Teacher Approved: Elementary Teacher Tips & Strategies – Details, episodes & analysis

We can't believe it's the 200th episode of Teacher Approved! We're celebrating this major milestone by revisiting five of our all-time favorite Teacher Approved tips. We combed through every single episode to choose the ones that have made the biggest impact on our own teaching experiences. These are tips we’d rely on from day one if we were back in the classroom tomorrow. They're all practical strategies that simplify classroom management and support teacher well-being.

Whether this is your first episode or your 200th, we're so grateful for your support, and of course we’re celebrating with a giveaway! Head to our Instagram @2ndstorywindow to enter (it's SO easy!). And don’t forget to leave a review for the show. It would be the best gift ever!

Show Notes: https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/200-episodes-later/

Resources:

• Join the Teacher Approved Club!
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
• Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!

Related Episodes to Enjoy:

• Episode 5, Ditch Your Test Review (Try This Instead!)
• Episode 26, The Cheapest Classroom Management Tool
• Episode 50, 3 Guidelines to Make Classroom Transitions Work Smarter Not Harder
• Episode 94, A Great Day Before School Even Starts: Your Perfect Teacher Morning Routine at School
• Episode 98, 5 Reasons Your Attention Signal Isn't Working and How to Improve It

Feeling torn between resting and being productive over summer break? In this episode, we’re diving into the power of teacher summer boundaries...the key to enjoying your time off without guilt! We explore three essential types of boundaries—time, technology, and task—that help you protect your peace, be intentional with your time, and avoid burnout. Tune in to learn how to reset, recharge, and make this summer one that truly serves you!

Prefer to read? Grab the episode transcript and resources in the show notes here: https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/teacher-summer-boundaries/

Resources:

• Freebie: End of Year Roadmap
• Resource: Back to School Pattern Block Activities
• Resource: Back to School Lego Activities 
• Podcast: Happier with Gretchen Rubin
• Join the Teacher Approved Club!
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
• Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!

Related Episodes to Enjoy:

• Episode 131, To-Do List Magic - How to Prioritize Your Teacher Tasks This Summer
• Episode 134, The 10 Stages of Teacher Summer Break
• Episode 196, The 3 Step Plan to Park Those School Thoughts and Enjoy Your Summer Break
• Episode 197, A Teacher Summer Self Care and Recovery Plan That Doesn’t Feel Like Work

April might seem early to prep for next school year, but it’s actually the perfect time to take on some manageable tasks that’ll make back-to-school season way less overwhelming. In this episode, we're sharing five smart and practical things to do in April for back-to-school. You’ll learn why April is ideal for this kind of prep, how to prioritize without adding stress, and how these small moves can help you enjoy summer a bit more!

Prefer to read? Grab the episode transcript and all resources mentioned in the show notes here: https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/to-do-in-april-for-back-to-school/

Resources:

• Freebie: End-of-Year Road Map
• Procedure Review Slides
• First Lie Wins
• La Roche Posay Effaclar Gel Cleanser
• Episode 154, 5 Steps for Classroom Procedure Success
• Episode 150, Perfect Your Classroom Procedures With the Help of Our Guiding Quesitons
• Episode 50, 3 Guidelines to Make Classroom Transitions Work Smarter Not Harder
• Episode 49, Rapid Classroom Transitions: How to Save 45 Hours a Year
• Episode 48, How to Make Classroom Transitions Simple With Clear Beginning and Endings
• Episode 32, 5 Classroom Management Questions to Help Banish Bad Class Habits
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
• Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!

More Related Episodes to Enjoy:

• Episode 158, Back-to-School Classroom Management: Are You Working Smarter or Harder?
• Episode 153, How Teachers Can Thrive During the Back-to-School Season - Our Best Strategies
• Episode 135, Treat Yourself! Make a Back-to-School Teacher Self-Care Plan

With school in session for a while now, you might be seeing some behavior issues starting to creep up that weren’t there before. And instead of just dealing with them as they come, it’s much better to put strategies in place that prevent behavior problems from occurring in the first place. Therefore, we’re going to spend the next three weeks discussing classroom management and how to get it back on track. But in today’s episode, we’re focusing on 10 strategies for preventing classroom behavior problems.

