The Podcast for Teachers by Teachers

If teaching feels harder than it should, you’re not imagining it.

This podcast is for teachers who are doing everything they’ve been told to do. And still feeling stuck. We talk about what’s actually happening in classrooms right now, and what you can do about it.

If you’ve ever thought:

I’m doing everything right, so why isn’t this working?
My students like me, but they still won’t do the work
I’m exhausted and not sure what to change

You’re in the right place.

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These are the conversations teachers come back to again and again.

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Listen to the Latest Episodes:

Podcast episode about end-of-school-year activities, meaningful end of year activities, and what to do after AP exams for high school students

The Liminal Zone: End-of-School-Year Activities That Aren’t Just Busywork

If you’re looking for end-of-school-year activities that aren’t just busywork, you’re not alone. Those final weeks after AP exams and major testing can feel strange for both teachers and students. The real work of the course is finished, but the school year isn’t quite over yet. In this episode, I’m sharing meaningful end of year activities for high school students, including reflection projects, course redesign ideas, and low stress classroom activities that help students stay engaged without piling on unnecessary pressure. Whether you teach AP, dual enrollment, or any high school course with testing that ends before the calendar does, this episode is about navigating that in-between space with intention instead of just filling time.

Podcast episode about how to respond when students ask the “when will we ever use this” teaching question and strategies for handling student pushback in the classroom

The When Will We Ever Use This? Teaching Question: How to Balance Expectation and Reality

If you’ve ever had a student ask “when will we ever use this?” when you’re teaching, you already know it’s not always about curiosity. Sometimes it’s genuine, and sometimes it’s a stall tactic dressed up as philosophy. In this episode, I’m sharing a real classroom moment that changed how I respond to student pushback for good, plus practical classroom management strategies for handling off-task students without losing instructional time or getting pulled into a debate you didn’t plan for.

Podcast episode graphic titled “The Flashcard Sort: An End-of-Year Review Strategy That Actually Works” from If Teachers Ruled the World with Leah Cleary

The Flashcard Sort: A Smart End-of-Year Review Strategy That Actually Works

If you’re looking for test review strategies for students that actually work, this is one I use in my own classroom. In this episode, I share a simple, low-prep flashcard sort that helps students move beyond memorizing facts and start seeing patterns, connections, and big ideas (exactly what they need for exams). Whether you teach AP World History or any subject, this active review strategy helps students feel more prepared, more confident, and more able to access what they’ve learned under pressure. If your students have been working all year but still don’t feel ready, this approach gives them the framework they’ve been missing.

Georgia House Bill 1084: What Teachers Can and Can’t Say (And Why It Matters)

If you’re trying to make sense of Georgia House Bill 1084, you’re not alone. As a classroom teacher, I’ve been wrestling with what this divisive concepts law actually means for what I can and cannot say, and how to teach required content without crossing an unclear line. While I’m speaking from Georgia, similar education censorship laws are now in place across more than 20 states, and even teachers without formal restrictions are feeling the pressure to self-censor. In this episode, I break down what House Bill 1084 actually says, where it came from, and what it means for those of us teaching history, civics, and other courses that require us to engage with complex and sometimes controversial topics (all while still helping students think critically and meet state standards).

Teacher Triage: What Actually Has to Get Done (And What Doesn’t)

Teaching is one of the only professions where your to-do list gets hijacked before first period even starts (and to be honest, it’s probably the only profession with a first period). If you’ve ever ended a school day wondering where the time went, you’re not alone (and it’s not a you problem). In this episode, we’re tackling teacher workload management with a real-world triage framework built for actual classroom chaos. You’ll learn how to prioritize as a teacher when everything feels urgent, so you can stop drowning in teacher burnout and overwhelm and start putting your energy where it actually matters.

Podcast episode about teaching grammar effectively and grammar instruction strategies featuring Patty McGee, author of Not Your Granny’s Grammar

Not Your Granny’s Grammar: Why We’ve Been Teaching It Wrong

Grammar instruction often feels disconnected from what we actually ask students to do. Teachers assign writing, but grammar becomes a separate set of rules, worksheets, and corrections that rarely stick. So it’s no surprise that many educators, especially outside of English class, start to wonder if teaching grammar is even worth the time. In this episode, I sit down with Patty McGee, author of Not Your Granny’s Grammar, to explore a different approach. We talk about teaching grammar effectively, not as a checklist of rules, but as a tool for thinking, writing, and communicating clearly across all subject areas.