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1.  6 Simple Steps Your Best Summer Ever

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1.  6 Simple Steps Your Best Summer Ever

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This article was very straight forward. I need to plan some things that I want to accomplish before the summer is over.
1. Tidy up the house so it won't take as much time to clean once school starts.
2. Plan the first quarter (outline & some hands on activities)
3. Read for pleasure!!

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2.  Use You Summer To Tackle Time-Wasting Practices And Rethink What’s Necessary

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2.  Use You Summer To Tackle Time-Wasting Practices And Rethink What’s Necessary

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*This summer I have spent some time to organize my digital files and eliminate some I don't use.
*I have also done some research and preparation for more activity based math and science lessons.

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How can you use your summer to get ahead for fall when you don't yet know your schedule or the needs of the students in your classroom?

That's the question I set out to answer with a special education teacher named Claire. She works with kids in grades K-6 and actually splits her time between 2 schools, so she's at one school with one group of kids in the morning and another in the afternoon. Claire's caseload can change a lot from year to year and that makes it difficult to plan ahead.

So, I had Claire hop on a coaching call with me, and we talked through some systems she and any teacher can create during the summer that will make the following school year easier to manage. We discussed about getting digital files organized, getting procedures in place, and so on.

I then challenged Claire to figure out 2-3 of her biggest time-wasters and use her summer to figure out a better way. It's very hard to find the time and mental bandwidth to take a step back during the school year and analyze systems, so summer is really perfect for that. And when she told me what her biggest time suck is-collecting data on student progress and grading their writing-she had a really big aha moment that I think is going to resonate with you in a powerful way, too.

Claire and I dug really deeply into how to analyze if something really has to be done, if the things we perceive as mandated are in fact requirements, and how to analyze teaching practices through the lens of whether they're actually effective for kids rather than if they're the way they've always been done, and they way everyone else does them.
You can listen in on our conversation via the audio player below, or just check out the key highlights I've outlined underneath. Click below to listen in on the coaching call, or download the audio to listen later!
Focus on tasks that will create more time for you later.

Your goal should be to get systems in place that will simplify teaching and reduce the amount of work you have in the fall. Think about the tedious, time-wasting tasks that plagued you throughout the school year, and figure out a system that will save time.

Did you answer every email one by one as it came in throughout the day? Plan how you can create "office hours," which are designated times you focus on responding to them all at once.

Did you waste time digging through files trying to find specific activities or worksheets? Plan how you can organize your resources more intuitively, and get rid of the clutter.

Outline all of your routines and procedures (and when/how you'll teach them.)

Writing everything down will solidify the procedures in your mind and provide a reference if needed for you (or a substitute.) If there were specific procedures your students needed reminders with all year long or that just drove you crazy, summer is a great time to plan out a better way...including how to teach your expectations to students and model, practice, and reinforce them.

You'll probably have to teach routines and procedures no matter what group of students you have next year, so this is a worthwhile exercise even if your exact teaching assignment is still up in the air. Get the deep thinking done now so you all you have to do is tweak things in the fall.

Sketch out lessons plans for EVERYTHING you'll teach during the first week of school.

You probably won't follow them exactly or get to everything you've planned, but you should know which procedures you'll want to teach, when you'll teach them, and how you'll teach them.

Choose your get-to-know-you and community-building resources now so all you have left to do is decide which day to use them on. Having a precise written breakdown of what you're teaching and when will help prevent those first-day-of-school nightmares that so many of us grapple with!

Organize your digital files and teaching resources.

Sometimes lesson planning is overwhelming because we have too many resources, and a lot of them are things that we don't really like. It's kind of like opening your overstuffed bedroom closet and realizing you wear the same 10 outfits over and over again! Getting rid of things you don't like will make it much easier to find the resources you do like when it's time to plan. So, use your summer to toss out or pass on any materials that you don't absolutely love using with your students.

If you don't yet utilize Dropbox to organize digital files, try setting up Dropbox folders for each unit you teach. Even if you don't have the time and energy to organize your existing digital files this summer, you can at least use the Dropbox folders to add new resources as you add them, and you can add the older stuff to the appropriate folder when it comes time to teach each unit. The nice thing about Dropbox (and Google Drive, and similar utilities) is that you can access your files from any device. Either way, just find a way to name and organize your folders that works for , whether it's by grade level, content area, or some other category. Use your intuition, since that's what's going to help you find the resource or file later.

