Educate & Rejuvenate: The Podcast

The 3 Questions Every Student Needs Answered in the First 3 Days of School

Fresh off the Summer Refresh, Kelsey is sharing a special crossover episode from the Teacher Approved Podcast, hosted by sisters Heidi and Emily of Second Story Window. This episode is the perfect classroom-side companion to everything we talk about here at E&R because you can't build a classroom rooted in safety and connection if you don't have that foundation for yourself first. Heidi and Emily walk you through the three questions every student is silently asking in their first three days of school: Am I safe? Am I seen? Am I needed? Answer those, and you've built the foundation your whole year stands on. IN THIS EPISODE: * Why a student's brain can't learn until it feels safe and how predictability + clear procedures build that sense of security * The Tell, Try, Tally, Talk method for teaching procedures (revisit Episode 75 for the full breakdown) * Simple ways to introduce yourself as a real person, not just "the teacher" * Day 2: how to help every student feel truly seen, including your quieter, more introverted kids * Day 3: turning classroom jobs into meaningful ways for students to feel needed plus how to reflect now on which jobs are actually working * Why this relationship-building isn't time away from curriculum; it is the learning * This week's Try It Tomorrow: writing a note to your future first-day self * Teacher-Approved Tip: creating classroom jobs that actually matter * Extra Credit picks: DeleteMe (privacy protection service) and the picture book When You Go to Dragon School 🎙️ JOIN KELSEY AT TEACHER SUMMER TALKS 2026 Kelsey is a featured speaker at this year's Teacher Summer Talks Audio Summit, hosted by Heidi and Emily, with a brand-new session, How to Stop Dreading September Before the School Year Starts, available exclusively there. It's a free audio summit, and if you loved this episode, you'll love the rest of what they do. 👉 https://wifeteachermommy--secondstorywindow.thrivecart.com/tst-26-max-pass/ [https://wifeteachermommy--secondstorywindow.thrivecart.com/tst-26-max-pass/]

Real Teachers Answer Your Biggest Questions About Burnout, Boundaries, and What Actually Helps

Tired of hearing what works in theory? This episode is all about what's actually working, for real teachers, in real classrooms, right now. Kelsey shares a live panel recording from the Summer 2025 event featuring Educate & Rejuvenate Club members who show up and tell it straight: how they've navigated burnout, set boundaries they actually keep, and found their footing again. From 30-year veterans to brand-new teachers, from public school to homeschool, this conversation covers the full spectrum. If you've ever wondered whether any of this stuff actually makes a difference, this episode is your answer.

Declutter Your Mind And Your Space (2026)

You can't organize your way out of a cluttered mind. In this episode, Kelsey pulls back the curtain on a top-requested coaching workshop from the Educate & Rejuvenate Club and gives you the inside scoop on what actually makes decluttering work and why it has to start with your thoughts, not your stuff. From thought downloads to scarcity mindset around that mug a student gave you four years ago, this episode is part pep talk, part practical playbook for a cleaner space and a clearer head.

The Simple Mindset Hack to Uplevel Your Life (2026)

Does your brain ever get in your own way? In this episode, Kelsey revisits one of her most beloved archives — a 2023 episode she recorded just one hour after signing her book deal — and shares the simple mindset hack that has carried her through every hard season since. Using a hilarious story from the Eras Tour, she walks you through the core tool at the foundation of her Inside Out Teacher Framework: learning to tell the difference between a thought and a circumstance. Once you know it, you can't un-know it, and it just might change the way you show up in your classroom and your life. Plus, Kelsey shares a personal update on everything that's happened since this episode first aired and why she's more committed than ever to helping teachers find their footing from the inside out.

The Balancing Act of Teaching & Life (Featuring Beach Stories, Gilmore Girls, and Real Talk) with Joe & Jamie (2026)

Some conversations just make you feel less alone, and this is one of them. Kelsey sits down with Joe Vitale and Jamie Wanko of the Balancing Act Podcast for a warm, hilarious, and deeply relatable conversation about what it really means to balance life as a teacher. They talk beach mishaps, Gilmore Girls, making time for yourself without guilt, and the kind of friendship that makes you a better teacher and human. Joe and Jamie are also our Day 2 keynote speakers at the Educate & Rejuvenate Summer Refresh 2026, where they'll record a live podcast episode on July 1st exclusively for attendees. General admission is FREE for the first time ever. Grab your spot: educateandrejuvenate.com/summer2026.