June 30, 2025 • 25 mins
Feeling that back to school teacher stress creeping in? You’re not alone, and in this episode, we’re calling out six common traps that add unnecessary pressure at the start of the school year. From Pinterest-perfect classrooms to over-the-top prep, we’re giving you permission to say no to the overwhelm and yes to what really matters. Let’s simplify, reset, and start the year with intention.
Prefer to read? Grab the episode transcript and resources in the show notes here: https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/back-to-school-teacher-stress/
Resources:
- First Day of School Lesson Plan and Planning Guide
- Colton Gentry's Third Act, by Jeff Zentner
- Join the Teacher Approved Club!
- Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
- Shop our teacher-approved resources.
- Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
- Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!
Related Episodes to Enjoy:
- Episode 81, 20 Teacher Approved Back to School Tips From Listeners
- Episode 143, The Easiest Back to School Tip
- Episode 194, Want a Smoother Back to School? Do These 5 Things Now
- Episode 201, 20 Easy Back-to-School Teacher Tasks You Can Totally Do From the Couch
Mentioned in this episode:
The July Secret: How Smart Teachers Use Summer to Start Strong, Not Stressed. Join us for a free training where we'll show you how to use July strategically so you can feel prepared for back-to-school without the guilt or overwhelm. Sign up at https://secondstorywindow.net/july
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Heidi (00:00):
This is episode 203 of Teacher Approved.
You're listening to TeacherApproved, the podcast helping
educators elevate what mattersand simplify the rest. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (00:13):
And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
Window, where we give researchbased and teacher approved
strategies that make teachingless stressful and more
effective. You can check out theshow notes and resources from
each episode atsecondstorywindow.net.
Heidi (00:28):
We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to
the show.
Emily (00:35):
Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's
episode, we are discussing sixpressures that we are just
saying no to this summer, andsharing a teacher approved tip
for adding a little delight toyour school day.
Heidi (00:48):
But first, it's time for Try It Tomorrow, a favorite
quick win that you can try inyour life right away. Emily,
what is our suggestion for thisweek?
Emily (00:56):
Well, for this week, why not try listing your wins for
the day? At the end of the day,or before you're up and going
the next morning, make a list ofall the things you got done in
the day. If you're feeling thepressure that you're not doing
enough, seeing a list ofeverything you are doing can be
very freeing.
Heidi (01:13):
And don't feel like you have to limit yourself to just
the big stuff. Putting away thecereal that was left out or
remembering to send an email,these are all accomplishments
we're celebrating. You are doingbetter than you think you are.
Emily (01:24):
I used to do a wins journal, and it really helped
me. I should get back to that.
Heidi (01:28):
I know I was thinking, I need to do that too.
Emily (01:30):
I have some good wins for today. I'm gonna get on a
notebook. If you like this ideaor anything else we share here
on the podcast, would you take asecond and give us a five star
rating and review on Applepodcasts? Ratings and reviews
are one way that new listenersfind us, so every rating and
review is a huge help to us.
Heidi (01:49):
Over the years, Emily and I have created an extensive
library of back to schoolproducts. To help you find the
tools that will make the startof your new year easier, today
we are spotlighting our firstday and first week of school
planning guide.
Emily (02:02):
We're really focused on helping teachers prep
intentionally and nothaphazardly. So we put together
this guide to walk you step bystep through how to create
thoughtful, effective plans foryour first week of school.
Heidi (02:15):
A successful first day of school builds a powerful
momentum that will carry youthrough the following weeks and
months. This guide will help youcreate your own perfect plan for
the first day of school, andalso show you how to extend that
plan into the first week.
Emily (02:28):
Just think how awesome it will feel knowing that your
first week is already planned,prepared and ready to roll.
Heidi (02:35):
So check out the show notes for a link to our first
day of school lesson plan andplanning guide.
Emily (02:39):
Now I don't want to alarm anyone, but we are tiptoeing
into July now.
Heidi (02:46):
And that means, if it hasn't already started, the BTS
buzz is going to ramp up bigtime.
Emily (02:52):
Even as we speak, stores are stocking shelves full of
notebooks and glue sticks andthe cheap pencil boxes that will
fall apart by October, you knowthe ones I mean. But we're not
saying this to scare you. Wewant to prepare you.
Heidi (03:04):
Right. We want you to have a plan so when the ads pop
up on TV, or you turn the cornerat the store and find yourselves
in front of the back to schoolaisles, you are prepared to face
down the beast without panic.
Emily (03:16):
So in that moment when it's hard to breathe and it
feels like your stomach mightdrop out of your body, you need
to calm the part of your brainthat thinks you're in danger.
Your eyes see notebooks, butyour brain sees hungry tigers.
Those notebooks are a threat toyour safety, so your brain
launches your survival reflexes.
Heidi (03:35):
Now, obviously, logically, we know we are not in
danger, but our brains are wiredto perceive threats, and
thinking about school in Julycan feel very threatening. So
take back some control bybreathing deeply. This signals
to your brain that you are not,in fact, about to be devoured by
an ambush of tigers. And I thinkthat is an awesome collective
(03:57):
noun for the way that the backto school display might actually
make you feel.
Emily (04:02):
I just learned something new today. I think that is a
collective noun that I did notknow, an ambush of tigers. I
love it. But then you need tochoose a loving phrase you can
repeat to yourself. So maybesomething like this feels
threatening and urgent, but it'snot. Or, I am on track. I have
all the time I need to getready.
Heidi (04:20):
Because we know this moment is coming, we can make a
plan for how to respond when itinevitably happens, and we can
also prepare for how to react tothe other front of this back to
school battle—social mediapressure.
Emily (04:34):
Yes, if you follow any teacher accounts, lots of
classroom content is headed yourway soon. Not only might that
trigger your fight or flightresponse, but in order to
counter that panicky feeling,you might be tempted to do
whatever you see that otherteacher is sharing.
Heidi (04:49):
Now, whatever you're seeing online might be a totally
great idea, but when you jumpinto something because you feel
alarmed, you're not choosing itbecause it is great. You're
choosing it because any kind ofaction feels like an antidote to
panic.
