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January Reset for Teachers – 12 Tips for Resetting Classroom Expectations

First things first — take care of YOU. It’s hard to go back from a break!

While one of the best parts of a teacher’s job is the breaks during an academic year, it can also be a tough transition. So be good to yourself this week.

self-care

To make your first day back the best possible day for YOU, try to:
*Go to bed early the night before
*Wear something cute and comfortable
*Pack something you love in your lunch
*Plan something fun or relaxing to do after school.

On to your students! Here are 12 tips for resetting your classroom expectations and making those first days back as productive and enjoyable as possible.

1 – It helps if you first “reset” the class environment before your students return. See my post about doing that HERE. If you have not had a chance to do any of this, try to get to school a little earlier than usual on your first day back from break. (Yes, I know that sounds awful. Bring extra coffee. 🙂 Do what you need to do to make your room look warm and welcoming and ready for the new year. Change the date on the board, change the calendar, hang some new posters or charts, put some new books out on a display — whatever you can do to make things look fresh and new.

making lists

2 – Greet your students at the door. While this is a good practice to do every single day, it’s especially important after a break. This is the best way I know to really gauge the “mood” your students bring with them when they return. They might be tired, they might be happy to be back, they might have been sad or hungry during the break. Assure every one of them that you are happy to see them.

greeting students

3 – It’s okay to be honest with your students about how hard it can be to come back to school routines after a break. I usually talk a little about how I tend to stay up later, sleep a little later, etc., so I’m a little tired on the first day back. Being “selectively vulnerable” with your students is a great trust generator and culturally proficient strategy that helps your students connect with you.

first day of school

4 – Reward your students quickly for everything that they do right in the first days back after the break. Whether it’s earning points toward a reward or whatever your classroom or school behavior reward system may be, use it to your advantage during these days!

back to school activities

5 – Talk with your students about this time being a great opportunity to “reset”. Get your students talking (to partners or in small groups) about fresh starts and how they help us. Talk about how routines & procedures help everyone be more productive so we can all learn more and enjoy the learning.

Be positive about the whole thing instead of sounding like it’s such a chore to have to review rules and expectations. Also, assume they don’t remember anything. 🙂

Talk to your students about their own expectations. While you might have done that at the beginning of the year, it’s a good time now to ask them what they expect their classmates to continue to do in the new year. Let the kids lead the discussion and restate what they expect, now that we are entering the second half of the year.

students

6 – Unlike the beginning of the year, all of your students probably know each other by now! So instead of doing “get to know you” type activities, use your best engagement strategies throughout the day. These allow your students to talk to each other while also getting back into the routines of academic work. If you can’t think of any good engagement strategies, HERE is a reference guide to some Kagan cooperative learning strategies that work for every subject area!

back to school

7 – Think about your top three procedures for your classroom.

Here are mine: how we enter the classroom and get to work quickly, how we do turn & talk or think/pair/share, and how we transition (to change classes, end of day, etc.) Review those three key procedures. As you go through the day, if there is some small procedure that you see needs review (not blurting out or when to sharpen pencils, for example) re-teach that part at the point of need. (In other words — don’t spend an hour in the morning going over every little procedure for your class.)

Instead of your having to do all the talking or explaining, have your students discuss them (using turn & talk with a partner or triad), then share. If time allows, a fun way to review is to ask a student to model what NOT to do, then have another student model what to do instead. You always want to end this modeling with the correct model, not the incorrect one.

back to school

8 – In my last post about resetting your classroom environment, I suggested listing what is going well in your classroom and what you might want to improve. This is also a good conversation to have with your students. If you do this, try very hard to listen to what they share and try not to dismiss their suggestions. As they list their ideas and discuss, remind them that your classroom is a “benevolent dictatorship”. You will listen and take their thoughts into account, but you might not implement every single thing they suggest. The buck stops with you, in other words.

