Beginning Teacher Talk

Spring fever is hitting classrooms everywhere. The warmer the weather gets, the more restless students are becoming. If we’re being honest, as teachers, we’re probably feeling the same way!  With spring fever often comes challenging behaviors and very short attention spans. You still have a few months left in the school year, so how can you push forward and keep students engaged and motivated? I’m here for you. I’ve dedicated this entire episode to giving you ten fun and simple tips to manage spring fever in your classroom. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/managing-spring-fever  Sign up for my FREE masterclass, What They Don't Teach You in College About Setting Up and Organizing Your Classroom, Preparing for the School year, & Creating a Positive Classroom Management Plan That Works: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/masterclass  Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): ht

What do I do with my students for the rest of the day after taking a big test? Should I play a movie? Have extended recess? Review content?

This week on the podcast, we’re continuing our conversation about how to prepare your students for state standardized testing. In part one of this series, episode 232, we talked about test-taking strategies in language arts. In part two, episode 233, I shared test-taking strategies in math. I recommend going back and listening to those episodes first if you haven’t already! Now it’s time to focus specifically on how we can calm, prepare, and inspire your students for assessments in the weeks leading up to testing. I’m sharing five strategies that you can use to do just that. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/calm-and-prepare-students  Sign up for my FREE masterclass, What They Don't Teach You in College About Setting Up and Organizing Your Classroom, Preparing for the School year, & Creating a Positive Classroom Management Plan That Works: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/masterclass  Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup

Does the idea of standardized testing leave you feeling stressed? You’re not alone, and that’s why this week we are going to be continuing our four-part series on test taking strategies for second to fifth graders.  Last week, inside episode 232, we focused on effective and simple test taking strategies for students in Language Arts. This week I’m sharing five more of these helpful strategies, but this time they are specifically for math tests. Math assessments can bring a whole new set of challenges for students (confusing word problems, I’m looking at you! 

It’s that time of year again. Spring is quickly approaching, and that means that all kinds of testing is just around the corner. With testing comes long days, anxious students, and stressed out teachers.

Teaching a class full of students means that you’re always going to have a wide range of ability levels. Over the years, we’ve talked on this podcast about effective ways to support your students who are struggling academically. However, I’ll bet that you also have students who are high-achieving, which can lead to a new set of challenges for you as the teacher. I have ten fun, simple, and creative ways that you can challenge and enrich your students who are performing above grade level. These ideas will allow high achieving students to continue to grow, spark their engagement, and give us a better understanding of what they’re capable of. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/enrichment-ideas Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Begin

You are only one person leading a class of 20-30 students. How can you ensure that some students aren’t falling behind in their understanding of the concept that you’re teaching? Exit tickets just may be your answer! Exit tickets measure how well your students understand specific concepts as you teach them inside your classroom. They are a very valuable teacher tool because they are quick to implement, allow you to easily scan the results, and can be done with any subject at any time during the day. Today I’m sharing 10 super simple and quick exit ticket ideas that you can try in your classroom, as well as what to do with your exit ticket results.  Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/exit-ticket-ideas  Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/

Today we’re talking about a topic that many of you may currently be planning for, or will be planning for in the near future, and that is maternity leave. Maybe you’ve just finished college, recently gotten married, and landed your dream teaching job. Day by day, you're checking off all the boxes, and your next hope and dream might be to start a family. This is such an exciting time, but it can also be a bit stressful as a teacher.  Having a baby means taking maternity leave and leaving your classroom for a certain amount of time, which can feel really scary. My guest Jordan, and I, want to help decrease your anxiety by equipping you with the information you need to prepare for maternity leave. Join us for a practical conversation about five things you can do to start planning for your maternity leave now.  Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/maternity-leave  Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB

There are two words that can quickly turn any teacher’s day upside down. Indoor recess.

When we see a student struggling, we often feel like it’s our fault and that we need to have all the answers, but I want to encourage you to lean on the staff at your school to help. When it comes to speech and language, there are so many elements to consider, and your school’s SLP has the skill set required to determine if a student needs their services. Our guest today, Hallie Sherman, is here to provide so much great information about speech and language. She’s sharing which skills are associated with speech and language, what to look out for in your students, how you can collaborate with an SLP, what you can do in your classroom to support these students, and so much more. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/speech-and-language  Grab my FREE Ultimate Classroom Management Checklist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/ultimate-classroom-management-checklist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Begin

Today marks episode three in our three-part series on how Walt Disney would manage your classroom. In part one, we talked about creating a legendary layout in your classroom. In part two, we looked at how you can establish energizing expectations, rules, and routines for you and your students. Be sure to listen to those episodes before tuning into this one! To wrap up this fun series, we’re focusing on the main reason why we all go to Disneyland in the first place. It’s something I love to call magic, love, and sunshine. You’ll hear how you can create this special magic in your classroom to engage and motivate your students.  Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/disney-management-3  Grab my FREE Ultimate Classroom Management Checklist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/ultimate-classroom-management-checklist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.