For all the resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes:

https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/prevent-behavior-problems

Resources:

• Digital Classroom Seating Chart Planning Tool
• Classroom Procedures and Routines Bundle 
• OneTab
• How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
• Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!

Well, friends, we did it! The Teacher Approved podcast has finally made it to 100 episodes! This was always a dream of ours to do, so we wanted to think of a special way where we could celebrate with our loyal audience. We decided that whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or recently started listening, we wanted to compile a list of teacher podcast episodes. So we’re celebrating our 100th episode with a Teacher Approved starter kit!

For all the resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes:

https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/teacher-podcast-episodes

Resources:

• Listen to the playlist featuring our top 10 favorite episodes!
• Episode 100 Giveaway
• Book Buddy App
• MicroStitch Tagging Kit
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
• Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!

When creating lessons and activities, we’re always striving for them to be engaging and promote active participation in the classroom. However, academic engagement is just part of what makes a student engaged. They also need to be behaviorally and emotionally or mentally engaged, which means they’re active in all aspects of the classroom. So in this episode, we’re sharing ways to increase student engagement with 3 types of active participation strategies.

For all the resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes:

https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/active-participation-in-the-classroom

Resources:

• Jargon Journal Book Units
• Salt Lamp Nightlight
• Podcast: The Dream
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
• Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!

We know that classrooms vary by teacher, school, and districts, but one thing every classroom has in common is a need for attention signals. Whether your students are collaboratively working in the classroom, out at recess, or in the hallway and you need them to focus on you, attention signals are the most efficient way to do that. However, just because you give a signal, doesn’t mean it’s effective. So in today’s episode, we’re sharing five reasons why your attention signal isn’t working and how to improve it.

For all the resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes:

https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/attention-signals

Resources:

• Classroom Procedures & Routines Editable Slides
• @positivelypresent on Instagram
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
• Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!

We believe your greatest classroom management tool is something that you do in your classroom, but don’t necessarily think of it as managing your classroom, and that is your classroom seating arrangements. The way you arrange your seats, whether you have desks, tables, or something else, and where you place students makes all the difference. To help you out, in today’s episode, we’re sharing our 3 secrets for seating arrangement success.

For all the resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes:

https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/classroom-seating-arrangements

Resources:

• Editable Classroom Seating Chart Maker Tool
• Nameplate Sleeves
• Wonderbelly Antacids
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
• Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!

With holidays on the horizon, as teachers we know that one thing is about to appear in our classrooms: class parties. And although kids love party days, teachers may think differently about it. But what’s the feeling when you’re the parent planning it all? Our very own Emily is the organizer of her child’s 2nd grade Halloween party, but this time as a parent. Even with her teaching experience, there’s lots for her to think about, so we’re taking this episode to discuss all the steps for creating a fun holiday classroom party.

For all the resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes:

https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/2nd-grade-Halloween-party

Resources:

• Just Go With It by Madison Wright
• Zevo Indoor Flying Insect Trap
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
• Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!

The bell finally rings and your students are walking down the hallway excited to enter your classroom for the day. Once your students arrive, is it complete chaos or a structured routine? In order to have a successful day, it all starts with the tone you set for your students with the implementation of a classroom morning routine. With this routine being the last of your three morning routines, we’re sharing the four characteristics you need for a productive classroom morning routine.

For all the resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes:

https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/classroom-morning-routine

Resources:

• Procedures & Routines Planning Guide and Checklist 
• Classroom Procedures & Routines Editable Slides
• Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
• Shop our teacher-approved resources.
• Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
• Leave your review on Apple Podcasts!