Stop focusing only on the lesson plan and start focusing on the most critical moments of your class: the first seven minutes.

In this episode, we dive into the powerful shift that happens when teachers prioritize grounding the room over pushing through. We explore why those initial moments set the tone for all the learning that follows, especially for multilingual learners.

Key Takeaways:

• It's about the Nervous System, Not Competence: The class often feels "off" not due to a classroom management failure, but because students (and you) are still transitioning and their nervous systems are activated. Learning can't fully land until the room settles.
• The Power of Grounding: Learn what "grounding" actually means—it's not about silence or perfect behavior. It's an invitation to settle, which can be physical (a breath, a stretch), emotional (naming the room's energy), or cognitive (a predictable routine).
• Save Time Later: Grounding the first seven minutes saves time later in the lesson because you spend less time redirecting, repeating yourself, and trying to recover attention.

If you are ready to change how you begin class, grab your free resource, The First 7 Minutes: Start the Class Grounded (Even If Your Students Aren’t). Find the link below..

I want to hear from you!

What is your biggest challenge when it comes to transitioning from one class to the next? Share with us in the comments or send a message on Instagram, Facebook, or email!

Here is What You Will Hear in This Episode:

• Three ways of grounding and what they can look like at the start of the class
• Why it is incorrect to assume that chaotic start of class is always classroom management failure
• The First 7 Minutes practice that you can use in your classroom right away

Simply Ieva Offers:

• 1:1 EL Teacher Clarity Power-Up Session

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation link below. Thank you so much! https://www.paypal.biz/simplyieva

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• My TpT store
• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist

Related episodes:

• Here is Why You’re Drained (or Energized) by Teaching
• How to Beat the Mid-Year Slump in the EL Classroom

Let’s connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on LinkedIn
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Support the show

Today’s episode "When the Strategies Aren’t Enough: Teaching ELs without Losing Yourself," is a reintroduction to The ESL Teaching Podcast, marking a new season of growth and transformation.

Here are a few key ideas you'll here:

• A Personal Break and Burnout: I am sharing why I stepped away from the podcast for several months (July through December 2025) - to recover from complete burnout from teaching, over-giving, and grieving the loss of a loved one. This break prompted a necessary pause and a shift in perspective.
• The 'Inner Classroom': We are shifting focus from solely teaching strategies and lesson plans to the internal state of the teacher, which I call the "inner classroom." The argument is that no external strategy will be enough if the teacher's inner state is chaotic, exhausted, or depleted.
• The Podcast's New Direction: The podcast will continue to cover practical EL teaching strategies, scaffolding, and effective instruction, but it will also become a "bridge between pedagogy and self-preservation." Topics will expand to include:
  • Teacher energy and boundaries.
  • Sustainability in teaching.
  • Coaching (professional and personal).
  • Acknowledging teaching as emotional, relational, and human work.
• Invitation and Free Resource: I am inviting you to stay, subscribe, and be part of a space where you don't have to pretend you are fine. Grab my free practice titled "The First Seven Minutes: How to Start Class Grounded (even if your students aren’t)," which is designed to help teachers slow down, reset, and reconnect.

Grab your free practice The First 7 Minutes: How to Start the Class Grounded (Even if Your Students Aren’t)

Simply Ieva Offers:

• 1:1 EL Teacher Clarity Power-Up Session

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation link below. Thank you so much! https://www.paypal.biz/simplyieva

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:
Simply Ieva website

• My TpT store
• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist

Related episodes:

• Rewriting the Script of Negative Self-Talk for Teachers
• How to Beat the Mid-Year Slump in the EL Classroom

Let’s connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on LinkedIn
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Support the show

Today’s episode is short, sweet, and exciting! I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes update and big news about the ESL Teacher Roadmap.

Whether you're new to the ESL Teaching Podcast or you’ve been listening since day one, this quick episode is for you. I’ll walk you through a few upcoming changes, a big shift I’ve been planning, and how it will impact the content, resources, and support available to ESL teachers just like you.

If you’ve ever wished there was a clear, practical path to follow as an EL teacher - one that balances pedagogy, language acquisition, and real-world support - then this update will speak to you. Be sure to listen to the end so you don’t miss what’s coming next.

Show Notes:

• Episode 161 - Announcement + Big News About the Roadmap

Here is What You Will Hear in This Episode:

• A special announcement about the future of the ESL Teaching Podcast
• Exciting updates to the ESL Teacher Roadmap and what’s coming next
• Why this change matters for new and experienced EL teachers alike
• How to stay connected and make the most of upcoming resources

Simply Ieva Offers:

• New and improved: The ESL Teaching Roadmap membership for teachers of English learners
• 1:1 EL Teacher Clarity Power-Up Session

If you find value in The ESL Teaching Podcast and want to support the time, effort, and costs that go into bringing you these episodes each week, consider making a small donation—whatever feels right for you. Your support helps keep this podcast going and means the world to me! You can find the donation link below. Thank you so much! https://www.paypal.biz/simplyieva

Save time and build confidence in your EL teaching with these resources:

• Simply Ieva website
• EMBARK™ Newcomer Curriculum
• My TpT store
• Accommodate and Modify Your Lessons for ELs with Less than 1 Hour of Planning a Week - classroom teacher and admin checklist

Related episodes:

• What to Do With a Newcomer in the First 30 Days
• Your First Year as an EL Teacher- What Matters Most

Let’s connect!

• Follow me on Instagram
• Follow me on LinkedIn
• Join the Simply Ieva Facebook Group
• Record a comment for us - click HERE. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Support the show