AI policy in schools has teachers navigating federal chaos with zero training. In this episode, veteran AP teacher Leah Cleary breaks down the Biden vs Trump AI education executive orders, reveals why only 2 states require district AI policies, and translates what state guidance actually means for classroom teachers. She shares how she uses AI tools like her custom GPT for grading (https://leahcleary.com/gpt-for-grading-landing-page/) while addressing the reality that 70% of teachers have received no AI professional development. Learn what's coming in 2026, which states have mandatory requirements, and how to make professional decisions about AI when policy offers zero practical answers. Essential listening for teachers trying to navigate artificial intelligence in education without clear guidelines.

In this episode of If Teachers Ruled the World, host Leah Cleary tackles every teacher's nightmare: waking up sick and having to create substitute teacher plans at 5 AM. She shares a practical system for how to prepare for a substitute teacher that works for both random sick days and extended emergencies. Leah breaks down two approaches—quick last minute sub plans using templates, and a complete emergency sub plans system you set up once at the beginning of the year. Whether you need sub plans for teachers during flu season or for unexpected life events, this episode offers substitute lesson plans template strategies that prioritize your wellbeing while keeping students learning. Stop sacrificing your health to avoid sub prep, and start using a system that actually works.

What happens when life gets hard outside of school, but you still have to show up for 150+ students with zero time to breathe? In this episode, I'm getting real about the unique demands of teaching - the performative nature of our job, the myth of the "free period," and what it costs to be "on" all day with no breaks when you're also dealing with personal struggles.

If you've ever felt exhausted from flipping the switch between your real life and your teacher life, this one's for you. We're talking about teacher burnout, the reality of teacher work-life balance (or lack thereof), why teaching is so exhausting, and why our 20-minute lunch and "planning period" aren't what people think they are.

No perfect solutions here - just honest conversation about teacher mental health, the cost of compartmentalizing, and permission to acknowledge that this job hits different when life gets hard.

We're heading back to school on a Friday after New Year's Day - and if you're feeling the pressure to have everything perfectly planned for spring semester, this episode is for you.

Host Leah Cleary shares her honest mid-year reflection: what sustainable teaching strategies she's keeping (student annotation, AI grading assistants), what she's adjusting after learning some hard lessons (spoiler: get help from your media specialist), and what she's adding to protect her energy (intentional mornings instead of racing out the door).

This isn't about "new year, new you" nonsense. It's about simple, sustainable changes that make your job more manageable and make you more effective for your students.

Perfect for teachers looking for practical spring semester planning tips without the toxic productivity pressure.

Resources mentioned:

• Standard annotation guide: leahcleary.com/standard-annotation-in-5-phases/
• Free AI grading assistant: leahcleary.com/gpt-for-grading-landing-page/
• AI tools for teachers: leahcleary.com/ai-tools-for-teachers/

Winter break is here, but many teachers feel pressured to be productive instead of resting. In this episode of If Teachers Ruled the World, host Leah Cleary shares her honest experience of winter break and gives teachers permission to actually rest.

Learn why teacher self-care during break is essential, not selfish. Discover how to manage the pressure to "catch up" on everything you've put on hold. Understand why your teaching brain never fully disconnects (and why that's okay). This episode addresses teacher burnout recovery and work-life balance with practical, compassionate advice for exhausted educators.

Perfect for teachers struggling with winter break guilt, educator mental health, and the constant pressure of lesson planning and grading. Check out the show notes at leahcleary.com.

Sometimes you don't have a choice about lecturing before winter break. The content requires direct instruction, and there's no time for elaborate activities. So how do you keep students awake when everyone's brain is already checked out?

In this episode, educator Leah Cleary shares two student engagement during lectures strategies she's using exam week: the think pair share strategy with dry erase boards and synopsis expansion, plus the buzzer trick she learned at the Georgia Ed Tech Conference. These aren't revolutionary teaching before winter break techniques—they're practical December classroom management tools for when you have to lecture and nobody wants to be there.

Leah walks through exactly how to use active listening strategies like CrowdBuzzer to gamify attention with freshman, explains why dry erase boards make thinking visible during think-pair-share, and shares formative assessment techniques that work in 5-10 minute chunks. Plus, she connects to quick exam review strategies for getting through this week.

This is survival mode teaching. Pick one strategy, try it Monday, and get to winter break.

Read the blog post: https://leahcleary.com/10-total-participation-techniques/

Get free review resources: https://leahcleary.com/free-resource-library-landing-page/

In this episode of If Teachers Ruled the World, host Leah Cleary tackles every teacher's nightmare: waking up sick and having to create substitute teacher plans at 5 AM. She shares a practical system for how to prepare for a substitute teacher that works for both random sick days and extended emergencies. Leah breaks down two approaches—quick last minute sub plans using templates, and a complete emergency sub plans system you set up once at the beginning of the year. Whether you need sub plans for teachers during flu season or for unexpected life events, this episode offers substitute lesson plans template strategies that prioritize your wellbeing while keeping students learning. Stop sacrificing your health to avoid sub prep, and start using a system that actually works.

Survival mode teaching isn't about being perfect—it's about making it to winter break with learning intact. In this episode, educator Leah Cleary shares the gallery walk teaching strategy she's using to keep her 60 AP World History students engaged during the most exhausting week of December.

Leah walks through her Revolutions Gallery Walk, explaining how it serves double duty as both AP World History review activities and primary source analysis activities for upcoming DBQ work. She gets honest about why movement-based learning works when teaching before winter break feels impossible, shares her accountability strategies for hallway management, and offers practical December teaching strategies for teachers who are running on empty.

This episode is for any teacher who needs one manageable strategy to survive this week. No Pinterest perfection required—just real, practical student engagement strategies from a veteran educator who's in the trenches with you.

Download the free Revolutions Gallery Walk: https://leahcleary.com/free-resource-library-landing-page/

Read the full blog post with 10 engagement techniques: https://leahcleary.com/10-total-participation-techniques/