One Tired Teacher: Teaching Without Burnout
One Tired Teacher: Teaching Without Burnout is a podcast for tired teachers who want to keep teaching without burning out. If you’re exhausted by constant pressure, shifting expectations, and the feeling that you’re never doing enough, this show offers grounded support and a practical perspective to help you teach sustainably.
Each episode explores teaching without burnout—from navigating evaluations and testing season to simplifying instruction, setting boundaries, and choosing classroom practices that are calm, humane, and actually work. We talk honestly about what teaching feels like right now, and how to protect your energy, your values, and your students’ learning without performative extras.
This is real talk for educators who love kids but are done sacrificing themselves for the job. You’ll find encouragement, classroom-rooted insight, and permission to trust what you already know—because sustainable teaching isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters.
If you’re a burned-out teacher looking for clarity, calm, and a way forward that doesn’t cost your well-being, you’re in the right place.
Episodes
268 episodes
Surviving Teacher Evaluations: How to Stay Grounded During Classroom Observations
Teacher observations can trigger stress, self-doubt, and overperforming—especially during evaluation season. In this episode, we talk honestly about how to stay grounded, protect your confidence, and remember what actually matters when you’...
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Episode 279
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19:45
Super Bowl Reading Lessons: Engaging Informational Text Without Busywork
Looking for Super Bowl reading activities that actually build skills—not just hype? This episode shares practical, low-prep ways to use football culture to strengthen informational text comprehension, media literacy, and engagement for elem...
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Episode 278
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7:21
Integrating Reading And Science With Severe Weather
The school year restarts, the weather turns wild, and our schedules fill faster than a radar screen during a storm. We’re leaning into a smarter way to teach: integrating reading and science through a focused study on severe weather so every mi...
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Episode 277
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11:41
Back To School Without The Chaos: Simple Routines For A Smoother January
The first days back after break don’t need to feel like a sprint through fog. We map out a gentle re-entry that keeps your class connected, your planning sane, and your energy intact. Instead of diving headfirst into new content, we focus on th...
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Episode 276
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10:09
Give Yourself Grace: Simple Ways Teachers Reset And Return Renewed
The holidays are done, the calendar is rolling toward a new year, and your energy tank is somewhere between low and blinking. Let’s make winter break feel like it actually refills you. We pull back the curtain on what a real teacher reset looks...
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Episode 275
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6:41
January Without Whiplash
If January has ever felt like educational whiplash, this conversation is your warm landing pad. We walk through a practical plan to protect your peace after winter break, built on a few high-impact moves you can set up before you unplug: print-...
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Episode 274
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12:46
Five Blissful, Low-Prep Classroom Ideas To Survive December
December doesn’t have to be a stress test. We unpack five blissful, low-prep strategies that keep kids learning and let you breathe, so you can walk into winter break proud, present, and not wiped out. We start with Elf Diaries, a creative writ...
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Episode 273
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17:27
Turning December Chaos Into Hands‑On Science Kids Remember
December doesn’t have to be glitter storms and lost learning. We share a practical, story-driven way to turn holiday energy into real science with a Christmas-themed matter unit that keeps kids focused, curious, and proud of their work. Think s...
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Episode 272
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16:58
Ten Christmas Read-Alouds That Teachers and Kids Love
December doesn’t have to be survival mode. We’re sharing ten Christmas read‑alouds that bring the room to a cozy hush while still nailing essential skills like character analysis, sequencing, vocabulary, point of view, and fluency. Each pick co...
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Episode 271
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24:13
Short Week, Full Heart; Sanity Saved
The week before Thanksgiving can feel like a carnival on wheels—school-wide feasts, cupcake drop-offs, half the class rehearsing for a turkey play, and attention spans migrating toward grandma’s pie. We lean into that reality with a grounded pl...
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Episode 270
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7:33
A Read-Aloud That Reframes Thanksgiving and Belonging
What if the most meaningful lesson in a noisy month is the quietest one? I share the story of a short read-aloud—Molly’s Pilgrim—that shifted my classroom from scattered to centered, and why one complete book can spark more empathy and i...
