Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers

Angela Watson spent more than 25 years as a classroom teacher and instructional coach before creating Truth for Teachers, and you can feel that experience in every episode. She holds National Board Certification and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction, but what makes her stand out is her willingness to say the things teachers are actually thinking -- about workload, about mandates that miss the mark, about the emotional toll of the job. The podcast launched in 2015 and has racked up over 9 million downloads and 1,200 five-star reviews on iTunes, consistently ranking among the top K-12 education podcasts. Watson focuses heavily on sustainability in teaching. She talks about work-life balance not as a buzzword but as a set of concrete habits: how to stop taking work home, how to streamline lesson planning, how to say no to extra duties without guilt. She also gets into mindset work, unpacking personal bias, and building mental health routines that fit into a teacher's actual schedule. Episodes run about 15 to 25 minutes, which Watson designed intentionally so you can finish one during a prep period or a drive to school. The tone is direct and empathetic -- she talks with you, not at you. Unlike many education podcasts that focus solely on instruction, Truth for Teachers gives equal weight to the personal side of the profession. If you have ever felt like the job is consuming your entire life and you need someone who gets it to help you find a way through, Watson is that person.