Is teaching really harder than it used to be, or have we stopped adapting to the challenges in front of us?

In Episode 362 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ is flying solo while Jenn and the family are away, and we're diving into some big questions about classroom management, student relationships, teacher burnout, and taking ownership of the things we can actually control.

We talk about what to do when you're forced out of your classroom, why CJ doesn't believe teaching is harder than it was 10 years ago, and how to reach students who seem completely checked out. We also tackle conflicting advice for new teachers, improving student writing, and dealing with students whose behavior goes beyond what one teacher can reasonably handle.

Plus, CJ shares a new productivity idea that's changing how he looks at his daily accomplishments, some favorite fall classroom traditions, and why building a great life outside of teaching might be one of the most important things you can do for your students.

In this episode:

• Making a temporary or shared classroom feel like your own

• Is teaching really harder now than it was 10 years ago?

• Taking ownership instead of blaming circumstances

• Handling disruptive students when you're already overwhelmed

• Why classroom management requires a team effort

• Figuring out whose advice to follow as a new teacher

• Learning from teachers who are actually getting results

• Helping students become better writers without just assigning more writing

• Using student interests to make writing meaningful

• Supporting students with extreme behavior challenges and threats

• Building a team around students who need additional support

• Why relationships and consistency go hand in hand

• New ways to get students quiet and regain their attention

• Fun fall classroom traditions and creative seasonal activities

• Returning to teaching after taking time away

• Building a life that teaching fits into instead of making teaching your entire life

• How the time of day affects student behavior

• Recognizing burnout before it starts affecting your students

• Tracking what you've accomplished instead of only what's left to do

One of the biggest takeaways this week is simple: If you can own it, you can do something about it.

You might not control your classroom assignment, your administration, your students' behavior, or the challenges that show up tomorrow. But you can control how you respond, how you grow, and the kind of classroom experience you create.

Keep showing up, keep getting better, and remember that being a great teacher shouldn't come at the expense of having a great life.

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📚 Classroom Management, Student Buy-In & Relationship Blueprints:
Available in the Teach Your Class Off store.

🎓 One-on-One Mentoring & Speaking:
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📧 Questions or inquiries:
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Chapters

00:00 Welcome & Flying Solo This Week03:00 A New Way to Think About Productivity06:30 Making a Temporary Classroom Feel Like Your Own12:00 Is Teaching Harder Now Than 10 Years Ago?18:00 Taking Ownership of Your Teaching Experience23:00 Handling Disruptive Students in Large Classes29:00 Why Classroom Management Takes a Team34:00 Navigating Conflicting Advice as a New Teacher39:00 Helping Students Become Better Writers44:00 Supporting Students With Extreme Behavior Challenges54:00 Relationships, Consistency & Building Student Support Teams1:02:00 New Ways to Get Students Quiet1:07:00 Favorite Fall Classroom Traditions1:12:00 Returning to Teaching After Time Away1:17:00 Building a Life That Teaching Fits Into1:23:00 How Time of Day Affects Student Behavior1:28:00 Recognizing Burnout & Protecting Your Energy1:32:00 Final Encouragement & Teacher Resources

What do you do when classroom management starts slipping—or when you're walking into a classroom where the expectations were never really established in the first place?

In Episode 361 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn talk about resetting a classroom, holding students accountable without becoming the "mean teacher," and why being nice sometimes means being willing to say no.

We also get into stations and group work with students who don't want to work, recovering after a difficult week, pitching new courses to administration, surviving your first year around burned-out veteran teachers, dealing with coworkers who constantly interrupt your prep time, and what to do when school leadership simply won't listen.

Plus, CJ breaks down the systems he uses to track student behavior, contact parents, establish assigned seating, and create a classroom where students understand not only what the expectations are—but why they exist.

In this episode:

• Setting up stations when students refuse to work
• Creating group roles and individual accountability
• Using peer feedback to improve group work
• Resetting after a difficult week of teaching
• Why sleep and actually enjoying your weekend matter
• Pitching a new course or elective to administration
• Getting students to advocate for programs they want
• How new teachers can survive negativity from veteran teachers
• How veteran teachers can support and encourage new educators
• Inviting other teachers into the awesome things happening in your classroom
• Resetting classroom management after weeks with a substitute
• Why being "too nice" isn't actually kind to students
• Holding students accountable because you care about their future
• Setting boundaries with coworkers who interrupt your prep time
• What to do when too many school leaders want things done their way
• Dealing with administrators who are resistant to feedback
• Tracking behavior when you teach hundreds of students
• Creating simple systems so you don't have to rely on your memory
• Getting students to follow an assigned seating chart
• Explaining the "why" behind classroom expectations

Classroom management isn't about controlling kids. It's about creating a classroom where students can learn, where expectations make sense, and where your consistency communicates that you genuinely want students to win.

