141 | Why Teacher Friendships Matter: An Ode to My Teacher Besties

153 | Tired of Student Behavior Strategies That Stop Working? Here's Why It Keeps Happening (And What to Do)

If you've ever tried a new classroom behavior management strategy, watched it work for a week or two, and then felt it completely fall apart — this episode is for you. I'm breaking down why strategies stop working, and why it almost never has anything to do with the quality of the strategy itself. The real issue is usually where you're aiming. When you're managing the symptom (the behavior) instead of the source, things will unravel every time — no matter how good the strategy is. I want to walk you through why behavior is always pointing at something underneath, how Your Classroom's Tripod helps you figure out exactly what that is, and what changes when your energy is finally going to the right place. By the end, you'll have a simple three-step plan to carry into fall (or next week) so you stop managing the same thing over and over — and start actually changing it.   And if you want to do this live with me, I'd love for you to join The Classroom RESET Challenge [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge] — three days, one hour a day, completely free, July 21st–23rd. We'll work through improving student behavior without clip charts or consequences, preventing burnout, and creating a classroom you actually love. PD hours included.   Save your spot: theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge] Can't wait to see you there! ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast]   Join The Classroom RESET Challenge (free, July 21-23): theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge   Ready to take it all the way? The Classroom Reset course is where we take everything in this episode and build it into a full, supported RESET plan for your classroom. You know how to teach - now let's make sure your classroom and your students are ready! Learn more and enroll at https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset]     Become an Inspired Classroom Insider: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider]   Free community: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/community [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/community]   Connect with Elizabeth: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom [https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/ [https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom [https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom]

152 | The Truth About Lack of Student Effort in Your Classroom

If you've ever thought "they just aren't trying" about a student in your class, I want you to hear this one before you step foot back into school. In this episode, I'm challenging a belief I've held myself — and one I hear from teachers constantly — that a checked-out, unmotivated-looking student is simply choosing not to try. What I've come to realize, in my own classroom and in working with teachers everywhere, is that what looks like a lack of effort is often a lack of access. I'll walk you through why that shift matters, how it connects to Engagement and what to actually do differently with the student you're picturing right now. By the end, you'll be equipped with a simple three-step process to catch yourself before making any assumptions...and how to be the teacher that kids has been needing for so long! ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Join me this July 21-23, 2026 for the Classroom RESET Challenge. Learn how to improve student behaviors to eliminate teacher burnout! Go to https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge] to reserve your FREE spot!     Other Resources: Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast]   ✨ The Classroom Reset [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/the-classroom-reset-sp1] – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset]   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider]   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/community]     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/] Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom [https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom] Follow & DM me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/]@theinspiredclassroom [https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom] Watch & Subscribe on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom]@theinspiredclassroom [https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom]

151 | Exhausted, Burned Out...or Is It Something More? What Every Teacher Needs to Know (with Lori Owens)

Have you ever wondered if you're just exhausted...or if it's something more? In this episode, I'm joined by PTSD expert and resilience trainer Lori Owens as we talk about a question I think so many teachers are asking themselves: How do I know if I'm simply exhaused, burned out—or if my nervous system is trying to tell me something more? You'll hear practical, teacher-friendly strategies to help you recognize the signs of burnout, regulate stress during the school day, and create healthier boundaries so you can care for your students without sacrificing yourself. If you've been feeling emotionally drained, dreading Monday mornings, or wondering why a weekend never seems to be enough, this conversation is for you.   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Lori's free Boundary-Setting Worksheet: https://practicalsolutionsforptsd.com/podcast [https://practicalsolutionsforptsd.com/podcast]   Coaching discount: Use code GUEST10 for 10% off your first coaching session with Lori.   Join me this July 21-23, 2026 for the Classroom RESET Challenge. Learn how to improve student behaviors to eliminate teacher burnout! Go to https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge] to reserve your FREE spot!     Other Resources: Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast]   ✨ The Classroom Reset [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/the-classroom-reset-sp1] – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset]   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider]   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/community]     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/] Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom [https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom] Follow & DM me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/]@theinspiredclassroom [https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom] Watch & Subscribe on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom]@theinspiredclassroom [https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom]

150 | You Don't Need a Calmer School Year. You Need a Different Plan.

Summer is the perfect time to think about next school year—but if you're simply hoping next year will somehow be calmer, you're going to need to listen to this. In this episode, I'm sharing why hope alone has never fixed classroom management and the three common mistakes many of us make at the end of a difficult school year. I'll walk you through how to stop relying on luck, start learning from last year's challenges, and create a classroom management plan that actually supports the classroom you want. If you've ever caught yourself saying, "Maybe next year's class will be better," this episode will help you replace wishful thinking with a simple, intentional plan that can truly change your year.   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Join me this July 21-23, 2026 for the Classroom RESET Challenge. Learn how to improve student behaviors to eliminate teacher burnout! Go to https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge] to reserve your FREE spot!     Other Resources: Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast]   ✨ The Classroom Reset [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/the-classroom-reset-sp1] – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset]   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider]   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/community]     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/] Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom [https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom] Follow & DM me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/]@theinspiredclassroom [https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom] Watch & Subscribe on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom]@theinspiredclassroom [https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom]

149 | 3 Summer Resets Every Teacher Needs (And the One You Might Actually Skip)

If your summers sometimes end up feeling like one big runway into next school year, this one's for you. I'm sharing three resets I actually believe in for teacher summer vacation — and the one thing almost every teacher skips without even realizing it.   We'll talk about why your body needs to catch up before your to-do list does, why a real plan beats a wish every single time, and why your phone might be the biggest thing standing between you and an actual break. I'll also walk you through the one belief most of us never question and why that's exactly backwards.   Plus, by the end, you'll have three small, doable steps to make sure this summer actually feels different. You've earned a real rest. Let's make sure you actually get one.   ~Elizabeth   Mentioned in This Episode: Join me this July for the Classroom Reset Challenge to improve student behavior and eliminate teacher burnout!  It's FREE! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/challenge]    Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Record it here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/podcast]   ✨ The Classroom Reset [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/the-classroom-reset-sp1] – The online course that helps you improve student behaviors, increase engagement and support students' SEL, so that you can enjoy teaching again. Learn more and enroll here: https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/reset]   Become an Inspired Classroom Insider by joining our email list. You'll get real solutions to calm classroom behaviors delivered to your inbox each week! https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/insider]   💬 Let’s keep this conversation going! (There's so much to talk about!) Come join our free Inspired Classroom Community where creative, passionate teachers connect, share ideas, and cheer each other on. It’s your safe space to be inspired, supported, and reminded you’re not in this alone. 👉 theinspiredclassroom.com/community [https://theinspiredclassroom.com/community]     ✨ Connect with me! Find me on LinkedIn: elizapeterson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizapeterson/] Follow & DM me on Facebook @theinspiredclassroom [https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom] Follow & DM me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/theinspiredclassroom/]@theinspiredclassroom [https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom] Watch & Subscribe on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/theinspiredclassroom]@theinspiredclassroom [https://www.facebook.com/theinspiredclassroom]