It’s JUNE! Glorious June! We are in equal parts sprinting and limping towards the finish line, and it feels so good! As we look back on our school year, I bet most of us found ourselves saying YES to a lot of people. Yes to principals, parents, colleagues, students, support staff. Yes. Yes. Yes. Do you remember our “7.4 in … Read More
Aspire Mailbag: Sustaining Staff Happiness
In this 27th Aspire Mailbag episode, Jeff Gargas and I answer questions on different leadership topics provided by the listeners. Please join us for this episode as we answer questions on sustaining staff happiness, creating leadership growth, gaining support of your Superintendent, and the latest news with the Teach Better Team! Featuring Jeff Gargas and Joshua Stamper Follow Jeff Gargas: … Read More
Wellness Wheel
TL;DR: It may be difficult to keep up the energy that inspired us at the beginning of the new year for our resolutions. Consider using the Wellness Wheel. It is a great visual tool to assess 8 dimensions of wellness. The goal is to discover which parts are active and which parts need more focused attention. Let’s check in on … Read More
The Gift of Happiness: 6 Keys to Cultivating Happiness
TL;DR: Happiness can be cultivated in simple ways in the classroom. There are 6 keys to cultivating happiness. Happiness is a mindset and a heartset. It is a gift you can give to yourself and others. Happiness is something you can protect. In my experience, when I ask young children how they feel, many will say “happy.” When I ask the … Read More
Revel in the Small Wins – Strategies for Self-Care
TL;DR: Keep the little notes students write you in a file for when you need a smile. Focus on the small sparks of joy you get throughout each day. Write down the great things that happen to you! Keeper File Over the holidays, I received a handwritten card in the mail from one of my 2nd-grade students, Abby. It was … Read More