Stellar Teacher Podcast with Sara Marye

Test prep season can quickly take over your classroom... but what if one of the most powerful test prep strategies isn’t another practice passage? In this episode of the Stellar Teacher Podcast, Sara and Emily share practical, classroom-tested ideas to make test prep more intentional and less overwhelming — starting with one critical skill: reading the directions carefully.

Standardized testing season is coming — and if you’re already feeling the pressure of long testing days, restless students, and review overload, you’re not alone. In this Dear Stellar Teacher episode, Sara and Emily share realistic, classroom-tested strategies to help you approach testing season with clarity, confidence, and calm. Instead of cramming more practice into your schedule, this conversation focuses on what actually moves the needle: building stamina, protecting routines, and keeping students regulated and motivated.

STC Podcast hot, Sara Marye, tackles a topic many upper elementary teachers wrestle with: how to teach effectively within a required curriculum while still meeting the unique needs of your students. When you’re handed a required curriculum, it can feel restrictive. You may notice gaps, pacing challenges, or lessons that don’t quite fit your classroom. But having a required curriculum doesn’t mean you lose your professional judgment or flexibility as an educator. Instead, it creates an opportunity to refine how you teach, supplement strategically, and use data to guide meaningful adjustments.

In this episode of the Stellar Teacher Podcast, Sara and Emily dive into a challenge almost every educator faces at some point: teacher self-doubt. From questioning lesson plans to second-guessing instructional decisions, teacher self-doubt can quietly impact confidence, energy, and classroom effectiveness. In a profession where expectations feel high and perfectionism runs deep, it’s easy to overthink every choice and wonder if you’re “doing enough.”