139. The Modern Classrooms Model: A Sustainable Solution for Teachers with Special Guest Robert Barnett
Mar 25, 2025
Let’s be honest, meeting the diverse needs of 25+ students every day is exhausting. But what if I told you that there’s a practical way that teachers are reclaiming their time, reducing stress, and actually enjoying teaching again? In this episode, I am joined by Robert Barnett from the The Modern Classrooms Project, to chat about how The Modern Classrooms Project has empowered countless teachers to reclaim their time, decrease overwhelm, and rediscover joy in teaching.
If you feel like you’re drowning trying to differentiate for all of your students, this episode is for you! Robert is sharing how he went from frustrated and burned out to energized and connected by simply changing the way he delivered instruction. He’s breaking down strategies for effectively incorporating instructional videos in your classroom, promoting student autonomy, and maintaining motivation without having to micromanage. If you’re looking for actionable tips and encouragement to start making small but impactful changes that will decrease your overwhelm, this is one you don’t want to miss!
TOPICS COVERED:
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Why traditional teaching models contribute to burnout
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The impossible task of one-size-fits-all instruction
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How a simple video changed everything in Robert’s classroom
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Building a self-paced, student-led classroom without losing structure
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Motivation and engagement in a blended learning environment
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Practical ways to start with the Modern Classrooms approach today
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Evidence-based practices that make this model effective
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The power of building student relationships over managing behavior
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Free resources and training to help you get started
CONNECT WITH ROBERT:
- Website: http://www.meeteverylearnersneeds.org
- Book: Meet Every Learner's Needs: Redesigning Instruction So All Students Can Succeed
RELATED RESOURCES:
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This episode is sponsored by: Prodigy Math
Introducing the Prodigy Monthly State Challenge—the world’s biggest math competition ever! From January 6th to April 30th, your students can compete against schools across your state by answering math questions, climbing leaderboards, and winning their share of over $1 million in prizes!
Each month:
• 🌟 500+ winners earn amazing prizes
• 📈 Leaderboard points boost your school’s ranking
Then, in May, get ready for the Prodigy National Cup—a two-week math showdown with $220,000 in tech grants, pizza parties, trophies, and more! One school will win the grand prize: $100,000 tech grant, a school-wide celebration, and a special visit from Prodigy’s founders!
Best part? It’s 100% free to join (forever)! Students master math, you earn rewards—win-win!
Sign up free today at teachingmindbodyandsoul.com/statechallenge and bring the thrill of competition to your classroom!
- Join the Waitlist for Automate Your Classroom Course - Learn the step-by-step roadmap TO creating a sustainable teacher task simplification and automation system to beat burnout, squash stress, get back YOUR time, and sustain your career in education
- Request Professional Development from your Administrator
- Interested in getting support for your school - Check out the For Schools Page
- Watch the FREE "Balance before Burnout: Work/Life Balance Audit" Mini-workshop
- The Ultimate Teacher Digital Planner
- FREE Affirmations for Burned Out Teachers Workbook to help change your mindset
CONNECT WITH BRITTANY:
- Connect with Brittany on Instagram @teachingmindbodyandsoul
- Learn more on TikTok with Brittany @msprincessteach
- Connect with The Resilient Teacher Community - FREE on Facebook
RELATED EPISODES:
- Ep 3: Why Summer Break is Not Going to Get You Out of Teacher Burnout (Ep 3 - Summer Burnout Recovery Series)
- Ep 4: The 5 Must Have Methods for Teachers To End the Stress Cycle this Summer (Ep. 4 - Summer Burnout Recovery Series)
- Ep 5: How to Develop a Burnout Recovery Plan in Less Than an Hour (Ep. 5)
- Episode 36: Teacher Pep Talk: Slay the Sunday Scaries
- Episode 16: TEACHER PEP TALK: “Quiet Quitting” For When You are Struggling with Setting Authentic Boundaries
MORE ABOUT THE RESILIENT TEACHER PODCAST:
The Resilient Teacher Podcast is the show that will give overwhelmed educators the support, tools, and mindset to reduce teacher burnout and keep teaching sustainable. Each week, Brittany Blackwell, M.Ed. & her guests will share inspiration and actionable steps to avoid or recover from the dreaded teacher burnout. You'll be inspired to individualize self-care and learn to prioritize your well-being and mental health, all while making a bigger impact on your classrooms and community.
SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW ON ITUNES:
Are you subscribed to the podcast? If not, I encourage you to do that NOW so you never miss another episode! New episodes are added every Tuesday, and if you're not subscribed there's a good chance you might miss out on notifications that a new episode has gone live. Click here to subscribe on iTunes!
And if you are feeling extra amazing, I would be super grateful if you would leave a review on iTunes, too! Those reviews help other educators who are burned out and needing support find the podcast, and I love shouting you out on the Community Reviewer of the Week Segment! Just click here to review, select "Ratings & Reviews" and "Write a Review" and share what you are loving about the podcast!
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Hey, y'all! I'm Brittany!
