Teachers on Fire

→ What are some moves that teachers can make to protect their mental health?→ What's better: stay at school til the work is done, or leave as soon as possible?Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most Saturday mornings at 8am Pacific, 11am Eastern. My name is Tim Cavey, and my mission here is to warm your heart, spark your thinking, and ignite your professional practice.Today's Teacher on Fire is Rae Hughart. Rae is the CEO and Founder of Teachers Deserve It. She's also a TEDx Speaker and author of two books: Teachers Deserve It and Teach Better. Growing up with IEP support after being diagnosed with Specific Learning Disabilities in Reading, Writing, and Math, Rae has made it her mission to collaborate with educators and districts nationwide to design mastery learning classrooms that reach all learners. Through Teachers Deserve It, she leads a movement dedicated to empowering educators with sustainable, standards-based grading practices that promote clarity, equity, and student success.Connect with Raeon LinkedIn, on Instagram @RaeHughart,  on TikTok @RaeHughartEDU,on Substack at raehughart.substack.com, and  at her website, teachersdeserveit.com.In This Conversation0:00:00 - Rae Hughart is the founder of Teachers Deserve It2:39 - Boundary 1: Leaving the building after contract hours4:07 - How Rae followed this boundary as a teacher5:49 - Boundary 2: Taking a sick day when we're sick11:58 - Boundary 3: Declining voluntary committees that we don't have capacity for17:08 - Boundary 4: Taking quiet moments on your lunch break19:54 - Boundary 5: Setting email hours23:45 - Should we turn off mobile notifications for email?27:11 - Resources for teachers available at TeachersDeserveIt.com31:01 - How and where to connect with Rae Hughart on social mediaVisit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/.Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse - retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

→ How can our assessment decisions increase equity for all learners?→ Are learning targets actually a valuable part of instruction and assessment?→ Should teachers give zeros for cheating or deduct marks for late assignment submissions?Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most Saturday mornings at 8am Pacific, 11am Eastern. My name is Tim Cavey, and my mission here is to warm your heart, spark your thinking, and ignite your professional practice.Today's Teacher on Fire is Karley Alleyn. Karley is a BC-based assessment consultant, a sessional instructor for the University of Victoria's BEDILR (Bachelor of Education in Indigenous Language Revitalization) program, and a consultant with the Canadian Assessment Centre. Karley's research in assessment identity has led her to speak across BC, Hawaii, London, and in 2026, Singapore.Connect with Karleyon LinkedIn, on Instagram @accessible_assessment, andin her newsletter at https://www.karleyalleyn.com/assessment-identified.In This Conversation0:00:00 - Karley Alleyn is an assessment consultant and former teacher based in BC1:47 - What IS assessment?2:40 - What is the purpose of assessment?4:11 - How can assessment produce greater equity for learners?5:52 - Making every learner feel good?6:38 - Assessment identity as an educator9:54 - Are learning targets valuable or a waste of time?14:01 - Should teachers ever give zeros?19:32 - A great formative assessment strategy23:56 - What does Extending proficiency mean in BC?32:54 - Assessment resources offered by Karley Alleyn35:25 - How and where to connect with Karley Alleyn onlineVisit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/.Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse - retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

→ How can we reimagine parent-teacher conferences?→ What are the issues most responsible for burning out teachers today?→ What are some rhythms and activities that can keep our fire for teaching alive?Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most Saturday mornings at 8am Pacific, 11am Eastern. My name is Tim Cavey, and my mission here is to warm your heart, spark your thinking, and ignite your professional practice.Today's Teacher on Fire is Jeff Smith. Jeff has taught in 12 schools over 32 years, with high school courses including mathematics (Pre-Algebra through AP Calculus), AP Comparative Government, Human Geography, and US History. He writes about teacher whitespace on Substack on Teachers' Unmuted.Connect with Jeffon LinkedIn andon Substack at https://jeffuson.substack.com/In This Conversation0:00:00 - Jeff Smith is a high school teacher in Illinois1:46 - Are teachers just customer service representatives?4:18 - What Jeff means by "whitespace" - where teachers find agency6:52 - More about whitespace as a metaphor for freedom7:58 - Bringing one story, one question into our conferences10:28 - Jeff's view: what causes teacher burnout?13:11 - What is the Teachers Unmuted blog on Substack all about?16:10 - Why Jeff writes about his professional practice20:08 - The hobbies and interests that keep Jeff on fire23:38 - Where to connect with Jeff Smith and Teachers UnmutedVisit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/.Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse - retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/.