Find activities and materials online for the units you know are weaker.

It's much more efficient to batch similar tasks, so go ahead and dedicate an entire afternoon to perusing Pinterest for all kinds of awesome materials now, rather than going on there every single weekend to find resources for just your current unit of study. Then you can get ahead by listing out the skills/standards you know you need more activities for, and search them out online.

Start with the topics you dread teaching because you personally dislike them or because you have a hard time making them understandable and meaningful for kids. Look for teaching ideas that will improve these units now and save them in Evernote, a Pinterest board, or a Dropbox folder. Then, all you have to do during the school year is plug them into your lesson plans.

Identify the 3 biggest stressors and time wasters you had during the previous school year, and plan ways to streamline or simplify.

Did you spend too much time grading papers? Were you totally lost when figuring out how to differentiate instruction? Did you get bogged down in data collection and paperwork?

Start brainstorming solutions so the upcoming year will be different! You can talk with other teachers (including those online), look for suggestions in teacher blogs or Pinterest, or read a book on the topic. Be proactive and take charge of your professional development!
If some aspect of your work has been stressing you out, look for a better way over the summer so no matter what happens during the school year, you know you have a wide range of resources that will help you tackle your biggest problems. I have an awesome free resource to help you dig deeper into productivity issues-a free video series called 5 Summer Secrets to a Stress-Free Fall.
I've broken the training up into 7 short videos, and you get access to them all at once on a single page. You can watch them whenever it's most convenient for you.

There's also a note-taking guide and some printables, and an audio-only version, so if you're used to listening to me on the go, you can do that with this training, too.
In the training, I'm sharing practical time-saving strategies and simple mindset shifts that will help you:

Discover how to create your end-of-summer vision (what do you want your life to look like when summer is over?)

Select attainable, realistic goals that will move you toward that vision

Learn simple time-saving tips that will help you work smarter, not harder

Explore 5 productivity strategies for home and school that will help you feel more accomplished AND allow you to truly relax

Get ideas for using your summer to get ahead for fall, including key tasks that can be done now to free up more time once school begins

You can complete the entire training in less than hour, and it could be one of the most impactful things you do all summer.
This post is based on an episode from my weekly podcast, See blog posts/transcripts for all episodes Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes Subscribe to the podcast in Stitcher Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers . A podcast is like a free talk radio show you can listen to online, or download and take with you wherever you go. I release a new 15-20 minute episode each Sunday and feature it here on the blog to help you get energized and motivated for the week ahead.

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Use your summer to tackle time-wasting practices and rethink what's necessary

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How can you use your summer to get ahead for fall when you don't yet know your schedule or the needs of the students in your classroom? That's the question I set out to answer with a special education teacher named Claire. She works with kids in grades K-6 and actually splits her time between 2 [...]

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3.  Ten Things You Should Throw Out Of Your Classroom

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3.  Ten Things You Should Throw Out Of Your Classroom

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I wish I had seen this earlier. I tend to be a pack rat when it comes to stuff I 'might' need some day. I hate to be wasteful and already spend so much of my own money on my classroom.

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I wrote an article called Classroom clutter-what to keep and what to toss awhile back, in which I told the story of how for my first six years in the classroom, I refused to throw anything out because I might need it one day. I remember washing every plastic container that came into my household; empty butter containers, detergent boxes, take-out packaging, and so on. I stuffed everything into an overflowing cabinet in my classroom just in case I needed it for organizing or for a project.
This habit was built on a scarcity mindset: I didn't believe I had the resources I needed to teach, and therefore had to hold onto everything that crossed my path in order to be able to make do.
It wasn't until I moved from Washington D.C. to Miami that I realized I had accumulated enough random materials to literally fill an entire U-Haul truck. It was embarrassing how much stuff I had accumulated, and I had to be honest with myself and realize I only used about one-fifth of it on a regular basis. I started getting serious about my teacher hoarding tendencies.