Emily (05:03):
It makes sense why we do this. The obvious answer to
feeling out of control is to dosomething within your control,
right? But this is where we runinto problems. We see the
teachers on our screens who seemprepared, who seem calm and
ready to go. That is exactly howI want to feel. So surely if I
just do what they're doing, Iwill also be prepared and calm
and ready to go.
Heidi (05:23):
And that sense of panic is so strong, it's so urgent, we
don't always stop to think ifdoing those things will actually
be the things that make usprepared. Then we spend lots of
time and energy and money onprojects that are not moving the
needle.
Emily (05:38):
And guess what that does to your sense of panic once
school is closer. It's not good.And that's how some of us end up
in the doctor with rashes andulcers and dislocated jaws. But
not me, that one's you. Heidi.
Heidi (05:50):
Well, thankfully I did not do all of that in the same
year. I just, I like to spreadout my stress injuries.
Emily (05:56):
Well, our hope for all of you is zero doctor visits this
back to school season. I mean,that is really just a good goal
in general, but especially goodduring back to school season. So
we're going to avoid that byhandling our stress in more
meaningful ways. One way we cando that is by recognizing that
just because something looksamazing on social media doesn't
mean it is fit for ourclassrooms.
Heidi (06:18):
Okay. So we are going to channel all of the messaging we
were taught in the 90s, andwe're going to just say no to
these six social mediapressures.
Emily (06:25):
Let's start with the big one, the elaborate classroom
theme. You know, the ones,rainforest retreat, outer space
odyssey, 1950s diner or whateverthe latest trend Tiktok has
dreamed up.
Heidi (06:37):
Themes like these can be incredibly fun. There's a huge
wow factor at meet the teachernight, when everyone wants to
poke their head in and see allof the fun decor. But decking
out a classroom is alsoincredibly expensive, time
consuming, and often notsustainable.
Emily (06:53):
Yeah, a decked out room makes a big splash on day one,
but by October, your studentswon't even notice the palm
leaves or the Galaxy backdropanymore. What will matter is how
they feel in your classroom,safe, welcome and known. If a
theme helps you get there andyou love it, go for it. We would
never tell you not to.
Heidi (07:10):
But if it feels like something you have to do in
order to keep up, give yourselfpermission to say no, even if
the teacher across the hall hasliteral vines hanging from the
ceiling and your students oohand ah as they walk past. You do
not have to deck out your room.Your classroom is not a
performance space. It's a placefor real learning, real kids and
(07:30):
a real human teacher.
Emily (07:31):
And if you do feel guilty for keeping it simple, remind
yourself that science actuallybacks you up on this. Studies
have demonstrated that overlydecorated spaces detract from
student learning.
Heidi (07:42):
Yeah, those elaborate themes can actually keep
students from focusing onacademic content, and they
create an environment where thedecorations are competing with
learning objectives, so you canfeel confident in saying no to
this with zero guilt.
Emily (07:56):
So the second pressure that we are saying no to is the
pressure to laminate all thethings. And we get the appeal
because we love a laminator. Weeach own our own personal
laminators. But the key to beingthe queen of lamination is
knowing what is laminationworthy.
Heidi (08:12):
Yeah, lamination takes a lot of work, and it can be
expensive if you're the onefooting the bill. At my school,
we were literally charged by thefoot for that. So save your
laminating for what reallymatters.
Emily (08:24):
In order for laminating to be worthwhile, the pros of
doing it have to outweigh thecons. So Heidi, tell us what
some of the cons of laminatingare.
Heidi (08:32):
Well, first of all, laminating is permanent. If you
decide you need to changesomething, there's not an easy
fix once it's all encased inplastic. Second, it can make it
hard for students to read. Ifyou decide to laminate a chart,
for example, you will also haveto spray it with that clear,
matte spray paint so that thekids can read it. Third, it
takes a lot of time to feedeverything through the machine
(08:53):
and then cut it all out. Andfourth, once paper is laminated,
it is probably not recyclable.
Emily (08:58):
And don't forget that some teachers are cut, laminate,
cut kind of teachers, so thatis, like, twice the amount. So
that is a big time commitment.Now, if it's something that your
kids will be handling all thetime, then you probably do want
to laminate. But otherwise, saveyour time, save your money, save
your sanity, and just say no toover laminating.
(09:19):
Okay, what is the third pressurewe're saying no to, Heidi?
Heidi (09:22):
This is the pressure to jump on the current trend. Every
year, a new must have or must doexplodes across teacher
Instagram or Tiktok. I haven'tquite spotted the one for this
year yet, but I'm sure it willshow up soon. Do you remember
not too long ago the summer ofbrag tags, Emily?
Emily (09:37):
Oh yes.
Heidi (09:39):
Or sticker stores or elaborate reward menus, or
investing in every conceivableform of flexible seating. It is
easy to think, if I don't dothis, my classroom won't be good
enough, but the truth is that alot of these trends are band
aids.
Emily (09:54):
Yeah, these fun ideas look like solutions, but they
don't always solve any problems.Sometimes they just create more
problems. So if you're alreadyoverwhelmed, ask yourself, will
this new idea actually meet aneed in my classroom, or does it
just give me something tocontrol while I feel panicky?
Just remember, new is not alwaysbetter. Sustainable, simple and
meaningful will always win inthe long run.
Heidi (10:17):
Well, moving on, let's talk money. Social media loves a
color coordinatedclassroom—matching bins,
personalized water bottles,rainbow carts, charming lamps,
boho chic supply caddies, andadorable first day of school
gift bags for every student. Butnone of this is required. You do
not need to spend hundreds ofdollars for your classroom to be
(10:38):
warm and welcoming.
Emily (10:39):
And of course, those perfectly coordinated shelves do
look so cute in an Instagramreel. I definitely understand
the appeal. But you know what'seven more valuable? A calm,
healthy teacher who still hasenough money in the bank account
to pay for groceries. Connectiondoesn't come from fancy fonts
and Pinterest worthy baskets. Itcomes from you, the teacher,
(10:59):
your presence, your attentionand your care.
Heidi (11:03):
There's another kind of pressure that creeps in when you
see other classrooms onlinelooking finished and polished
before August even begins. It'sthe sort of thing that social
media is famous for, and this isthe pressure to make everything
picture perfect before the firstday.
