Enjoy Teaching Again | Elementary, Teacher Burnout, Student Behavior, SEL, Classroom Management

Episódios

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  162 | Teacher Art Retreats Are Back! 11.08.2026 22min

  What if your professional development actually left you feeling inspired, energized, and excited to get back to your classroom? After years of teaching through screens, Zoom meetings, packed schedules, and increasing demands, I’m bringing my Teacher Art Retreats back—and I couldn’t be more excited. In this episode, I’m sharing what the Overnight Teacher Art Retreat actually is, why I decided the time was right to bring it back, and what makes this kind of teacher-centered professional development so different. I’ll take you behind the scenes of the retreat experience, share why teachers have returned to these retreats again and again, and help you decide whether this is the kind of experience you’ve been craving. This isn’t just about learning another strategy for your students. It’s about making time for you to create, connect, recharge, and remember why you love being an educator. The January 2027 Overnight Teacher Art Retreat 📅 January 22–23, 2027 (Friday evening through Saturday) 📍 Essex Woods, Essex, Massachusetts 🎨 Hands-on, arts-based professional development 🏡 Overnight retreat experience 🍽️ Meals and materials included 📚 12 hours of PD credit 🎓 Optional graduate credit available There are only 25 spots, so if something in you just lit up hearing the words teacher retreat, go check it out. Save your spot here: theinspiredclassroom.com/retreat I would absolutely love to see you there. ❤️ ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode:   Join me at the Overnight Teacher Art Retreat! Learn more here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/retreat   ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Grab the RESET Roadmap that takes you through all 5 steps of the framework that leads to improved student behavior and more teacher joy!! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/roadmap   Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast     Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  161 | Classroom Set-Up for Calm and Student Belonging 07.08.2026 13min

  We've all done it — scrolled through classroom set up pictures online and felt that mix of inspired and overwhelmed. Well, whether your classroom looks like it could be in a magazine or not, there are some things that can be added to make sure your environment fosters calm and belonging.   So, in this episode, I'm sharing a few specific things I actually put in my own room every year to do just that!   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: 63 | Is Your Calm-Down Corner Even Working? The Mistakes Teachers Make—and How to Fix Them The Break Box — Calm Down Strategies for Classroom Management: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Calm-Down-Strategies-for-Classroom-Management-The-Break-Box-10348201   Grab the RESET Roadmap that takes you through all 5 steps of the framework that leads to improved student behavior and more teacher joy!! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/roadmap   Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   ✨ https://theinspiredclassroom.com/the-classroom-reset-sp1 – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 https://theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/ Follow & DM me onhttps://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe onhttps://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroomhttps://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom
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  160 | Why Classroom Rules Fail (Even When Students Know Them) 04.08.2026 20min

  It's the first week of school, and if you're like most teachers, your rules are already created, even if it's just in your mind. You're ready to establish clear expectations, get your students on board and be ready to implement consequences when needed.   But before you do that, listen in. Today, I'm sharing why rules alone might not be enough to get you through the year — and what actually needs to happen underneath it.   I'll share the exact process I use to build a classroom contract with my students and a bonus question I love asking students that can make this even more effective.   This is the type of work that shifts behavior from "don't do this" to "I am a learner."   Plus I'll leave you with a simple action plan — RULE — to help you carry this into your own classroom this week. Let's build something that lasts past October!   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Article: How to Create a Classroom Contract With Your Students (and not for them)   Grab the RESET Roadmap that takes you through all 5 steps of the framework that leads to improved student behavior and more teacher joy!! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/roadmap   Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  159 | Stop Saving Creativity for Friday — It Could Be the Most Powerful Classroom Management Tool You Have 31.07.2026 17min

  Many teachers have gotten stuck thinking creativity is something you add when there’s time. Let's flip that — because creativity can actually reduce behavioral escalation, increase student engagement, and help YOU reconnect with your joy. It's not a bonus... it's a foundation.   I’ll walk you through what happens in a student’s nervous system when you bring movement, storytelling, or visual response into your classroom — and why it addresses all three legs of Your Classroom’s Tripod at once. I’ll also talk about what creativity does for teachers, not just students — because reconnecting with the joy of creative teaching is one of the most underrated antidotes to the Daily Teacher Drain.   And by the end, you’ll have the END Framework — a simple three-step structure that takes 60 seconds and can go at the close of any lesson, any day, any subject.   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Grab the RESET Roadmap that takes you through all 5 steps of the framework that leads to improved student behavior and more teacher joy!! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/roadmap     Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  158 | Student Behavior Is the #1 Crisis in Teaching Right Now. Here's What Teachers Can Do 28.07.2026 20min