I had to develop a mindset of abundance: The belief that I had everything I needed and more was always going to be available to me exactly when I needed it. And I created that mindset by telling myself:

I like to streamline and simplify how my classroom runs. I don't keep things I don't really need. I could still teach well with a fraction of the materials I've accumulated. If there is something that I need later and don't have, I trust that I will be able to find it again, or borrow it, or be able to do without it just fine. The foundation of my classroom is my energy, enthusiasm, and know-how, not my stuff. I feel good about clearing away the things that drain my energy and enthusiasm by creating a cluttered, disorganized work space. I can let go of things I don't need in order to make space for things I do.

I'm sharing that with you up front because if you're not in the mindset of abundance, it's going to be impossible to clear away the clutter and get rid of things. You'll tense up and feel a little panicky at the thought of letting your things go. So, practice having a mindset of abundance, and start slowly.
Want to listen to this post on the go instead of reading it? This post is based on the latest episode of my weekly podcast, Consider getting rid of these 10 things: Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers. A podcast is like a free talk radio show you can listen to online, or download and take with you wherever you go. I release a new 10-15 minute episode each Sunday and feature it here on the blog to help you get energized and motivated for the week ahead.
1. Memos about upcoming meetings and events

You don't need to keep these "just in case." Copy the dates onto your calendar and throw the papers out.

2. Empty containers you're not using

This goes double if they're used margarine tubs, Pringles cans, laundry detergent bottles, and so on. There is no reason to feel guilty for tossing these in the recycle bin. Don't try to justify holding on (like I did) by telling yourself: Oh, I can use these for center materials, or to hold math manipulatives, or office supplies. These are perfectly good containers!

If you're not saving them for a very specific purpose (i.e. X lesson on X date), get rid of them! They will take over your cabinets and make you feel like a pack rat.

3. Your junk drawer

You know all the random loose paper clips, broken rubber bands, pennies, and toys you've confiscated from kids? Don't lie to yourself and pretend you'll clean that drawer out one day. You've got much higher priorities, which is why it never gets done. So dump the whole thing in the trash. Seriously. Do a quick scan and save anything of value, and then dump it. Immediately put useful things in the empty drawer so it's full of stuff you love and actually use, and doesn't become a magnet for junk again.

When you're tempted to stuff something random in the drawer next time, you will remember how difficult it was to throw everything out and it will make you think twice about letting junk accumulate again. If something doesn't have a useful place in your classroom, either create a place or throw it out - no junk drawers!

4. Textbooks, worksheets, and lesson materials that were in the file cabinet when you moved into the classroom

The previous teacher was not doing you a favor by leaving you with a cabinet stuffed haphazardly with random materials - this was a little white lie she told herself to avoid having to clean things out. And if you hate the textbooks you have to use, there's no way you're going to be using the previous class set from 1993. Anything more than 10 years old should get recycled immediately unless it's in new condition and clearly of exceptional, timeless quality.

Everything else COULD go in the hallway or teachers' lounge for others to claim, but please don't enable your packrat colleagues to stay stuck in their bad habits. A pile of resources in the teachers' lounge marked "free" is irresistible to just about everyone, and you're only encouraging your co-workers to accumulate more junk and possibly even use resources that are outdated and not best for kids.

If you wouldn't want YOUR students using it, why would you want other people's students to use it? The materials served their purpose for many years, and it's okay to decide it's time to let them go.

5. Papers and info from previous students

Keep your student portfolios and documentation of parent communication for one full school year after the students have left your class, then toss them out. So this year, you should be throwing out anything from the 2014-2015 school year. This is the second year those kids have been out of your class - you don't need to cover yourself or keep documentation unless there's a very special situation (and you know which kid you might want to hang onto the paperwork for). Everyone else's stuff? Recycle.

6. Excessive amounts of artwork from students

As an elementary teacher, I'd get multiple notes and drawings from kids daily. I'd display it all on a small bulletin board for a few weeks, then discreetly clean it out to make room for more things. Most of it went in the recycle bin, but I had one medium-sized plastic tub that I used to store the most precious mementos and lovely letters from students and their parents. I got the tub in my third year of teaching when I realized my inability to throw away student artwork had become an untenable habit and promised myself I would keep that tub (and only that tub) full of student notes forever.
(Of course, for secondary teachers and others who don't receive many notes of affirmation - keep them all!)
So when I cleaned off the bulletin board and decided what to trash and what to keep, I had to ask myself: Is this worthy of being read 30 years from now? How does this compare in sentimental value to the other things in the tub?