Emily (11:18):
You have seen these classrooms online, I'm sure.
Every bulletin board is styled,every space is labeled, every
inch of the walls are covered.But here's your permission slip.
It is okay to leave your wallsblank. In fact, it can be
better. When your students walkin on the first day, they'll see
a space with room to grow.They'll see that their work will
matter, because it's going tofill the walls.
Heidi (11:41):
If you're worried that leaving empty space will make
your room look unready, just adda little touch. All you have to
do is print a sign that says,brilliant work coming soon. Or
watch this space for amazingideas. This lets your students
know that this is our classroom,not just yours, and you're so
confident that they have greatthings ahead that you are
intentionally leaving room forthat greatness.
Emily (12:03):
And that brings us to the last pressure that we are saying
no to this one is the sneakiest,because it doesn't show up as a
to do list. It shows up as afeeling. And this is the
pressure to compare yourself.
Heidi (12:16):
Oh, we all know that feeling so well. You see another
teacher's classroom or lessonplan or first week schedule, and
you think, I'm already behind,but you are not. What you're
seeing is a moment, not the fullstory.
Emily (12:29):
Right. Social media doesn't show the extra help that
teachers might have or the extratime they might have because
they're in a different season oflife. You don't see their doubts
or their debt or their burnout,you just see the highlight reel.
So instead of comparing, connectand remind yourself that your
journey is valid, your timelineis okay. You are not behind. You
(12:49):
are building something real.
Heidi (12:50):
So let's sum it up this way. You don't have to perform
your teaching for anyone else.Your classroom doesn't need to
look like an Instagram post tobe effective. You don't need to
do it all. You just need to dowhat matters for your kids and
for yourself.
Emily (13:05):
So let's recap the six pressures that we are absolutely
saying no to this summer.Elaborate classroom themes that
you do not enjoy doing,laminating everything, whatever
the latest trend is that willtake a lot of work and not solve
any real problems, spending lotson classroom setup, making your
classroom picture perfect, andcomparing yourself.
Heidi (13:27):
The most prepared teachers focus on the invisible
work—understanding theirstudents, planning meaningful
instruction and creating simplesystems that support learning.
Social media makes thedecorative work visible, but
it's the foundational work thatactually serves students.
Emily (13:43):
Your back to school prep should make the transition
easier, not heavier. If a taskfeels like it's for social
media, it probably is notessential. If it feels like it's
for your students or your ownsanity, that is your compass.
Put your energy there and letthe rest fade away. Now we would
love to hear what you are sayingno to this summer. Come join the
(14:03):
conversation in our TeacherApproved Facebook group.
Now for our Teacher Approved Tipof the Week, where we share an
actionable tip to help youelevate what matters and
simplify the rest. This week'steacher approved tip is bring
back the lucky duck for somesurprise and delight. So tell us
about this one, Heidi.
And we brought it up again in Episode 158 when we
Heidi (14:21):
I love this idea so much. We first talked about this back
in episode 114 and it's one ofthose tips that's so simple but
so effective. So this idea comesfrom crafttaycorner on
Instagram. The idea is that eachday, you put a rubber duck on
one student's desk, and thatstudent becomes the lucky duck
were talking about surprise anddelight for team building. The
for the day.
(14:46):
lucky duck gets specialprivileges and responsibilities
for that day. Maybe they're theline leader. They get to choose
centers first, or they get extratechnology time.
What I love about this is that it's not something that
your kids are earning or workingtoward, it's just pure surprise
and delight. You're justchoosing someone to make their
day a little more special. Andthat kind of unexpected joy does
(15:08):
wonders for classroom morale.
Emily (15:10):
And you can totally adapt this to fit your classroom.
Instead of set jobs, maybe thelucky duck gets to sit in a
special chair or spin a prizewheel. If this is the excuse you
needed to buy a prize wheel, youcould do it for this. Or choose
the transition song. Really,anything that makes the child
feel special for the day isgoing to be such a morale boost.
And crafttaycorner does thisall year long. We think it might
(15:33):
be even more impactful if youuse it for just a few weeks here
and there. Makes it so specialand unexpected.
Heidi (15:40):
Yeah, just makes sure everyone gets a turn before you
retire it, or you're gonna havesome very disappointed kids.
Now, the reason we are bringingthis up in the middle of summer,
and okay, we're not saying thisis vital, but if you have been
to Michael's Crafts lately, youmay have seen their wall of
rubber ducks. There are ittybitty, tiny ducks and giant
ducks and lots of regular sizedducks in cute and clever
(16:02):
costumes. Now there's absolutelyno pressure. Remember, we are
saying no to things that don'tserve us, but if you wanted an
excuse to buy those adorableducks, you know this might be
your answer.
Emily (16:15):
Yes, if this would serve you in your classroom, if not,
ignore us completely. But if itwould, do this, okay. If we
haven't sold you yet on thelucky duck surprise and delight,
we've got some more duck basedsuggestions that you could use
your ducks for.
Heidi (16:30):
I don't know if anyone's ever said duck based suggestions
before.
Emily (16:35):
Well, I did just have baby ducks in my yard, so this
is like perfect time for all theduck discussion. So if a student
gives a clever response, youcould let them put a duck on
their desk as the, and I'm goingto try and say this without
laughing, Waddle Great IdeaAward.
Heidi (16:52):
Only thing better than a rubber duck is a duck pun.
Emily (16:56):
So now their job would be to listen to other students
responses during the lesson, andpass the duck on to them. Just
make sure the duck is supportinggood discussion and not
distracting from it. You'd haveto be careful with this one.
Heidi (17:09):
Another slightly unhinged idea is to save a duck for when
the day is just falling apart.You know, when three kids are
melting down and someone spilledtheir entire water bottle and
you are questioning all of yourlife choices. Pull out a rubber
duck, hold it up, and then saysomething completely ridiculous,
like time for a quackitudeadjustment, or according to duck
(17:33):
law, we all get to try again,and then you can shake things up
to reset the day.
Emily (17:39):
That's amazing, hitting a reset button, but like, with
100% more silliness, and sothat's just bound to turn
everybody's mood around. Andsometimes we just need to
acknowledge that teaching isweird and wonderful, and a
rubber duck is the perfectmascot for that.
