Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

This is an "Ask Angela Anything" style episode where I attempt to answer 5 coworker-related questions in 15 minutes. However, I'm going to format things just a little differently. Instead of reading specific teachers' questions, I've identified 5 problems with co-workers that people typically ask me about. So I'll share these 5 basic scenarios, and hopefully if you're facing any of them, you'll be able to apply the advice, regardless of the particulars of your situation.

Listen as I share the story of a classroom management mistake that made a huge impression on me many years ago. We all have examples of procedures and routines that we know are wildly inefficient...but who has the time and energy to figure out a better way and retrain the kids? In this week's episode, I'll tell you my personal philosophy on this: It's NEVER too late to change something that's not working. Not in your classroom, and not in your life. You don't have to wait for next year and an entirely new group of kids. You can–and should–modify your procedures, expectations, and teaching strategies ANY time they are not effective, at ANY time during the school year. Listen in to learn how.

Genius Hour is a movement to empower kids to uncover their passions, skills, and strengths through designing projects they care about. In this week's episode, I'm bringing you the best of Genius Hour--what the most effective teachers are doing in this area, and HOW they're doing it so you can learn from their experiences. So, I've invited AJ Juliani to share his observations. AJ has created an entire online community of educators discussing Genius Hour, as well as an editable Genius Hour journal and an online Genius Hour course for teachers. Visit geniushourmastercourse.com to learn more from AJ and get started!

I've spent a lot of time observing what causes procrastination and what prevents it because this is such a deep and pervasive problem for me personally. It's something I have always struggled with, and will probably always struggle with. I haven't found that procrastination is something you can conquer once and for all. Like just about all decisions that involve staying healthy and being productive, your day by day choices matter a lot. For most people, there will never be a day when you wake up and don't feel pulled to be lazy, or eat junk food, or skip the workout, or leave the house a mess. So, in this week's episode, I'll share 4 things you can do to make it easier to overcome those feelings of procrastination when they strike.

I LOVE my alone time in the car, and also the time I spend walking to my destinations. I have so many good options for things to listen to and do that the time just flies by. So, I wanted to share some of those options in hopes of inspiring those of you who currently dread your commute or are just looking for some ways to make it more interesting.

There's one complaint about technology that I hear from almost every single person I talk to: it's just plain overwhelming. There's too much to learn. There are too many options. It's always changing and I'm always behind. Between ed tech for your classroom and the technology you use in your personal life, there's always going to be a massive amount of tools you wish you could explore and master. Here's what to do when it all starts to feel overwhelming.

Dan Tricarico is a high school English teacher in California, and the author of two books, the most recent being "The Zen Teacher: Creating Focus, Simplicity, and Tranquility in the Classroom." Listen in as Dan and I discuss how teachers can change the classroom energy even when kids bring chaos, and more importantly, how we can cultivate serenity within ourselves.

The first roadblock of discouragement tends to hit a little sooner than most teachers are expecting. You might be surprised when it only takes a week or two of school before that great plan you had for the year seems to fall apart: all your prior confidence feels like naivety, and your preparations feel totally pointless, as if you'd been planning lessons and procedures for a fantasy world. Here's what I want you to know when you hit that point.

This season, I thought it might be fun to structure the Ask Angela Anything episodes a little differently, and answer a couple questions briefly in one episode. In fact, I've challenged myself to answer 5 questions in 15 minutes--quick and to the point. Listen in as I discuss transition tips, classes that have a hard time quieting down, reward systems, and more.

Though it's a common problem that happens in pretty much every classroom in America, there isn't any clear cut solution. Obviously you want to make the work as meaningful, authentic, and relevant as you can, and build rapport with students. But there are some kids who just aren't going to focus and get their work done no matter how much of a personal connection you've tried to make with them, or how much choice you've given in the assignment. In this episode, I'll share how I respond to these students, and what you can do to keep disengaged learners from stealing your enthusiasm for teaching.