🛒 Teacher resources:
Teach Your Class Off Store

🌐 Teach Your Class Off:
Teach Your Class Off

📚 Classroom Culture Bundle:
https://www.shopteachyourclassoff.com/products/classroom-culture-blueprint-bundle

📧 Questions, mentoring, or speaking inquiries:
hello@teachyourclassoff.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome & Another Busy Week
05:00 Stations When Students Refuse to Work
12:30 Group Roles, Accountability & Peer Grading
19:00 How to Reset After a Difficult Week
27:30 Sleep, Rest & Actually Enjoying Your Weekend
34:00 Pitching a New Course to Administration
41:00 Getting Students to Advocate for What They Want
46:30 New Teachers vs. Burned-Out Veteran Teachers
55:00 How Veteran Teachers Can Support New Educators
1:01:00 Resetting Classroom Management After a Long-Term Sub
1:10:00 Why Being “Too Nice” Isn't Actually Kind
1:18:00 Holding Students Accountable Because You Care
1:24:00 Setting Boundaries With Coworkers Who Interrupt Your Prep
1:30:30 When Too Many School Leaders Want Things Their Way
1:38:00 Tracking Student Behavior Without Relying on Your Memory
1:45:00 Dealing With Leaders Who Won't Accept Feedback
1:53:00 When Leadership Problems Start Affecting the Whole School
2:00:00 Getting Students to Follow Assigned Seating
2:08:00 Explain the “Why” Behind Your Expectations
2:14:00 Final Encouragement & Resources Pasted text

What do you do when students are trying hard—but still aren't getting the work done?

In Episode 360 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn talk about the complicated space between holding students accountable and recognizing when they genuinely need more time, support, or a different approach. From perfectionism and executive functioning to honors classes and mixed-level classrooms, we're talking about how to maintain high expectations without pretending every student gets there the same way.

We also dig into classroom furniture, disrespectful students, friend groups that won't stop talking, dating students who are a little too distracted by each other, grief, grading, studying, and practical ways to make learning actually stick.

In this episode:

• When students keep missing deadlines even though they're genuinely trying
• The real difference between on-level and honors classes
• Why behavior shouldn't determine whether a student belongs in honors
• Using couches, beanbags, and flexible seating without creating chaos
• Setting expectations before students misuse classroom privileges
• Handling friend groups that won't stop talking
• Responding to disrespect without getting pulled into a power struggle
• Teaching students how to advocate for what they want appropriately
• Managing couples who are distracting each other in class
• Mixed-level classes vs. separating students by ability
• Teaching while grieving the loss of someone you love
• Giving yourself permission to have a year that isn't perfect
• Finding the right rhythm for grading
• Why “students don't study” isn't the whole problem
• Teaching students how they learn best
• Using games, pop culture, movement, and weird connections to make information stick
• Easy ways to gamify learning across different subjects

A big theme this week is that high expectations and empathy can exist at the same time. We can hold deadlines, address disrespect, expect students to work, and still be curious about what's underneath the struggle.

🛒 Teacher resources:
Teach Your Class Off Store

🌐 Teach Your Class Off:
Teach Your Class Off

📚 Classroom Management, Student Buy-In & Relationship Blueprints:
Available in the Teach Your Class Off store.

📧 Questions, mentoring, or speaking inquiries:
hello@teachyourclassoff.com

00:00 Welcome From the Newsroom
05:00 When Students Keep Missing Deadlines but Are Actually Trying
10:30 On-Level vs. Honors Classes: What's the Real Difference?
18:30 Flexible Seating: Couches, Beanbags & Setting Boundaries
27:00 Friend Groups That Won't Stop Talking
33:30 Handling Student Disrespect Without a Power Struggle
41:00 Teaching Students to Advocate for What They Want
46:00 When Couples Become a Classroom Distraction
51:30 Mixed-Level Classes vs. Grouping Students by Ability
58:00 Teaching While Grieving the Loss of Someone You Love
1:08:30 Giving Yourself Permission to Have a Hard Year
1:15:00 When Is the Best Time to Grade?
1:20:00 Why “Students Don't Study” Isn't the Whole Problem
1:27:00 Helping Students Figure Out How They Learn
1:32:30 Gamifying Learning So Information Actually Sticks
1:39:00 Using Weird Connections to Make Learning Memorable
1:44:00 Final Encouragement: One Day at a Time

What happens when you're excited about creating something incredible for students—but the people around you just don't seem to get it?

