All Episodes

It's 3:30 AM, and Jenna is feverish, anxious, and staring at a blank screen, trying to put together sub plans for the day ahead. Taking a sick day as a teacher can feel like a defeat, but sometimes you just don't have a choice.

In this episode, Miss Jenna MacNulty walks us through the unexpected challenges of calling in sick for the first time. From the guilt of using one of her limited sick days to the stress of prepping for a substitute while battling a fever, she shares the real-life struggles that come with trying to take care of yourself when your classroom still needs you. 

Teaching isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every child learns differently, and some students require special accommodations to get the time and attention they need. 

We follow Jenna as she navigates the challenges of providing accommodations for her students. Balancing the needs of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and ensuring every child in her classroom receives the attention they deserve, Jenna reflects on the complexities of supporting diverse learning needs.

This episode also features experienced educators and administrators who explore what it takes to implement these accommodations effectively and how they impact both the classroom and the broader school environment. Whether it's extra time on tests, small group settings, or personalized learning tools, you’ll witness the day-to-day realities and responsibilities that come with making education accessible to all.

A teacher’s job doesn’t end at 3 pm, and it’s a reality every teacher knows all too well. From early mornings and extended hours to balancing lesson planning and grading, Jenna finds that the administrative work required of her is a lot to juggle.

In this episode, we follow Jenna as she navigates the demanding and often overwhelming challenges of managing her time and how important setting boundaries is for a sustainable work-life balance.

How does she keep her head above water? Tune in to find out. 

Parent-teacher conferences are just around the corner, and like many teachers, Jenna is unsure of what to expect. Will parents be supportive? Will they challenge her methods? 

During the height of COVID-19, remote learning turned parents into makeshift educators. This increased parental involvement but also led to heightened scrutiny of schools. For new teachers like Jenna, this added pressure made parent-teacher conferences especially daunting.

In this episode, she comes face-to-face with the fact that teaching is about much more than working with students. 

What do you do when you have kids screaming inappropriate words at each other? For Jenna, involving school staff isn’t enough, so she decides to turn to the most vital part of a student's support system for help—their parents. 

In this episode, she discovers that these relationships have more of an impact on her students' success and well-being than she originally thought. Will she be able to build a connection that helps her students and corrects some of the behavior issues in her class?

So your classroom has rules and routines (they’re on giant posters—you can’t miss ‘em). But what happens when your students start to test boundaries? 

Miss Jenna MacNulty shares her experience dealing with unexpected behavior challenges, like a student hiding under an umbrella behind a bookshelf for 35 minutes. Hear Jenna’s thoughts on balancing discipline with compassion and trying to find a long-term solution. Will she be able to maintain control of her classroom? Or will her administration need to get involved? 

A huge challenges teachers face is setting the stage for successful learning with effective classroom management and clear expectations. As Jenna begins to set her own strategies by trial and error, she does her best to cater to her students’ needs while aligning with the school’s mission.

From lining up in the hallway to handling transitions, we get a glimpse into Jenna’s frustrations and determination to find what works for her students.

The first day of school is as big of a deal for teachers as it is for students.

Walking into school that first morning, Miss Jenna MacNulty knows she has prepared as much as she can. She’s met some of her students, double-checked her to-do list, and yet, she can’t help but feel anxious as the first bell nears.  She’s been preparing for this day her whole life—but is it everything she hoped it would be? 

Welcome to open house.

In this episode, we follow Jenna through her very first open house as she adjusts to the social dynamics and various backgrounds each student brings. From navigating the chaos of open house night to managing parents' expectations, she shares her insights, triumphs, and lessons learned.

Miss Jenna MacNulty is a first-year teacher eager to put passion into practice inside her third grade classroom. But in the midst of national teacher and funding shortages, will her love for teaching be enough to carry her through?

Join us for the debut episode of Year One as Jenna prepares her classroom for her first day and the year ahead.