The tips Angela shares on her podcast are great, but the SYSTEMS that come from the club were a saving grace in this weird post-pandemic (not really) year. I felt more confident in teaching because I had more systems, my students became major contributors to the running of our classroom in an effective way, and I was able to incorporate a side hustle that made much more than the club costs. Most importantly, I was present for date night and didn’t feel like I had to stay at school late all the time.

I was hesitant to sign up originally. Would it be worth the money? Would I be adding more to my plate than I could handle? How would I benefit? Well, I will tell you it was worth the money, and no, I didn’t add more to my plate because I could CHOOSE how much/how little to read, listen, interact with the club. Angela sends out information monthly with Core Concepts broken down into manageable chunks. I loved knowing that if I didn’t have the time to look through everything, it was okay. I’ll always be a part of the group and have access to the materials, podcasts, etc. What did I gain? 1. Confidence in the fact that I wasn’t a failure when I couldn’t “do it all.” 2. Camaraderie with educators across the globe – real people with the same struggles, the same goals, and great ideas who were always willing to listen, suggest, and share. 3. Peace of mind. I was reminded over and over that working myself into exhaustion wasn’t the way to be the best teacher I could be for my students. 4. Balance – it’s okay to not have your work life be a 24 hour day. There is time for yourself and your family and friends WHILE being the best teacher you can be. If you choose to sign up, you won’t regret it.

While some of the ideas or materials were for grades above kindergarten I still found plenty of time saving ideas and techniques to help me be more focused and effective in my teaching. I also gained new perspectives on how to best use my time, streamline many tasks, and reflect on the purpose of what I am doing in the classroom. I had a particular challenging class this year (as I’m sure was the case for most of us teaching post-pandemic) that really struggled with listening, following directions, and getting along with others. RIght when I needed it, the January materials focused on reteaching the classroom management routines and procedures. The ideas that I found here literally saved my sanity as I felt like I had control of the class once again.

This is one of the most useful resources I have ever purchased. It’s not really a course, it’s more like a wealth of resources and podcasts/articles that allow you to be your best self in the classroom. I love the way her materials can be applied to any grade and her concepts are practical and kind. I echo what others say, do NOT try to do everything and do NOT feel discouraged if you do not have time to read everything month by month. Just use vacations to get caught up a little and apply what makes sense for you. The materials are good quality and most importantly, she helps you give yourself permission to say, “My good enough is good enough.” Because of this course, I did not bring work home half as often as I used to. Yes, partially that was because I was passed out on the couch, but I no longer felt guilty about passing out on the couch. I allowed myself to take a long nap because that is what I needed. This course gave me the tools to keep going.

I am so glad that I invested in this club! The guiding principles, resources, and support were transformative. While I didn’t get through all of the materials, I’m so glad that I can go back through the materials this next school year. The to-do list, student jobs, and report card comments were especially helpful systems that I used this past year. Overall, I’m just so grateful for the mindset shifts and foundations this course has given me so that I could reclaim my time outside of work and feel less frazzled each day.

There is so much to love about this program. One, Angela’s monthly recordings are like my teacher therapy sessions–her voice is so soothing, relaxing, and understanding, and her advice is so relatable. Two, the list-making system. I use the weekly to-do list every single week and I find I have SO much more time by the end of the week for extra, less urgent tasks because I’ve used my other free times earlier in the week productively. Three, having a place for every loose paper. I now have a bin for “to correct” and “to file” so that I don’t have a zillion loose papers floating around on my desk. I’m also more likely to get those tasks done because of the list-making! I love that I have access to all of these materials forever–it’s like always having that favorite co-worker with you at school. I can’t recommend this program enough!

This is one of the best courses I have ever taken. It literally changed my life. I was able to set boundaries at work, refine my organization skills, and identify life and teaching goals. I gained a voice! All of which led to more time for me and my family. I have paid much more money for courses that were essentially useless to me. 40 Hour Work Week was a bargain and a game changer. Seriously! There is a lot of information and it really is true just take what you need at the time. I will be referring to the course materials for a long time to come. Thank you!

I have been on a career-long journey to learn work-life balance. After trying many strategies and services, I wasn’t easy to convince that 40HTW would be any different, BUT IT IS. Part of that is how practical and immediate the support is: it’s hands-on and “start today with this bit.” Part of it is Angela’s voice that enables me to talk back to the dysfunctional voice in my head; she really gets what issues and thoughts get in our way of successfully managing the work load. Even more important than gaining some hours, I no longer beat myself up with guilt for what isn’t done, nor feel that I have to martyr myself on the bed of nails that grading essays can be. While I have made more progress than with any other strategy or coach, I plan to revisit each lesson, month-by-month, in the coming year. I will build on the success I have had and double-down on two arenas that are my biggest obstacles. I wouldn’t have known what they are, let alone how to drill down on them, without Angela’s program. The cost was not easy for me but completely worth it, and I knew it would keep me engaged, attempting some part of each month’s lesson. How much would you pay for a few hours a week to call your own? Or for some peace of mind when you aren’t working? The program won’t work without you – you have to want the change – but I think that if anything you have seen looks like it might help, then you can count on it. I believe you will get more than you thought possible.

I’ve taught for over 25 years and have always tried to understand the “missing gene” of organization. This club has validated me as a teacher and has taught me how to embrace my starting point and move forward with sound practical steps. Each month’s topics are relevant to my world, my thought processes and my unique challenges. I am grateful that I am not alone. I wish I would have known all this 20 years ago but am inspired to move forward with new tools and skills.

I left the classroom for a year after moving from overseas. I felt overwhelmed at rejoining US public schools so I decided on my year off I would join this club. I loved the price of the club. I felt it was enough that I would take it seriously, but not so much that it was out of reach like most teacher trainings.
The main downsides to the club:
-If you are a relatively organized Type A person, most of this will be common sense or things you already know.
-It’s a lot of information and things to go through, especially during the school year.
The benefits of the club:
-There are so many resources!
-Even for us organized people, there are lots of ideas to try.
-The online community is positive and uplifting. No one trashing others, just people helping you adapt the curriculum to your context.
-The materials within the club are very organized.
-You have access to the materials forever, no need to save them and then try to go through them again. It’s all still on the site.
-The audio recordings of the PDFs were amazing because I could do household chores at the same time.
I personally suggest that you go through the club materials and implement one or two things and then go through the club the next year and implement more things. It’s way too much to be done in one year unless you are very motivated. I found it great to try to implement certain things around my house this year so that next year I am able to implement when I return to the classroom.