Episode 5: Maritza Medina - From Pre-School to College and Everything in Between

How can teachers support student mental health without pushing students too hard—or making everything too easy? In this episode of Suck Less Tomorrow, host Carlton Glassford sits down with Lawrence Harris, a 20-year-old author and speaker, to explore school anxiety, autism, bullying, and how educators can help students build resilience without dismissing genuine distress. Drawing on his lived experience with autism, childhood abuse, bullying, and school struggles, Lawrence shares how he turned personal challenges into a platform for helping students, teachers, and families. From reaching out to strangers online to speaking at major conferences, his story offers a powerful reminder that you don't need to have everything figured out to make a difference. In this episode, you'll learn: Student mental health: How to distinguish healthy discomfort that encourages growth from distress that requires intervention.

Can a simple shift in your classroom layout completely transform your student's behavior? In this episode I sit down with Jonathan Treiber, CEO of Skillcare USA, to tackle student anxiety, classroom wellness, and the science of sensory regulation. The old-school "timeout corner" is officially on its way out. Today, educators are finding massive success by creating proactive sensory regulation corners right in their classrooms. Jonathan shares how frontline teacher feedback helped develop silent learning aids—like the famous Crash Pad and weighted gel lap pads—to keep restless kids focused without distracting the rest of the room. What you’ll learn in this episode: Proactive vs. Reactive Teaching: How to read early warning signals and preempt behavioral issues before an outburst happens. Beyond Fidget Spinners: The actual science of weighted therapy and silent gel tools in mainstream classrooms. The School-to-Home Connection: Why parents are successfully adopting these same sensory tools for homework routines. A Stitch in Time: One vital piece of daily advice to protect your own mental health and make your teaching day suck less tomorrow.

What are public schools getting wrong—and what are people getting wrong about public schools? In this episode of Suck Less Tomorrow, I sit down with Brad Stukesberry, better known as the Public School Apologist. Brad is a longtime educator, former administrator, and special education professional who has gained an online following by challenging common assumptions about public education. Brad and I discuss student behavior and discipline, school attendance, consequences for students, COVID’s impact on education, school funding, the U.S. Department of Education, special education, intervention and remediation, graduation exams, standardized testing, academic tracking, and teacher professionalism. We also dig into a question that sits at the heart of Brad’s work: What should public educators stop apologizing for? Brad argues that teachers shouldn't apologize for protecting their planning time, advocating for themselves, or expecting to be treated as professionals. We also explore the complicated systems and layers of decision-making that shape what happens in schools long before a student walks into a classroom. If you're a teacher, school administrator, education leader, special educator, or someone interested in public education, this conversation offers an honest look at the challenges facing schools—and why some of the loudest criticisms of education deserve a closer look. Topics include: public schools, teachers, education policy, student discipline, school behavior, chronic absenteeism, school funding, special education, Department of Education, standardized testing, graduation requirements, academic tracking, teacher advocacy, and public education myths. If you enjoy conversations about education, teaching strategies, classroom culture, and educator growth, make sure to follow, share, and leave a review. Visit ⁠⁠We'll All Suck Less Tomorrow⁠⁠ for blog posts, podcast episodes, and more from Carlton. Purchase the book ⁠Suck Less in the Classroom Tomorrow: Honest Advice for Teachers in Their First Years⁠ Follow along on: ⁠⁠Instagram @sucklesstomorrow⁠⁠

Do teachers really need to create a brand-new, engaging lesson every day? Josie Wozniak, a veteran middle school English and history teacher, theater director, and education creator, says no. In this episode of Suck Less Tomorrow, I talk with Josie about using consistent lesson structures and instructional frameworks to reduce cognitive load, save teachers planning time, and help students become more independent learners. Josie shares her experience using EduProtocols such as Iron Chef, Fast and Curious, Hexagonal Thinking, and other repeatable lesson frameworks. She also explains how formative assessment can help teachers decide what students actually need to practice, rather than simply giving every student the same activity. We also discuss educational technology, AI in the classroom, feedback and revision, student agency, teacher collaboration, ISTE, and the challenge of balancing technology with traditional paper-and-pencil instruction. Finally, Josie shares advice for new teachers, including why you shouldn't be afraid to try things, make mistakes, reset your classroom, and give yourself some grace. Topics covered: classroom management, lesson planning, teacher burnout, cognitive load, EduProtocols, formative assessment, educational technology, AI in education, student agency, teacher collaboration, feedback, middle school teaching, and advice for new teachers. About Josie Wozniak: Josie is a middle school English and history teacher, theater director, and education creator who shares practical teaching ideas online as @Jwoz_Teaches and here linktree here. If you enjoy conversations about education, teaching strategies, classroom culture, and educator growth, make sure to follow, share, and leave a review. Visit ⁠⁠We'll All Suck Less Tomorrow⁠⁠ for blog posts, podcast episodes, and more from Carlton. Purchase the book ⁠Suck Less in the Classroom Tomorrow: Honest Advice for Teachers in Their First Years⁠ Follow along on: ⁠⁠Instagram @sucklesstomorrow⁠⁠

How can neuroscience improve classroom management? In this episode of the Suck Less Tomorrow Podcast, I sit down with chemistry teacher, educational consultant, and content creator Chris Mukiibi to discuss practical, research-informed strategies that help teachers build calmer, more cooperative classrooms. Chris shares his journey from engineering student to educator and explains how neuroscience and psychology changed the way he approaches student behavior. We explore why so many teachers struggle with classroom management, why behavior systems matter, and how small changes in language and expectations can dramatically reduce conflict while strengthening relationships with students. We also discuss: Classroom management strategies for new teachers