You could do this as a brief activity when you get to that part of the day OR you could do it all at the beginning of the day. I find it’s helpful to do a few of these early in the day, then do others later in the day. It seems to keep kids’ enthusiasm for the activity at a higher level.

back to school activities

9 – One way to keep track of all this is to start a set of Google slides (or on some kind of chart to post). When you review the procedure and kids talk about what is working, list those steps. Then, when changes are suggested (that you approve), add those to the list. Everyone can see what you are all agreeing to and it encourages buy-in since they all had a role in naming the expectations.

back to school activities

10 – Have your students do some reflective writing in journals about what they think about their year so far and what they would like to do to make it even better during the second half of the year. I use our class dialogue journals for this activity. Read about how I use those journals HERE.

readers

11 – Read aloud, even more than usual, during the first days back. This is a calming and “bonding” activity for you and your students. I listed some good read-aloud books in my resetting classroom environment post HERE.

beginning of year picture books

I will also start reading aloud a new chapter book this week. Here are some of my favorite options:
Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty
Savvy by Ingrid Law
Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullally Hunt
Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson

12 – Here are some fun activities to do in the first days back:
*Year in Review for 2019
*What’s Your Word? Student goals for the new year
*Welcome Back from Winter Break task cards

I hope that some of these tips will help you reset your classroom expectations and get back into the best routines with your students. Watch for my next post on new year self-care for yourself!

Do you want more guidance with resetting your classroom? I’m creating a mini-course with more step-by-step tips. Sign up for the waiting list HERE and I will notify you when it’s ready! (Signing up does not obligate you in any way.)

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January Reset for Teachers – 10 Tips for Classroom Environment

Happy New Year! Winter break is nearly over and I’m already thinking about going back to school. It’s a great time to reset the classroom environment, behavior expectations, and winter self-care.

self-care

I focus on the classroom environment first. We’ll get to the other stuff in a later post!

Believe it or not, the beginning of January up until spring break is usually the best teaching time of the year. Most students are ready to come back to school after winter break and eager to get back into a routine. It’s a great time to “reset” your classroom and one way to do that is to think about the environment and how you might change things up in the room itself and how you might change your own plans and mindset.

Another thing to keep in mind — you are at the halfway point of your school year! Whether it has been a great year so far or a tough year so far, you are halfway through. Let’s make the rest of the year the best we possibly can!

back to school activities

Here are 10 tips to start doing that.

1 – If you set any teaching goals for yourself at the beginning of the year, it’s a good time to review those goals. How are you doing?

Are there things that you have accomplished or made a natural part of your routine? Cross them off the list and congratulate yourself!

Are there things that you have completely forgotten about, but aren’t all that important? If so, cross them off the list too — they don’t matter.

What about the rest of the tasks? First, re-evaluate whether they really matter at this point in time. If they do, can you break them down into smaller, more bite-sized tasks so that you can easily incorporate them into your routine? Are there any one-time things you can do and then they’ll be done? Figure out how to add them to your to-do list for the month.

goals

2 – Speaking of to-do lists: take a look at your January calendar and make a to-do list for the month. What will need to be done this month? (Report cards come to mind — ugh.) What meetings are coming up? Is there any meeting that you need to prepare for? What will need to be graded?

making lists

3 – I find it helpful to go into my classroom for a couple of hours over the break and do some reflecting and goal setting there. Somehow, when I’m in the place where the stuff happens, it helps me think about what changes I want to make, what I can do to make something easier or more efficient, and how I might want to change some things. Two questions that I ask myself are: What’s not working here? and What stresses me out when I look at this?

goals

4 – Think about what you would like to do better or differently for the next part of the year. You might think about this in terms of the next quarter OR for the rest of the year.

I do this by making a giant brainstorming list. Here’s a page from my notebook:

When I have listed every single thing I can think of, I go back and categorize the list. Possible categories: subject area, organization, routine, decor.

Here’s mine (O = organization, R = routine, M = math, Rdng = reading):

In each category, I then prioritize how “urgent” this change is. If it’s something that really needs to be done right away, I prioritize with an A. Something that needs to be done within a month gets a B. Something I would like to get done within 90 days (or longer) gets a C.

brainstorm list

Then, within the prioritized lists, I identify if this is something that can be done quickly (with an asterisk) or something that needs more time or thought (with a star). If it’s something quick, I add it to my monthly or weekly to-do list. If it’s something that needs more time or thought, I schedule a time to focus on that.

brainstorm list

As I do the categorizing and scheduling, I also reserve the right to eliminate something from the list. If it’s not that big of a deal or if I just don’t have time to focus on that right now, I take it off the list!

5 – I know I’ve been going on and on about all the things to change. But it’s also important to think about what is working well for you and for your class. Is it your morning routine? Are you implementing restorative practices circles? Implementing #classroombookaday or just doing more reading aloud in general? Whatever is working well, write it down and keep doing it! When they return, you might even ask your students to share what they think is going well in your class.

