Episodes

  • 329: Manage Time By Streamlining Administrative Tasks

    329: Manage Time By Streamlining Administrative Tasks
    Oct 28 2024
    There's so much that goes on behind-the-scenes when teaching and leading. It can be hard to find time to complete those tasks (let alone do them well). Join Gretchen as she shares her experiences with time management and streamlining administrative tasks. She gives practical tangible next steps that can help you achieve your goals in getting things done.

    Quotables

    • "Developing systems and then refining them, overtime, is gonna put time back on the clock and that allows you to focus on what matters most."
    • “Start small.”
    • “Plan ahead. Prioritize well, and protect your time for what matters most.”

    Episode Links
    1. David Allen’s Getting Things Done: 5 Steps to a more productive life (https://gettingthingsdone.com/)
    2. https://www.thetogethergroup.com/
    3. The Together Teacher book
    4. The Together Leader book

    Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter
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    Connect with Gretchen
    • Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com
    • Blog: Always A Lesson
    • Facebook: Always A Lesson
    • Twitter: @gschultek
    • Instagram: Always.A.Lesson
    • Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers
    • Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College

    Gretchen’s latest book, Always a Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom and Career Success, is now available on Amazon. Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2
    • Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher.
    • Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’
    • Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.”
    • Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info
    • Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed...
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    17 mins
  • 328: Manage Your Time with Time Blocking

    328: Manage Your Time with Time Blocking
    Oct 14 2024
    Have you ever heard of time blocking? Listen in as Gretchen explains what it is, how she uses it, and the tips and tricks that may work for you. Quotables

    • "You don’t want to overbook yourself because even though we’re planning every minute of every day you don’t want to tire yourself out."

    • "Over estimate your pacing so you end up with extra time instead of rushing to finish or getting stressed out."
    • “Time blocking is your key to freedom."

    Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter
    • Join here and grab a freebie!

    Connect with Gretchen
    • Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com
    • Blog: Always A Lesson
    • Facebook: Always A Lesson
    • Twitter: @gschultek
    • Instagram: Always.A.Lesson
    • Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers
    • Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College

    Gretchen’s latest book, Always a Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom and Career Success, is now available on Amazon. Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2
    • Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher.
    • Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’
    • Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.”
    • Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info
    • Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best)
    • Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast
    • Click ‘Send’
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    13 mins
  • 327: Disengage with Self-Care

    327: Disengage with Self-Care
    Sep 30 2024
    Are you in need of more self-care? Listen in as Gretchen talks about her self-care routines, tips, and tricks that might be able to help with just that. Quotables
    • "Don't wait (to use self-care tactics) until you're facing burnout."
    • "It's okay to take a break and fill your time with something unrelated to your role."
    • "No matter how you decide to engage in self-care, it's an activity that disengages us from the stress of the job."

    Previous Work-Life Balance Series Episodes 324: Reality of Work-Life Balance 326: Supportive School Culture Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter
    • Join here and grab a freebie!

    Connect with Gretchen
    • Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com
    • Blog: Always A Lesson
    • Facebook: Always A Lesson
    • Twitter: @gschultek
    • Instagram: Always.A.Lesson
    • Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers
    • Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College

    Gretchen's latest book, Always a Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom and Career Success, is now available on Amazon. Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2
    • Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher.
    • Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’
    • Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.”
    • Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info
    • Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best)
    • Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast
    • Click ‘Send’
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    13 mins
  • 326: Supportive School Culture

    326: Supportive School Culture
    Sep 16 2024
    Are you wondering how to make your school culture better? This episode is for you! Tune in as Gretchen shares a practical story about her experience with a supportive school culture, and the tips and tricks she uses to make it that much better. Quotables
    • "We as the educators had the choice for how we worked, and where. Just the flexibility made all the difference in finding enjoyment and slowing, or avoiding, the burnout that was coming."
    • "The lesson here is the school environment plays a major role in the work-life balance of the people working within its walls."
    • "The leader sets the expectation and the tone for how to navigate the ins and out of teaching so that we aren't just a great teacher for a single year, but for many years."

