Beginning Teacher Talk

Classroom management looks a little different when you're a specials teacher! How do you establish consistent routines and expectations when you teach hundreds of students, have limited class time, and manage challenging behaviors in a shared or specialized space? In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori welcomes Jackie, a Chicago Public Schools librarian and 15-year educator, to share how she's transformed her approach to classroom management. From teaching clearer routines to building stronger student relationships, Jackie shares practical strategies that can help elementary specials teachers create calmer, more organized learning environments. In this episode, you'll learn: • How to establish clear routines and expectations in specials classrooms • Why effective attention signals need more than a call-and-response • How to manage transitions and student behavior without constantly raising your voice • How stronger classroom systems create more opportunities to connect with students Resources Men

Have you ever snapped at your students, used a tone you immediately regretted, or gone home replaying one difficult moment over and over? You care deeply about your students, which is exactly why those moments can feel so awful. In Part 7 of the Impossible Standards series, Dr. Lori shares why losing your patience doesn't define you as a teacher, and what you can do next. In this episode, you'll learn: • How to recognize when frustration is building before you lose your patience • A simple pause strategy to help you respond more thoughtfully • How to repair a moment with students without removing the classroom expectation • Why stronger classroom routines can reduce repeated moments of frustration Resources Mentioned in This Episode: • Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs Listen now for practical ways to handle teacher frustration, repair difficult moments, and move forward with more confidence. Subscribe to Beginning Teacher Talk so you don't miss the next episode in the Impossible Standards series. Need to

Does being consistent mean treating every student exactly the same? In Part 6 of the Impossible Standards series, Dr. Lori explains how teachers can maintain clear classroom expectations while providing individual students with the support they need. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why consistency means stable expectations and reliable follow-through, not identical treatment • How to separate the expectation from the flexible support a student needs • A simple Band-Aid lesson to help elementary students understand fairness • What to say when students ask, "How come they get to?" Resources Mentioned in This Episode: • Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs Listen now for practical ways to balance fairness, classroom expectations, and individual student needs. Subscribe to Beginning Teacher Talk so you don't miss the next episode in the Impossible Standards series. Need to regain control of your classroom? Save your seat at Dr. Lori's new, free class: Save your seat at the tropical island virtual teacher retreat

Strong student relationships matter, but they do not eliminate the need for clear boundaries and consequences. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori explains how calm, consistent follow-through can protect student relationships, strengthen trust, and prevent small classroom management problems from becoming emotional power struggles. What You'll Learn: • Why a student's poor choice or refusal does not mean your relationship with them has failed • The difference between natural consequences, logical consequences, and punishment • How to determine whether a student is unwilling to complete a task or unable to do it successfully • Why delaying consequences can turn a small behavior problem into a larger, more emotional response • How to plan a respectful, related, and reasonable consequence before the behavior happens again Resources Mentioned in This Episode: • Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs You do not have to choose between being kind and holding students accountable. Listen to this episode

Not every student will like you, and you will not naturally like every student you teach. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori releases the guilt surrounding difficult student relationships and explains why professional care is an action, not a feeling or an effortless personal connection. What You'll Learn: • The difference between wanting students to feel cared for and needing them to like you • Why a difficult connection does not prevent you from treating a student with dignity, fairness, and respect • How the need for student approval can weaken classroom boundaries and consistent follow-through • How one honest positive observation or neutral relational action can begin shifting a difficult pattern • Why a dependable classroom management system can protect student relationships when emotions are running high Resources Mentioned in This Episode: • Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs You do not have to force affection, ignore challenging behavior, or wait until you feel differently before i

A chatty classroom is not necessarily out of control, and a quiet classroom is not automatically well managed. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori explains why quiet is not the same as managed, and how to create a classroom where students understand when talking supports learning, when quiet protects learning, and how to move successfully between the two. What You'll Learn: • Why a quiet classroom is not always a well-managed classroom • How to match the sound, movement, and participation to each activity • Why clear boundaries and expectations support a shared learning space • How to teach a chatty class when talking is invited and when it is time to listen • How fresh attention-getters can strengthen predictable classroom routines Resources Mentioned in This Episode: • Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs You do not need to silence your students all day to have a well-managed classroom. Listen to this episode to learn how purposeful talk, clear boundaries, and predictable attention routines

If you are exhausting yourself trying to keep every student entertained during every minute of every lesson, it may be time to release an impossible standard. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori explains why student engagement naturally fluctuates, and how clear classroom management systems can help students return to learning without requiring you to turn every lesson into a three-ring circus. What You'll Learn: • Why a student losing focus does not automatically mean your lesson failed • How trying to make every lesson more exciting can create additional classroom management challenges • Why student engagement depends on clear routines, boundaries, and expectations, not entertainment alone • How to use three simple questions to identify which students are engaged, who is drifting, and how to bring them back • How to teach students practical re-entry strategies so they can return to learning more quickly and independently Resources Mentioned in This Episode: • Learn more about Dr. Lori's prog