  If you've ever wondered whether student behavior is harder now than it used to be — the data has an answer. In this episode I'm sharing two more findings from 2025 and 2026 that confirm what teachers across the country have been feeling. And these aren't fringe numbers. This is the profession speaking.   I'll walk you through what the data is actually pointing at — and why the answer isn't just more behavior management strategies. It's a foundation shift. Connection, Regulation, and Engagement — the three legs of Your Classroom's Tripod — are what behavior has been pointing at this whole time.   By the end you'll have a simple three-step plan to claim the data, name your leg, and decide what to do about it.   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Devon's Story: 145 | Stop Redirecting Your Students - It Just Doesn't Work Anymore   ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Sources: RAND Corporation (2026). State of the American Teacher Survey. NEA (2025). "The Survey Says: We're at a Crisis Point." Love & Logic summary: loveandlogic.com/blogs/our-blog/teacher-burnout-classroom-management EAB District Leadership Forum (2019), as cited by Gormley et al., University of Nebraska-Lincoln.   Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  157 | 2 Things Standing Between You and a Classroom That Runs Smoothly (And It's Not What You Think) 24.07.2026 22min

  In this episode I’m naming the two things that actually stand between teachers and a classroom that runs smoothly — and neither of them is more information. Because information was never the problem. You know how to teach.  You have the strategies, the activities and the know how.  So... what's missing?? There's a reason why strategies stop working by October.  And a reason why your frustration grows instead of subsides.  Let's have to real talk today, shall we? By the end you’ll have a simple three-step way to name your own gap and decide what to do about it before Sunday. ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again.  Our "Challenge Sale" is going on now through SUNDAY!  Be sure to get in while we have over $600 in bonuses and savings happening!  https://theinspiredclassroom.com/yes    Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  156 | You're Losing 14.5 Days a School Year to Student Behavior. The Research Is Telling Us Something. 21.07.2026 18min

  What if the research confirmed that you’re losing the equivalent of 14.5 school days every year — not to planning or grading, but to managing disruptive student behavior? In this episode, I’m walking through what the data actually says — including a University of Nebraska-Lincoln study that sent trained observers into real classrooms to measure the time and financial cost of behavior management. The findings are striking and worth talking about. I’ll also share what the research says happens when effective classroom management strategies are in place — and it’s not just about reducing behavior. It’s about improving student engagement, academic performance, social-emotional skills, and yes, getting more of your teaching time back. ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode:   The Classroom Tripod is discussed here: 148 | What a Calm Classroom Actually Looks Like (It's Not What You've Been Sold)   Behavior management time statistic based on research reported by Gormley, M. J., Overfield, R. A., Spradlin, C., Scanlan, L., & Sheridan, S. M., University of Nebraska-Lincoln, citing EAB District Leadership Forum (2019), Breaking Bad Behavior: The Rise of Classroom Disruptions in Early Grades and How Districts Are Responding. Additional source: Jonson, A. & Witte, A. L. (2025). Reducing Classroom Disruptive Behaviors to Improve Academic Performance: An NeMTSS Research Brief. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349570451_The_Time_and_Cost_of_Classroom_Behavior_Management https://nemtss.unl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/25-Reducing-Student-Disruptive-Behaviors.pdf   Are you ready to jump into The Classroom RESET course? It's the natural next step to improving student behavior and getting those 14.5 days back! Let's do this! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/yes     Have a question? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast The Classroom Reset course: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset Inspired Classroom Insider: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider Free community: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/community   Connect with Elizabeth: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom
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  155 | Does Student Behavior Steal Your Teacher Joy? A Classroom RESET Challenge Preview 17.07.2026 12min