The size of the tub forced me to be selective. I still have that tub to this day, but everything else got recycled. You can even keep your collection digitally if you prefer: Take a picture and save it in a special Dropbox or iPhotos folder. But please - do not feel like it's heartless to throw away things from your students. It's a necessity if you're getting tons of it.

7. Anything broken or missing pieces

Have a "missing pieces" tub in your room for students to put materials in when they find random items on the floor. If the missing pieces haven't shown up by the end of the school year, you have to get rid of the item the piece belongs to. Decks of cards which are missing twenty numbers, puzzles without the final corner piece, file folder games where the last two items don't have the matching pieces - these things cannot stay.

If you're not going to fix it, get rid of it. No one enjoys being surrounded by broken, incomplete things. You and your students deserve better than that.

8. Books that you're not excited about students reading

I know it's painful for any teacher to get rid of books, particularly those you've paid for out of your own pocket, but anything that you really don't want your students reading should be gone. That book from 1984 with stereotypical references to Native Americans? Recycle bin. That book where the main character is basically a bully and you hate how your students imitate him when they read it? Recycle bin. Books that are missing pages, scribbled on, disgustingly grimy ... recycle.

If there's a book you don't want in your library but do think would be okay for students to keep, let them take the books home. Remember, you want your class library to be a beautiful, organized place full of relevant books that kids are excited to read, not a dumping ground for every text you've come across since 1977. It's better to have a smaller, high-quality collection than a huge collection of things no one is reading.

9. Multiple copies of papers

I used to keep at least two copies of the teaching resources I really loved in case I lost one or the photocopier chewed it up. But 99% of the time, you only need one paper copy, and all those extras really add up. You might not even need one paper copy! For example, I used to keep anonymous examples of student work as benchmarks and exemplars for future classes, but then I started scanning or taking photos of them and threw the hard copies away.

Don't hold onto to things you can keep digitally, easily find online, or get from a colleague if needed. Fear is not a valid reason to keep teaching resources: if you don't do timed math fact quizzes anymore but are afraid to get rid of the giant stack, do it anyway, knowing that you can download them from the internet if you ever change your mind. If something is really important, it won't be gone forever, because someone else in the world will have a copy of it.
Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into. --Dr. Wayne Dyer Click To Tweet
10. Personal effects you don't enjoy using or looking at
Learn to shift your approach from "Can I possibly use this someday?" to "How likely is it that I will NEED this one day in order to teach well? And if I really need this one day, will I be able to get it or something similar again?" That shift in questioning helped me let go of the compulsive need to hang onto everything. This episode is sponsored by Kiddom, a standards-based platform helping teachers personalize learning. With Kiddom, teachers gain access to an unlimited library of content, with beautiful, actionable reports. And the best part? Kiddom is free! Visit See blog posts/transcripts for all episodes Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes Subscribe to the podcast in Stitcher www.kiddom.co to learn more.
If something doesn't have a purpose in your room - it's genuinely useful, or it makes you happy to see it every day - get rid of it. Your classroom is too small and full of dust already to have things that you don't love taking up space. Toss out the "#1 teacher" picture frames cluttering your desk and the forty-five Lipton bags you somehow accumulated even though you don't drink tea. Surround yourself only with things you use and love.

A short cleaning spree is a great way to start the school year and get some forward momentum in the battle against clutter. But if you're feeling overwhelmed by all your stuff and aren't sure where to start, simply throw unuseful things out as you come across them. When you open your file cabinet to grab something and you see that giant stack of outdated worksheets, grab it and recycle it, then move on with your day. When you glance at your desk and realize you have too many knick-knacks, pick a few up and toss them out.

You have to decide that you want to be surrounded by things you love. Things that are clean, and useful, or nice to look at. Things that genuinely help your students learn. And you have to decide that you don't want those precious things to be obscured by all the other junk.

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10 things you should throw out in your classroom NOW

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I wrote an article called Classroom clutter-what to keep and what to toss awhile back, in which I told the story of how for my first six years in the classroom, I refused to throw anything out because I might need it one day.

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4.  Creating Meaningful Learning Experience with George Couros

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4.  Creating Meaningful Learning Experience with George Couros

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I love George Couros. I follow him on twitter. He tweets about many things and is a great supporter of educators.
https://twitter.com/gcouros

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Students often look at the teacher and ask, "why is this important?" Students wonder what a subject means! George Couros talks about how to make learning meaningful in our classroom. When he says that innovative classrooms have less classroom management issues, I've found this to be true!