If your classroom felt calm during the first week but is already beginning to slide, it does not mean your classroom management plan failed. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori challenges the impossible standard that students should master expectations the first time and explains why your classroom may simply need a focused reset. What You'll Learn: • Why students testing expectations does not mean you are failing at classroom management • How treating behavior and routines like curriculum changes the way you respond • Why collecting random classroom management strategies creates more overwhelm instead of a reliable system • How to reset one challenging routine through modeling, practice, specific feedback, and consistent follow-through • Why calm, related, and predictable consequences can support reteaching while still holding students accountable Resources Mentioned in This Episode: • Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs You do not need to become a harsher teacher, scrap everything you have

If the school year has barely begun and you already feel exhausted, there is nothing wrong with you. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori offers a reassuring back-to-school pep talk for elementary teachers who feel overwhelmed, depleted, or pressured to have everything figured out from day one. What You'll Learn: • Why back-to-school teacher exhaustion is not a sign that you are weak, ungrateful, or failing • How to separate what is truly essential from what is simply impressive at the beginning of the school year • Why readiness does not require a perfect classroom, a fully planned year, or endless energy • Practical ways to simplify your workload, close the school day intentionally, and protect your limited energy • How small, consistent acts of care, clarity, and connection can create a meaningful school year Resources Mentioned in This Episode: • Feed the Monster, a free classroom management app • Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs You do not need an entire school year's worth of strength

What if classroom management could feel a little more positive and a lot more fun? In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori introduces Feed the Monster, a free classroom management app that helps elementary teachers reinforce positive behavior, build stronger classroom routines, and celebrate progress together. What You'll Learn: • How Feed the Monster turns one specific classroom behavior into a fun, motivating whole-class goal • Why naming and reinforcing the exact behavior you want is more effective than simply telling students to "be good" • How immediate, specific feedback helps students develop successful classroom habits and routines • Why teachers should "catch the good" instead of spending the entire day searching for problems to correct • How to use classroom rewards as temporary support for building habits without taking away progress or relying on candy and prizes Resources Mentioned in This Episode: • Feed the Monster, a free classroom management app • Learn more about Dr. Lori's progr

What should you do when classroom misbehavior happens but you do not know which student was responsible? In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori shares a calm, fair approach to classroom management that protects students' dignity while still promoting student accountability and teaching responsibility. Instead of punishing the entire class, demanding a confession, or ignoring the behavior, you'll learn how to create a predictable process that encourages honesty, repairs harm, and helps students make better choices moving forward. What You'll Learn: • How to respond fairly when you did not see who was responsible for a classroom behavior • Why consistency in classroom management is about following a predictable process, not catching every misbehavior • How to invite students to take responsibility privately without using public accusations or humiliation • Why natural and logical consequences are more effective for teaching responsibility than unrelated punishments • How stronger routines, active s

Episode Summary: As you step into a new school year, you may feel excited, hopeful, nervous, and unsure of yourself all at once. In this special episode, Dr. Lori shares a few thoughts about the growing impact of AI and her decision to use it to create One Child at a Time, an inspirational song for teachers and a reminder that you don't have to be perfect to make a difference. Your patience, kindness, and the way you help each child feel safe, seen, and valued matter more than you may ever know. In this episode, you'll be reminded: • You don't have to be a perfect teacher to make a meaningful difference • The small moments of kindness, patience, and connection you create with students matter • Teaching is a practice, and every day is another opportunity to learn, grow, and begin again • You are competent and capable, even on the days when you question yourself • Your impact may not always be visible, but you are changing the world one precious child at a time Resources Mentioned: • Listen to One Child at a Ti

Many teachers want calm, well-managed classrooms, but they also want students to feel trusted, creative, and independent. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori explores why strong classroom routines and student autonomy don't compete with one another. Instead, she explains how thoughtful structure gives students the confidence, clarity, and support they need to become more independent. What You'll Learn: • Why structure and student autonomy are not opposites, and how thoughtful routines actually build independence • Questions you can ask yourself to evaluate whether your classroom routines are creating independence or encouraging compliance • Dr. Lori's Structure-to-Autonomy Ladder, a five-step framework for gradually transferring responsibility to students • Practical ways to add choice, creativity, and play into classroom routines while maintaining clear expectations • How to evaluate your classroom management systems so they create a calm, supportive learning environment where students develo