Heidi (17:54):
It's really such a small, pointless thing, but sometimes
the smallest gestures make thebiggest difference in how kids
feel about being in yourclassroom. And also, if you ever
find yourself in a situationwhere you need someone to help
you justify a purchase, pleasereach out, because we are your
girls.
Emily (18:10):
It's like the dad from my big frat Greek wedding, and
everybody can ask him about aword and say, How does this come
from Greek? Well, we are thatperson for weird ideas. Tell us
an idea, and we will connect itto how you can use it in the
classroom. I promise, we cancome up with it. Bring it to the
Teacher Approved Facebook group.We got you.
Heidi (18:30):
To wrap up the show, we're sharing what we're giving
extra credit to this week.Emily, what gets you extra
credit?
Emily (18:33):
I'm giving extra credit to the book Colton Gentry's
Third Act by Jeff Zenter, wait,Zentner, maybe that's how you
say it. Zentner?
Heidi (18:43):
That's a mouthful.
Emily (18:43):
Yeah, a lot of consonants. It's about a former
Well, that's a goodrecommendation. I have not even
country music star who loseseverything after speaking out
about gun violence, and he endsup back in his hometown, just
like trying to figure out whatto do next after he's basically
heard of this book.
been kicked out of countrymusic. And this book has
I think it just came out earlierthis year, so it's newish.
heartbreak and humor and secondchances, and just like a lot of
heart. I think you couldprobably consider this a rom com
(19:05):
read, but it's from the malemain character's perspective,
which is unique, and honestly,probably not something I would
usually go for, but I loved it.It felt really fresh and fun.
Heidi (19:11):
Okay, well
Emily (19:15):
What are you giving extra credit to, Heidi?
And I'm still thinking about it,which is very rare. I usually
finish a book, and a week laterI can't even remember what it
was about.
Heidi (19:24):
I am giving extra credit to myself. I've ever done that.
I solved the stupidest problem,and I know it's really dumb, but
I'm so tickled with myself aboutthis.
Emily (19:43):
Okay, tell me.
Heidi (19:44):
So I have been doing this thing the past few weeks where
an hour after I go to bed, Iwake up like dead out of my
sleep, like, did I remember totake my bedtime pills? And I
cannot remember. So then it'slike, did I, uh... Now you're
probably thinking like, oh,Heidi, they have pill cases
exactly for this, which I do useat bedtime, for the pills that I
(20:08):
take every night. But thensometimes I have to take, like,
my allergy pills I have to take,depending on what the allergy
situation is. So it's very muchlike, I can't, I can't just have
a set plan. I have tried tothink this through.
Emily (20:20):
You need a plan, but it needs to be flexible.
Heidi (20:23):
Yes. So what I decided was, like, I needed something
random. Remember, we love arandom thing here. I could have
got a rubber duck, that wouldhave been perfect. So I I count
out my little pills every nightinto a ceramic dish, like I
bought a little trinket dish forit, because I've been using a
pill lid. And I thought, let'selevate this moment. Anyway. So
I got this little ceramic dish,and for my birthday, I took,
(20:44):
this is the stupidest thing, butI, we're going on this journey.
For my birthday a couple monthsago, a lovely neighbor gifted me
a like, three inch quartzcrystal necklace.
Emily (20:55):
Oh, my.
Heidi (20:56):
And I'm sure there are women my age who could wear such
a thing, but I am not one ofthem. So I've been like, what do
I do with this giant pink quartzcrystal necklace? So what I did
is I took it off the, I took thecrystal off the chain, and I put
that so when I count my pills atnight, I put the crystal in the
dish, and then after I take mypills, I put the crystal away so
(21:18):
I can remember. But this hasworked out so well because it's
turned into this whole likesensory, weird moment of, like,
the crystals cold, so I havethat like input for my brain,
and it makes a sound when itgoes in the ceramic dish. I have
that other input, so I'm havingall the sensory input so I can
remember that I did, in fact,take these dumb pills. So all of
(21:39):
that is to say, if you havesomething that you are
struggling to remember, giveyourself a weird sensory cue
that goes with it so that youcan remember if you've done it
or not. And you know, I've sleptthrough the night, so I hope
everyone else can too.
Emily (21:52):
Okay, so wait, so do you put it in the dish, then take
your pills, then take it out ofthe dish?
Heidi (21:52):
Yes. So I put it in the dish when I take the pills, and
it makes a little clink when itgoes in. So it's like my so it's
like, my key to my brain.Sometimes you get on autopilot,
you know.
Emily (22:05):
Oh yeah, constantly.
Heidi (22:07):
So that little clink has been a good little help. And
then I take the pills and I putthe crystal away. So it's like,
if I, if the crystal was stillin the dish, I could leave the
crystal there.
Emily (22:17):
I think that's what I was wondering, of like, the how do
you...
Heidi (22:20):
But then I take the crystal away so that the next
day I have to put it back out soI remember, like, Yes, I did
count the pills out for thatnight.
Emily (22:29):
Okay. So what if, what if, then you were, like, an hour
later, like, I think I rememberthe clink in the dish. But was
that yesterday or today? Or doesthat just not happen? Because it
feels like it just happened.
Heidi (22:40):
It hasn't happened so far, because, I think, because
that crystal is just so sensory,like it's heavy, it's cold, it
makes this separate sound. It'sso big I can't
would make a statement as anecklace. So that has just
helped my brain shake up itsautopilot a little bit.
Emily (22:58):
Well, I think it's, our old lady is showing but it's
okay, because I have to takeiron, but only every other day.
And so I struggle sometimes tobe like, wait, what day did I,
did I take it yesterday or twodays ago? And it sometimes
helps, because I keep it on adifferent shelf, so I have to,
like, remember the feeling oflike, oh, yesterday did I get
that down? But maybe I can comeup with something to help with
(23:22):
this. But every other day justmakes it even more confusing.
Heidi (23:23):
Well, I'd be happy to buy you a crystal if you need one.
Emily (23:28):
I think I'd rather have a duck, real or rubber. I don't
know that a real duck would helpme.
Heidi (23:39):
No probably not.
