Making the Most of the First 5 Minutes

Katie MiglinBlog, Classroom Management, Innovation, Lesson Planning, Student Engagement

TL;DR: Educators want their students excited about their content but it can be challenging when you struggle with low energy and engagement. Focus on the first five minutes of each class, incorporating fun games and activities to create enthusiasm. Other ideas to maintain the focus on those initial minutes include upbeat music, greetings, and engaging questions, which results in increased … Read More

Maximizing Productivity for Educators with Side Hustles

Jeff GargasBlog, Classroom Management, Innovation, Leadership

TL;DR: The Eisenhower Matrix is a time management tool that helps prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance. It categorizes tasks into four quadrants: Important and Urgent, Important but Not Urgent, Not Important but Urgent, and Not Important and Not Urgent. By focusing on Quadrant II activities (Important but Not Urgent), educators can work proactively on tasks that contribute to … Read More

Behavior Management vs. Behavior Leadership

Lindsay TitusBlog, Classroom Management, Reflect Better

TL;DR: Behavior management is not the ultimate answer to solving all challenges teachers face. Shift your perspective from behavior management to behavior leadership, and emphasize the importance of being a leader who guides behavior change and fosters growth. Language is powerful and changing the way we speak about behavior can have a positive impact on classroom and school environments. For … Read More

Calendar Blocking 101 for EDUcreators

Jeff GargasBlog, Classroom Management, Reflect Better

TL;DR: Calendar blocking is a time management technique used by successful EDUcreators to increase productivity and manage their demanding schedules effectively. It involves allocating specific time blocks in your calendar for different tasks or responsibilities, reducing distractions, and improving focus. Prioritize your tasks, create a daily to-do list, and practice task batching to group similar tasks together. Experiment with day … Read More

The Admin Job Search Is Like Training for a Marathon 

Dana GoodierBlog, Classroom Management, Leadership

TL;DR: Training for a marathon and the admin job search share similarities in strategy and preparation. Identifying race/job search strategies and updating application materials are important initial steps. Putting in the hard work of training/interview practice is crucial, as is mental preparation for race day/interview day. The culmination is the race/interview, where you have control over certain aspects but not … Read More