Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

As we move into 2020, I'm sharing some very personal self-reflections about the course my life has taken over the past 10 years, and new insights I've had about who I am and what I need in order to thrive. A few of the things I touch on in this stream-of-consciousness episode: Learning to set boundaries Becoming a "people person" Why I chose the direction I did for my business What marriage looks like for me now Why we don't have kids What I've learned about my creative process I wrap up by sharing the personal development work I want to focus on as the new decade begins. I would love to hear your self-reflections and what you've learned about YOURSELF over the past decade! You can share with me and other Truth for Teachers listeners in our private Facebook community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/truthforteachers/ Happy New Year! I'll be back with the next "official" episode on Jan 26th.

Jessica H. shares how she balances home and work: "I realized that being a good teacher came at a really high price for me, at the expense of my family, relationships, and health. One day I decided that that price was higher than I was willing to pay. So I asked, "If I were to thrive — not just survive, but thrive — in my professional life, what would that look like? What would I have to do (and stop doing) to thrive?" I encourage you to listen for specific things Jessica's done to create boundaries and consider how you could find approaches that work for you. We're not prescribing a one-size-fits-all approach here. My hope is that Jessica's story will inspire you to think outside the box and figure out a schedule that allows YOU to have clearer boundaries between home and work and more time for self-care. If you want to learn more about the new 40 Hour Fast Track (a 6-week program I'm offering in January), go here: 40htw.com Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our new podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

The history of the weekend is a fascinating one, and author Katrina Onstad is here to tell us why (and how) workers' rights have evolved over time. She shares the ancient concept of rest from working hours, and describes how the encroachment of work on our personal lives changed with industrialization, and changed again now that technology keeps us connected 24/7. Katrina also shares some systemic changes we can make in schools to fight the culture of overwork, and shares practical things you can do to get the benefit of "the weekend effect" and maximize your time off to create a true break. To learn more, get Katrina's book, "The Weekend Effect: The Life-Changing Benefits of Taking Time Off and Challenging the Cult of Overwork." Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our new podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

Why does it take so long to test kids for special education services? What are you supposed to do in the meanwhile? And what exactly does the school psychologist do all day? Dr. Rebecca Branstetter of The Thriving School Psychologist Collective is here to share the hilarious stories and inside scoop on the role of school psychs. They're trained to do far more than just test kids, and your school psychologist can be a fantastic resource: "School psychologists aren't the gatekeepers to special education. We want to do so much more than just test. We want to be part of the school community. Think of us as your consultants and thought partners before you think of us as special education assessors". If you've ever been frustrated with the special education referral and testing process, listen in to discover what's happening behind the scenes, and what you can do (with the support of your school psychologist) to help your students. Click here to read the blog post and participate in the discussion or, join our new podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

Do you have co-workers who are passive-aggressive, controlling, or even outright bullying others when you're supposed to be collaborating? Are you appalled at some of the things that come out of some coworkers' mouths, but always feel caught off guard and aren't sure how to respond? This is an off-the-cuff episode where I'm speaking to you directly from the heart, giving the same advice I'd give to a friend. Listen in to hear some approaches I've used when communicating with difficult colleagues. Click here to read the blog post and participate in the discussion or, join our new podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

In this coaching call, a 25-year veteran teacher explores why it's taking her so long to get out the door on Friday afternoons when she's trying to plan for the following week. Rebecca shares, "I'm a really good teacher, but with as long as I take to plan lessons, I should be one of the best in the world!" Together, we explore ways to streamline her planning process so she's spending less time fitting the pieces together and hunting for good activities. We also examine her Friday afternoon routines to look for ways she might be wasting time, and try to find tasks she can move to other time periods to allow her to start her weekend at a decent hour. Rebecca's coaching call ends with 3 actionable takeaways, one for reducing the time spent planning lessons, one for prioritizing coworker conversations without staying late, and one for re-allocating work hours to make sure she's out the door by 4 on Fridays. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our new podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

Are you constantly losing instructional time to minor disruptions and off-task behavior? What if you shifted your focus from eliminating misbehavior and interruptions to maximizing learning time? When the goal is to eliminate interruptions, you feel like you have to address every single one so it never happens again. When the goal is to maximize learning time, you can choose a more constructive response that keeps the majority of the class on-task. This approach will reduce the wasted class time spent on lectures about the rules and arguing with kids over what you've told them to do. Here's how to plan your responses in advance so you're not constantly exploding in frustration over minor things. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our new podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

"Men and women are far more alike than they are different. And yet in our society, all of the emphasis is put on the difference. Everybody feels anger, everybody feels sadness, and it makes no sense to be gendering these feelings. As a matter of fact, not only does it not make sense, it is definitively harmful to people and to society." "As girls, we are not taught to acknowledge or manage our anger so much as fear, ignore, hide, and transform it. Boys learn early on about anger, but far less about other feelings, which handicaps them—and society—in different ways. Socially discouraged from seeming feminine (in other words, being empathetic, vulnerable, and compassionate), their emotional alternatives often come down to withdrawal or aggressive expressions of anger. There's no reason why all children can't learn to be kind and considerate to other people in exactly the same way." "What would it mean to ungender our emotions? What would the world look like if all of us were allowed to experience and productively express the full range of our emotions without penalty?" Listen in for more great take-aways from the interview I did with Soraya Chemaly, the best-selling author of the book "Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger." We're talking specifically about how these issues impact children in the classroom, and how her research can support educators in coping with the stresses of emotional labor that are inherent to teaching. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our new podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

How much energy are you wasting complaining about or resisting reality? Radical acceptance can help you deal realistically with the facts of the situation (rather than the story you're telling yourself about the facts) and sitting with the discomfort of the present moment instead of insisting it shouldn't be happening. Radical acceptance doesn't mean you approve of the problems you're facing or deem other people's inappropriate behavior as okay. You don't have to ignore your own needs, let people walk all over you, ignore a problem, or tell yourself it's okay that something awful is happening or has happened to you. Rather, it's a principle you can practice to bravely see all that you are, and all that the people around you are. You can take constructive steps to improve working conditions while practicing radical acceptance of your current reality. You can change your self-talk from "I can't believe this unfair thing is happening" to "It IS happening, and I accept that reality for the purpose of being able to address it in the healthiest, most productive way possible. What thoughts, words, and actions can I choose that will make things better?" Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our new podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

Jennifer Gonzalez of Cult of Pedagogy and I are breaking down misconceptions about what effective instruction really looks like. Listen in as we discuss the truths that often get buried among these myths: MYTH #1: Traditional teaching methods should be replaced with more innovative, student-centered approaches. MYTH #2: Lessons should be as creative and fun as possible to increase engagement. MYTH #3: Including elements of students' cultures in your lessons is the best way to teach a diverse group of kids. MYTH #4: Planning great lessons always takes a lot of time and preparation. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our new podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.