Teaching to the TOP

What does short form content, changing identities and current favorites have in common? If you said, they are in our Recess Digress episode then you are correct! Let’s get chatty in today's episode as we share on three more topics that have been circulating our brains. We would love to know if there is anything interesting you found or have an opinion about with this recess digress episode. You can share your thoughts over on Instagram. DM @pocketfulofprimary or @bridging.literacy and we can continue the conversation! In this episode we share: LINKS: 198 (back to school shopping, PD, and must-watch shows)215 (AI, what education truly needs, and TPT drama) SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

According to data from busyteacher.org, teachers make an average of at least 1,500 educational decisions each school day. This means that in a six-hour day, teachers make four educational decisions every minute. Seems hard to believe? Well, when you consider how exhausted you are at the end of a work day, it actually makes a lot of sense. So how do we manage to get past decision fatigue and be able to continue living our lives after 3:30 in the afternoon? In this episode we want to share 4 ways to help defog your brain so that you can eliminate fatigue and feel in control of your time and life. LINKS: Episode 008: Get More Done Using One Simple Trick SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Increased work loads, frustration, overwhelm can all lead to the one thing we never want to experience: panic attacks. We get real vulnerable and talk about our own experiences with panic attacks and the steps we’ve taken to help overcome this debilitating time. Listen in as we share our stories, tips and tricks with panic attacks. SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

This time of the year brings on a LOT of stress. You’ve got testing around the corner, assessments, standards that need to be taught before the end of year, field trips, and so much more! So it’s important to have strategies in your toolbox to help prevent feeling overwhelmed and getting stressed when you need to be focused. In this episode we are sharing 10 stress busters that will help get you through this challenging season of life. You might not be able to avoid being stressed but these tips can certainly help to decrease or subdue the unpleasant feelings. In this episode we share: SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Goals are a great way to make sure you are on the right track to what you want to accomplish in 2024. This year we are approaching our goals a little differently in hopes that we are more likely to stick to them and achieve them by the end of the year. Now that the first quarter has wrapped up and we are headed into April, we wanted to take a moment to reflect and share if we managed to accomplish the goals that we set up in January. From there, we look at the next three months (April-June) and share our new goals! Grab your planners and get ready to sit down to plan with us. LINKS: Episode 210: #Goals: What We Are Doing Differentlyhttps://www.etsy.com/listing/1445686334/tiny-bar-necklace-custom-necklace-daintyDigital Personal Planner SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

The birds are chirping, days are getting longer, and the leaves are beginning to fill the trees once again. Spring is officially in the air that means we are not only battling allergies but also fatigue. Spring fever is a common side effect as our bodies are beginning to adapt to the changes in weather and daylight. During winter our body adopts and protects itself from lower temperatures and reduced sunlight. Longer days and warmer temperatures lead to an increase in activity but our bodies take more time to adjust the sleep-awake cycle and thus our timing is often out of sync. This leaves us often feeling fatigued and with low energy In this episode we are sharing 5 tips for helping you cure spring fever: LINKS: ​​014.Classroom Spring Cleaning MUST DOS015. 5 Easy Steps to Clean and Organize Your Classroom016. Simple Decluttering Hacks for Your Classroom SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Journaling is a topic we often hear for maintaining a healthy wellness of mind/ spirit, but how does journaling effect our productivity? After all, we need our minds to stay sharp in order to tackle the everyday tasks. In this episode we are diving into the impact that journaling has on our productivity. In this episode you will: LINKS: Digital Personal PlannerOne Line a Day JournalFive Minute Journal SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

They say opposites attract and in the case of Michelle and Bridget’s friendship and partnership, this could not be more true. It is clear that with over 200 episodes, Bridget and Michelle approach many things the same and many other things in a different way. Michelle is goal oriented whereas Bridget tends to be more free flowing. In this episode, they both share how they approach their life and ask the questions you have been dying to know! Join these ladies as they uncover the benefits and challenges to how they approach productivity. SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Michelle and Bridget are changing things up with the week in the life episodes and instead bringing you a weekend in the life! In this episode, Bridget and Michelle will unpack their weekend plans, how they organize their free time and recharge for the upcoming week. Join both ladies as they share both their weekends in the life. SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

We are back with the BEST hacks you might not have known about for Google Chrome. In this episode, Michelle walks Bridget through 10 simple but impactful hacks for using google chrome to its maximum. From restoring your exited tasks to customizing your chrome browser, these simple hacks will blow your mind. Grab your laptop and get ready to change your Google Chrome game. LINKS: 163. GoodNotes HACKS to Save Time Digital Planning!165. Google Slides HACKS to Save Time Digital Planning! SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

