Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

You can decide this school year to find a sustainable approach to your workload. How? By not trying to work until everything is done. It's NEVER all going to be done, which means you're always either going to be working or feel like you should be working. Instead, I'm going to teach you a principle I share in the 40 Hour Workweek programs I run for teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders. It's the Target Number Planner. You can create a schedule in which you determine — at the start of each week — how much time you're willing to spend on school stuff, and how you're going to allocate those hours. Choosing a target number of hours to work is not about perfection, it's about intentionality. You're simply deciding in advance how many hours you'd like to allocate to work, and being mindful of how your time is being used. This is the start of a mindset shift more than anything else, as you practice fitting work into your life instead of life into your work. If you want support with setting and sticking to a target number, remember that the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Fast Track program is open to new members all year long. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

I recently had an upbeat, fun conversation with Lisa Woodruff of Organize 365 for her podcast, and thought I'd share an excerpt of it here with you! We're talking all about the state of education today, what we're hearing from teachers about their needs, and our experiences with burnout and balance. As a fellow former educator, Lisa knows the mindset and challenges of teaching well, and does a deep dive with me into some of the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek principles. This includes: the difference between required work vs hobby work, overcoming perfectionism, and learning what you can say no to without having your classroom fall apart. We both share some major timewasting mindsets we fell prey to as teachers, and how we think about our work and time differently today. If you enjoy this conversation, check out ep 149, called Living life as an organized teacher. You can also listen to Lisa's Organize 365 podcast on home and paper organization: https://organize365.com/podcast Or check out Lisa's Education Friday Workbox® for teacher organization: https://af271.isrefer.com/go/EDWX/AngelaWatson/ And finally, here's the link to my 40 Hour Teacher Workweek program which is open through July 27th: https://join.40htw.com

In this in-between-seasons bonus ep, you'll hear some quick audio clips of teachers sharing how they are challenging norms in education and creating a sustainable workload through the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek program. I'll also share how 40 Hour is creating institutional change through the 40 Hour Leadership and 40 Hour Instructional Coaching programs. I hope you will hear my heart and get the bigger picture message I want to send! This is an offering of hope, encouragement, and support for folks who want to do the job they love without burning out. The 40 Hour programs are THE MOST powerful tools I've created for shifting workload norms in education, keeping great teachers in the field, and supporting those who are struggling so they can grow into their best selves. Please pass this link onto anyone in education who you think might benefit or who shares my passion for educator wellbeing, including innovative school leaders who want tools to support their staff: https://join.40htw.com Thank you for supporting my work–whether it's by joining 40 Hour, telling others about it, or even just listening to this podcast.

LAST EP OF SEASON 15! We're wrapping up with thoughts on processing, healing, dreaming, and rebuilding as we find our path toward whatever is next for schools. So in this unscripted episode, I share my broad observations, loosely-held conclusions, and partially-formulated ideas about what might be possible. What is the future of public education? How do we keep the dream alive with so many forces undermining, privatizing, and monetizing it? In the midst of culture wars and opposing demands, can schools please all stakeholders? How do we ensure that the responsibility for personalizing education for the preferences of each child/family does not fall solely on classroom teachers? I'm talking from the heart about what I'm hopeful for right now, and why I'm choosing an optimistic take on the future of schools. I believe in public education, and the importance of not growing apathetic or hopeless about the state of education, our country, or our world. I'll end the episode by sharing a bit about my summer plans and how I'm creating space for dreaming and vision-building … and encourage you to do the same. The Truth for Teachers podcast will be back in August. In the meantime, check out the summer blog post articles from our writer's collective, our weekly email, and our posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. And, if you've enjoyed this season of the podcast, leave us a review on iTunes! Your feedback is so, so important. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

The job of a teacher is not designed to be completed within 40 hours a week. It's assumed that teachers will provide additional labor by coming in early, staying late, and bringing work home on a regular basis….all without compensation. So, how can we change this norm? One way is to amplify the work of teachers who have resisted that pressure to be the last person out of the building each evening, and who are willing to talk openly about how they have streamlined and reduced extraneous expectations. You can hear this in a secondary teacher's story in episode 250 (about lesson planning), in episode 256 from four different educators, and now in this elementary teacher's story. To be clear: you may not be able to work exactly your contractual hours (depending on your personal teaching context and workload. This does NOT mean you're doing something wrong: it means systemic change is needed. A realistic goal for you might be to reduce the amount of time you spend working on nights and weekends as a starting point. Listen to Samantha's story here for some hope + inspiration that it IS possible to do a great job for kids without working endlessly for free. She shares: How she tracked her work hours, and what she learned from doing it If Samantha never takes work home, when does the work get done? Samantha's lesson planning and material prep process — how she walks out every single day with the next day's lessons and materials set out and ready to go Why people are always curious about the logistics of streamlining, but the mindset behind the actions has been Samantha's most powerful shift How she stopped worrying about being perceived as someone who doesn't really care or isn't truly dedicated to kids (and how her colleague's perceptions of her changed) Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

