When Inclusion Isn’t Working — And How Teachers Can Survive a Broken System Without Burning Out

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Show Notes:

Every day, teachers walk into buildings shaped by policies they didn’t choose. They’re asked to function while understaffed, under-resourced, and held to expectations that often feel impossible to meet. The paperwork piles up, the negative chatter grows louder, and the headlines become harder to ignore. And yet, students still show up looking for connection, guidance, and someone who believes in them.

Today’s episode is raw and real. It’s an honest conversation about what teachers are actually experiencing in their classrooms. The reality is that many teachers are operating in survival mode, and for some, the only path forward they see is a way out. While you may not be able to control the system, you can control your impact. In this episode, I offer support for teachers who feel like they’re just trying to survive in a broken school system and share practical ways to navigate inclusion without burning out of the profession.

Teacher overload has taken on an entirely new meaning in today’s circumstances. With limited support, no clear crisis management plan, and pressure to serve as the sole intervention for dysregulated students, so much feels outside of your control.

But if you’re going to continue working in a system that feels unsupported, it’s essential to focus on what you can control. I share strategies to help regulate your nervous system and develop trauma-informed practices in your classroom through creating safety, establishing clear expectations, and reframing documentation as protection rather than punishment.

The system may be imperfect, underfunded, overcomplicated, and slow to change. But within it, teachers continue to do something extraordinary every single day: they make a difference anyway. As we advocate for systemic change, we must also support the teachers working within the system as it exists today because their health, safety, and their students depend on it. I hope this episode helps you feel seen, heard, not alone, and reminds you to keep going without letting the system break you.

Inside this week's show, you'll learn:

• Practical ways to support teachers working within a broken school system.
• The mindset shift that reframes documentation as protection, not punishment.
• How to proactively create a clear crisis management plan before behaviors escalate, including key questions to guide your planning.
• The importance of intentionally establishing clear classroom expectations to address students’ lack of boundaries.
• How unmet needs in the classroom impact your nervous system, and the toll that stress can take on your health and longevity in the profession.

Links & resources mentioned inside this episode: 

• 5-Minute Field Trips Subscription
• FREE Class at the Virtual Hawaiian Teacher Retreat: How to Prevent Challenging Behaviors from Derailing Your Entire Day
• Beginning Teacher Talk on YouTube
• Grab a copy of my book, Dear New Teacher, Here's Exactly What to Do: Your 5-Step R.E.A.D.Y. for School Roadmap for Elementary Classrooms
• Lung Cancer Free: One Couple’s Journey Through a “Lungs in a Box” Double Lung Transplant.
• Enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card by leaving a review for Beginning Teacher Talk on Apple Podcasts!
• Follow Dr. Lori on Instagram
• Follow Dr. Lori on Facebook
• Follow Beginning Teacher Talk on TikTok

I hope this information is helpful as you prepare for your first, second, or third year of teaching. Until next time, remember, just because you're a beginning elementary teacher, there's no need for you to struggle like one.

💛 Lori

Dr. Lori Friesen | Beginning Teacher Mentor

Creator of the R.E.A.D.Y. for School Academy and The Classroom Management Club, Dr. Lori Friesen has mentored thousands of beginning teachers across the country through her workshops and courses. Host of the popular podcast Beginning Teacher Talk and author of Dear New Teacher, Here's Exactly What to Do, Dr. Lori is dedicated to serving educators and inspiring learners. Learn more at drlorifriesen.com.

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Related episodes you might enjoy:

• Documentation: What Every Teacher Needs to Know
• When Admin Promised Support - But You’re on Your Own
• When You Have Mean or Unsupportive Admin —  How to Protect Your Peace When Your Admin Doesn’t Have Your Back
• Want to Quit? Me Too

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