Hall passes are just one of those things you need to have as a classroom teacher. But did you know that there are the right (and wrong) types of passes? We know, because we've used all the wrong ones (and, sadly, found them discarded on the bathroom floor - gross). Join 5th grade teacher, Mariel Desrosier, and 3rd grade teacher, Stephanie Hedgpeth-Lopez, as they share all the best and worst types of hall passes to get you through the school year. This episode’s topics include: Mariel's favorite ...
Jan 21, 2025•26 min•Season 1Ep. 31
It’s time for our 2025 Classroom Resolutions Show! Not really. Because Mariel spends most of the time complaining about why she doesn’t like resolutions. But we still pass on some helpful tips despite being curmudgeons about it. This episode’s topics include: Stephanie’s resolutions about grading systems, organizing materials, and meeting students where they are Mariel’s resolutions about test taking strategies and why she’s doubling down on reading LINKS MENTIONED: Using a School Vacation as a ...
Jan 07, 2025•50 min•Season 1Ep. 30
We’ve decided to start a new segment called “Grading the Week,” where we share the passes and fails of our day-to-day experiences as classroom teachers. Join 5th grade teacher, Mariel Desrosier, and 3rd grade teacher, Stephanie Hedgpeth-Lopez, as we recount the joys of state testing, fire drills in the rain and what an eloper really is. ⏰ Want even more time-saving tips? Then check out Mariel’s YouTube Channel: The Time-Crunched Teacher. 🍎 Do you have a classroom story you’d like us to feature ...
Dec 24, 2024•40 min•Season 1Ep. 29
Why don’t you have a buddy class yet?! Okay, that’s a little dramatic. But seriously, it’s the greatest thing ever. Listen along as Mariel and Stephanie figured out how to rig the system so they could hang out MORE at work. Oh, and help the children build community at the same time. This episode’s topics include: What is a buddy class? Setting up your buddy classes Fun buddy class activities Classroom management strategies during buddy class time Benefits of the buddy class system Today’s classr...
Dec 14, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 28
The good news about public school salary charts is that they are often made public. The bad news is that that doesn’t mean you know how to read them. We are here to help! Listen along as 5th grade teacher, Mariel Desrosier, and 3rd grade teacher, Stephanie Hedgpeth-Lopez, explain the ins and outs of public school teacher salaries and contracts. This episode’s topics include: How to read a salary chart and what to ask when you’re getting hired How benefits factor into your salary How to move up t...
Sep 29, 2024•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Normally we like to share topics that help teachers. Today we share all the ridiculous things we’re doing this summer. Hopefully our niche hobbies help you lean into the summer break and “turn off” from school tasks. If this is your first episode with us, I’m so sorry. ;) This episode’s topics include: Poultry stories Stephanie cheats and does summer PD Mariel boozes it up as a wine snob How to learn new info through stories Stephanie shares how the Dear America series probably shouldn’t be a ki...
Jul 29, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 26
I know, my episode posting schedule is chaotic. Here's why. ⏰ Want even more time-saving tips? Then check out Mariel’s YouTube Channel: The Time-Crunched Teacher. 🍎 Do you have a classroom story you’d like us to feature in an upcoming episode? Send us an email at podcast@TheTimeCrunchedTeacher.com . We also love hearing from you, so please send us your feedback or requests for future show topics. We read every email and comment, so thank you for taking the time to reach out to us. Note: We take...
Jun 26, 2024•8 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Sick of all the time it takes to create classroom jobs and teach the kids? Me too. Welcome to the wonderful world of the Star Student. Seriously, it’s the easiest way to get things done in the classroom. This episode’s topics include: Why I don’t do classroom jobs anymore Why the Star Student is the real MVP LINKS MENTIONED: *Editable* Star Student Template Classroom video that shows how I set up the Star Student board ⏰ Want even more time-saving tips? Then check out Mariel’s YouTube Channel: T...
Jun 26, 2024•13 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Teaching PE can be super fun….or incredibly soul-sucking. A lot of that depends on whether or not the kids actually enjoy playing the games you come up with. Listen along as 3rd grade teacher, Stephanie Hedgpeth-Lopez, and 5th grade teacher, Mariel Desrosier, talk about the games that students actually like. We’ll share tried and true crowd pleasers, along with what games we pull out of the bag when we’re not feeling particularly motivated to teach PE. This episode’s topics include: The specific...
Jan 16, 2024•53 min•Season 1Ep. 23
How in the world do teachers run math centers? How do you have time to prepare them? How do you control everyone else when you're working with just one group? Well, the time-crunched teachers are here to help! Join 3rd grade teacher, Stephanie Hedgpeth-Lopez, and 5th grade teacher, Mariel Desrosier, as we walk you through everything you need to know about running and managing elementary math centers. Not only do we explain our exact process, but we also share how to do it on the cheap by using f...