Welcome to episode 299 of the Every Classroom Matters podcast. In this episode, George Courosand I discuss how to make meaningful learning experiences. This is the eighth aspect of the Innovator's mindset. Check out the full series.

Listen to the Audio

In this episode, you'll learn:

How can we make more meaningful learning experiences for teachers?

Can innovation experiences improve classroom management?

How can we make time for innovation in the curriculum?

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About Us

George Couros is joining us for a series of shows on Every Classroom Matters where we talk about the eight characteristics of the Innovator's Mindset (George's new book.) This is part 8 of the series. See the full series here.

Host: Vicki Davis

Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher is a full-time classroom teacher in Camilla, Georgia. Winner of the ISTE Online Learning Award 2006 and Best Talk Show Host in Education 2014 and many Best Teacher Blog awards, Vicki seeks to shine a spotlight on what works in education wherever it happens in the world. Vicki has created more than 30 global collaborative projects, programmed apps with her students, and is now shooting a full-length movie with her digital film class. Read more about her here.

I love students! Best teacher blog winner * Mom * Speaker * author * HOST 10-Minute Teacher Show * @Mashable Top Teacher on Twitter * top #edtech Twitterer

Categories: Education, Every Classroom Matters Show, Innovation

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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How to Create Meaningful Learning Experiences

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Students often look at the teacher and ask, "why is this important?" Students wonder what a subject means! George Couros talks about how to make learning meaningful in our classroom. When he says that innovative classrooms have less classroom management issues, I've found this to be true!

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5.  Daily Routines Makeover:  How To Maximize Your Time At School So You Can Work Less At Home

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5.  Daily Routines Makeover:  How To Maximize Your Time At School So You Can Work Less At Home

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I stay late at school to get my work done. I don't mind it because it is actually quiet and I get a lot done.

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This week on Truth for Teachers: I'm helping one teacher make over her daily schedule so she can maximize her time in school and work less at home.
Have you ever wondered how time slips away from you and the entire day is gone?

If so, this is totally normal, and I think you'll enjoy listening in on this daily routines makeover. It's based on a coaching call that I conducted with a graduate of the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club.

Her name is Amara, and she teaches grades 3 and 4 French Immersion in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her teaching context might be very different from yours, but I promise you are going to be able to relate to her challenges because they're common to almost all teachers:

How to maximize the time before school starts in the morning

How to get things done during your planning time when you only have 20 minutes

How to wrap up the day when you've got 30 things that need to get done and you're completely exhausted

Amara and I are going to walk through each element of her non-instructional time and look for ways that she can streamline and simplify. As you listen in, I encourage you to ask yourself the same questions I'm asking Amara and use her responses as a springboard so you can figure out how to maximize your time, as well.

Want to listen instead of read?

Click on the podcast player above and listen on the go!

Current morning routine at home
6:05: Wake up, force myself out of bed, then spend 20 minutes "waking up" more on my phone. 6:25 - 7:30ish: Get ready for work. 7:30 - 7:40: Drive to work. I would like to get to work earlier but find it really tough to get up and ready early enough. The school opens at 7.
Streamlined morning routine at home

Amara is going to establish a new, more motivating habit when she first wakes up. She plans to read a devotional book rather than just scrolling through social media. And, she'll physically get out of bed and move to the couch or a chair while she reads, in order to help herself wake up without moving immediately into "go mode."

She'll also try setting an additional phone alarm for 10-15 minutes after the first one goes off, to signify that reading time is over, and now it's really time to get moving.

Current morning routine at school
7:40 - 8:50: Check email/Class Dojo messages, check mailbox for notes for students, take out materials for the morning, etc. I am trying to schedule my mornings so that some mornings are marking, some are dealing with my to-do file and other papers from the paper system, etc. I find that some mornings I am moving much more slowly, and sometimes I get wrapped up in conversations with coworkers. These conversations are work-related and often feel very necessary, but it makes it hard to predict how much working time I will have.
Streamlined morning routine at school

Amara plans to write out a list of everything she has to do once she's at school. Many of these things are recurring tasks, so they can be automated and she should be able to accomplish them on autopilot. This frees up mental energy she can invest in more important projects.

