Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

It’s a myth that “having a plan” means locking yourself into a rigid schedule from which you can’t deviate. Knowing the things you want to experience and accomplish (and carving out time for them) is one of the most powerful ways to craft a fulfilling life! Lisa Woodruff recently interviewed me for her Organize365 podcast, and I wanted to play an excerpt of that conversation for you here. Listen in as we talk about how we each fell in love with planning and how our individual planning processes have changed throughout our various seasons of life. We each share how we schedule our time and manage our to-do lists, and what our summer schedules look like. You’ll also hear us illuminate a few key truths we’ve uncovered through developing various productivity systems: Why working toward being “finally done” with a tasks is not necessarily the goal How to enjoy the never-ending process of tending to your own life, needs, and healthy habits How planning ahead creates freedom and allows presence in whatever experiences arise Why the goal isn’t to execute your plan perfectly but to re-evaluate priorities You can listen to the full conversation on the Organize365 podcast, or check out her organizational tools, such as the Education Friday workbox, which is a system that helps teachers get organized and reduce the amount of time spent on administrative tasks. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

This is the 2nd episode in my 3 part summer podcast series offering a deep dive into my personal story: where I’ve been, where I’m at, and where I’m going. Usually you can listen to my podcast episodes in any order you want, but since this is basically my life story, what I’m sharing in this episode will make a lot more sense if you’ve heard the beginning of what happened. In this second installment of the three part series, I'm sharing more about the lived experiences and personality traits that shape who I am, how I interact with the world, and the kinds of resources I create. Content warning: In the second half of the episode, I will share how my religious and spiritual beliefs have changed over the last 20 years. If you're not interested in hearing my experiences in this area, you can listen to the first half of the episode, and I'll let you know when I'm about to shift into discussions of religion. Listen in as I share: My honest answer about whether I miss being in the classroom How the focus area I choose for my Masters degree lit a spark that led to the work I'm doing now What I discovered about myself through the National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) process What my close friendship with the teacher next door taught me about my own strengths and weaknesses as an educator The ways being an introvert and empath impact my work and how I see the world How I rebounded from religious trauma as a teenager and found a new way back to the Christian faith in my mid-20s How spending years doing prison ministry and mentoring the incarcerated has shaped my thinking Why I began to feel pushed out of the Christian faith and disillusioned with the doctrine Where I'm at now spiritually and what brings me a sense of peace and joy How these changes in my belief system, personality, and identity shifts have impacted my marriage Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

The first FREE online summit focused entirely on saving teachers time is happening July 10th and 11th! The 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Online Summit is: Entirely online Completely FREE Beneficial for all K-12 teacher Includes 30+ presentations and roundtable discussions Opening and closing keynotes by 40 Hour founder Angela Watson (that’s me) No fluff, filler, icebreakers, or pitches: each session is just 15-20 minutes long All session presenters are current K-12 classroom teachers + 40 Hour members! In this podcast episode, you’ll get to listen to excerpts of 8 different presenter’s time-saving tips! Tip #1: Use learning contracts to transfer ownership of assignments to your students. Tip #2: Carve out time buckets for life, career, relationships, and self so you can ensure your life isn't just about work. ' Tip #3: Share the grading load with a coworker. Tip #4: Give fewer assignments and fewer grades. Tip #5: Give yourself (and your students) something to look forward to when you return to school after the weekend. Tip #6: Delegate responsibility to students through classroom jobs. Tip #7: Get ahead in your lessons by batching the task. Tip #8: Create theme days for specific tasks so you can focus without feeling pulled in so many directions. If you enjoy these excerpts from the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Online Summit, sign up to join us for the full FREE live event happening July 10th and 11th! And if you can’t attend a session or want to watch and rewatch at your convenience, the Forever Access Pass will get you the recordings, plus a note-taking guide, summary of key ideas for each session, full transcripts, and special bonuses. It’s just $19 right now (the price will increase once the event begins.) See you at the Summit — sign up to join us here! Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

I’m getting deeply personal and vulnerable in this 3 part summer podcast series, and sharing things with you that I’ve NEVER talked about publicly before! This was sooo hard for me to do … but it’s the 20 year anniversary of my teaching website (I built the first iteration back in July 2003) and I didn’t want to let the occasion pass without reflecting on all that’s happened over the past two decades. Some of you have actually been on this journey with me for the entire 20 years I’ve been sharing ideas online, which is just mind-blowing! I think you’ll really enjoy this look back on the previous two decades together. Others of you have come along more recently, and I hope this series gives you the backstory and context to connect with me on a deeper level. Here’s the release schedule for these episodes: May 28: How I got here: Reflections on 20 years of sharing teaching ideas online June 25: Where I’m at now: Reflections on who I’ve become as a person and educator July 23: Where I’m going: Reflections on what excites me about my work and the future of schooling Content warning for this first episode: I will briefly allude to sexual assault, and also talk about my personal experiences with race and religion. This episode will be very different from what you’re used to on Truth for Teachers, so make sure you’re in the right headspace before pressing play. Listen in as I answer the following questions: How did your childhood experiences shape the person you've become today? Why did you always want to be a teacher even though you weren't a good student yourself? You've mentioned before that your teenage years were rough — what happened? What was your college experience like, and how did you get your first job as a teacher? What happened when you started feeling burned out and decided to change grade levels? How did you get started sharing ideas online? Why did you relocate and transition to instructional coaching and working for BrainPOP? How do you process your legacy among the very first wave of educators in the early 2000s to share their resources online? I hope listening to this episode gives you more insight into my “origin story” and what has shaped my worldview and fueled my passions.  Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