Jan 02, 2024•58 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Today I’m sharing the weekly check-in system that allows me to know what’s going on with each of my students in an incredibly efficient way. It requires minimal work on the teacher’s part so that you can spend your time supporting your students instead of chasing down information. This episode’s topics include: How to solicit background info on your students so that you can have a sense of where they’re coming from My automated check-in system I use to get a pulse on how they’re doing each week ...
Dec 19, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 21
We all need a break, and sometimes coming back from a school vacation is the perfect time to plan a reset for your classroom. Join 3rd grade teacher, Stephanie Hedgpeth-Lopez, and 5th grade teacher, Mariel Desrosier, as we discuss how to come back from a break ready to start something new! (While also keeping things the same...don't worry, we explain what we mean by that.) This episode’s topics include: Activities to do before a break/vacation What not to do when you come back How to use a schoo...
Dec 05, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Sometimes it’s the little things that can make the biggest difference in a teacher’s world. Join 3rd grade teacher Stephanie Hedgpeth-Lopez and 5th grade teacher Mariel Desrosier as we share everything we include in our “survival kits.” This not only includes physical objects like the “good Kleenex” and shelf stable food, but it also includes those last minute games and activities that make perfect time fillers for when class doesn’t go quite as planned. This episode’s topics include: Supplies w...
Sep 12, 2023•1 hr 31 min•Season 1Ep. 19
One of my productivity rules is, “If you have to write it twice, create a template.” And email writing is no exception. In today’s episode I go over exactly how to create an email template and the types of templates I use as an elementary school teacher. This episode’s topics include: Step-by-step instructions for enabling templates in Gmail Template examples and how I use them LINKS MENTIONED: Email processing podcast (Apple Podcasts): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/4-email-productivity-...
Aug 29, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 18
You know what's better than giving kids rewards? Giving kids free rewards. Join 3rd grade teacher Stephanie Hedgpeth-Lopez, and 5th grade teacher Mariel Desrosier as we share our favorite cheap and free class rewards. This episode’s topics include: Free choice activities Silly group rewards Building community through rewards Student acknowledgement (especially in cursive) Whole class rewards Being the special messenger Ways to show student achievement We also get sidetracked about the best ways ...
Aug 15, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Many teachers have told us that Back to School Night is one of the most stressful nights of the year. Something about presenting to adults, opposed to a room full of children, can shake even the best of us. But do not fear - Mariel and Stephanie are here to help you plan your best Back to School Night yet! Not only will our tips help guide you through the exact items to include in your presentation, but we’ll also share our sneaky hints to help you get ahead on other tasks like building rapport ...
Aug 01, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 16
As teachers, we love the first day of school, but there is soooo much to do. Join 3rd grade teacher Stephanie Hedgpeth-Lopez, and 5th grade teachers Leanna Garcia and Mariel Desrosier as we share exactly how we prepare our classrooms and materials for the first day of school. We’ll not only explain our exact process for setting up the classroom, but we’ll also be sharing our prior mistakes and what we no longer waste our time doing. This episode’s topics include: How to get your classroom space ...
Jul 18, 2023•1 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Today's episode is a very special recording of the podcast. In celebration of our summer break, I came up with a ridiculous game called "Battle of the Brackets." We pick a topic (like worst school supplies) and create a set of playoff brackets where we argue each item head to head until we've declared a winner for: The Worst School Supply Ever. Western Conference: 1. Safety scissors vs. mechanical pencils 2. Bottle glue vs. mini pencil sharpeners Eastern Conference: 1. Cheap crayons vs. school p...
Jul 03, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 14
If you’ve ever wanted to look into your closet and LOVE the items you see, then this is the episode for you! Today I go into the step by step process I used to create my awesome capsule wardrobe from scratch, all on a teacher’s budget. This episode’s topics include: What is a capsule wardrobe? Why thrifted? How to define your personal style Purging items you don’t need How to thrift shop like a pro Taking care of clothing items What luxury items I splurge on LINKS MENTIONED: Alyssa’s Video on Th...
Jun 22, 2023•59 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Everyone remembers their first year teaching mistakes - and the Lunch Bunch is no exception. Join 3rd grade teacher Stephanie Hedgpeth-Lopez, Technology Coach Melissa Shaw, and 2nd grade teacher Mariel Desrosier as we regale our tales as first year teachers. But more importantly, we share exactly what we would have done differently if we had the chance to do it again. This episode’s topics include: Deciding what’s most important How to ask for help Reaching out to parents Leaving at the end of t...