In Episode 359 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn talk about protecting your creativity as an educator, even when your ideas aren't celebrated by the adults around you. Sometimes the work isn't about getting recognition. It's about creating moments for kids that make school feel different.

We also get into grading policies, scripted curriculum, PBIS, supporting brand-new teachers in tough schools, and what it looks like to build a broadcasting program completely from the ground up.

In this episode:

• What to do when colleagues don't appreciate your creative ideas
• Creating a culture where teachers celebrate one another
• Why CJ disagrees with "no zero" grading policies
• Accountability, retakes, and giving students opportunities to recover
• Making scripted curriculum engaging without changing the required content
• Using atmosphere, novelty, and student interests to transform ordinary lessons
• "Sneak teaching" and making learning so fun students barely notice they're learning
• Building Eagle News Network from the ground up
• Giving students real ownership of a broadcasting program
• Thoughts on PBIS and schoolwide behavior systems
• Why relationships and teacher confidence still matter inside any behavior system
• Helping a brand-new teacher survive an overwhelming first week in an urban school
• Why consistency matters when students are waiting to see if you'll give up
• Using rubrics to show students how to win instead of how they'll fail
• Returning from maternity leave and treating your return like a new first day
• Protecting enough energy for your own family after giving so much at school

The goal isn't to become the teacher with the flashiest classroom or craziest lessons. It's to keep finding ways to make learning matter, create experiences students want to be part of, and become the teacher your students need—even when the adults around you don't understand what you're doing.

🛒 Teacher resources:
Teach Your Class Off Store

🌐 Teach Your Class Off:
Teach Your Class Off

📚 Classroom Management, Student Buy-In & Relationship Blueprints:
Available in the Teach Your Class Off store.

📧 Questions, mentoring, or speaking inquiries:
hello@teachyourclassoff.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome From the Eagle News Network Studio
04:00 When Other Teachers Don't Get Your Creative Ideas
11:30 Don't Let Other People Dull Your Flame
16:00 Why CJ Disagrees With No-Zero Grading Policies
25:30 Accountability, Retakes & Helping Students Recover
30:00 Making Scripted Curriculum Actually Engaging
39:00 Atmosphere, Novelty & Adding the “Sprinkles”
44:00 Sneak Teaching: Learning Without It Feeling Like Learning
49:00 Building Eagle News Network From the Ground Up
58:30 Giving Students Ownership of the Broadcasting Program
1:04:00 Do PBIS Systems Actually Work in High School?
1:14:30 Why Behavior Systems Can't Replace Relationships
1:22:00 Supporting a Brand-New Teacher in an Urban High School
1:32:00 Why Consistency Matters With Students Who Don't Trust You Yet
1:39:30 Using Rubrics to Show Students How to Win
1:45:00 Returning to Teaching After Maternity Leave
1:52:00 Giving Your Students—and Your Own Kids—the Best of You
1:58:00 Final Encouragement: Keep Showing Up & Doing the Work

What do you do when you're doing all the “right” classroom management things—and your students are still disruptive?

In Episode 358 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn are coming to you from the new Eagle News Network newsroom while they work on transforming the space. CJ is also feeling the reality of teaching four different preps, running a business, traveling, and trying to protect enough energy to keep doing all of it well.

This week's questions lead to conversations about some of the hardest parts of teaching: classes that refuse to settle down, students who are years behind academically, protecting instructional time, helping homeschool students transition into traditional school, and figuring out how to take care of yourself when teaching is exhausting you.

