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:

Teacher Reality Check: The Evaluation Game: If Teachers Ruled the World Podcast

Every month, I like to take a step back and give a Teacher Reality Check…because sometimes the biggest challenges in education aren’t in the classroom, they’re in the policy decisions that shape it. This time, I’m diving into the high-stakes (and often unfair) world of teacher evaluations. You might think your rating as “effective” or “ineffective” is all about your teaching, but the truth is, it might have a lot more to do with your ZIP code than your skill set.

Teachers: not every classroom procedure works. Learn how to fix bad systems, pivot gracefully, and simplify strategies that truly help students.

How to Fix Classroom Procedures That Seem Great in Theory: If Teachers Ruled the World Podcast

Every teacher has created a classroom procedure that looked perfect on paper but turned into a disaster in practice. In this episode of the If Teachers Ruled the World Podcast, I share my biggest procedure fails, how I learned to pivot without losing credibility, and why the simplest classroom management strategies often work best. Whether you’ve struggled with overcomplicated systems or want to know how to fix classroom procedures, this episode offers practical, first-hand advice from 25 years in the classroom.

Teaching is more than lesson plans and grading—it’s emotional labor, mental juggling, and invisible work that most people never see. In this episode of the If Teachers Ruled the World Podcast, I open up about the daily exhaustion teachers face from being “always on,” the myth of the free period, and what it really means to carry students’ trauma, manage classroom behavior, and perform under pressure. Whether you're an educator feeling overwhelmed or someone trying to understand the real demands of teaching, this episode is a powerful look at the unseen work that keeps schools running.

The Invisible Labor of Teaching

The invisible labor of teaching goes far beyond lesson plans and grading. In this episode of the If Teachers Ruled the World Podcast, I share what it really means to be “always on” as a teacher—from emotional exhaustion and student trauma to the myth of the free period. If you’ve ever wondered what teachers actually do beyond the classroom, this episode pulls back the curtain.

The 10 AM Revolution: School Start Times and Teen Sleep

In this episode of the If Teachers Ruled the World Podcast, “The 10 AM Revolution”, I explore how early school start times are working against students, teachers, and learning. It’s time we stop calling exhaustion “rigor” and start designing school around biology, not tradition.

Bell-to-Bell Phone Bans in Schools

In this episode of the If Teachers Ruled the World Podcast, veteran educator Leah Cleary breaks down what “bell-to-bell” phone bans really mean for classrooms in light of new school cell phone policies. Learn what works, what doesn’t, and how to manage phones with practical strategies rooted in real experience—not politics.

Back-to-school stress is real—but not everything on your to-do list actually matters. In this episode of the If Teachers Ruled the World Podcast, veteran educator Leah Cleary shares what teachers should really focus on before the first day of school. Learn how to prioritize relationship-building, simple systems, and realistic classroom expectations—without burning out before the year begins.

What to Worry About Before School Starts

In this episode of the If Teachers Ruled the World Podcast, “What to Worry About Before School Starts,” veteran educator Leah Cleary shares what teachers should really focus on before the first day of school with some simple back to school teacher tips. Learn how to prioritize relationship-building, simple systems, and realistic classroom expectations—without burning out before the year begins.