Jun 08, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Lunch Bunch in the house! Today’s guests include art teacher Cailin Nygren, librarian Stephanie Simms, and 3rd grade teacher Stephanie Hedgpeth-Lopez. Join our spirited Would You Rather? Game - teacher edition. Get ready for some real world teaching advice, including why we would choose head lice over birthday cupcakes. Today’s classroom stories include Stephanie’s slip slip, Mariel’s 2nd grade nail salon, and Cailin’s lesson about the power of super glue and butt cheeks. Mrs. Simms keeps us who...
May 25, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Usually I talk about teaching. Today I’m sharing my favorite time-saving tricks for around the house. Because who wants to spend the day cleaning up after a bunch of kids only to have to come home and clean up after your own? ;) This episode’s topics include: How I learned to love doing laundry without involving alcohol Why deciding what’s for dinner is the hardest part about being an adult How not to look like an episode of Hoarders Timers aren’t just for athletes LINKS MENTIONED: Example of my...
May 11, 2023•55 min•Season 1Ep. 10
It's the end of the year, your brain is toast, the kids' brains are toast, you don't need something complicated or expensive to do. Don't worry, I've got you. This episode’s topics include: Activities disguised as teaching Ridiculous games Making memories LINKS MENTIONED: fold n' fly paper planes Canva templates Today’s classroom story is about how every teacher needs the "Connect 4 Kid." ⏰ Want even more time-saving tips? Then check out Mariel’s YouTube Channel: The Time-Crunched Teacher. 🍎 Do...
Apr 28, 2023•24 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Google Chrome has some amazing features that can save you time and up your productivity. In today’s episode I share some of my favorite features that will make your life easier. This episode’s topics include: Bookmark folders that allow you to open all your bookmarks at once Creating icon-only bookmarks to fit more on your bookmarks bar Sending links to highlighted text on a website How to quickly open a closed browser tab LINKS MENTIONED: Bookmark Folders ( Video ) Icon-Only Bookmarks Bar ( Vid...
Mar 28, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 8
When I first started teaching, I was deep in credit card debt and my credit score had tanked. Then, I married my husband and we merged our debt along with our households. So how did a young, broke married couple dig their way out and end up debt free with an 850 credit score? Listen along as I share the journey of how we learned how to be fiscally savvy - all on a teacher’s budget. This episode’s topics include: Taking an honest look at your money Budgeting basics Secrets to lowering your credit...
Feb 09, 2023•35 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Today’s episode includes all the little ways you can make your students feel seen and heard. Because every student is wearing a little invisible sign that says, “Make me feel important.” This episode’s topics include: Little surprises (that are cheap or don’t cost any money) One-on-one time for each student What to do when it gets hard De-escalation techniques for upset children LINKS MENTIONED: Student Birthday Card Activity (Video) Whole Class Reward (Video) Today’s classroom story involves ho...
Jan 26, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 6
As a time-crunched teacher, there are a lot of choices you need to make in order to prioritize what’s important to you. And what was important for me this year was to only work contract hours. But in order to make that happen, I needed to make some changes. Today I discuss the things I’m no longer doing in 2023 and what I’m doing instead. Incidentally, it was raining when I recorded this episode so you get a bonus ASMR soundtrack too. ;) This episode’s topics include: Things I’m no longer spendi...
Jan 12, 2023•19 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Have you ever wanted to be able to get through all your emails without sacrificing your prep period? Then listen along as I walk you through the exact steps I use to process all of my emails in under 10 minutes and end the day with the elusive INBOX ZERO. This episode’s topics include: How to process your email as efficiently as possible The only email folders you’re ever going to need How to calendar your time so that everything gets done Today’s classroom story is about the nicest rudest thing...
Dec 30, 2022•12 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Entering a teacher credentialing program can be incredibly exciting, but it can also be very overwhelming. Listen along as I walk you through the do’s and don'ts of navigating your credentialing program. This episode’s topics include: Types of teaching credentials and certifications Jobs you can work while you’re still in school Advice for what to do during your program Tips for getting hired right out of school LINKS MENTIONED: Teaching Portfolio Advice (Video) New Teacher Playlist (Videos) Edj...
Dec 29, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 3
In this episode I go through all of my favorite quick tips and cheap hacks to setting up your classroom at the beginning of the school year. These systems allow me to get my ENTIRE classroom ready for the year in under 2 hours. That's right, I hide out the rest of the time and eat snacks. ;) This episode's topics include: Technology that doesn't involved hiding TPT invoices from your spouse Organization systems (aka keeping crap out of sight) Decor or how to make your classroom look great withou...
Dec 28, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 2