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Episode 269
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7:16
November: The We-Do-Not-Care List
The pre‑Thanksgiving stretch can feel like a sprint you didn’t sign up for, and we’re done pretending it’s fine. This candid bonus drop is for every tired teacher who needs permission to step off the hamster wheel, set healthier boundaries, and...
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Episode 268
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6:41
Teaching Real Gratitude in a Burned-Out System
Tired of being told to “just be grateful” while you’re juggling a crowded class, endless testing, and a to-do list that never ends? I open up about gratitude without the guilt—how to honor real exhaustion and real care at the same time—so you c...
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Episode 267
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18:43
Surviving November: Emergency Sub Plans That Protect Your Peace
The quiet snap of November hits hard: the adrenaline fades, the sinuses throb, and suddenly “powering through” isn’t noble—it’s costly. We open up about the annual crash so many teachers face and lay out a calm, practical path to protect your p...
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Episode 266
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11:16
The We Do Not Care Club: Finding Power in Saying 'Nope' to Teaching's Endless Demands
The birth of "The We Do Not Care Club: Teacher Chapter" might be the most honest conversation about educator burnout you'll hear this year. After discovering a hilarious TikTok creator who gave women permission to stop caring about societal exp...
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Episode 265
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10:59
Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, and Fables: The October Curriculum Refresh You Need
Feeling the October teaching slump? When attention spans dwindle and classroom routines grow heavy, fairy tales, folk tales, and fables offer the perfect remedy. These timeless genres breathe fresh life into your curriculum while delivering pow...
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Episode 264
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8:32
Pumpkin STEM: Halloween's Hidden Learning Potential
Ever found yourself torn between Halloween excitement and curriculum demands? You're not alone. That tension between creativity and standards alignment represents a false choice we don't need to make.Remember that administrator who once...
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Episode 263
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14:50
When the Back-to-School Sparkle Fades: Navigating Teacher Fatigue
Feeling that mid-fall classroom fatigue? You're not alone. The back-to-school adrenaline has faded, student behaviors are surfacing, and those carefully crafted routines are starting to fray at the edges. It's the perfect storm of teacher exhau...
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Episode 262
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12:36
Halloween in the Classroom
Sugar highs, costume talk, and boundless energy—October's Halloween excitement can quickly derail even the most carefully planned lessons. But this seasonal shift doesn't have to steamroll your learning objectives or your sanity as a teacher.
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Episode 261
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9:33
Science in ELA: Your Time-Saving Strategy
Ever feel like science gets pushed to the back burner because reading and math dominate your teaching schedule? You're not alone. The struggle to fit everything in is real, especially when administrators sometimes suggest cutting science altoge...
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Episode 260
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13:03
Device-Free Moments: Reconnecting Kids with Real Life in a Digital World
Remember the days when getting kids to focus in class didn't feel like competing with a digital circus? Today's students—even third graders—are coming to school with phones in hand, already accustomed to constant digital stimulation and instant...
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Episode 259
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9:20
Three Simple Ways to Keep Your Reading Routines Strong All Year Long
Ever found yourself sacrificing read-aloud time for pre-assessments and curriculum demands? You're not alone. In this heartfelt exploration of keeping reading routines strong, we dive into why those beautiful reading structures we create in Aug...
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Episode 258
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14:45
Wally the Worried Watermelon: SEL Strategies for Your Classroom
A worried watermelon might be exactly what your students need to navigate their big feelings this year. Meet Wally – the adorable protagonist of author Erin Waters' new children's book that's transforming how we approach anxiety in the classroo...
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Episode 257
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21:55
From Teacher to Author: Christine Devan's Journey with Elephant Beach
Christine Devane takes us on her journey from classroom teacher to published children's author, revealing how patience and persistence led to the publication of her book "Elephant Beach" after nearly a decade of waiting. What started as a manus...
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Episode 256
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16:35
Building Sustainable Reading Routines That Transform Your Classroom
Struggling to establish reading routines that don't leave you exhausted? Discover the magic of sustainable reading practices that transform your classroom culture while building essential literacy skills.The most powerful reading routin...
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Episode 255
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9:39