Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

When students struggle to focus, follow directions, and stay on task, it may be helpful to consider cognitive load theory. Classroom teacher Jennifer Brinkmeyer’s my guest in this episode to talk about how she’s utilized her research in this area to help students get more done with less mental effort. Cognitive load is a learning theory developed by educational psychologist John Sweller. In this theory, our brains are compared to a computer’s working memory. Just as a computer can only hold so much information in its working memory at a time, so can a brain. There are 3 types of cognitive load to consider: intrinsic, germane, and extraneous loads. Surprisingly to both Jennifer and I, the goal is NOT to minimize all of them! Listen in as Jennifer breaks down how cognitive load theory is applicable in her classroom, and the 3 tips she has for considering cognitive load during instructional time. 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’ve all had hurtful or upsetting incidents with colleagues, parents, and students that we can’t seem to move past. How do you change your thinking in order to move on? How do you stop carrying around the weight of what happened Folks in our Truth for Teachers Podcast Community were invited to submit their situations anonymously, and tell me about the stuff that they just can’t move past. We’re tackling unfair accusations, stressful interactions with students, and attacks on the teaching profession. I’m sharing some thought work practice that can help you get over negative situations so you no longer feel as anxious or upset about them. If you’re just not over it and can’t let it go … here’s a collection of mental reframing approaches to try. 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 first started this podcast back in 2015, and nearly 300 episodes later, I’m proud to say there’s a wealth of helpful information available to you. But… you don’t have time to listen to 300 episodes. How do you know you didn’t miss out on something great awhile back? What if there’s something you need to hear NOW that I haven’t talked about in awhile? Enter the NEW Truth for Teachers playlists. I’ve carefully curated the episodes I’m most proud of — and that I think will help you most — from our seven years of podcasting. Choose from:  The Greatest Hits Playlist: A collection of the most popular and impactful episodes The Encouragement Playlist: Mindset tips and motivation to help rejuvenate and inspire you The Productivity Playlist: Time and energy management ideas to create work/life balance The Student Engagement Playlist: Innovative teaching strategies that build a healthy classroom culture Visit https://truthforteachers.com/playlists/ to learn more and get the one you want sent straight to your inbox!

What if you were able to have a 3 day weekend EVERY week? Obviously you still need to show up to school 5 days a week and give your best each day. But you can shift your perception of how the week is structured to maximize time for rest and recovery. Listen as I share: How all days/hours are not experienced equally (some are more valuable for specific purposes, some feel longer and other shorter) Why weekends feel too short, and how beginning them sooner is a better solution than stretching them out longer How to approach your time each day of the week to get your most productive work done before the “long weekend” and truly relax on your time off This episode is a playful approach to mindset. Experiment with how you use your time so that you can have more time for everything that matters most! 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 short, encouraging episode explains how you can tackle really difficult problems using layers of imperfect solutions, rather than giving up doing anything altogether. This approach is used in healthcare, aviation safety, computer security, and more…why not uncover a real place for it in K-12 education, as well? We can work to create positive change in our schools, communities, nation, and planet if we think in terms of multiple layered solutions, rather than waiting for that one big perfect thing that fixes it all forever. 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.

Save yourself huge amounts of time by reusing your own work! Teacher Marguerite Rendelfs has developed a plan to create reusable resources that saves her between five and ten hours every week. One major shift in my mindset that she learned through the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek program that has helped her in many situations is this: We often focus on saving time right now. Considering how we can use our current work to save time for ourselves in the future can be a game-changer. Marguerite shares, “Last school year, I’ve realized I can build templates while I’m doing my daily work, which saves time and batches the work I’ll be doing in the future. Now I love templates. They boost my productivity and focus my attention. When I notice that I’m repeatedly spending time on the same type of task, I evaluate whether a template might be helpful.” Templates are most effective when a task is repetitive, generalizable, detailed, and time-consuming. If a template might be effective, you can build one as you work. Listen as Marguerite shares her process for using 3 kinds of templates: Student accommodations Instructional materials and activities Comment banks for student feedback Then, check out her article at TruthforTeachers.com to see step-by-step instructions, examples of her templates, and more. 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.