Emily (23:44):
Well that is an interesting point at the end of
this episode, there's the periodon this.
Heidi (23:49):
We're just 200 episodes in, you know us too well by now.
Well, that is it for today'sweird episode. Remember to just
say no to social media pressuresas you're getting ready for the
school year, and you have ourpermission to buy all of the
silly rubber ducks you want,keep that in mind.
Emily (24:06):
Snd crystal necklaces, apparently.
Heidi (24:12):
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (24:16):
And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
or subscribe in your podcast appso that you never miss an
episode.
Heidi (24:22):
You can connect with us and other teachers in the
Teacher Approved Facebook group.We'll see you here next week.
Bye for now.
Emily (24:29):
Bye.
This is episode 203 of Teacher Approved.
You're listening to TeacherApproved, the podcast helping
educators elevate what mattersand simplify the rest. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (00:13):
And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
Window, where we give researchbased and teacher approved
strategies that make teachingless stressful and more
effective. You can check out theshow notes and resources from
each episode atsecondstorywindow.net.
Heidi (00:28):
We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to
the show.
Emily (00:35):
Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's
episode, we are discussing sixpressures that we are just
saying no to this summer, andsharing a teacher approved tip
for adding a little delight toyour school day.
Heidi (00:48):
But first, it's time for Try It Tomorrow, a favorite
quick win that you can try inyour life right away. Emily,
what is our suggestion for thisweek?
Emily (00:56):
Well, for this week, why not try listing your wins for
the day? At the end of the day,or before you're up and going
the next morning, make a list ofall the things you got done in
the day. If you're feeling thepressure that you're not doing
enough, seeing a list ofeverything you are doing can be
very freeing.
Heidi (01:13):
And don't feel like you have to limit yourself to just
the big stuff. Putting away thecereal that was left out or
remembering to send an email,these are all accomplishments
we're celebrating. You are doingbetter than you think you are.
Emily (01:24):
I used to do a wins journal, and it really helped
me. I should get back to that.
Heidi (01:28):
I know I was thinking, I need to do that too.
Emily (01:30):
I have some good wins for today. I'm gonna get on a
notebook. If you like this ideaor anything else we share here
on the podcast, would you take asecond and give us a five star
rating and review on Applepodcasts? Ratings and reviews
are one way that new listenersfind us, so every rating and
review is a huge help to us.
Heidi (01:49):
Over the years, Emily and I have created an extensive
library of back to schoolproducts. To help you find the
tools that will make the startof your new year easier, today
we are spotlighting our firstday and first week of school
planning guide.
Emily (02:02):
We're really focused on helping teachers prep
intentionally and nothaphazardly. So we put together
this guide to walk you step bystep through how to create
thoughtful, effective plans foryour first week of school.
Heidi (02:15):
A successful first day of school builds a powerful
momentum that will carry youthrough the following weeks and
months. This guide will help youcreate your own perfect plan for
the first day of school, andalso show you how to extend that
plan into the first week.
Emily (02:28):
Just think how awesome it will feel knowing that your
first week is already planned,prepared and ready to roll.
Heidi (02:35):
So check out the show notes for a link to our first
day of school lesson plan andplanning guide.
Emily (02:39):
Now I don't want to alarm anyone, but we are tiptoeing
into July now.
Heidi (02:46):
And that means, if it hasn't already started, the BTS
buzz is going to ramp up bigtime.
Emily (02:52):
Even as we speak, stores are stocking shelves full of
notebooks and glue sticks andthe cheap pencil boxes that will
fall apart by October, you knowthe ones I mean. But we're not
saying this to scare you. Wewant to prepare you.
Heidi (03:04):
Right. We want you to have a plan so when the ads pop
up on TV, or you turn the cornerat the store and find yourselves
in front of the back to schoolaisles, you are prepared to face
down the beast without panic.
Emily (03:16):
So in that moment when it's hard to breathe and it
feels like your stomach mightdrop out of your body, you need
to calm the part of your brainthat thinks you're in danger.
Your eyes see notebooks, butyour brain sees hungry tigers.
Those notebooks are a threat toyour safety, so your brain
launches your survival reflexes.
Heidi (03:35):
Now, obviously, logically, we know we are not in
danger, but our brains are wiredto perceive threats, and
thinking about school in Julycan feel very threatening. So
take back some control bybreathing deeply. This signals
to your brain that you are not,in fact, about to be devoured by
an ambush of tigers. And I thinkthat is an awesome collective
(03:57):
noun for the way that the backto school display might actually
make you feel.
Emily (04:02):
I just learned something new today. I think that is a
collective noun that I did notknow, an ambush of tigers. I
love it. But then you need tochoose a loving phrase you can
repeat to yourself. So maybesomething like this feels
threatening and urgent, but it'snot. Or, I am on track. I have
all the time I need to getready.
Heidi (04:20):
Because we know this moment is coming, we can make a
plan for how to respond when itinevitably happens, and we can
also prepare for how to react tothe other front of this back to
school battle—social mediapressure.
Emily (04:34):
Yes, if you follow any teacher accounts, lots of
classroom content is headed yourway soon. Not only might that
trigger your fight or flightresponse, but in order to
counter that panicky feeling,you might be tempted to do
whatever you see that otherteacher is sharing.
Heidi (04:49):
Now, whatever you're seeing online might be a totally
great idea, but when you jumpinto something because you feel
alarmed, you're not choosing itbecause it is great. You're
choosing it because any kind ofaction feels like an antidote to
panic.
Emily (05:03):
It makes sense why we do this. The obvious answer to
feeling out of control is to dosomething within your control,
right? But this is where we runinto problems. We see the
teachers on our screens who seemprepared, who seem calm and
ready to go. That is exactly howI want to feel. So surely if I
just do what they're doing, Iwill also be prepared and calm
and ready to go.
Heidi (05:23):
And that sense of panic is so strong, it's so urgent, we
don't always stop to think ifdoing those things will actually
be the things that make usprepared. Then we spend lots of
time and energy and money onprojects that are not moving the
needle.
Emily (05:38):
And guess what that does to your sense of panic once
school is closer. It's not good.And that's how some of us end up
in the doctor with rashes andulcers and dislocated jaws. But
not me, that one's you. Heidi.