All of this planning and reflecting are part of being a lifelong learner. As much as possible, share this practice with your students. It’s a great way to model your own thinking and learning and a great reflection option for them to do at the beginning of a new year too! Encourage your students (and yourself) to try something new, give up what is not working for you, and keep an open mind to learn from others.

goals

6 – Consider using some sort of midyear reflection questionnaire for your students. I like the “How’s it Going?” form from Cult of Pedagogy.

back to school

7 – It’s also a good time to change up your seating arrangement or your classroom furniture arrangement. While I try to change my seating chart at the start of each month, I make sure to do that when we come back from winter break in January.

back to school

8 – Declutter and clean up your classroom. And when I say “declutter’, I mean throw stuff away. If it’s “dead” (markers, ratty books, broken pencils), toss it. Do you have stacks of papers that are extra copies or that don’t need to be graded? Recycle them. According to the website Psychology Today, getting rid of clutter increases your sense of confidence and self-efficacy, it energizes you, and it reduces anxiety.

back to school

9 – As you declutter, make a list of the things you would like to stock up on when you have the money to do so or when the items are on sale! Here’s an example: post-it chart pads, Expo dry erase markers, a heavy-duty pencil sharpener, Flair pens, lots of pencils, chart markers.

10 – Think about read-aloud books you will share with your students. Here are some favorites for Black History Month, which I start reading aloud in January:
My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King by Christine King Farris
Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport
Freedom on the Menu by Carole Boston Weatherford
Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen Levine
Freedom Ship by Doreen Rappaport
The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges
28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed the World by Charles R. Smith, Jr.
Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull
From Slave Ship to Freedom Road by Julius Lester
Our Children Can Soar: A Celebration of Rosa, Barack, and the Pioneers of Change by Michelle Cook
Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco
Dear Benjamin Banneker by Andrea Davis Pinckney
Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library by Carole Boston Weatherford
Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony & Frederick Douglass by Dean Robbins
Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison
Little Legends: Bold Men in Black History by Vashti Harrison
A Child’s Introduction to African-American History: The Experiences, People, & Events That Shaped Our History by Jabari Asim
Bedtime Inspirational Stories: 50 Amazing Black People Who Changed the World by L. A. Amber
Young, Gifted & Black: Meet 52 Black Heroes from Past & Present by Jamia Wilson
Black Women in Science: A Black History Book for Kids by Kimberly Brown Pellum
100 African-Americans Who Shaped American History by Chrisanne Beckner
Have You Thanked an Inventor Today? by Patrice McLaurin

Not strictly black history books, but these books have awesome stories to share with kids:
Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World by Susan Hood
She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World by Chelsea Clinton
First Generation: 36 Trailblazing Immigrants & Refugees Who Make America Great by Sandra Neil Wallace
Enough! 20 Protesters Who Changed America by Emily Easton

Watch for my next post about a January reset for classroom management and behavioral expectations!

Do you want more guidance with resetting your classroom? I’m creating a mini-course with more step-by-step tips. Sign up for the waiting list HERE and I will notify you when it’s ready! (Signing up does not obligate you in any way.)

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How to Be More Productive in the New Year!

If one of your goals for the new year is to be more productive, you need to check out Jordan Page’s Productivity Boot Camp.

I first learned about Jordan while searching for something else on YouTube. Somehow, I came across her video about how she uses time blocking and I completely forgot about whatever it was that I had been searching for! (Not a good habit for being productive, by the way.) Her video and explanation of time blocking made total sense to me, especially when she compares time blocking to changing classes in high school. Her video is as entertaining as it is informative. (Jordan has lots of other entertaining & useful videos too, so make sure you subscribe to her channel.)

teacher-time-management

I immediately took notes on her time blocking system and started implementing it that same day. I would love to tell you that I am super disciplined and perfect at time blocking, but, alas, I am not. However — I can say that I am 1000 times more productive when I follow this structure, even loosely.

(One tip that I have for time blocking: create one block of time for “catch up” or “buffer time.” It doesn’t have to be a huge block of time, but it does allow me a little more flexibility when something doesn’t go as planned. Which basically happens every day.)

time management

After watching her video a few times and implementing her time blocking system, I checked out her website. I was amazed to find that Jordan and her husband have six kids. Six kids. I only have two and was not half as productive as she is when my kids were small! Reading some of Jordan’s posts and seeing how “real” she is about the challenges of time management with kids made me a believer in anything she says.

As a result, I checked out her Productivity Boot Camp and I was hooked.

time management

You may be wondering if this system would be useful for you if you don’t have kids. Trust me: it might be even more useful for you. I say that because I no longer have kids at home and I can tend to waste more time since I’m not tied to kids’ schedules. If you often find yourself doing the same, try Jordan’s time blocking system and see if it makes a difference for you. Then think about joining Productivity Boot Camp.