If you’re constantly covering for absent colleagues, supporting temporary hires in your building, or otherwise taking on additional duties because there aren’t enough people on staff … you’re not alone.  Teacher shortages have been one of the most difficult lingering effects of the pandemic, and unfortunately, we’re continuing to see things trend downward. There’s no way around it: when some folks are gone, it creates more work for the people who remain. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

We all want students to be self-directed in their learning and take initiative to figure things out for themselves. We want them to think critically and engage in the struggle of understanding so they come out on the other side truly owning their own learning, ideas, and beliefs. Two of the most powerful ways to help students experience this kind of learning are: Explicitly teaching students how to optimize concentration, time, and energy Model these strategies for students with enthusiasm, curiosity, and intellectual humility That’s exactly what this episode is designed to help you do. The first and most important step is to shift from viewing learning as something that you’re trying to get students to do and they’re resisting, and instead view learning as something that you experiment with together. Listen in to learn more about flow theory, and why I prefer its focus on joy and ease over just “managing time” or “getting more done.” You and your students can internalize this way of thinking about time, energy, and attention, and establish the goal of finding flow in the classroom whenever possible. Learn more about FINDING FLOW Solutions and check out curriculum previews: http://findingflowsolutions.com/ Download the free Foundations of Flow unit for teens Purchase the complete set of 6 units for teens as a beta tester Get notified when elementary resources are ready Get notified when middle school resources are ready Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

Who you ARE matters just as much as what you DO. How can you show up as the best version of yourself each day, not only for students, but in every aspect of life? I’m talking today with Elena Aguilar, a writer, leader, teacher, coach and the author of seven highly acclaimed books including The Art of Coaching, (2013) Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators (2018), Coaching for Equity (2020), and The PD Book: 7 Habits that Transform Professional Development (2022). Elena is the founder and president of Bright Morning Consulting, and host of The Bright Morning podcast (which is a phenomenal listen, by the way.) She also collaborated with Dr. Rebecca Branstetter and I on the Reversing Educator Burnout course–you can hear her as a special guest expert in Module 2.  Listen in as Elena and I discuss: Why “bringing your best self” brings ease rather than “one more thing” to your plate The power and simplicity of being fully present in challenging moments Trying harder vs letting go The traits and dispositions we display when we are our best selves What to do when you’re too exhausted to bring your best self to the classroom Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

As a child, I didn’t think I was a “math and science” person. But you know what I did like? Robots. Robotics would have been an easy inroad into science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) practices that would have piqued my interest in a way the regular school curriculum didn’t. If I’d been able to experiment with robotics in school, I might have unlocked an entirely new passion apart from the reading/writing skills I was far more comfortable with. I might have begun to see myself as a person who could take an active role in experimentation, problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership. While most of us as educators didn’t get the opportunity to experience robotics and STEM projects when we were kids, we do have the opportunity to have fun experimenting with these challenges NOW alongside students. In fact, being brand new to the ideas can help you practice being a fellow learner with kids and experience the joy of making new discoveries together. If you’re intrigued, listen in on my conversation with Jason McKenna. He’s sharing how exposing kids to STEM opportunities can change the way they think about themselves and transform their engagement in school. Jason has over 20 years of classroom experience implementing STEM programs and robotics competitions for students at all levels. He now works as the Director of Global Educational Strategy for VEX Robotics, so his job is to oversee all curriculum development and classroom integration for the company. He’s also the author of the book, “What STEM Can Do for Your Classroom: Improving Student Problem Solving, Collaboration, and Engagement.”  VEX makes it possible and affordable for students to explore educational robotics so they can experience autonomy and get comfortable with the process of iteration. The curriculum makes it super simple for ANY classroom teacher to bring robotics into the classroom. Go to VEXrobotics.com to learn more, and listen in to learn why robotics might be just the thing you need to help students get more deeply engaged in learning. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

When it feels like there’s no good answers, that may be a sign that we’re not asking useful questions. If we can frame our thinking with better questions, we can uncover better answers. There are so many ways you can use questions to shift your emotional state, focus on what’s most important, and help you problem-solve constructively. This episode will help you find a framing for things you’re confused or frustrated about so you can find the path to solutions. I’ll also share how you can use better questions with students to help them reflect on their choices, as well. Curiosity over judgment. Wondering over assumptions. These are always safer places to land. You don’t have to have all the right answers, but having some great questions will get you headed down a more productive path. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

Want some practical strategies backed by brain research that can help you and your students co-thrive together? My guest today is Dr. Rebecca Branstetter, Ph.D. She’s a school psychologist, speaker, and author on a mission to help children thrive by supporting educators, mental health providers, and families. She is the founder of The Thriving Students Collective and Thrive Hive TV™ Network, online platforms for boosting the mental health and learning needs of children. She is also my co-creator for our professional development course called How to Reverse Educator Burnout. Listen in as we discuss: What can people who aren’t current classroom teachers add to conversations about educator burnout? What are the brain research-based markers of thriving in life and in work? What are some specific practices backed by neuroscience that teachers can use to make their classrooms a place where co-thrive with kids? Let your school or district know that How to Reverse Educator Burnout is 50% off through March 10th, 2023, and purchase orders are accepted. This is relevant, practical, and enjoyable PD to help schools go beyond talking about self-care and burnout, and instead provide support to educators with practical tools. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.