Teachers Next Door Podcast
Two veteran teachers and former administrators, who are also sports moms, share the unpolished truth about life in the classroom. They discuss pedagogy, provide a safe space to vent, and offer encouragement to fellow educators. The podcast aims to remind listeners that they are not alone in the challenges of teaching. Listeners are invited to join the community on Instagram and the show's website.
Episodes
Coffee, Kids and Gratitude
In this week’s episode, Michelle and Nicole are leaning into gratitude. They chat about the personal morning practices that keep them grounded, the classroom rituals that help students find the good, and the small, everyday moments of connection at school that make the hard days worth it. From sticky notes to saved voicemails to cry-laughing in the hallways, this episode is a reminder that gratitu
Find Your People: The Power of Teacher Besties and Teams
Teaching is rewarding and it's also exhausting, overwhelming, and sometimes just plain ridiculous all at the same time. There are some things you can handle on your own, while other things require a text or a hallway conversation that starts with, "You're never going to believe what just happened."
In this episode, Michelle and Nicole are talking about the power of teacher friendships and strong t
September is a lie.
Remember in July when you thought, "This year, I'm going to have it all together"? Welcome to September — where lesson plans are scribbled on sticky notes, to-do lists multiply by the hour, and teachers are running on pure caffeine and survival instincts.
In this episode of The Teachers Next Door, Michelle and Nicole get brutally honest about the September overwhelm they promised themselves wouldn
Teachers Next Door Welcome Teachers Tea
What happens when two teacher besties decide to share a classroom and a business? We're sitting down with Kaila and Kristi, the duo behind Teachers Tea, to talk about the magic of team teaching, how they strive to keep the joy in this demanding profession and how they have built a business from an Instagram page to a full-fledged brand.
We dive into how their three-teacher double classroom actuall
Emotional Backpacks: What We Carry Into the Classroom
Every educator carries an emotional backpack into the classroom, filled with the stories, struggles, and life events we may not always see in each other.
In this episode, Nicole opens up about navigating her family member's recent cancer diagnosis while returning to the classroom, the guilt of putting work before family, and the hard lessons she's learned about setting boundaries and asking for h
Picture Books Are Pure Magic
What if the most powerful thing in your classroom only has a few pages? In this episode, Michelle and Nicole share some of their favorite picture books for the classroom, the ones they return to year after year for building community, supporting social-emotional learning, sparking big conversations, and helping students dream big.
From The Circles All Around Us to A Good Thing Happened Today, The
First Year Feelings and Fresh Starts: A Back to School Episode
No matter where you are at with back to school set up, or how many days you have had curious learners in your care, this back to school episode is for you. Nicole is heading back into the classroom. She is teaching grade three for the first time and feeling like a first-year teacher all over again. Michelle is returning to an associate principal role, a position that feels like a homecoming but co
Part 2: Boundaries, Wellness and Building Community with Laurie McIntosh
In the second half of our conversation with teacher, author, and advocate Laurie McIntosh, we dig into the topics educators need to hear most. Laurie shares about her work with the Outside Pin Consulting collective, her upcoming role mentoring student teachers, and why teacher wellness has to be at the center of everything.
We explore what it really means to set boundaries as an educator, not as w
Part 1: We Were Never Meant To Do This Work Alone with Laurie McIntosh
She's our most requested guest, and we were thrilled when she accepted our invite to join us on the Teachers Next Door podcast. We are incredibly honoured to welcome Laurie McIntosh, aka Mrs. Mac's Kinders, to the show!
Laurie is a kindergarten teacher, author, speaker, and advocate who brings pure heart and relentless joy to education. In this first part of our conversation, Laurie takes us thr
Back-to-School Must-Haves: Classroom Supplies We Swear By
In this episode, Nicole and Michelle each share their personal, tried-and-true lists of classroom essentials heading into a new school year. From Flair pens to electric pencil sharpeners, magnetic manipulatives to dry-erase pocket sleeves, they're revealing the tools, gadgets, and supplies they genuinely can't teach without.