  The Classroom RESET Challenge starts July 21st, and in this episode I'm walking you through exactly what three days together is going to look like so that you can improve student behavior to eliminate teacher burnout! Come for three days. Leave with more than you came with. And if you want to go further — The Classroom Reset course will be there when you're ready. Save your spot — it's free, PD hours are available, and the replay comes to you if you can't make it live: theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge I cannot wait.   Mentioned in This Episode: The Classroom RESET Challenge (free, July 21-23, 2026): https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge   Join me for a free, live 3-day challenge built for teachers who already know how to teach and are ready to walk into this school year with an actual plan for student behavior — not just hope. 📅 Tuesday–Thursday, July 21–23, 2026 🕠 5:30pm PST / 6:30pm MST / 7:30pm CST / 8:30pm EST ⏱️ One-hour workshop each day 🎓 PD hours available 📼 Can't make it live? No problem — replays go out after each session. workshops ~ community ~ prizes ~ FUN!   ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset     Connect with Elizabeth: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom
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  154 | No Time for One More Thing? The 5-Minute Classroom Management Fix Every Teacher Already Has Time For 14.07.2026 16min

  If "I don't have time for one more thing" is the thought that keeps you from trying anything new in your classroom, I want you to hear this one before school starts.   In this episode, I'm sharing some of my favorite classroom management tips — not because they're clever or complicated, but because every single one of them fits inside time you already have. We talk about three small, specific moves that address Connection, Regulation, and Engagement without adding a single extra minute to your day.   I'll also share what shifted for me when I stopped looking for what I could add and started looking at what I could redirect — and why the first five minutes of class might be the most important classroom management tip nobody talks about.   By the end, you'll have a simple three-step plan to find the moments in your day that are already there — and give them one clear job.   And if you want to dig deeper into more strategies like these, join me at The Classroom RESET Challenge — three days, one hour a day, completely free, July 21st–23rd. On Day 2 I do a live micro-engagement demo that shows you exactly what this can look like in your classroom. PD hours available.   Save your spot: theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   Join The Classroom RESET Challenge (free, July 21-23): theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge   Ready to take it all the way? The Classroom Reset course is where we take everything in this episode and build it into a full, supported RESET plan for your classroom. You know how to teach - now let's make sure your classroom and your students are ready! Learn more and enroll at https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   Free community: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/community   Connect with Elizabeth: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom
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  153 | Tired of Student Behavior Strategies That Stop Working? Here's Why It Keeps Happening (And What to Do) 10.07.2026 17min

  If you've ever tried a new classroom behavior management strategy, watched it work for a week or two, and then felt it completely fall apart — this episode is for you. I'm breaking down why strategies stop working, and why it almost never has anything to do with the quality of the strategy itself. The real issue is usually where you're aiming. When you're managing the symptom (the behavior) instead of the source, things will unravel every time — no matter how good the strategy is. I want to walk you through why behavior is always pointing at something underneath, how Your Classroom's Tripod helps you figure out exactly what that is, and what changes when your energy is finally going to the right place. By the end, you'll have a simple three-step plan to carry into fall (or next week) so you stop managing the same thing over and over — and start actually changing it.   And if you want to do this live with me, I'd love for you to join The Classroom RESET Challenge — three days, one hour a day, completely free, July 21st–23rd. We'll work through improving student behavior without clip charts or consequences, preventing burnout, and creating a classroom you actually love. PD hours included.   Save your spot: theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge Can't wait to see you there! ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   Join The Classroom RESET Challenge (free, July 21-23): theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge   Ready to take it all the way? The Classroom Reset course is where we take everything in this episode and build it into a full, supported RESET plan for your classroom. You know how to teach - now let's make sure your classroom and your students are ready! Learn more and enroll at https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset     Become an Inspired Classroom Insider: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   Free community: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/community   Connect with Elizabeth: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom
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  152 | The Truth About Lack of Student Effort in Your Classroom 07.07.2026 15min

  If you've ever thought "they just aren't trying" about a student in your class, I want you to hear this one before you step foot back into school. In this episode, I'm challenging a belief I've held myself — and one I hear from teachers constantly — that a checked-out, unmotivated-looking student is simply choosing not to try. What I've come to realize, in my own classroom and in working with teachers everywhere, is that what looks like a lack of effort is often a lack of access. I'll walk you through why that shift matters, how it connects to Engagement and what to actually do differently with the student you're picturing right now. By the end, you'll be equipped with a simple three-step process to catch yourself before making any assumptions...and how to be the teacher that kids has been needing for so long! ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Join me this July 21-23, 2026 for the Classroom RESET Challenge. Learn how to improve student behaviors to eliminate teacher burnout! Go to https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge to reserve your FREE spot!     Other Resources: Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  151 | Exhausted, Burned Out...or Is It Something More? What Every Teacher Needs to Know (with Lori Owens) 03.07.2026 47min

