What does it really mean to be “on” for eight hours straight with no break? In this episode of If Teachers Ruled the World, Leah pulls back the curtain on the emotional and invisible labor that makes teaching one of the most misunderstood and demanding professions.

From being a mini-administrator without support staff to carrying student trauma home, she breaks down what most people don’t see:

• Why “free periods” aren’t free at all

• The emotional cost of caring deeply for every student

• The performance of teaching without applause

• The mental health toll of being responsible for young lives every day

Leah shares her own story—honest, raw, and grounded in 25 years of classroom experience—while still holding onto the purpose and love that keep her showing up. This episode is for every teacher who’s ever felt unseen, and for anyone who truly wants to understand what’s happening behind the classroom door.

🎧 Key Topics:

• The emotional exhaustion of being "always on"

• Why planning periods aren’t downtime

• Carrying students' emotional burdens

• Performing with no recognition

• Finding purpose in an unsustainable system

Perfect for: Teachers feeling overwhelmed, family and friends of educators, and anyone who wants to understand the real demands of teaching.

What if one simple policy change could transform education overnight? In this solo episode, veteran teacher Leah Cleary crowns herself Education Secretary of her dream administration and takes on one of the most exhausting realities in education: early school start times.

Picture it — 7:45 AM, first period. Your students look like extras from a zombie movie, surviving on energy drinks and pure willpower. Sound familiar?

In “The 10 AM Revolution,” Leah shares all too real classroom moments (like her infamous alien pyramid test), eye-opening student contrasts between morning and afternoon, and the science behind it all — including why teenage circadian rhythms make 7:30 AM learning nearly impossible.

This isn’t just venting. Leah tackles the real-world pushback — sports, schedules, logistics — and reframes the conversation: What if we stopped teaching kids that exhaustion equals dedication?

🎧 In this episode:

• The science of teenage sleep cycles and circadian rhythms

• The lived reality of teaching half-awake teens

• Common objections (and why they’re worth rethinking)

• Practical solutions for shifting school start times

• How you can be a guest on future episodes

This episode kicks off Leah’s monthly series, If Teachers Ruled the World — bold ideas, real talk, and a little imagination about what schools could be if teachers were in charge.

Whether you're a teacher nodding along, a parent puzzled by your teen’s sleep habits, or an admin ready to rethink the system — this episode might just spark a revolution.

Join the movement. Your circadian rhythm will thank you.

It’s time for your monthly Teacher Policy Reality Check — and this one’s a hot topic: cell phone bans.

With 26 states now mandating restrictions and New York rolling out “bell-to-bell” policies, educators are left wondering: What does this actually mean for my classroom?

In this episode, Leah breaks down the policy jargon, translating what lawmakers say into what teachers are now expected to do — including becoming unofficial phone police. Drawing from 25+ years of experience, she shares strategies that actually work, like the charging station trick and a relationship-first approach to phone management.

🎧 In this episode:

• What “bell-to-bell” really means (and why it’s not that simple)

• The truth behind the “emergency contact” excuse

• Real-world implementation questions no one’s addressing (fire drills, anyone?)

• How to manage phones and treat students like people

• Why mandates miss the mark on real classroom management

Leah gets real about the gap between policy and practice — with relatable stories, professional insight, and permission to question the headlines.

Perfect for teachers navigating new phone rules, admin seeking practical implementation tips, or anyone wondering what this policy shift means for the people doing the actual work.

Feeling overwhelmed as the school year approaches? You’re not alone — and you don’t have to do it all.

In this episode, veteran educator Leah Cleary shares what really matters during back-to-school prep — and what you can stop stressing about. After 25 years in the classroom, Leah breaks down a no-fluff “worry about this, not that” list to help you start the year strong.

You'll learn:

• What to actually prepare before Day 1 (hint: it’s not your bulletin board)

• How to connect with students fast using simple systems

• Why you can ditch elaborate procedures and just set a few clear expectations

• How to build relationships that make learning possible

Leah also opens up about her first-year mistakes (like obsessing over classroom decor) and offers permission to be real instead of perfect. If you're a teacher who's feeling the pressure, this episode is your deep breath and your roadmap.

Your students don’t need the ideal version of you — they just need you.

Sometimes we know better—but it still hurts. In this vulnerable first episode, Leah shares the story of getting AP scores the day before her birthday and being unexpectedly crushed by results she saw coming. After 25 years in the classroom, why did it still feel like failure? Leah explores where teacher perfectionism comes from, what the research says, and why even 1s and 2s on AP exams predict better college outcomes. If you’ve ever felt “not good enough” despite doing your best, this one’s for you. Teaching is a practice—not a performance.

Meet Leah Cleary, a 25-year classroom teacher ready to talk about what teaching actually looks like - the messy parts, the real struggles, and the wins that nobody posts on social media.

Discover a podcast where teachers get honest about classroom reality, practical strategies that work, education policy that makes sense, and what school could look like if educators had a real voice.

If you're tired of perfect Pinterest classrooms and theories that fall apart with real kids, this is for you. Finally, someone willing to say what we're all thinking.

Subscribe for monthly episodes featuring teacher mental health, teaching strategies, education policy, and teacher leadership. Perfect for classroom teachers ready for real talk about the teaching profession.