Heidi (05:50):
Well, thankfully I did not do all of that in the same
year. I just, I like to spreadout my stress injuries.
Emily (05:56):
Well, our hope for all of you is zero doctor visits this
back to school season. I mean,that is really just a good goal
in general, but especially goodduring back to school season. So
we're going to avoid that byhandling our stress in more
meaningful ways. One way we cando that is by recognizing that
just because something looksamazing on social media doesn't
mean it is fit for ourclassrooms.
Heidi (06:18):
Okay. So we are going to channel all of the messaging we
were taught in the 90s, andwe're going to just say no to
these six social mediapressures.
Emily (06:25):
Let's start with the big one, the elaborate classroom
theme. You know, the ones,rainforest retreat, outer space
odyssey, 1950s diner or whateverthe latest trend Tiktok has
dreamed up.
Heidi (06:37):
Themes like these can be incredibly fun. There's a huge
wow factor at meet the teachernight, when everyone wants to
poke their head in and see allof the fun decor. But decking
out a classroom is alsoincredibly expensive, time
consuming, and often notsustainable.
Emily (06:53):
Yeah, a decked out room makes a big splash on day one,
but by October, your studentswon't even notice the palm
leaves or the Galaxy backdropanymore. What will matter is how
they feel in your classroom,safe, welcome and known. If a
theme helps you get there andyou love it, go for it. We would
never tell you not to.
Heidi (07:10):
But if it feels like something you have to do in
order to keep up, give yourselfpermission to say no, even if
the teacher across the hall hasliteral vines hanging from the
ceiling and your students oohand ah as they walk past. You do
not have to deck out your room.Your classroom is not a
performance space. It's a placefor real learning, real kids and
(07:30):
a real human teacher.
Emily (07:31):
And if you do feel guilty for keeping it simple, remind
yourself that science actuallybacks you up on this. Studies
have demonstrated that overlydecorated spaces detract from
student learning.
Heidi (07:42):
Yeah, those elaborate themes can actually keep
students from focusing onacademic content, and they
create an environment where thedecorations are competing with
learning objectives, so you canfeel confident in saying no to
this with zero guilt.
Emily (07:56):
So the second pressure that we are saying no to is the
pressure to laminate all thethings. And we get the appeal
because we love a laminator. Weeach own our own personal
laminators. But the key to beingthe queen of lamination is
knowing what is laminationworthy.
Heidi (08:12):
Yeah, lamination takes a lot of work, and it can be
expensive if you're the onefooting the bill. At my school,
we were literally charged by thefoot for that. So save your
laminating for what reallymatters.
Emily (08:24):
In order for laminating to be worthwhile, the pros of
doing it have to outweigh thecons. So Heidi, tell us what
some of the cons of laminatingare.
Heidi (08:32):
Well, first of all, laminating is permanent. If you
decide you need to changesomething, there's not an easy
fix once it's all encased inplastic. Second, it can make it
hard for students to read. Ifyou decide to laminate a chart,
for example, you will also haveto spray it with that clear,
matte spray paint so that thekids can read it. Third, it
takes a lot of time to feedeverything through the machine
(08:53):
and then cut it all out. Andfourth, once paper is laminated,
it is probably not recyclable.
Emily (08:58):
And don't forget that some teachers are cut, laminate,
cut kind of teachers, so thatis, like, twice the amount. So
that is a big time commitment.Now, if it's something that your
kids will be handling all thetime, then you probably do want
to laminate. But otherwise, saveyour time, save your money, save
your sanity, and just say no toover laminating.
(09:19):
Okay, what is the third pressurewe're saying no to, Heidi?
Heidi (09:22):
This is the pressure to jump on the current trend. Every
year, a new must have or must doexplodes across teacher
Instagram or Tiktok. I haven'tquite spotted the one for this
year yet, but I'm sure it willshow up soon. Do you remember
not too long ago the summer ofbrag tags, Emily?
Emily (09:37):
Oh yes.
Heidi (09:39):
Or sticker stores or elaborate reward menus, or
investing in every conceivableform of flexible seating. It is
easy to think, if I don't dothis, my classroom won't be good
enough, but the truth is that alot of these trends are band
aids.
Emily (09:54):
Yeah, these fun ideas look like solutions, but they
don't always solve any problems.Sometimes they just create more
problems. So if you're alreadyoverwhelmed, ask yourself, will
this new idea actually meet aneed in my classroom, or does it
just give me something tocontrol while I feel panicky?
Just remember, new is not alwaysbetter. Sustainable, simple and
meaningful will always win inthe long run.
Heidi (10:17):
Well, moving on, let's talk money. Social media loves a
color coordinatedclassroom—matching bins,
personalized water bottles,rainbow carts, charming lamps,
boho chic supply caddies, andadorable first day of school
gift bags for every student. Butnone of this is required. You do
not need to spend hundreds ofdollars for your classroom to be
(10:38):
warm and welcoming.
Emily (10:39):
And of course, those perfectly coordinated shelves do
look so cute in an Instagramreel. I definitely understand
the appeal. But you know what'seven more valuable? A calm,
healthy teacher who still hasenough money in the bank account
to pay for groceries. Connectiondoesn't come from fancy fonts
and Pinterest worthy baskets. Itcomes from you, the teacher,
(10:59):
your presence, your attentionand your care.
Heidi (11:03):
There's another kind of pressure that creeps in when you
see other classrooms onlinelooking finished and polished
before August even begins. It'sthe sort of thing that social
media is famous for, and this isthe pressure to make everything
picture perfect before the firstday.
Emily (11:18):
You have seen these classrooms online, I'm sure.
Every bulletin board is styled,every space is labeled, every
inch of the walls are covered.But here's your permission slip.
It is okay to leave your wallsblank. In fact, it can be
better. When your students walkin on the first day, they'll see
a space with room to grow.They'll see that their work will
matter, because it's going tofill the walls.
Heidi (11:41):
If you're worried that leaving empty space will make
your room look unready, just adda little touch. All you have to
do is print a sign that says,brilliant work coming soon. Or
watch this space for amazingideas. This lets your students
know that this is our classroom,not just yours, and you're so
confident that they have greatthings ahead that you are
intentionally leaving room forthat greatness.