Inside episode #224, we kicked off our Walt Disney classroom management series by talking about the foundational elements included in thinking through a legendary layout for your classroom. If you missed that episode, you can check it out here. Today, in part two of this series, we’re going to imagine what Walt Disney would say about how to manage our classrooms. We’ll consider the importance of creating energizing expectations as part of your classroom management plan, and four things you can do to establish these expectations. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/disney-management-2 Grab my FREE Ultimate Classroom Management Checklist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/ultimate-classroom-management-checklist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk  Connect with Lori on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drlorifr

There’s just something about being at Disney World that is completely magical. ✨ 

As teachers, we wear so many hats every single day. We are organizers, facilitators, cheerleaders, coaches, nurses, janitors, and so much more. Often, you may even feel like you’re expected to fit the role of “classroom therapist”. But here’s the thing - you aren’t a therapist, and you shouldn’t be expected to put that hat on. I know how exhausting it can be to manage some of the personalities that you have in your classroom. When you signed up to be a teacher, you likely didn’t expect to be dealing with some of the behaviors and the challenges that you find inside your classroom. Yet, those behaviors and challenges are here, so what do you do? Our guest, Elizabeth Peterson is here to talk us through this and share some helpful strategies. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/teachers-are-not-therapists Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeach

Let’s talk about a very underrated classroom management tool…timers. Specifically, using timers in your PowerPoint slides. This is one of my favorite ways to streamline and improve classroom management. So much so that I’m shocked I’ve managed to create over 200 podcast episodes without talking about it! I am giving you 15 ways that you can use timers to streamline your classroom management in today’s episode. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/ways-to-use-timers Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk  Connect with Lori on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drlorifriesen/ Connect with Lori on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beginningteachertalk If the Beginning Teacher Talk podcast is helping you in your

“My child hates school.”  Ouch. Have you ever had a parent say this to you before? If not, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s most likely coming at one point or another - and oh my goodness, it does not feel good. Hearing "my child hates school" is one of those things that cuts deep and instantly messes with our mindset. We begin to doubt our competence as a teacher. It can be especially challenging when it happens if you’re a new teacher and already feeling so unsure about your abilities. Inside of this episode I’m going to share some important things to consider if you are ever faced with this comment. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/my-child-hates-school Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk  C

Have you heard of the term 'digital native’?  Our guest, Rachael Parlett, explains that ‘digital native’ is a phrase that describes our students in today’s world, meaning that children speak the language of technology and absorb information through technology. It’s what they’ve known their whole lives, and in many cases, it’s how they connect with people. Because of the huge role that technology plays in all of our lives, teaching strategies and best practices are shifting. They aren’t the same that they were 10-15 years ago. We have to speak to our students differently than before, and teach them in a way that they can relate to. Embracing technology is certainly one of the ways to do that! Rachael and I are going to talk about these best practices and teaching today’s kids in this episode. She will share how we can provide our students with multimedia learning experiences that are engaging and effective in all content areas. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/teaching-todays-kids Take my FREE qu

The fall and winter months come with lots of sick children, and in turn, absent students from your class. You know what that means - extra work for you! When your students miss school, that means they need to catch up on missing work (among other things) when they get back. With everything that you are already responsible for as a teacher, managing missed work due to absences can become very overwhelming very quickly.  Today I’m sharing 10 ways that you can handle missing work and absences without taking up a ton of your time and energy. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/missing-work Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk  Connect with Lori on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drlorifriesen/ Connect with Lor

Can teachers really get all of their lesson planning done during their contract hours? This is probably the holy grail of teacher questions. Is it actually possible? The answer is yes, it is absolutely possible.  Today I’m joined by my close friend, Sara Marye, and we’re tackling this hot topic. Sara is sharing five great tips for lesson planning so that you can take back your nights and weekends by planning more efficiently and more effectively.  Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/5-planning-tips Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lori's TpT store (Beginning Teacher Talk): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Beginning-Teacher-Talk  Connect with Lori on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drlorifriesen/ Connect with Lori on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beginningteachertalk If the Beginning Teacher T

Have you ever received an email from your school’s secretary letting you know that you’re getting a new student? Getting this news can sometimes cause a bit of panic as you run through the list of everything you need to do to get ready for them to join your class.  From the student’s perspective, it can be really difficult to start at a new school, especially mid-year. They’re often walking into your classroom without knowing anyone, not knowing the routines, or even how to get around the school building.  Today we’re going to talk about how to manage all of that. I’m going to share some simple and strategic things that you can do to make new students feel like they belong from the first day they step into your classroom. Show Notes: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/blog/new-student-mid-year Take my FREE quiz to receive your curated podcast playlist: https://www.drlorifriesen.com/playlist Join our Beginning Teacher Talk Private FB Group now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BeginningTeacherTalkGroup/ Check out Lo