Welcoming Staff Back to the Building

Dana GoodierBlog, Leadership, Student Engagement, Teach Happier

TL;DR: Be mindful as you plan for return to school team-building activities. Consider your staff’s comfort level. You can survey staff prior to the start of the school year. In this post, you will learn some suggestions on how to build school culture at the beginning of the year. As I write this blog post, many districts where I live … Read More

Me in a Bag

Teach Better TeamBlog, Innovation, Student Engagement

TL;DR: A great first week of school activity is “Me in a Bag.” Encourage students to use their creativity when placing items that must fit in the bag. Start by setting the example and have your own bag prepared. Present your items explaining the reason for each. Be flexible with the number of items in the bag and show genuine … Read More

Building Relationships in the First Weeks of School

Teach Better TeamBlog, Classroom Management, Leadership, Student Engagement

TL;DR Strong relationships in the classroom are the foundation for a successful school year. Be intentional with the activities you choose and be willing to be vulnerable with your students. It is important to scaffold relationship building with students. I believe that I am an outstanding teacher because I work hard every day to build relationships with my students to … Read More