You can decide this school year to find a sustainable approach to your workload. How? By not trying to work until everything is done. It’s NEVER all going to be done, which means you’re always either going to be working or feel like you should be working. Instead, I’m going to teach you a principle I share in the 40 Hour Workweek programs I run for teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders. It’s the Target Number Planner. You can create a schedule in which you determine — at the start of each week — how much time you’re willing to spend on school stuff, and how you’re going to allocate those hours. Choosing a target number of hours to work is not about perfection, it’s about intentionality. You’re simply deciding in advance how many hours you’d like to allocate to work, and being mindful of how your time is being used. This is the start of a mindset shift more than anything else, as you practice fitting work into your life instead of life into your work. If you want support with setting and sticking to a target number, remember that the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Fast Track program is open to new members all year long. 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 recently had an upbeat, fun conversation with Lisa Woodruff of Organize 365 for her podcast, and thought I'd share an excerpt of it here with you! We're talking all about the state of education today, what we're hearing from teachers about their needs, and our experiences with burnout and balance. As a fellow former educator, Lisa knows the mindset and challenges of teaching well, and does a deep dive with me into some of the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek principles. This includes: the difference between required work vs hobby work, overcoming perfectionism, and learning what you can say no to without having your classroom fall apart.   We both share some major timewasting mindsets we fell prey to as teachers, and how we think about our work and time differently today. If you enjoy this conversation, check out ep 149, called Living life as an organized teacher. You can also listen to Lisa's Organize 365 podcast on home and paper organization: https://organize365.com/podcast Or check out Lisa's Education Friday Workbox® for teacher organization: https://af271.isrefer.com/go/EDWX/AngelaWatson/ And finally, here's the link to my 40 Hour Teacher Workweek program which is open through July 27th: https://join.40htw.com

In this in-between-seasons bonus ep, you’ll hear some quick audio clips of teachers sharing how they are challenging norms in education and creating a sustainable workload through the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek program. I’ll also share how 40 Hour is creating institutional change through the 40 Hour Leadership and 40 Hour Instructional Coaching programs. I hope you will hear my heart and get the bigger picture message I want to send! This is an offering of hope, encouragement, and support for folks who want to do the job they love without burning out. The 40 Hour programs are THE MOST powerful tools I’ve created for shifting workload norms in education, keeping great teachers in the field, and supporting those who are struggling so they can grow into their best selves.  Please pass this link onto anyone in education who you think might benefit or who shares my passion for educator wellbeing, including innovative school leaders who want tools to support their staff: https://join.40htw.com Thank you for supporting my work–whether it’s by joining 40 Hour, telling others about it, or even just listening to this podcast.

LAST EP OF SEASON 15! We're wrapping up with thoughts on processing, healing, dreaming, and rebuilding as we find our path  toward whatever is next for schools. So in this unscripted episode, I share my broad observations, loosely-held conclusions, and partially-formulated ideas about what might be possible. What is the future of public education? How do we keep the dream alive with so many forces undermining, privatizing, and monetizing it? In the midst of culture wars and opposing demands, can schools please all stakeholders? How do we ensure that the responsibility for personalizing education for the preferences of each child/family does not fall solely on classroom teachers? I’m talking from the heart about what I’m hopeful for right now, and why I’m choosing an optimistic take on the future of schools. I believe in public education, and the importance of not growing apathetic or hopeless about the state of education, our country, or our world. I’ll end the episode by sharing a bit about my summer plans and how I’m creating space for dreaming and vision-building … and encourage you to do the same. The Truth for Teachers podcast will be back in August. In the meantime, check out the summer blog post articles from our writer’s collective, our weekly email, and our posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.  And, if you’ve enjoyed this season of the podcast, leave us a review on iTunes! Your feedback is so, so important.  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.