    Work Life Balance Series Previous Episodes Episode 324: Reality of a Work-Life Balance Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter
    • Join here and grab a freebie!

    Connect with Gretchen
    • Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com
    • Blog: Always A Lesson
    • Facebook: Always A Lesson
    • Twitter: @gschultek
    • Instagram: Always.A.Lesson
    • Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers
    • Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College

    Gretchen's latest book, Always a Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom and Career Success, is now available on Amazon. Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2
    • Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher.
    • Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’
    • Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.”
    • Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info
    • Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best)
    • Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast
    • Click ‘Send’
    Show more Show less
    13 mins
  • 325: Trust and Relationships with Ashley Bendiksen

    325: Trust and Relationships with Ashley Bendiksen
    Sep 2 2024
    Join us as we dive into the important of building trust and relationships with students, and how much of a difference small conversations can make. With Ashley Bendiksen's expertise in supporting at-risk youth, she has touched many lives of students and adults. Quotables *All quotables are from the interviewee
    • "Foster every opportunity for conversation for dialogue remind them that you’re there and hopefully they will turn to you. Should they ever need support."
    • “School staff plays such a unique and powerful role in the lives of students because of their proximity."
    • "Foster every opportunity for conversation for dialogue remind them that you’re there and hopefully they will turn to you. Should they ever need support."

    About Ashley Bendiksen Ashley Bendiksen is an acclaimed speaker, Top Youth Speaker, award-winning activist, and survivor turned subject matter expert in domestic and sexual violence, child and family abuse, adolescent mental health, and supporting at-risk youth. Year-round, Ashley specializes in reaching both students and the adults who serve them. Ashley is also the founder of the Blue Hearts Project, a global storytelling platform for survivors, as well as co-founder of Island Youth Coaching which provides support to at-risk youth as well as consulting and training for youth-serving organizations. Earning her degree in Administration of Justice from Salve Regina University, Ashley graduated, remarkably, as Valedictorian seven years after dropping out with a failing GPA due to abuse. Connect with Ashley Bendiksen www.ashleybendiksen.com www.linkedin.com/in/ashleybendiksen www.twitter.com/ashleybendiksen www.instagram.com/ashleybendiksen Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter
    • Join here and grab a freebie!

    Connect with Gretchen
    • Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com
    • Blog: Always A Lesson
    • Facebook: Always A Lesson
    • Twitter: @gschultek
    • Instagram: Always.A.Lesson
    • Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers
    • Book:
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    28 mins
  • 324: Reality of Work-Life Balance

    324: Reality of Work-Life Balance
    Aug 19 2024
    Have you ever felt like your work-life balance just isn't enough? This episode is for you! Tune in as Gretchen shares a practical story about the reality of her work-life balance, and the tips and tricks she uses to make it that much easier. Quotables
    • "Balance means we're doing enough of work, and enough of life that we actually feel both sides receive time spent equally."
    • "Prevention is EVERYTHING!"
    • "Sometimes the pendulum swings on one side a bit, but the good news it's not gonna stay that way forever so stay focused on that end goal, and push through when you're out of balance and then recoup as necessary after."

    Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter
    • Join here and grab a freebie!

    Connect with Gretchen
    • Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com
    • Blog: Always A Lesson
    • Facebook: Always A Lesson
    • Twitter: @gschultek
    • Instagram: Always.A.Lesson
    • Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers
    • Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College

    Gretchen's latest book, Always a Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom and Career Success, is now available on Amazon. Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2
    • Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher.
    • Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’
    • Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.”
    • Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info
    • Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best)
    • Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast
    • Click ‘Send’
    Show more Show less
    18 mins
  • 323: Student Language with Michael Grande

    323: Student Language with Michael Grande
    Aug 5 2024
    Join us as we dive into the importance of understanding student language and how beneficial it can be in the classroom with Michael Grande. With his expertise in coaching, he has touched the lives of many educators across the world. Quotables *All quotables are from the interviewee
    • "I finally found someone who taught me how I wanted to be taught and found my learning language which is what interested me. If we could do that with our students, we'd have a whole new universe."
    • "I work with them [students]. I talk to them, not at them."
    • "Every single time something comes to me, I never say no. I think about it and say where is the opportunity? Not the obstacle. Where is the opportunity?"

