Stellar Teacher Podcast with Sara Marye

What if real change didn’t come from pressure or perfection, but from intention? In this episode, I reflect on why traditional resolutions often fall apart and how leading with intention has helped me create more meaningful, lasting change. From choosing a word of the year to rethinking how we talk to ourselves about time, energy, and capacity, this episode is an invitation to slow down, think differently, and move through the year with greater intention both in and out of the classroom.

In this episode, I’m diving into small group instruction and addressing five common myths that I hear all the time in the teacher space. I share practical strategies for simplifying your planning, including using a consistent lesson framework, setting limits on prep time, and building routines for student independent work. My goal with this episode is to help you let go of the guilt and pressure surrounding small groups and replace it with clarity and confidence. Small group instruction is a tool—not a mandate—and when you use it intentionally and realistically, it can actually feel manageable and effective.

A new year can bring excitement and fresh goals, but it can also feel heavy when you’re returning to the same classroom challenges, schedules, and demands. In this episode, we slow things down and reflect on what it really looks like to bring more joy into the second semester in ways that feel sustainable, meaningful, and realistic for teachers. Throughout our conversation, we share small but powerful mindset shifts and practical ideas that can help teachers rediscover joy in their classrooms, in the profession, and in life outside of school.

In this episode, I’m talking all about implementing classroom routines as we head into the second semester. This time of year can feel exciting and overwhelming all at once, especially when we realize we’re already halfway through the school year with our students. I share why routines matter so much—particularly in upper elementary—and how they create predictability, calm, and valuable “white space” that allows students to focus their energy on learning instead of figuring out what to do.