She is also trying to have a theme for each morning: One day she will grade papers, one day she will catch up on paperwork, etc. I suggested that she stick with this routine, but keep it flexible enough so that if another more urgent task comes up, or she gets sidetracked, she won't feel frustrated about not getting through that day's tasks.

Also, it's important that she use some of her before-school time to make sure she is completely prepped and ready for all of that day's lessons, since there may not be another chance that day to do so.

Current planning/prep time and lunch routine
8:50 - 11:45: Instructional time with students. I 11:45 - 12:45: Lunch, though some days I do student supervision from 12:15 - 12:45. I usually spend the first 10 minutes of lunch talking with students, etc. After I make it down to the staff room and eat, I always intend to go back to the classroom and get some stuff done, but I find myself wanting to stay in the staff room and relax, talk with friends, etc. I'm not sure if this is because I am craving a moment of rest or if it is just "inertia."12:45 - 3:30: Instructional time with students typically have a 35-minute prep in there somewhere. I sometimes make a bathroom stop, then often end up kind of puttering around my class - by the time I get back to class, it feels like if I start on a task I will just barely get into it before I have to go get my students again. Sometimes I am tidying the room, dealing with materials that were left out, etc. I do use the scheduled to-do list and try to schedule short things into the "during the day" slot, but it still feels like I am not using the time terribly well.
Streamlined planning/prep time and lunch routine

For these shorter periods where Amara won't have time to really get involved in anything major, she will still use the time for miscellaneous tasks that don't have to be ready when students come back to the room. This could include paperwork, emails, straightening up her desk and materials, etc.

At lunchtime, Amara has felt guilty at times for not going back to her classroom to work after she's finished eating with colleagues. Since she obviously needs this time to rest and recharge, she will reframe this time period as scheduled downtime. By giving herself permission to relax, she will be less likely to second-guess her decision later or feel pressured to stay in motion throughout the whole day.
3:30 - 4:30 (my goal) or 5 or 5:30 (reality): Working in my classroom after students leave. Here's what I'm hoping will turn into my end-of-day routine: make or go over plan for tomorrow; prepare materials; write up behavior reports (happens daily in my class this year for two students in particular); send "three stars and a wish" email to one family as per the student's Behaviour Intervention Plan, etc. Right now I am still planning fairly day-by-day. I'm scheduling blocks of planning time over the next few weekends in hopes to have more plans done ahead of time. 4:30 (ideally) - 6:00: I made myself a schedule over the break to help decide which days I would stay later (Wednesday and Friday.)
Current after-school routine

Streamlined after-school routine

To make sure she leaves school at a reasonable time and doesn't bring work home every night, Amara will predetermine a certain number of hours as her weekly limit and commit to leaving when that time is up. This is with the understanding that some weeks may not work out that way, such as if report cards are due or parent conferences are scheduled. Flexibility is key.

But, if Amara can practice stopping when her allocation of work hours are up for the day, she may make better use of this time. Knowing that she HAS to stop soon will help her stay focused and productive.

She also plans to bring closure to the workday by using her commute home to reflect on the day and focus on positive events and accomplishments.
6:00 - 8:30: (My schedule varies) 8:30 - 9:30: Think about how I should clean the kitchen/do some laundry/get to bed early. Feel tired. Don't want to get up. Inertia (objects at rest tend to stay at rest!) sets in. Get distracted by Netflix or social media or the book I'm reading. Stay sitting down. 9:30 or 10:00 or later: Realize how late it is. Panic. Madly try to do 30 minutes worth of cleaning in 5 minutes. Feel guilty. Get lunch and clothes ready for tomorrow. Walk the dog if my husband is out. Get ready for bed. 10:00 or 11:00: Finally go to bed. Promise myself that I will go to bed earlier tomorrow. Monday: Work time at home (planning). Tuesday: Yoga. Wednesday: Go home. Eat. Relax. Date night if my husband is home, too. Thursday: Church group. Friday: Time at home.
Current evening routine

Streamlined evening routine

Amara has a lot going on in the evenings, but she finds it all useful and doesn't want to eliminate. So to ensure she's using her time as productively as possible, she will give herself a set amount of time to rest when she gets home if she's really tired.

