Episode 184: How to Decide What to Stop Caring About as a Language Teacher with Meredith White, Bethanie Drew and Maris Hawkins

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Have you ever felt like you are doing everything, you’re running out of energy, and somehow, it still doesn’t feel like enough?

In this episode of Growing With Proficiency The Podcast, I sit down with Meredith White, Bethanie Drew, and Maris Hawkins to have a real and honest conversation about something we don’t talk about enough: How do we decide what to stop caring about as teachers?

Because the truth is… we cannot do it all. And trying to do it all is what leads to burnout.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to identify what is actually worth your time and energy
• Why comparison is one of the biggest drains on teachers
• How to stop reinventing the wheel with every lesson
• The power of using high-impact templates like sentence starters and roving paragraph frames
• A simple, repeatable lesson cycle you can use with any reading or video
• How to protect your time, your boundaries, and your joy

This is not about doing less just to do less. This is about doing what matters—with intention.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, this episode will help you take a step back and ask:
What do I actually need to keep… and what can I finally let go of?

🎧 Listen now and start making small shifts that will make your teaching more sustainable.

🔗 Resources mentioned:

• Roving Paragraph Frames & Sentence Starters (Bethanie Drew)
• Episode with Sally Barnes

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