You can complete the Boot Camp at your own pace and view the different module videos on your own time. The program is designed to be done in six weeks, but you could definitely complete it more quickly if you want or take longer if you need. It’s also great to go back and review different modules from time to time.

time management

Jordan recommends that you set aside time on one day each week to go through that week’s videos. Then you can implement what you learned throughout the week. The course dashboard will show you what you have completed and where you left off, which is super handy.

The first week’s videos take longer than any other week, so don’t be put off by that. There is a lot of information that she gives right up front and you need that info for subsequent modules.

time management

Jordan includes a Productivity Planner to download. As you complete the video modules, you can use the planner to make your own notes about what you will do that week or how you will implement her tips. She also gives you a link for the private Facebook group where you can find other Productivity Boot Campers. It’s a great way to learn from others and to share your own ideas.

I hope you’ll check out Productivity Boot Camp! Let me know if you do. I would love to hear what you think!

goal setting

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Planning for Christmas 2020!

*Updated: December 28, 2019* Christmas

I hope that you and your family had a wonderful Christmas 2019! Believe it or not, the week after Christmas is a great time to begin planning for Christmas 2020. Read on for some tips.

*First, get a binder and some plastic pocket folders. This will become your Christmas planning binder. (If you prefer to keep everything digital, I suggest using Google docs since you can share those with other people if you want.) Christmas

*Next, start making lists in categories. Here are some ideas to get you started:

~gifts list (Who? What are some gift ideas? What is an approximate budget amount for each gift?)

~meal planning list (what are some meals that your family enjoys during the holidays?)

~baking list (does your family look forward to certain treats during the holidays? List them here.)

Christmas

~food gifts (do you give gifts of baked goods or other treats to family friends or neighbors? Make a list of people and possible treats.)

~gifts to make (do you make some or all of your gifts? List what you will make and what supplies you need to make them.)

~decorations you want to make

Christmas

~Christmas cards (who will receive your cards? Where will you purchase cards? Do you need to plan for family photos, or do you enjoy choosing photos of events through the year?)

~events list (what are some events that your family enjoys during the holidays? If someone in your family will be involved in a ballet performance of “The Nutcracker” or a musical performance, etc., make sure to list those events)

~traditions list (what are some traditions that your family especially enjoys? You might also list some new traditions that your family might try next year)

Christmas

~Christmas movies or music playlists that your family especially enjoyed

~will you have house guests during the holidays? Make lists of what you might need to do to prepare for them.

Christmas

*Think about what went well with Christmas this year. Make another list, but this is just a brainstormed list. You can use this list to add to your other, more organized lists after you brainstorm. What were your favorite moments, meals, family time activities? List those because they will give you hints for things to do or add next year.

*Now think about what you might want to revise or change for next Christmas. For instance, do you want to save some money each month for Christmas gifts? Did you notice some things that were “hits” as gifts? Did someone in your family receive something as a gift that could give you hints for next year? (something to add to a collection, perhaps?)

*Some people enjoy stocking up on Christmas decorations, wrapping paper, etc. at after-Christmas sales. I am personally all “shopped-out” by December 26, but I agree that this is a great time to stock up on items for next year. When I do buy some things like this, I never regret it!

holiday gifts

*Speaking of next year’s needs, it’s a good time to take inventory of what you have and what you might need for gift wrapping. Do you need boxes, paper or tags for next year? How about more tape? Write it down!

*Take photos of your Christmas decor. Did you like how you decorated your tree or your mantel this year? Take pictures of everything. Even if it is something that you want to change next year, this will give you ideas when it is time to decorate again.

*Map out a time frame for next year’s tasks. See my post HERE about planning for Christmas when you’re already behind. Set some deadlines for yourself as to when you want to complete the tasks below:

*make gift lists – who and what

*when to begin purchasing gifts – start in October?

*gift places (local stores, online retailers)

Christmas

*Christmas card photo

*order Christmas cards

*decorate inside your house

gifts

*decorate outside your house

*holiday baking/food gift prep

*decorate tree

gifts

*gift wrapping

*address & mail Christmas cards

*prep for house guests

*plan family meals for Christmas

gifts

As you see or hear about great ideas for Christmas (from magazines, Pinterest, friends), add the ideas to your Christmas planning binder. I keep my binder stored with my cookbooks so that I have easy access to it all year.