When a student refuses to work, it's easy to feel like you have to win the battle, but power struggles rarely lead to lasting change. In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori shares how refusal-to-work reflection forms can help teachers respond calmly, protect instructional time, and guide students toward accountability without escalating the situation. What You'll Learn: • How to use refusal-to-work reflection forms without creating a power struggle • When a student needs support versus when they are choosing to refuse an assignment • Why calm accountability is more effective than arguments, lectures, or unrelated consequences • How to create logical work-completion plans that keep students responsible for their learning • Practical strategies for classroom and specials teachers to document behavior, identify patterns, and respond consistently Resources Mentioned: • Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs. Student refusal doesn't have to derail your lesson or leave you feeling frustrated. This episod

In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori shares one of her favorite back-to-school community-building strategies: using a simple classroom mascot to help students feel connected, safe, and excited to be part of your classroom family. She explains why classroom mascots are about so much more than a stuffed animal; they're a powerful tool for building relationships, teaching routines, supporting emotional regulation, and creating a strong classroom community during the first weeks of school. What You'll Learn: • How a classroom mascot can build community during the first weeks of school • Simple ways to use a class mascot to teach routines and classroom expectations • How classroom mascots can support emotional regulation and problem-solving • Easy ideas for creating a shared classroom identity through your mascot • Why keeping your classroom mascot simple makes it more meaningful and sustainable Resources Mentioned: • Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs If you're looking for a simple, meaningful wa

In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori Friesen shares an encouraging message for every teacher who ended the last school year feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, or questioning whether they were cut out for teaching. Through three powerful mindset shifts, she explains how a growth mindset for teachers can transform the way we view classroom management challenges, difficult seasons, and our own ability to grow. What You'll Learn: • How a growth mindset can help you move forward after a difficult school year • Why classroom management is a set of skills and systems that can be strengthened • Three mindset shifts that will help you build confidence and leave self-doubt behind • How to learn from last year's challenges without letting them define your future • Why small, intentional changes can create a calmer, more joyful teaching experience Resources Mentioned: • Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs  If last year left you feeling exhausted, discouraged, or wondering if teaching was still the right pa

In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori Friesen sits down with middle school teacher Amber Duane to share how she went from nearly leaving teaching after her first year to feeling confident and excited about heading back to school. Amber opens up about the classroom management struggles she faced as a beginning teacher, the mindset shifts that changed everything, and the practical strategies that helped her build a calmer, more successful classroom. What You'll Learn: Why strong classroom management starts before students ever walk through your door How preparing your classroom before back to school can reduce stress and build teacher confidence The classroom management systems that helped Amber transform her teaching Why asking for support and investing in professional development can accelerate your growth Simple ways to start the school year feeling calm, prepared, and ready for success Resources Mentioned: Learn more about Dr. Lori's programs If you're getting ready for back to

In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori speaks directly to art, music, PE, library, STEM, and other specials teachers who often feel overlooked when it comes to classroom management advice. She explains why classroom management for specials teachers is fundamentally different from homeroom teaching and shares simple strategies to reduce behavior challenges through stronger transitions, predictable routines, and effective classroom systems. What You'll Learn: Why classroom management for specials teachers requires a different approach How transitions—not behavior—are often the root cause of classroom disruptions Three simple strategies to create smoother transitions and maximize instructional time Why predictable routines and classroom systems help students feel calm, confident, and ready to learn How strong systems can reduce stress and improve classroom management Resources Mentioned: Classroom Management for Specials Teachers Course (coming soon) Learn more about Dr. Lori's progr

In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori sits down with veteran teacher Jodie Culpepper, who shares how years of classroom management challenges, student behavior concerns, and overwhelming stress nearly led her to resign after 22 years in education. Jodie opens up about what helped her regain confidence, find hope again, and rediscover the joy of teaching through stronger classroom routines, simple behavior strategies, and a renewed focus on relationships with students. What You'll Learn: Why many experienced teachers feel like beginning teachers in today's classrooms How classroom routines and procedures can reduce behavior challenges and create a calmer learning environment Simple classroom management strategies that improved hallway behavior, transitions, and student engagement Why focusing on one or two changes at a time is often more effective than trying to overhaul everything at once The importance of building relationships and "teaching to the heart" before focusing on academic r

In this episode of Beginning Teacher Talk, Dr. Lori sits down with fourth-grade teacher Amanda Muri to talk about how small elements of surprise can create big shifts in classroom management. Amanda shares her journey from feeling confident at the start of the school year to struggling with student engagement after winter break, and how a simple podcast episode helped her rediscover the joy, connection, and excitement that transformed the energy in her classroom. What You'll Learn: Why classroom routines and student engagement often begin to slip after winter break How simple surprises can reignite student motivation and improve classroom behavior Ways to create a stronger classroom culture through curiosity, connection, and shared experiences Why teacher energy and mindset have such a powerful impact on student behavior How small classroom management strategies can help students feel more connected, engaged, and successful Resources Mentioned: Whole-class motivators Learn more about Dr. Lori