ Get input on what’s working and what’s not from your students.

+ Celebrate good times.

+ Set writing goals. 

I’m super excited to see how your students grow in writing this year. Don’t forget to grab the free writing prompts from the link below!

I’d love to know what other ideas you come up with, so head over to our Instagram @notsowimpyteacher to share those with me! 

Resources Mentioned: 

60 Free Writing Prompts

Want more Not So Wimpy Teacher tips and tricks? Find tons of resources on our website at www.notsowimpyteacher.com and follow me on Instagram @notsowimpyteacher where I share daily!