I hope that you have a chance to relax and enjoy this week!

Christmas
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Planning for Christmas 2020!

*Updated: December 28, 2019* Christmas

I hope that you and your family had a wonderful Christmas 2019! Believe it or not, the week after Christmas is a great time to begin planning for Christmas 2020. Read on for some tips.

*First, get a binder and some plastic pocket folders. This will become your Christmas planning binder. (If you prefer to keep everything digital, I suggest using Google docs since you can share those with other people if you want.) Christmas

*Next, start making lists in categories. Here are some ideas to get you started:

~gifts list (Who? What are some gift ideas? What is an approximate budget amount for each gift?)

~meal planning list (what are some meals that your family enjoys during the holidays?)

~baking list (does your family look forward to certain treats during the holidays? List them here.)

Christmas

~food gifts (do you give gifts of baked goods or other treats to family friends or neighbors? Make a list of people and possible treats.)

~gifts to make (do you make some or all of your gifts? List what you will make and what supplies you need to make them.)

~decorations you want to make

Christmas

~Christmas cards (who will receive your cards? Where will you purchase cards? Do you need to plan for family photos, or do you enjoy choosing photos of events through the year?)

~events list (what are some events that your family enjoys during the holidays? If someone in your family will be involved in a ballet performance of “The Nutcracker” or a musical performance, etc., make sure to list those events)

~traditions list (what are some traditions that your family especially enjoys? You might also list some new traditions that your family might try next year)

Christmas

~Christmas movies or music playlists that your family especially enjoyed

~will you have house guests during the holidays? Make lists of what you might need to do to prepare for them.

Christmas

*Think about what went well with Christmas this year. Make another list, but this is just a brainstormed list. You can use this list to add to your other, more organized lists after you brainstorm. What were your favorite moments, meals, family time activities? List those because they will give you hints for things to do or add next year.

*Now think about what you might want to revise or change for next Christmas. For instance, do you want to save some money each month for Christmas gifts? Did you notice some things that were “hits” as gifts? Did someone in your family receive something as a gift that could give you hints for next year? (something to add to a collection, perhaps?)

*Some people enjoy stocking up on Christmas decorations, wrapping paper, etc. at after-Christmas sales. I am personally all “shopped-out” by December 26, but I agree that this is a great time to stock up on items for next year. When I do buy some things like this, I never regret it!

holiday gifts

*Speaking of next year’s needs, it’s a good time to take inventory of what you have and what you might need for gift wrapping. Do you need boxes, paper or tags for next year? How about more tape? Write it down!

*Take photos of your Christmas decor. Did you like how you decorated your tree or your mantel this year? Take pictures of everything. Even if it is something that you want to change next year, this will give you ideas when it is time to decorate again.

*Map out a time frame for next year’s tasks. See my post HERE about planning for Christmas when you’re already behind. Set some deadlines for yourself as to when you want to complete the tasks below:

*make gift lists – who and what

*when to begin purchasing gifts – start in October?

*gift places (local stores, online retailers)

Christmas

*Christmas card photo

*order Christmas cards

*decorate inside your house

gifts

*decorate outside your house

*holiday baking/food gift prep

*decorate tree

gifts

*gift wrapping

*address & mail Christmas cards

*prep for house guests

*plan family meals for Christmas

gifts

As you see or hear about great ideas for Christmas (from magazines, Pinterest, friends), add the ideas to your Christmas planning binder. I keep my binder stored with my cookbooks so that I have easy access to it all year.

I hope that you have a chance to relax and enjoy this week!

Christmas
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Self-Care for the Post Holiday Slump

I hope that you and your family had an amazing Christmas or Hanukkah. Now that the big day is behind us, it’s normal to feel a little letdown or to fall into a slump. It’s also normal to feel exhausted! Personally, I look forward to the few days between Christmas and New Year’s. It’s slower-paced and it gives me a little time to take a breath and spend extra time with my favorite people. I try to not even think about school until next week!

self care

So what can you do to care for yourself during these days after a big holiday?

*Catch up on sleep. I tend to stay up way too late during the few days before Christmas, trying to wrap up all the loose ends and make sure everything gets done. Then I get up early to do the same, to spend time writing, and to prepare breakfast for my family. The days after Christmas are perfect for sleeping a little later or for taking naps during the day. (Going to bed a little earlier is a good option too — I just tend to stay up and watch movies with my family!)

*Speaking of movies — this is a good time to spend a little more time on pure entertainment. Whether it’s Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Go, cable, Hallmark Christmas movies, or going to movies at a theater, it’s a great time to find something to watch and enjoy together!