Nicole is heading back into the classroom and Michelle is making the move
From Neighbours to Guests: Teachers Next Door Stop By After The Bell
This week, Michelle and Nicole join The Stunt Brothers, Martin and Roy, as guests on the After the Bell podcast for a lively podcast crossover conversation about teaching, podcasting, and the incredible friendships that exist behind both shows.
They dive into class sizes, the invisible workload of teaching, favourite classroom moments, and the joy of finding "your people" in this profession.
Funn
The Summer Reset Series Part 4: The Gentle Runway - Back On Your Terms
In the final episode of their summer series, Michelle and Nicole explore what it really means to ease back into the school year without losing the peace you worked so hard to find this summer. They chat about who's actually listening to the podcast (surprise: it's not just teachers), why the "all or nothing" approach to back-to-school is overrated, and the small, intentional shifts they're each ma
The Summer Reset Series Part 3: Letting Go of Teacher Guilt
You survived another school year and now it's time to thrive this summer without the guilt. In this episode, Michelle and Nicole dive into the real, year-round phenomenon of teacher guilt and why it hits extra hard once the school year ends.
They unpack why teachers struggle to switch off (spoiler: there's no "shutoff valve" built in to the job), how the "back to school" content cycle creeps in w
The Summer Reset Series Part 2: Reclaiming Your Identity
Who are you when you're not teaching?
Michelle and Nicole take on their toughest challenge yet: a whole conversation with zero talk of school! Trading questions back and forth, they rediscover the people behind the "teacher" label: the yogi, the outdoor enthusiast, the creator, the competitor, and of course, the friend. A candid, joyful look at what fills their cups outside of work, and why recla
The Summer Reset Series Part 1: The Art of the Clean Break
In this first episode of our four-part Summer Reset Series, Michelle and Nicole dive into the art of the clean break: why it's so hard for educators to switch off after 10 months of go-go-go, and how they're each navigating the transition into summer this year.
From swapping "teachery" wardrobes for shorts and sundresses, to cleaning out classrooms (and teacher bags) for good, to the surprisingly
Never Say Never: Our Journeys In and Out of Administration
Have you ever felt a calling so strong it scared you, but you couldn't stop thinking about it?
In this episode of The Teachers Next Door, Michelle and Nicole answer one of their most frequently asked questions: what led them into school administration, and what brought them back to the classroom?
Both hosts share their honest, heartfelt journeys from the unexpected paths that drew them into leader
The Balls Teachers Drop (And Why That’s Okay)
It's June and if you're a teacher, you already know what that means. Report cards, field trips, end-of-year concerts, and a brain so full it starts leaking into your real life. This week, Nicole and Michelle get real about all the balls they're currently dropping (and the ones they're barely keeping in the air).
From tornado nightmares and forgotten permission slips to golf shoes at the ball diamo
Recharge and Rejuvenate: A Teacher's Summer Bucket List
🎉 You're almost there! Put down the pen, close that computer, and grab your iced coffee — because summer is HERE and we are celebrating YOU.
In this episode, Michelle and Nicole are diving into the ultimate teacher summer bucket list, and trust us, it's got a little something for everyone. We're talking total relaxation, rediscovering who you are outside of the classroom, and just a sprinkle of l
Countdown (or Not): Finishing The Year Strong!
June is here, the energy is off the charts, and teachers everywhere are asking the same question: how do we make these last few weeks memorable while keeping everyone sane?
In this episode, Michelle and Nicole dive into their favourite end-of-year classroom activities, games, and traditions — the ones that don't break the bank but create memories that stick.
From Floor Is Lava days and glow parti
The Other Half: What It’s Really Like Being Married to a Teacher
We're keeping it in the family this week! For our very first guest appearance on Teachers Next Door, we're handing the mic to the men who know us best — our husbands.