Emily (12:03):
And that brings us to the last pressure that we are saying
no to this one is the sneakiest,because it doesn't show up as a
to do list. It shows up as afeeling. And this is the
pressure to compare yourself.
Heidi (12:16):
Oh, we all know that feeling so well. You see another
teacher's classroom or lessonplan or first week schedule, and
you think, I'm already behind,but you are not. What you're
seeing is a moment, not the fullstory.
Emily (12:29):
Right. Social media doesn't show the extra help that
teachers might have or the extratime they might have because
they're in a different season oflife. You don't see their doubts
or their debt or their burnout,you just see the highlight reel.
So instead of comparing, connectand remind yourself that your
journey is valid, your timelineis okay. You are not behind. You
(12:49):
are building something real.
Heidi (12:50):
So let's sum it up this way. You don't have to perform
your teaching for anyone else.Your classroom doesn't need to
look like an Instagram post tobe effective. You don't need to
do it all. You just need to dowhat matters for your kids and
for yourself.
Emily (13:05):
So let's recap the six pressures that we are absolutely
saying no to this summer.Elaborate classroom themes that
you do not enjoy doing,laminating everything, whatever
the latest trend is that willtake a lot of work and not solve
any real problems, spending lotson classroom setup, making your
classroom picture perfect, andcomparing yourself.
Heidi (13:27):
The most prepared teachers focus on the invisible
work—understanding theirstudents, planning meaningful
instruction and creating simplesystems that support learning.
Social media makes thedecorative work visible, but
it's the foundational work thatactually serves students.
Emily (13:43):
Your back to school prep should make the transition
easier, not heavier. If a taskfeels like it's for social
media, it probably is notessential. If it feels like it's
for your students or your ownsanity, that is your compass.
Put your energy there and letthe rest fade away. Now we would
love to hear what you are sayingno to this summer. Come join the
(14:03):
conversation in our TeacherApproved Facebook group.
Now for our Teacher Approved Tipof the Week, where we share an
actionable tip to help youelevate what matters and
simplify the rest. This week'steacher approved tip is bring
back the lucky duck for somesurprise and delight. So tell us
about this one, Heidi.
And we brought it up again in Episode 158 when we
Heidi (14:21):
I love this idea so much. We first talked about this back
in episode 114 and it's one ofthose tips that's so simple but
so effective. So this idea comesfrom crafttaycorner on
Instagram. The idea is that eachday, you put a rubber duck on
one student's desk, and thatstudent becomes the lucky duck
were talking about surprise anddelight for team building. The
for the day.
(14:46):
lucky duck gets specialprivileges and responsibilities
for that day. Maybe they're theline leader. They get to choose
centers first, or they get extratechnology time.
What I love about this is that it's not something that
your kids are earning or workingtoward, it's just pure surprise
and delight. You're justchoosing someone to make their
day a little more special. Andthat kind of unexpected joy does
(15:08):
wonders for classroom morale.
Emily (15:10):
And you can totally adapt this to fit your classroom.
Instead of set jobs, maybe thelucky duck gets to sit in a
special chair or spin a prizewheel. If this is the excuse you
needed to buy a prize wheel, youcould do it for this. Or choose
the transition song. Really,anything that makes the child
feel special for the day isgoing to be such a morale boost.
And crafttaycorner does thisall year long. We think it might
(15:33):
be even more impactful if youuse it for just a few weeks here
and there. Makes it so specialand unexpected.
Heidi (15:40):
Yeah, just makes sure everyone gets a turn before you
retire it, or you're gonna havesome very disappointed kids.
Now, the reason we are bringingthis up in the middle of summer,
and okay, we're not saying thisis vital, but if you have been
to Michael's Crafts lately, youmay have seen their wall of
rubber ducks. There are ittybitty, tiny ducks and giant
ducks and lots of regular sizedducks in cute and clever
(16:02):
costumes. Now there's absolutelyno pressure. Remember, we are
saying no to things that don'tserve us, but if you wanted an
excuse to buy those adorableducks, you know this might be
your answer.
Emily (16:15):
Yes, if this would serve you in your classroom, if not,
ignore us completely. But if itwould, do this, okay. If we
haven't sold you yet on thelucky duck surprise and delight,
we've got some more duck basedsuggestions that you could use
your ducks for.
Heidi (16:30):
I don't know if anyone's ever said duck based suggestions
before.
Emily (16:35):
Well, I did just have baby ducks in my yard, so this
is like perfect time for all theduck discussion. So if a student
gives a clever response, youcould let them put a duck on
their desk as the, and I'm goingto try and say this without
laughing, Waddle Great IdeaAward.
Heidi (16:52):
Only thing better than a rubber duck is a duck pun.
Emily (16:56):
So now their job would be to listen to other students
responses during the lesson, andpass the duck on to them. Just
make sure the duck is supportinggood discussion and not
distracting from it. You'd haveto be careful with this one.
Heidi (17:09):
Another slightly unhinged idea is to save a duck for when
the day is just falling apart.You know, when three kids are
melting down and someone spilledtheir entire water bottle and
you are questioning all of yourlife choices. Pull out a rubber
duck, hold it up, and then saysomething completely ridiculous,
like time for a quackitudeadjustment, or according to duck
(17:33):
law, we all get to try again,and then you can shake things up
to reset the day.
Emily (17:39):
That's amazing, hitting a reset button, but like, with
100% more silliness, and sothat's just bound to turn
everybody's mood around. Andsometimes we just need to
acknowledge that teaching isweird and wonderful, and a
rubber duck is the perfectmascot for that.
Heidi (17:54):
It's really such a small, pointless thing, but sometimes
the smallest gestures make thebiggest difference in how kids
feel about being in yourclassroom. And also, if you ever
find yourself in a situationwhere you need someone to help
you justify a purchase, pleasereach out, because we are your
girls.
Emily (18:10):
It's like the dad from my big frat Greek wedding, and
everybody can ask him about aword and say, How does this come
from Greek? Well, we are thatperson for weird ideas. Tell us
an idea, and we will connect itto how you can use it in the
classroom. I promise, we cancome up with it. Bring it to the
Teacher Approved Facebook group.We got you.