Christmas

*Eating habits — I mentioned this before in another post, but think about adding “good stuff” to what you eat during the holidays instead of trying to avoid “bad stuff”. The holidays are a special time and food is a big part of what makes the holidays special. Trying to avoid everything is or deny yourself treats is fighting a losing battle. But — if you think about making sure you are including certain things as “good stuff” every day, it helps you stay on track with a goal of 80% healthy eating and 20% treats.

Here’s my list of what I try to add daily:
*8-10 cups of water
*one salad (or raw vegetables) – I try to get 6-8 servings of vegetables
*one or two pieces of fruit

If you are considering trying a healthier eating plan, you might want to consider intermittent fasting (read my post HERE), Faster Way to Fat Loss, or Weight Watchers!

I am a big fan of intermittent fasting. If you’re considering trying it out, read Gin Stephens’ book Delay, Don’t Deny: Living an Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle.

I love the Faster Way to Fat Loss plan, created by Amanda Tress, and the community support it provides. The simple eating plan and workout variety, combined with carb cycling, intermittent fasting, and coaching groups are all fantastic. This plan works for fat loss, yes, but also for creating a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. Amanda’s book is HERE if you want to read more about her plan before joining. If you do sign up, let me know so I can cheer you on!

I have also been seeing some great ads for the new Weight Watchers plan which looks super helpful. I am always a fan of anything that teaches you to eat healthier over the long term for lasting weight loss rather than plans that claim to help you “lose 10 pounds in 3 days”.

healthy eating

*Workouts — in the same spirit of adding something good rather than beating yourself up, here are some options to consider:

*do a shorter version of your regular workout
*try a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout – there are lots of great options on youtube or Pinterest
*taking a long walk outside
*try a new workout on youtube
*use one of the “try it out for free” deals at local gyms or fitness studios
*streaming workouts

self-care

*Easier meal prep – consider easier dinners that can be prepared in advance OR consider eating a variety of appetizers at dinner. The same goes for easier breakfasts.

Here are some of my favorite go-to meals:
Baked ziti for a crowd (Family Savvy is a great blog to follow, by the way!)
Beth’s melt in your mouth BBQ ribs
Chicken parmigiana (Mom 100 is another great blog to follow)
Spaghetti with meat sauce (uses Instant Pot)
Chili (also uses Instant Pot)
Mustard balsamic pork chops

healthy meals

*Go shopping, even if it’s just to browse! This is a great time to stock up on Christmas decor or items you can use next year. Return or exchange gifts that weren’t quite right. Even though it’s a pain, you do get the perk of choosing something you would have chosen for yourself. If you received gift cards as gifts, now is a fun time to use them with so many stores having big after Christmas sales.

*Read! Here are five of my current recommendations:
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Southern Women by the editors of Garden & Gun magazine
American Royals by Katharine McGee
Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo

Even though I said I would not even think about school until next week, if you’re looking for a good education read, try one of these:
The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of American’s Broken Education System & How to Fix it by Natalie Wexler
Reading Reconsidered: A Practical Guide to Rigorous Literacy Instruction by Doug Lemov, Colleen Driggs, & Erica Woolway
Disrupting Thinking: Why How We Read Matters by Kylene Beers & Robert Probst
The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects & Grades by Judith C. Hochman & Natalie Wexler

back-to-school

*If the weather is cooperating, spend some time outside. Sunshine and fresh air are the cures for just about everything.

*Make a gratitude list. Make a list on your phone, your computer, or on paper. Just write. List everything that comes to mind. This is a great way to put yourself into a better mood when you stop to consider everything that is great about your life.

self care

*Make a list of your own tips and ideas for next year. List what what went well, list what you want to repeat or continue, list what could be done differently. Make your lists in categories — work or school, home, health, personal, organization, family, friends, church, social organizations, committees.

*Think about setting goals for things you want to do next year.. Instead of thinking in terms of New Year’s Resolutions, just list ideas for what you would like to do or areas on which you would like to focus.

*Start to fill in your planner or calendar for next year! This is one of my favorite things to do at this time of year. There is nothing like the open promise of a new year and a fresh start.

goal setting

Enjoy these quieter days, get some rest, and take care of yourself!

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About Me!

I'm glad you're here! I am an upper elementary instructional coach in North Carolina (with 27 years of classroom teaching experience). My passion (besides coffee and my family) is to make teachers' lives easier and classrooms more engaging.

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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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