With education taking a complete overhaul with its practices and districts feeling the need to add too many initiatives onto the plate of their teachers, everyone is feeling overwhelmed. While this push for improving the education of students is not going away, there are some simple practices and strategies that you can begin using to help from feeling exhausted and overwhelmed with information. In this new episode we share our best tips and tricks for combating the overwhelm and process through the loads of information to find the key pieces and starting points. You’ll find that with these strategies you can feel more focused on the task at hand, and make great strides without finding a breaking point. SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Feeling effective and in control of your classroom is much more than planning lessons, having an organized space, and building a relationship with your students. You also need to manage the behind the scenes that helps build success in the classroom. Even though we are a teacher podcast, we understand how all the areas of your life running smoothly can be to you as a teacher. In this episode we are unpacking what it means to manage the “behind the scenes” of your life as an educator. We share how you can organize three key areas: Material management, food management and health/wellness. Under each category we give you tangible, “try now,” strategies and discuss what these look like as an educator with kids at home. SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Back by popular demand, we are doing another Recess Digress episode. In this series we unpack three topics (within the field of education or not) and share our honest thoughts. Picture us as your teacher buddies, standing out during recess and just chatting away! In this episode of the Recess Digress we dig deep into understanding the role that AI is playing in education and how we need to be careful with how we are using this technology. We analyze the importance for experts in education but challenge the need for experts in our professional development, and finally discuss the challenges of schools closing down on the use of TeacherPayTeachers products. LINKS: Episode 198: Recess Digress: Back to School Shopping, Professional Development, & Must-Watch Shows SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Come plan with us as we look at the month ahead and determine our goals, habits and schedules! You either love planning or hate it, but there is no argument that sitting down with your planning and being intentional with your time can do for you. When you make the time and practice the skill of effective planning, you will feel more confident, focused and determined with your work. In this episode we share our thought process for looking at the week ahead and planning our month. You’ll hear how we run through our focus, goals and action steps using our newest planner, the Personal Planner. Join us in the planning process by heading over to teachingonthedouble.com/store to grab the planner and begin feeling more focus in your daily life! LINKS: Google Personal PlannerTablet Personal Planner SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Bridget is back with her week in her life. Join her as she shares her biggest takeaways from the book Essentialism by Greg McKeown. She shares her motto for hot to prioritize the essentials in life, how her mindset has started to shift, and her new approach to feeling overwhelmed with work. LINKS: Essentialism SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Join Michelle Emerson in a week in her life as she works to tackle her to-do list and prepare for her upcoming trip. You’ll hear how she has taken the strategies from the book, Essentialism by Greg McKeown, and implemented them into her own routine. LINKS: Baked Ricotta Spaghetti Squash With ShrimpEssentialism SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

It’s January and that means a new book review! Every year we have 2 book reviews that we share on the podcast. The first book is done in January and the second in July. For this month’s book review we are sharing our thoughts on the book Essentialism by Greg McKeown. In his book Greg discusses the importance of prioritizing what truly matters by focusing on what is essential to your life and work. The book is broken down into 4 parts: We discuss the biggest takeaways from each of these four parts along with our overall impression of the book. In the next two episodes you’ll hear a week-in-the-life episode of Michelle and Bridget as they share implementing the strategies from the book into their daily routines. If you’d like to join us on this book review, you can grab a copy HERE! LINKS: Episode 161. BOOK REVIEW: Getting Things Done (Our Honest Thoughts)Essentialism SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

There are so many different twists on “New Year's Resolutions' '... Some people don’t do them at all because they think you should start fresh every day. Some people pick one big goal for the year, some people create mini goals, and some people are just trying to write the correct date at the top of their paper! However, one trend that we have consistently loved to implement in the new year is the idea of a word to ground your actions for the year. Think of this as more of a guide. So this year we wanted to not only discuss some goal setting and how we plan on changing things up a bit but also share our individual words with you along with why we chose those words. So grab your planner and a cup of coffee and let’s start planning out an AMAZING 2024! SPECIAL NOTE: Be sure to check out the book Essentialism for this month’s book review! We will be sharing our thoughts on the book in the upcoming episode. Grab the book HERE. LINKS: If you’d like to listen to last year’s goal setting and quarterly check ins be sure to check out the episodes below: Episode 158. Tackling the Year Ahead: What Are Our Plans?Episode 170. Goal Check In: A Chat With Our Accountability Buddy (& An Honest Look at Our Progress)Episode 186. Goal Check In: The Halfway Point (Are We On Track To Meet Our Goals?)Episode 209. Celebrating 4 Years of TOP TEACHING! SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

We are celebrating FOUR years of Teaching to the TOP by reflecting on 2023. Thank you to everyone who is subscribed and supporting us on this journey. It truly would not be possible without your support. In this episode we are catching up on our quarterly goals and answering our set of questions to reflect on this past year. If you want to catch up on our quarterly goals, you can visit the links to our previous podcast episodes this year! We’ve also included our episodes reflecting on the three two years. LINKS Be sure to check out the NEW 2024 planners! Visit www.teachingonthedouble.com/store Episode 053Episode 105Episode 157Episode 158Michelle’s Yelp Account SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!

Tis’ the season for another gift giving episode. We are continuing with our yearly tradition where we each send our gifts via the mail. It’s time to get a little bit festive, so put on your Christmas sweater, grab a hot chocolate and enjoy the ASMR of unwrapping the gifts. This year, we set a budget! Do you think we will stick to it? LINKS: Episode 156 SUBMIT YOUR TIME SUCKING HURDLE! We want to know what is sucking up all of your time either as a teacher or just a person. Head over to our website and submit your TSH so that you can have a chance to be featured on the podcast! SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW Are you subscribed to our podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode. Click here to subscribe to iTunes! Now if you’re feeling extra loving, We would be really grateful if you left us a review over on iTunes, too. Those reviews help other people find our podcast and they’re also fun for us to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let us know what your favorite part of the podcast is. Thank you!