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Thriving in Challenging Schools: Practical Survival Strategies | 156

Author
Debbie O'Shea
Published
Sun 07 Sep 2025
Episode Link
None

Welcome back to Thriving in Challenging Schools. This is Episode 2 of our series, and today we’re diving into something every teacher in a tough environment needs: practical survival strategies.

Let me ask you this—what if I told you a coffee machine could actually save your sanity? Or that the secret to surviving a challenging school might already be sitting in the boot of your car? Sounds a bit crazy, right? But these are the kinds of real-world, low-cost, zero-permission-needed strategies that can make the difference between just scraping through the day and actually keeping your joy and creativity alive.

In this episode, we’ll talk about three practical tools you can start using right away:

  • How to create your own little “islands of civility” during the school day.
  • Why having a Plan B in your back pocket can be a lifesaver when chaos strikes.
  • And how to simplify lessons when the wheels fall off, so you can focus on what really matters.

These aren’t theories or big policy changes—they’re strategies you can put into action today, without needing anyone’s approval. So grab your coffee (or your emergency stash of drumsticks!) and let’s explore some simple but powerful ways to not just survive, but thrive, in even the most challenging school settings.

Where to find me: 

Crescendo Community Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/crescendocommunity
Official Crescendo Page: https://www.facebook.com/CrescendoMusicEd/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CrescendoMusicEd
Twitter: https://twitter.com/crescendomusic
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-o-shea-62a3741b/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CrescendoDeb

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