We all want to work smarter, not harder … and that doesn't require a complete overhaul of your teaching practice or a brand new innovative workflow. Small changes in daily habits and mindset shifts can add up to big results, and I've invited 4 teachers to share what's made the difference for them: The MVP principle and timer when lesson planning (LB Blackwell) Using a turn-in sheet for student work to speed up grading (Christina Rudd) Simplifying and automating email with parents (Christie Manners) Not having kids turn every assignment in and using less paper (Becky Teater) These teachers cut back on the amount of time they spend working WITHOUT sacrificing their instructional quality or shortchanging students and families. They're proof that it's possible to do a great job for kids without working endlessly on nights and weekends. Want more support in reducing your workload? Check out the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek program these 4 educators completed: https://join.40htw.com Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

Teachers are often told to "focus on the positive and ignore the negative" when it comes to student behavior. While providing positive reinforcement and specific praise is good practice, it's NOT the only thing we need to do, and consequences are a part of learning behavioral expectations. So how do we get the outcome of better behavior? Classroom teacher Amy Stohs is here to share how her teaching philosophy manifests in a blend of grace and consequences in the classroom. Having taught at both the early elementary and middle school level, Amy offers practical guidance about how to take away privileges as a logical consequence for students at all age levels. Amy also shares tips for maintaining a productive learning environment even during the final weeks of the school year, having fun with each other, and enjoying the classroom community you've built together. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussionor, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

No, the answer is not throwing the whole stack in a recycling bin. (Although it's perfectly fine to toss out some assignments from time-to-time.) And, the answer isn't to give more assignments digitally. That can help make assessment more effective and efficient, but the pile-up of student work awaiting feedback online can feel just as daunting as a stack of papers. This episode will help you explore ways you may be overcomplicating the assignments you give or your approach to assessment, and think outside the box about how to streamline. I'll share how to instantly reduce the assignments you need to grade, and help you uncover your own answer to the following questions: Is there ONE type of assignment that I'm giving to students which is taking me forever to grade, and that I might be able to reduce or change up a bit? What can I do to experiment or push back on expectations this year, in order to make my grading workload more sustainable? Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

If you're ready to reevaluate your job, and decide if you want to return next school year or explore other options, this episode will help you consider the possibilities. I'm talking with Daphne Williams Gomez of The Teacher Career Coach about what's changed in the job market for teachers since she was a guest on the show back in March 2020. She'll share trends she's noticing, as well as questions you can ask yourself to make the very personal decision about whether teaching is still what you want to do. We'll discuss ways to make teaching work, and the benefits of looking for a school, grade level, or subject area that's a better fit instead of transitioning to an entirely new career path. We then explore the attachment many educators have to their job identity, and the struggle to find another career that offers the same noble calling and sense of purpose. We discuss the pros and cons of finding a job that you like–not love–in order to have the time, energy, and money to do non-work-related things you love. We push back against the "anti 9-5 and "be your own boss" narratives that aren't the right fit for everyone. Daphne will also share examples of former teachers who have matched their skill sets to other jobs that they enjoy–often, careers they'd never even considered. Finally, Daphne shares what your next steps should be if you're curious about other work you could do apart from teaching. You can take Daphne's free quiz about career options here: TeacherCareerCoach.com/truthforteachers You'll also find links to her Teacher Career Coach podcast, resume and job hunting resources, and info about her online course + mentorship to help you transition to your next career. Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.

Finally — a sustainable model for self-paced learning and mastery-based grading! Kareem Farah of the Modern Classrooms Project (MCP) shares how ANY teacher of any grade level or subject area can maximize class time and connect with students one-on-one. If you feel like you never have enough time to truly differentiate or personalize learning, try the MCP approach. Kareem's sharing 3 strategies that you can experiment with integrating in your classroom to allow kids to work at their own pace, and free you up to work with students individually and in small groups. This convo will help you figure out logistics and practical considerations, whether your school's fully on board with student-centered, innovative teaching methodologies or you're just getting started. Check out MCP's free online course at: https://learn.modernclassrooms.org/ Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion or, join our podcast Facebook group here to connect with other teachers and discuss the Truth for Teachers' podcast episodes.