Teachers are unsung heroes in our society. Their tireless dedication to nurturing the minds of our children is incredibly noble. But it comes at a price. Teacher self-care is often neglected and a hot topic in the media. Educators know they should care for themselves but the demands of their profession leaves them little time to…
Aside from parents, educators are often the most influential people in a child’s life. They play a critical role in shaping hearts and minds while laying the foundations for social, emotional, and academic success. Yet the profession is often perceived as an easy job making many teachers feel undervalued and unimportant. It seems that as a…
Has COVID taken a toll on your student’s wellbeing? Show them that you understand and support them by giving them an easy way to share their worries, concerns, and needs.Julia Brown is a middle school teacher in Texas who had a simple but clever idea to help her students communicate their needs or wants in…
Do you need easy and effective ways to nurture friendships and improve your classroom community? This list of kindness activities for elementary students gives you lots of fun options your grade will love!Beyond promoting feel-good emotions or to stop bullying, kindness is an essential trait that educators aim to cultivate as a natural and instinctive part of…
STOP BULLYING!Bullying is often a hot topic among parents and teachers. It has been for as long as I can remember and sadly, not a lot has changed. But I feel like we’re making some headway with educators now using social and emotional learning programs in their classrooms to build emotional intelligence which naturally puts a stop bullying.I’ve…
Need a friendship lesson for your grade? This Enemy Pie read aloud is perfect!!!!Title: Enemy PieAuthor: Derek MunsonIllustrator: Tara KingAge group: 4 – 10 yearsTheme: Friendship, Problem-Solving, Bullying, Judgement, Respect Get Enemy Pie read aloud HERE! Enemy Pie is a wonderful picture story book for young children who struggle with friendship issues or feelings of exclusion. It’s…
Why is it so important for every child to have a champion?Think about the kids who are late to class, are unkind to others, push your buttons, are disruptive or struggle academically. These are the kids who get lost in the system because they don’t give you the warm and fuzzies. These are the kids…
How are character traits developed?It’s a given that parents want their kids to grow up with good set of values and positive character traits. Kindness, compassion, perseverance, honesty, and respect are just some of the traits we want to instill in our kids. Charles Starkey, Associate Professor of Philosophy studies emotion theory and moral psychology. He says that…
This teacher started a project to show his students that everyone can have a positive impact on someone else’s life. He wanted them to see first-hand how their kindness could bring some hope to someone going through something tough. As someone with a loved one who’s been through chemo for breast cancer, I know how…
Inside: Practical and effective classroom management strategies for new teachers and veterans needing to refresh their approach to bring calm and order back to school life. Updated 11/27/24 There’s nothing fun about a classroom that’s out of control. It’s stressful and unproductive. Thinking about kids running amok reminds me of something my husband often says. “Start…
I’m not sure who originally told the mayonnaise jar story, but this powerful lesson has been replicated over the years and there are now quite a few versions to be found on the net. Regardless of its source or how it’s been changed, the mayonnaise jar story shares a valuable lesson for a happier life. This…
We must support the bully if we want to stop bullying!Bullying! It’s an ugly word because it involves ugly actions. This little word can stir the strongest emotions in people from all walks of life. Why? Because bullying doesn’t discriminate, and a substantial portion of the population have been scared by a bully.Bullying has become…