Heidi (18:30):
To wrap up the show, we're sharing what we're giving
extra credit to this week.Emily, what gets you extra
credit?
Emily (18:33):
I'm giving extra credit to the book Colton Gentry's
Third Act by Jeff Zenter, wait,Zentner, maybe that's how you
say it. Zentner?
Heidi (18:43):
That's a mouthful.
Emily (18:43):
Yeah, a lot of consonants. It's about a former
Well, that's a goodrecommendation. I have not even
country music star who loseseverything after speaking out
about gun violence, and he endsup back in his hometown, just
like trying to figure out whatto do next after he's basically
heard of this book.
been kicked out of countrymusic. And this book has
I think it just came out earlierthis year, so it's newish.
heartbreak and humor and secondchances, and just like a lot of
heart. I think you couldprobably consider this a rom com
(19:05):
read, but it's from the malemain character's perspective,
which is unique, and honestly,probably not something I would
usually go for, but I loved it.It felt really fresh and fun.
Heidi (19:11):
Okay, well
Emily (19:15):
What are you giving extra credit to, Heidi?
And I'm still thinking about it,which is very rare. I usually
finish a book, and a week laterI can't even remember what it
was about.
Heidi (19:24):
I am giving extra credit to myself. I've ever done that.
I solved the stupidest problem,and I know it's really dumb, but
I'm so tickled with myself aboutthis.
Emily (19:43):
Okay, tell me.
Heidi (19:44):
So I have been doing this thing the past few weeks where
an hour after I go to bed, Iwake up like dead out of my
sleep, like, did I remember totake my bedtime pills? And I
cannot remember. So then it'slike, did I, uh... Now you're
probably thinking like, oh,Heidi, they have pill cases
exactly for this, which I do useat bedtime, for the pills that I
(20:08):
take every night. But thensometimes I have to take, like,
my allergy pills I have to take,depending on what the allergy
situation is. So it's very muchlike, I can't, I can't just have
a set plan. I have tried tothink this through.
Emily (20:20):
You need a plan, but it needs to be flexible.
Heidi (20:23):
Yes. So what I decided was, like, I needed something
random. Remember, we love arandom thing here. I could have
got a rubber duck, that wouldhave been perfect. So I I count
out my little pills every nightinto a ceramic dish, like I
bought a little trinket dish forit, because I've been using a
pill lid. And I thought, let'selevate this moment. Anyway. So
I got this little ceramic dish,and for my birthday, I took,
(20:44):
this is the stupidest thing, butI, we're going on this journey.
For my birthday a couple monthsago, a lovely neighbor gifted me
a like, three inch quartzcrystal necklace.
Emily (20:55):
Oh, my.
Heidi (20:56):
And I'm sure there are women my age who could wear such
a thing, but I am not one ofthem. So I've been like, what do
I do with this giant pink quartzcrystal necklace? So what I did
is I took it off the, I took thecrystal off the chain, and I put
that so when I count my pills atnight, I put the crystal in the
dish, and then after I take mypills, I put the crystal away so
(21:18):
I can remember. But this hasworked out so well because it's
turned into this whole likesensory, weird moment of, like,
the crystals cold, so I havethat like input for my brain,
and it makes a sound when itgoes in the ceramic dish. I have
that other input, so I'm havingall the sensory input so I can
remember that I did, in fact,take these dumb pills. So all of
(21:39):
that is to say, if you havesomething that you are
struggling to remember, giveyourself a weird sensory cue
that goes with it so that youcan remember if you've done it
or not. And you know, I've sleptthrough the night, so I hope
everyone else can too.
Emily (21:52):
Okay, so wait, so do you put it in the dish, then take
your pills, then take it out ofthe dish?
Heidi (21:52):
Yes. So I put it in the dish when I take the pills, and
it makes a little clink when itgoes in. So it's like my so it's
like, my key to my brain.Sometimes you get on autopilot,
you know.
Emily (22:05):
Oh yeah, constantly.
Heidi (22:07):
So that little clink has been a good little help. And
then I take the pills and I putthe crystal away. So it's like,
if I, if the crystal was stillin the dish, I could leave the
crystal there.
Emily (22:17):
I think that's what I was wondering, of like, the how do
you...
Heidi (22:20):
But then I take the crystal away so that the next
day I have to put it back out soI remember, like, Yes, I did
count the pills out for thatnight.
Emily (22:29):
Okay. So what if, what if, then you were, like, an hour
later, like, I think I rememberthe clink in the dish. But was
that yesterday or today? Or doesthat just not happen? Because it
feels like it just happened.
Heidi (22:40):
It hasn't happened so far, because, I think, because
that crystal is just so sensory,like it's heavy, it's cold, it
makes this separate sound. It'sso big I can't
would make a statement as anecklace. So that has just
helped my brain shake up itsautopilot a little bit.
Emily (22:58):
Well, I think it's, our old lady is showing but it's
okay, because I have to takeiron, but only every other day.
And so I struggle sometimes tobe like, wait, what day did I,
did I take it yesterday or twodays ago? And it sometimes
helps, because I keep it on adifferent shelf, so I have to,
like, remember the feeling oflike, oh, yesterday did I get
that down? But maybe I can comeup with something to help with
(23:22):
this. But every other day justmakes it even more confusing.
Heidi (23:23):
Well, I'd be happy to buy you a crystal if you need one.
Emily (23:28):
I think I'd rather have a duck, real or rubber. I don't
know that a real duck would helpme.
Heidi (23:39):
No probably not.
Emily (23:44):
Well that is an interesting point at the end of
this episode, there's the periodon this.
Heidi (23:49):
We're just 200 episodes in, you know us too well by now.
Well, that is it for today'sweird episode. Remember to just
say no to social media pressuresas you're getting ready for the
school year, and you have ourpermission to buy all of the
silly rubber ducks you want,keep that in mind.
Emily (24:06):
Snd crystal necklaces, apparently.
Heidi (24:12):
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (24:16):
And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
or subscribe in your podcast appso that you never miss an
episode.
Heidi (24:22):
You can connect with us and other teachers in the
Teacher Approved Facebook group.We'll see you here next week.
Bye for now.
Emily (24:29):
Bye.
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Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.