  Have you ever wondered if you're just exhausted...or if it's something more? In this episode, I'm joined by PTSD expert and resilience trainer Lori Owens as we talk about a question I think so many teachers are asking themselves: How do I know if I'm simply exhaused, burned out—or if my nervous system is trying to tell me something more? You'll hear practical, teacher-friendly strategies to help you recognize the signs of burnout, regulate stress during the school day, and create healthier boundaries so you can care for your students without sacrificing yourself. If you've been feeling emotionally drained, dreading Monday mornings, or wondering why a weekend never seems to be enough, this conversation is for you.   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Lori's free Boundary-Setting Worksheet: https://practicalsolutionsforptsd.com/podcast   Coaching discount: Use code GUEST10 for 10% off your first coaching session with Lori.   Join me this July 21-23, 2026 for the Classroom RESET Challenge. Learn how to improve student behaviors to eliminate teacher burnout! Go to https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge to reserve your FREE spot!     Other Resources: Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  150 | You Don't Need a Calmer School Year. You Need a Different Plan. 30.06.2026 16min

  Summer is the perfect time to think about next school year—but if you're simply hoping next year will somehow be calmer, you're going to need to listen to this. In this episode, I'm sharing why hope alone has never fixed classroom management and the three common mistakes many of us make at the end of a difficult school year. I'll walk you through how to stop relying on luck, start learning from last year's challenges, and create a classroom management plan that actually supports the classroom you want. If you've ever caught yourself saying, "Maybe next year's class will be better," this episode will help you replace wishful thinking with a simple, intentional plan that can truly change your year.   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Join me this July 21-23, 2026 for the Classroom RESET Challenge. Learn how to improve student behaviors to eliminate teacher burnout! Go to https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge to reserve your FREE spot!     Other Resources: Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  149 | 3 Summer Resets Every Teacher Needs (And the One You Might Actually Skip) 26.06.2026 20min

  If your summers sometimes end up feeling like one big runway into next school year, this one's for you. I'm sharing three resets I actually believe in for teacher summer vacation — and the one thing almost every teacher skips without even realizing it.   We'll talk about why your body needs to catch up before your to-do list does, why a real plan beats a wish every single time, and why your phone might be the biggest thing standing between you and an actual break. I'll also walk you through the one belief most of us never question and why that's exactly backwards.   Plus, by the end, you'll have three small, doable steps to make sure this summer actually feels different. You've earned a real rest. Let's make sure you actually get one.   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Join me this July for the Classroom Reset Challenge to improve student behavior and eliminate teacher burnout!  It's FREE! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge    Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  148 | What a Calm Classroom Actually Looks Like (It's Not What You've Been Sold) 23.06.2026 17min

  What do you picture as a "calm classroom?" Silent rows of kids working quietly? Only the sound of pencils writing or fingers typing? That might happen every once in a while, but is that really the ultimate goal? Today I'm breaking down the real difference between a calm classroom and a quiet one, and why so many of us have been chasing the wrong picture for years. We'll talk about why calm starts with your own regulation before it ever touches student behavior, and why your best teaching memories probably weren't the silent ones. By the end, you'll learn what Your Classroom Tripod is and have a simple three-step plan to carry into fall — without overhauling everything you already do.   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: The Cocktail Party Philosophy (blogpost): https://theinspiredclassroom.com/2011/02/conversations-in-the-classroom-the-cocktail-party-philosophy/    Ready to learn about the RESET Framework?  Get your free PDF: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/roadmap    Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  147 | Our Students Have Changed: Attention Spans, Dopamine Hits, and What We Can Do 19.06.2026 21min