At a pre-determined time (often right after dinner), she'll get up and do the things she'd previously been putting off until late in the evening, such as picking up around the house, doing laundry, and prepping for the next day. Trying to do these tasks late at night meant she wasn't able to truly relax earlier in the evening because the tasks were hanging over her head, and often they didn't get done since she was too tired by late night to finish them.

By taking care of end-of-day tasks earlier in the evening, Amara will be able to use that half hour or so before bed to truly relax and watch Netflix or TV, or read a book. And since she got ready for bed before this "me time," she'll be more likely to meet her goal of getting more sleep.

Amara's biggest takeaways

"I really liked the overall theme of scheduling what my time is going to be used for and setting definite boundaries around that time."

Understanding that it's okay if a task isn't completely done, and just moving on to the next thing.

"Being intentional about what my time is for will really make a big difference for me."

Allowing myself time to rest and take breaks, because "the more I plan in my rest, the more productive I'll be later, and the more efficiently I'll be able to work."

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Have you ever wondered how time slips away from you and the entire day is gone? If so, you're totally normal, and I think you'll enjoy listening in on this daily routines makeover. It's based on a coaching call that I conducted with a graduate of the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club.

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Most of my day is spent with students. I know a lot of teachers set the kids on worksheets or laptops to get grading and other things done, but I am fully engaged with my students all day. Thankfully I only live a mile from school.
*6:30 Wake up, breakfast, news
*7:20 Arrive at school, drink coffee,
*7:30 Students arrive for morning duty
*8:00 School Starts, academics until 12:30
*12:30 Lunch (required with kids)
*1:00-1:30 Recess (duty free)
*1:30-1:45 Intervention
*1:45-2:20 Specials (duty free)
*2:30-3:15 Meetings & Planning

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#3 Ten things you should throw out of your classroom.

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#3 Ten things you should throw out of your classroom.

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* Before summer there was a chance I would be moving out of my classroom and current position. I went through all my supplies, file cabinets, etc. I was brutal. Throwing out, giving away, recycling everything. It was so freeing after being cramped in a cluttered classroom.
*But now I'm not moving out of the classroom for another year. I know in my heart that I have everything I need and plan to keep reducing the amount of "stuff" in my room. By the end of the year I should be ready to transition to the new position easily.

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#4 Creating Meaningful learning experiences

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#4 Creating Meaningful learning experiences

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*Try something new every year
*Don't just talk about it, do it
*Trickle down theory
*Time: Curriculum: struggles
*Choose interesting learning experiences
*Requires effort from teacher
*Less energy on classroom management

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#2 Use your summer to tackle Time-Wasting Practices and rethink what's necessary

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#2 Use your summer to tackle Time-Wasting Practices and rethink what's necessary

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*I like the idea of office hours. I try to shut my door and spend time at the end of the day making phone calls, planning or preparing materials and grading papers.
*I realize I do spend a lot of time looking for materials. My new plan is to plan further than a day or two ahead but more like two weeks ahead so everything is at my fingertips.
*I use Google Drive, Pinterest & TeachersPayTeachers

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1.  6 Simple Steps Your Best Summer Ever

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1.  6 Simple Steps Your Best Summer Ever

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These are my two main problems during summer vacation.

The less structured daily schedule leads to unintentional breaks and diversions that steal time without you realizing it

Many tasks relegated to summer break are so unpleasant that you can’t bear to use your vacation time on them and just keep procrastinating over and over again

I'm not a schedule and list maker so I'm not fully on board with this. I do set aside 2 hours in the morning after breakfast to do household chores and now PD.

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My enthusiasm for an outdoor classroom got me the opportunity to create one in our outdoor space. This project was a slow process. It is still a work in progress but is amazing. Now my enthusiasm for a makerspace is turning into a reality. It is a huge learning curve for me and a very slow process.

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6.  Improve Your Teaching By Doing A Few Things Well

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6.  Improve Your Teaching By Doing A Few Things Well

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Less is more! Top 3 priorities
Our school keeps giving us new materials for use in math. We have so many things that we can't possibly use them all.
I can relate to punishing our best teachers by putting more on them because they are capable. But it makes teachers resentful and overworked. I have had to do this myself and I feel so guilty.