    About Michael Grande After spending time in Rwanda teaching music Teachers how to become Coaches, Michael quickly learned that Coaching is not cultural, rather it is universal. After the Minister of Education of Rwanda agreed to incorporate Michael’s Coaching techniques and strategies, he felt it was time to share his methods of Coaching with others. In September 2023 Michael released his self-published book; From Teacher to Coach (And why you would NEVER want to be a Teacher). Connect with Michael Grande http://TheGrandeMan.com Join the Always A Lesson Newsletter
    • Join here and grab a freebie!

    Connect with Gretchen
    • Email: gretchen@alwaysalesson.com
    • Blog: Always A Lesson
    • Facebook: Always A Lesson
    • Twitter: @gschultek
    • Instagram: Always.A.Lesson
    • Linkedin: Gretchen Schultek Bridgers
    • Book: Elementary EDUC 101: What They Didn’t Teach You in College

    Gretchen's latest book, Always a Lesson: Teacher Essentials for Classroom and Career Success, is now available on Amazon. Leave a Rating and Review: This helps my show remain active in order to continue to help other educators remain empowered in a career that has a long-lasting effect on our future. https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/always-lessons-empowering/id1006433135?mt=2
    • Search for my show on iTunes or Stitcher.
    • Click on ‘Ratings and Reviews.’
    • Under ‘Customer Reviews,’ click on “Write a Review.”
    • Sign in with your iTunes or Stitcher log-in info
    • Leave a Rating: Tap the greyed out stars (5 being the best)
    • Leave a Review: Type in a Title and Description of your thoughts on my podcast
    • Click ‘Send’
    Show more Show less
    34 mins
  • 322: Going All In with Dr. Jim Van Allan

    322: Going All In with Dr. Jim Van Allan
    Jul 22 2024
    Join us as we go all in with Dr. Jim Van Allan, President of The Energy Bus for Schools. With experience in creating a positive school culture using his framework, Dr. Van Allan's insights have impacted the lives of leaders and educators across the nation. Quotables *All quotables are from the interviewee
    • "All in is what comes to mind...That's what I've seen that inspires me... The ability for these schools to go all in and truly commit to being a positive campus."
    • You can love people by communicating effectively with them...by doing more one on one meetings."
    • "I believe in that...I believe in putting in the work to make sure it's [PD] specific and relevant to the people sitting there because if it's not, they will not listen or they will not get a lot out of it."

    About Dr. Jim: Dr. Jim Van Allan is President of The Energy Bus for Schools. He runs The Energy Bus for Schools program which gives schools the blueprint and framework to create a positive school culture. He coaches school leaders and superintendents on mindset, teamwork, communication, and culture-building. Additionally, Jim speaks to schools and districts across the country with keynotes, trainings, workshops, and student assemblies. He is the co-author of the book, The Energy Bus for Schools, with Jon Gordon. Jim is also a Professor of Communication Studies and Lead Speech Instructor with Keiser University, which is based in Florida. He teaches Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Communication. Jim holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations from the University of Florida and a Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies from Florida Atlantic University. He also earned his Ph.D in Education Leadership from Keiser University. Jim studied the impact of an early version of The Energy Bus for Schools program on a model school in Ohio. Much of his research centered around the impact of sustainable professional development for schools. He lives in Palm City, Florida, with his wife and three children, Brady, Brenden, and Brinley. Connect with Dr. Jim:
    • Follow him on all social media @JimVanAllan
    • Email him: Jim@JonGordon.com
    • The Energy Bus for Schools Book
    • The Energy Bus for Schools Program
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    31 mins