What did they think they were signing up for when they married a teacher? (Spoiler: lots of vacation time.) What do they actually deal with? (Spoiler: late nights, report card season, and a very organized household.)
From the real ho
Celebrating 10 Episodes: Teacher Hills Worth Dying On
This week, Michelle and Nicole are celebrating their 10th episode - with their favourite diet sodas, of course! Then, they get right into an animated discussion about the hills they will absolutely die on as educators, and the ones they're willing to walk right on past.
From the power of relationships and rapport to equitable learning, smaller class sizes, the importance of play and outdoor time,
The Real MVPs: A Thank You to Teachers
Behind every breakthrough and every career choice, there is a teacher who saw our potential before we did. Teachers don’t just deliver curriculum—they help build people.
This week, your Teachers Next Door get personal! Michelle and Nicole reflect on some of the educators and mentors who shaped who they are today—the ones who provided safety, sparked confidence, and showed up when it mattered mos
Work Smarter, Not Harder: Top Teacher Efficiency Tips
Work Smarter, Not Harder: Top Teacher Efficiency Tips
Do you ever feel like there aren't enough hours in the school day?
In this episode, Nicole and Michelle swap their go-to strategies for getting more done without burning out. From building rock-solid routines and leveraging student helpers, to the “Three Before Three” method and a paper bin system that will transform your desk — these tips are
Stories Worth Telling: Our Path To Becoming Children’s Book Authors
Have you ever dreamed of writing a children's book but had no idea where to start — or kept telling yourself "someday"?
In this episode, your hosts Michelle and Nicole, get real about their journeys to becoming published children's book authors.
They share the light bulb moments that sparked their stories, how they made time to write while juggling full-time teaching and motherhood, and the wild
You Can't Make This Up: Funny Classroom Stories
Ever wonder what really goes on inside a school?
Spoiler: it's nothing like the corporate world.
In this episode, Michelle and Nicole swap a few of their most unbelievable, hilarious, and downright chaotic school stories — the kind that make you think, there is no way that just happened.
They chat about the difference between school lunches and lunches in the corporate world, the surprises that
The New Teacher on the Block
Big changes are happening with one of your favourite Teachers Next Door! After 21 years with the same school board, Nicole is making a leap of faith to a brand new board — and she's calling it the 21-year itch and the new teacher twitch.
In this episode, Nicole gets real about the nerve-cited feelings that come with starting fresh: unwritten parking lot rules, staff room seating, and rebuilding h
April to June: The Final Stretch
In this episode of the Teachers Next Door podcast, Michelle and Nicole dive into the exciting yet exhausting final months of the school year. They discuss resetting expectations after spring break in April, the emotional rollercoaster of May, and the need to lean on one another during the month of June.
They talk about the need to be present with students, taking the time to reflect on how far th
From Bell to Buzzer: A Day in the Life of a Teacher
In this week’s episode, Michelle and Nicole give you a glimpse inside a “typical” day in the classroom—well, typical… if most things actually go according to plan.
As proud Canadians and seasoned sports moms, they compare teaching to a hockey game—complete with pre-game prep, puck drop, intermission, chaotic line changes, and the final push to the end of the game.
And just when you think the final
Welcome to the Neighbourhood: The Story Starts Here
Step inside with us - Michelle and Nicole - in our very first episode of the Teachers Next Door Podcast!
We're two friends, former administrators, teachers, and sports moms sharing the real stories about how we met, why we became teachers, and the how and why behind the Teachers Next Door Podcast.
Reheat your coffee, pull up a chair and get to know us a little better as we launch our first epis
Teachers Next Door Podcast Trailer
What happens when two veteran teachers, former administrators, and sports moms finally hit "record"? You get the unpolished truth about life in the classroom.
Because let’s be honest: no one survives the school day alone.
I’m Michelle and I’m Nicole.
Whether you’re looking for a fresh perspective on pedagogy, a safe place to vent, or just a friendly voice to remind you that you’re doing a great j
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