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Improve Your Teaching By Doing a Few Things Well

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There are too many apps. Too many ideas. Too many initiatives. Too many jobs to do. Too many strategic objectives. Too many standards. Lack of focus plagues almost every aspect of education. What if by doing less, we can achieve more? What if simplicity is the way forward?

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What mistake did George make by sharing too many apps with his teachers?

Gave them 100 apps. Overwhelmed and reluctant.

What happened when George’s previous school just focused on three apps for three years?

What gives us something deep over time?

How can teachers do more by focusing on less?

Build relationships with students. Become experts at a few things and use them well.

Why are schools struggling with complexity and what are some solutions?

All teachers must be all things to all students. Find experts to help you in your weakness and use your strengths to help others.

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How can a teacher innovate when they have no time?

Move forward a little bit every day.
Break it into small chunks.

Does slow, steady innovation really work?

Have students learn with you. Choose a single project to learn about.

Can any teacher apply these principles and make their classroom better?

You need patience and the desire to learn something new.

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the talent code: greatness isn't born. it's grown. here's how.

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life sciences - human anatomy & physiology

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science / life sciences / human anatomy & physiology

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sports & recreation / coaching / general

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science/life sciences - human anatomy & physiology

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psychology; education; leadership; performance; business books; business; management books; management; inspirational; learning; self-help; work; books about business; money; communication; how to; inspiration; culture; wealth; social; decision making; influence; human behavior; skills; wisdom; power; math; habits; self help books; graduation; graduations gifts; college graduation gifts; graduation books; graduation gifts; dad books; fathers day; social skills; psychology books; talent code; motivational books; inspirational books

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science / life sciences / human anatomy & physiology

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sports & recreation / coaching / general

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science/life sciences - human anatomy & physiology

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The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How.

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What is the secret of talent? How do we unlock it? In this groundbreaking work, journalist and New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle provides parents, teachers, coaches, businesspeople-and everyone else-with tools they can use to maximize potential in themselves and others.Wh...

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9.  A Classroom Of Possibilities:  Staying Energized And Optimistic

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9.  A Classroom Of Possibilities:  Staying Energized And Optimistic

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Ways to help students know that they matter. Dwelling in possibility when living in frustration.

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A Classroom of Possibilities: Staying Energized and Optimistic

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Vicki Davis with Angela Maiers Staying focused on the possibilities matters. Join us as we talk about how to create a classroom environment that is brimming with energy and optimism. Follow on Twitter: @coolcatteacher @angelamaiers

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8.  My Best Lesson Plans:  More Learning, More Fun

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8.  My Best Lesson Plans:  More Learning, More Fun

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Laura Chandler is someone I have been following for quite a while.
Turn OK lessons into OhYay
My kids and I love using Kahoots and Quizzzez
When things are fun they are retained better and they are more engaged in learning.

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© 2026 Bitly - Handmade in New York City, Denver, Berlin, Bielefeld, and all over the world.

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Be reflective
What makes a really powerful lesson? rigor and fun
Rigor: increasing difficulty, write to open ended questions, work with partner or group, problem solving, vocabulary, precise words, generate questions
Fun: create project, play, technology, qr codes, movement, songs, games, handson, task cards

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#10 How innovative educators observe, reflect, share

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#10 How innovative educators observe, reflect, share

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I'm grateful for the opportunities we are provided to share and learn from our own colleagues. I've gotten so many new ideas from others in my school and even more from those in my district. I've also had the opportunity to teach others. I try to keep my mind open when others are doing something different, whether it is my colleagues or even my students.

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What is Genius Hour? An Overview of Genius Hour and 20% Time in the Classroom

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*Celebrate small successes
*Takes deliberate effort and choice
*Mattering is a discipline
*Write down all victories
*Showing up even when you don't feel like it
*You accomplished something every day
*WWRT What Went Right Today?
*Long term behaviors

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10.  How Innovative Educators Observe, Reflect, Share

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10.  How Innovative Educators Observe, Reflect, Share

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5. Be Observant
Be aware of opportunities for learning and creation
20% time concept/Genius Hour
Remix other's ideas to best fit own students
Encourage Reflection
Open reflection: think about what you are doing by sharing ideas and collaborating

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© 2026 Bitly - Handmade in New York City, Denver, Berlin, Bielefeld, and all over the world.