In this episode:

• What to do when a disruptive class isn't responding to your systems
• Holding the line when students test your consistency
• When it's appropriate to remove a student from class
• Addressing behavior without sacrificing everyone else's education
• Helping students who are 2–4 grade levels behind
• Why relevance leads to belief
• Building the know, like, and trust factor with struggling students
• Setting boundaries when staff interrupt your classroom
• How to develop leadership skills if you're considering administration
• Why great leaders need to be visible and accessible
• Supporting homeschool students with learning gaps
• Protecting a student's confidence while helping them catch up
• What CJ has changed after the first few weeks of school
• Protecting prep time and setting boundaries with students
• Rest vs. rejuvenation—and why teachers need both
• Advice for experienced professionals transitioning into teaching
• Why getting better at teaching takes time
• Making small improvements that eventually create major change

You don't have to solve every problem this week. Find the next thing you can improve, hold the line on what matters, protect the energy you need to do the work, and keep stacking small wins.

🛒 Teacher resources:
Teach Your Class Off Store

🌐 Teach Your Class Off:
Teach Your Class Off

📚 Classroom Management, Student Buy-In & Relationship Blueprints:

www.shopteachyourclassoff.com

📧 Questions, mentoring, or speaking inquiries:
hello@teachyourclassoff.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome From the New ENN Newsroom
04:30 When You're Just Plain Exhausted as a Teacher
08:30 What to Do With an Extremely Disruptive Class
17:30 Holding Students Accountable Without Giving Up
22:30 Helping Students Who Are 2–4 Grade Levels Behind
29:30 Relevance, Relationships & Getting Struggling Students to Believe
35:30 When Staff Keep Interrupting Your Classroom
41:30 Developing Leadership Skills for Future Administrators
50:00 Should Teachers Protect Student Confidentiality?
54:00 Helping a Homeschool Student With Learning Gaps
1:02:00 Protecting Confidence While Helping Students Catch Up
1:09:00 What CJ Has Changed Since the School Year Started
1:16:00 Protecting Your Prep Time & Setting Boundaries
1:22:00 Rest vs. Rejuvenation for Exhausted Teachers
1:28:30 Transitioning From Another Career Into Teaching
1:35:00 Small Tweaks, Confidence & Getting Better at Teaching
1:42:00 Final Encouragement & ENN Newsroom Preview

How do you get students to participate because they actually want to—not just because you called on them?

In Episode 357 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn dig into what it takes to build a classroom where students feel known, supported, and confident enough to participate. We talk about showing students you care even if you're not naturally "warm and fuzzy," practical ways to build relationships, and how those relationships eventually turn into stronger engagement.

CJ also walks through his classroom management process step-by-step—including exactly how he handles an off-task student and the phone call home that may follow. Plus, we tackle AI-proof writing, guided notes, time management, supporting advanced students, and what to do when students tell you that you're being "too nice."

In this episode:

• Showing students you care without changing your personality
• Getting reluctant students to participate in class
• Building confidence before calling on students
• Practical ways to build real teacher-student relationships
• Managing multiple preps, student council, and sub plans
• CJ's step-by-step response to an off-task student
• Turning parent phone calls into partnerships
• Balancing slides, instruction, and student engagement
• Making middle school writing assignments more AI-proof
• Using positive student leaders to improve classroom culture
• What to do when students say you're "too nice"
• Challenging advanced and dual-credit students
• Asking admin for behavioral support when a student needs to leave class
• Creating guided notes that actually help students remember

You don't have to become a different personality to connect with students. What matters is consistently showing them that you see them, care about them, and are there to help them win.

🛒 Teacher resources:
https://shop.teachyourclassoff.com

🌐 Teach Your Class Off:
https://teachyourclassoff.com

📚 Classroom Management, Student Buy-In & Relationship Blueprints:
Available in the Teach Your Class Off store.

📧 Questions or mentoring:
hello@teachyourclassoff.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome & The Sunday Teacher Prep Grind
04:15 Do You Have to Be “Warm & Fuzzy” to Connect With Students?
13:30 Getting More Students to Participate in Class
22:00 Managing Multiple Preps, Student Council & Sub Plans
31:30 CJ's Step-by-Step Classroom Management Conversation
38:00 The Phone Call Home: Giving Students a Choice to Win
44:00 How Much Direct Instruction Is Too Much?
51:00 Why CJ's Classroom Management Process Usually Works
57:00 Making Writing Assignments More AI-Proof
1:04:00 Using Positive Students to Shift Classroom Culture
1:10:30 What If Students Say You're Too Nice?
1:17:30 Making the Mental Shift to Teaching Advanced Students
1:26:00 Practical Ways to Build Teacher-Student Relationships
1:36:00 When Admin Wants Every Behavior Handled in the Classroom
1:44:00 How CJ Creates Guided Notes
1:50:00 Final Encouragement & What's Coming This Week

What do you do when the school year has barely started—and you're already struggling to find your motivation?