  You know it's true... maybe you've even said it out loud: Our students have changed! Honestly, our students' brains have genuinely changed. Not because something is wrong with them — but because the world they live in has calibrated them for constant stimulation, instant rewards, and short-form everything. In this episode I talk about: Why student attention spans in the classroom have genuinely shortened — and what's driving it The dopamine connection: what's happening in our students' brains and why school feels so hard to stay in Why the answer is NOT to gamify your curriculum or compete with TikTok (and what to do instead) This one is for every teacher who has a student who checks out before they even start — and who is ready to understand what's actually going on underneath that.   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode:   Be sure to listen to the interview with Natayle Brown — #146 What Every ELA Teacher Needs to Know About Struggling Readers and Student Shutdown   Get your ticket to The Unstuck Literacy Conference (free! June 23–25): theinspiredclassroom.com/unstuck   Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   ✨ The Classroom Reset – If this conversation resonates with you, you'll love The Classroom Reset. Inside, you'll learn how to build the foundation that helps students feel safe enough to participate, take risks, self-regulate, and engage in learning. Because before students can succeed with our strategies, they need the conditions that make learning possible. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  146 | What Every ELA Teacher Needs to Know About Struggling Readers and Student Shutdown (with Natayle Brown) 16.06.2026 34min

  Have you ever had a student who seemed determined to avoid reading, writing, or participating at all costs? In this episode, I sit down with literacy expert and conference host Natayle Brown to discuss what's really happening when students shut down in ELA classrooms. We explore the difference between true defiance and overwhelm, why struggling readers often disengage before they even begin, and how teachers can challenge students without pushing them into shutdown. Natalie shares practical insights about attention spans, dopamine, skill deficits, student engagement, and the Zone of Proximal Development—all through the lens of helping struggling readers access grade-level learning. This is the perfect prequel to my session inside the Unstuck Literacy Conference Natayle is hosting. Be sure to register for this free conference which runs from Jun 23-25, 2026 by going to theinspiredclassroom.com/unstuck   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: The Unstuck Literacy Conference: theinspiredclassroom.com/unstuck   Natayle's Website: https://heynatayle.com/   Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   ✨ The Classroom Reset – If this conversation resonates with you, you'll love The Classroom Reset. Inside, you'll learn how to build the foundation that helps students feel safe enough to participate, take risks, self-regulate, and engage in learning. Because before students can succeed with our strategies, they need the conditions that make learning possible. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  145 | Stop Redirecting Your Students - It Just Doesn't Work Anymore 12.06.2026 15min

  What if the behavior you're constantly redirecting isn't actually the problem? In this episode, I'm sharing the story of one of my students—a student who taught me one of the most important classroom management lessons of my career. For weeks, I responded the way many of us were taught: redirect the behavior, apply the consequence, move on. But when I finally paused and asked a different question, everything changed.   You'll discover why some student behaviors are really signals of something deeper, how one simple conversation can shift the entire dynamic of a classroom, and the three questions I now ask before jumping into a correction.   If you're exhausted from repeating yourself all day, frustrated that traditional classroom management strategies aren't working like they used to, or wondering how to create a calmer, more connected classroom without becoming a therapist, this episode is for you.   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Ready to take the next step? Grab my free RESET Roadmap and explore the full framework I reference in this episode. ➡️ theinspiredclassroom.com/roadmap   Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  144 | You Know How to Teach — But Classroom Management Sure Has Changed! 09.06.2026 21min

  You have years of experience. You have the degree. You've put in the extra time to reach the kids who need it most. You know how to teach. So why does classroom management feel so much harder than it used to? I want to get honest about something — what every seasoned teacher deserves to hear: the reason your classroom management tools aren't working the way they used to has nothing to do with your skill as a teacher. Your students have genuinely changed. And nobody told you, retrained you, or handed you anything new to work with. Let's look at three specific things we are seeing in today's students that are different from even five years ago and return to the core of what has always worked in education — with a framework built for the classroom you're actually in right now. ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Video: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs for Teachers Free RESET Roadmap — Walk through the full RESET Framework in one place, with podcast episodes built right in: theinspiredclassroom.com/roadmap   Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast   ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom
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  143 | Why Teacher Exhaustion Keeps Coming Back: 3 Signs You're Missing What Actually Fixes It 05.06.2026 16min

  You rest over the summer. You genuinely step away. And then September arrives — and within two weeks, you are right back in it...like you never left. If the exhaustion keeps coming back no matter what you do, this episode is for you. I'll walk you through 3 signs that what you're experiencing isn't just teacher burnout — it's what happens when you've been working without the right framework underneath you. Not a personal failure. A structural problem.  Luckily, structural problems have real solutions. ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Grab the whole RESET Framework in this free PDF: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/roadmap   ✨ The Classroom Reset – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom Follow & DM me on Instagram @theinspiredclassroom Watch & Subscribe on YouTube @theinspiredclassroom