Believe it or not, preparing for next school year without losing your summer is possible. You can head into the new school year refreshed, focused, and ready. With just a few intentional steps, you can reduce August stress and protect your time to relax, recharge, and reconnect. 1. Reflect on Last Year…Briefly Spend 30 minutes jotting down: What worked well … Read More
Is Your Homework Meaningful or Just Busy Work?
The homework debate continues to divide educators, parents, and students. Some advocate for practice at home, believing it solidifies learning, while others argue that homework places unnecessary stress on students and families. Before I go further, I want to note that many educators question the equity of homework in general, because we simply cannot control what students go home to, … Read More
Why Heart Health Education Matters in K-12 Schools
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, making heart health education essential for students from an early age. Teaching students about heart health can: Encourage lifelong healthy habits, including regular exercise and balanced nutrition. Reduce the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease later in life. Promote mental well-being by emphasizing the connection … Read More
What is Yours to Do? Teach Happier Blog Series
Former NFL player and author of Protect Your Peace, Trent Shelton says, “We can’t control what the day brings, but we can control what we bring to the day.” During this unsteady time in education, what can we bring to the day? What can we realistically do? As I was thinking about this month’s Teach Happier blog and considering a … Read More
The Hardships and Highlights of A Middle School Teacher: A Thank You For ALL You Do!
Teaching Middle School is hard. There are layers and layers of developmental science that teach us educators all about the why’s and how’s and when’s and wow’s of adolescence. Socially, new social circles are emerging. Diverse opinions are converging. Physically and emotionally, young emerging adults feel like roller coasters who are operating at unstoppable and slow moving speeds (that often … Read More