In Episode 356 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ and Jenn talk about navigating the reality of the beginning of the school year: tough first days, challenging students, lack of motivation, overwhelming workloads, and figuring out how to keep showing up without running yourself into the ground.

CJ also breaks down practical strategies for small-group instruction, differentiation, grade inflation, working with difficult parents, making repetitive content exciting again, and helping students who are several grade levels behind.

In this episode:

• Rebounding after a difficult first few days of school
• Finding motivation when you're not excited to go back
• Giving yourself grace during a difficult personal season
• Small-group strategies that build communication skills
• Using Think-Pair-Add to get every student talking
• Differentiating for students who are multiple grade levels behind
• Making phonics, vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency more engaging
• Advice for first-time substitutes and brand-new trade teachers
• Transitioning to a new school without waiting to be yourself
• Handling students and parents who push back against consequences
• Why CJ pushes back against grade inflation
• Making the same content feel new again
• Bringing experts and real-world experiences into your classroom
• Knowing when NOT to take on another teacher's workload
• Classroom libraries vs. a centralized school library
• Taking care of yourself so you can keep showing up for students

A rough beginning doesn't determine the rest of your year. Keep showing up, get curious about what's underneath student behavior, invest in yourself, and remember: most of the problems you're facing right now won't still be problems once you've had time to build relationships and establish your classroom culture.

🛒 Teacher resources:
https://shop.teachyourclassoff.com

🌐 Learn more:
https://teachyourclassoff.com

📧 Questions?
hello@teachyourclassoff.com

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back & Surviving the Busy Season
05:30 What Great Professional Development Should Actually Do
13:30 Small Groups That Build Communication Skills
22:00 Finding Motivation When You're Not Feeling It
31:30 Not Excited to Go Back to School? You're Not Alone
39:00 Giving Yourself Grace During a Tough Season
48:00 Advice for a First-Time Substitute Teacher
55:30 Grade Inflation & Why CJ Pushes Back Against It
1:05:30 Podcasts That Help Teachers Grow
1:11:30 Differentiating for Students Several Grade Levels Behind
1:19:00 Making Reading & Vocabulary More Engaging
1:27:00 Advice for Trade Professionals Becoming Teachers
1:35:00 Transitioning to a New School
1:40:00 Handling Students & Parents Who Fight Consequences
1:50:00 How to Make the Same Content Exciting Again
2:00:00 Don't Take On a Broken System's Problems
2:05:00 Classroom Libraries vs. School Libraries
2:10:00 Rebounding From a Tough Start to the School Year
2:18:00 Final Encouragement: Invest in Yourself

It’s the night before CJ heads back to school for year 21—and there’s still stuff left to do. And that’s okay.

In Episode 355 of Sunday Night Teacher Talk, we’re talking about what actually matters as a new school year begins: creating joy where you have control, staying grounded when you don’t feel appreciated, simplifying your systems, protecting your time, and building a classroom where students know you genuinely want them to win.

We also dig into some great teacher questions about mentoring new teachers, juggling teaching with graduate school, setting boundaries when students need more than you can give, grading without taking everything home, reading with struggling students, small-group instruction, and knowing when poor leadership is enough reason to leave a school.

In this episode:

• Why you should “sweep in front of your own porch”
• Creating joy even when your school culture doesn’t
• What to do when you feel undervalued at school
• Advocating for students when working conditions aren’t acceptable
• Helping brand-new teachers survive multiple preps
• Juggling teaching, graduate school, family, and your own goals
• Why CJ doesn’t believe in work-life “balance”
• Setting boundaries without becoming less caring
• Supporting students without becoming their entire support system
• Handling difficult personal seasons when returning to school
• Reading aloud vs. independent reading vs. small groups
• Grading and lesson planning without bringing everything home
• Teaching the same students for another year
• Making directions clearer—and embracing a little weirdness
• Making small-group work actually work

The goal isn’t to have everything perfect before students arrive. It’s to show up intentionally, pay attention to what works, and keep building from there.

🛒 Teacher resources:
https://shop.teachyourclassoff.com

🌐 Learn more:
https://teachyourclassoff.com

📧 Questions?
hello@teachyourclassoff.com