Take Care of YOU: One Cannot Pour From an Empty Cup

Donnetta NorrisBlog, Self-Care

TL;DR: Taking care of yourself is as important as taking care of your students. Set a goal for when to leave school. Prioritize your weekend and schedule time to prep for the week. Work out and take care of yourself physically. Journal to reflect on how things are going and to experience calm. Make a list of what you love … Read More

Making the First Day Last

Jennifer WaldvogelBlog, Classroom Management, Differentiation, Leadership, Reflect Better, Student Engagement

TL;DR: Leverage first week get to know yous for long-term relationships. Mini challenges are a great way to observe group dynamics. Create seating charts and small groups based on collective strength. Bring transparency and group sharing to PLCs and admin teams. As teachers, we learn so much about our students in the first six weeks of the school year. We … Read More

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