Episode 327: Mentoring New Teachers, Co-Teaching Chaos, and Rebuilding Your Joy

This week on Sunday Night Teacher Talk, CJ gets fired up about what it really takes to grow as a teacher—and how to mentor others without losing yourself in the process. He shares honest stories about co-teaching wins and disasters, classroom aides who ghost on the job, and what to do when your enthusiasm doesn’t match your students’ vibe (Tigger vs. Eeyore energy).

We also talk about grading with ChatGPT, strategies for teaching reproductive health with maturity, and the hard truth of what to do when the school you once loved no longer feels like home. Whether you're mentoring someone new, thinking about leaving the classroom, or trying to find your spark again—this one’s for you.

0:00 – Show intro + fired up for part two of the school year
5:40 – Mentoring a first-year teacher: 3 core principles
12:45 – What to do when your classroom aide isn’t helping
18:10 – Tigger vs. Eeyore: Matching student energy
22:30 – Using ChatGPT for grading and instructional planning
28:10 – Teaching reproductive health & handling awkward moments
36:00 – Giving meaningful student feedback and adapting lessons
40:25 – Co-teaching success stories (and failures)
46:15 – Getting assigned 80 more students: What now?
52:30 – Rebuilding culture when students don’t want to be in class
58:00 – Should I leave teaching? Finding new soil to grow in
1:02:10 – Should I take a school counselor position?
1:06:45 – Saying goodbye to students and building a return culture
1:10:30 – Standards-based grading: Is it serving your students?
1:13:20 – Teaching students across multiple levels (and scaffolding tips)
1:17:15 – Reimagining admin observations and evaluations
1:24:40 – Parent-teacher conference strategy: What really matters
1:30:30 – Final thoughts + invite CJ to speak at your school