When students have committed offenses against other students, staff members, or property, should an apology be optional? Here are my thoughts. Read the blog post here: https://teachersonfire.net/2025/01/26/im-sorry-why-im-in-favor-of-forced-apologies/

Join me and Phil Stringer in this conversation as we discuss Math, assessment, and the science of learning. PHIL STRINGER is the department head of mathematics at Crofton House School in Vancouver. With over 25 years in education, Phil has presented locally, nationally, and internationally on assessment and pedagogy. Outside of the classroom, he can be found coaching soccer or hiking with his family in the local mountains.  Welcome to Teachers on Fire interviews, airing LIVE on YouTube every Saturday morning at 8:00 Pacific and 11:00 Eastern. Join the conversation and add your comments to the broadcast. In This Conversation: Summary to come shortly. Connect with Me: On X @TeachersOnFire (https://X.com/TeachersOnFire) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/@teachersonfire) On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwcavey/ Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. SONG TRACK CREDIT Tropic Fuse by French Fuse GO! by Neffex *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teachersonfire/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teachersonfire/support

It's a thrill to get into creative design with elementary learners. Students at this age are fearless. They're curious. They're ready to create anything. And they're ready to expand their creative powers. If you're teaching in similar spaces, here is a list of tools, design challenges, and creative tasks that I've tried and recommend (I have no affiliation with any of these brands, products, or sites). Read the whole blog post featured in this episode at https://teachersonfire.net/2024/02/09/7-creative-apps-that-i-use-with-my-elementary-design-students/. My name is Tim Cavey, and I'm proud to contribute to the education conversation through the Teachers on Fire podcast. Make sure to connect with me @TeachersOnFire on X, Instagram, and Facebook to catch more from me and hear from amazing educators who are bringing growth and transformation to K-12 education today. CONNECT with ME On X @TeachersOnFire (https://twitter.com/TeachersOnFire) On Instagram @TeachersOnFire (https://www.instagram.com/teachersonfire/) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/c/teachersonfire) On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwcavey/ SONG TRACK CREDIT Chef Brian by Latasha Dude by Patrick Patrikios New Year by Bad Snacks Night Run Away by An Jone Positive Fuse by French Fuse Smooth and Cool by Nico Staf  GO! by Neffex *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teachersonfire/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teachersonfire/support

KIM STROBEL is a renowned motivational speaker, sought after by schools, businesses, and organizations worldwide. She specializes in empowering educators and professionals, equipping them with the necessary tools and strategies to shift their mindsets, reclaim their happiness, reignite their passion, and lead with purpose. Listen to her INCREDIBLE story and join this important conversation about building a sustainable life. Welcome to Teachers on Fire interviews, airing LIVE on YouTube every Saturday morning at 8:00 Pacific and 11:00 Eastern! Join the conversation and add your comments to the broadcast. In This Conversation: 0:00:00 - Welcome to this conversation about how to move from anxiety to happiness! 0:11 - Who is KIM STROBEL? 1:04 - Kim's story of crippling anxiety and panic disorder 9:26 - Kim talks about her upcoming book, Teach Happy: Small Steps to Big Joy 27:18 - Burnout exists because we've made rest a reward rather than a right 31:39 - Is Generation Y drawing better personal boundaries? 33:43 - Kim's on fire about the science of reading 36:25 - A passion outside of education: animal rescues 37:47 - A productivity hack: play 39:59 - Someone to follow on X: Dave Burgess 41:27 - An edtech pick: virtual field trips 42:39 - Book recommendation: Adam Grant's Hidden Potential 43:44 - A podcast suggestion: Mel Robbins 44:47 - A future guest nomination 45:41 - What Kim is streaming right now 46:10 - The best ways to connect with Kim Strobel Connect with Me: On X @TeachersOnFire (https://X.com/TeachersOnFire) On Facebook @TeachersOnFire (https://www.facebook.com/TeachersOnFire/) On YouTube @Teachers On Fire (https://www.youtube.com/@teachersonfire) On LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timwcavey/ Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/. SONG TRACK CREDIT Tropic Fuse by French Fuse GO! by Neffex *All songs retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library at https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teachersonfire/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teachersonfire/support