Teacher Life

Better Together!

Classroom Direct has joined the School Specialty family, making it easier than ever to shop, save, and find great inspiration. Enjoy and explore hundreds of blog posts with tips and ideas for every educator on the Schoolyard Blog.

Explore the Schoolyard Blog

Search Results for: end of school year

Fun and Funny End of the School Year Classroom Awards

Like many teachers, you probably work hard to engage students with humor to hold their attention. A fun way to cap this off with each class is by presenting humorous classroom awards at the end of the school year. But sometimes, what was meant as a joke can hurt the feelings of students and parents. […]

How Smart School Design Promotes Teacher Wellness

The pandemic has taken a big toll on students’ mental health, and so it’s no surprise that student wellness is a top concern among K-12 leaders. But what about the teachers, paraprofessionals, and other support staff who are tasked with educating students every day? COVID has been just as hard on their mental health […]

2020 School Specialty Crystal Apple Award Winners

Teachers and their students work hard to grow and learn together every year. That’s what inspired us to create the Crystal Apple award. It’s our chance to recognize and reward all the transformational efforts teachers and their classrooms make. This year, at a time when we see teachers and classrooms coming together in innovative […]

2019 School Specialty Honor Roll Winners

Every year teachers and their students work hard to grow and learn. The School Specialty Honor Roll is an annual opportunity to recognize and reward some of the incredibly resilient, kind, and talented students and teachers in our communities. 2019 School Specialty Honor Roll Winning Entries This year’s nominated teachers and students were incredibly […]

Starting a Teaching Job Mid-Year: What to Do Over Winter Break

The new semester is starting soon, and for freshly hired teachers, this means that it’s time to get everything ready before the storm hits. Not only will you be starting that first day without knowing the kids in your class, but you’ll be getting used to a new classroom space, building, and school culture. […]

2018 School Specialty Honor Roll Winners

Teachers and their students work hard to grow and learn together every year. The School Specialty Honor Roll is an opportunity to recognize and reward some of the incredibly resilient, kind, and talented students and teachers in our communities. See the 2019 Honor Roll Winners 2018 School Specialty Honor Roll Entries This year’s nominated […]

Steps for Setting & Following Through on New Year’s Goals

Motivation is the general desire or willingness to do something. It’s the drive and determination, or the how, to get something done. But motivation also includes the reasons you have for getting something done. It includes the incentive or stimulus, or the why, that you want to do something. New Year’s Day is a […]

12 First-year Teacher Must-haves

Many first-year teachers go in trying to make sure they have all the important bases covered. Lesson plans? Check. Fun week one icebreaker activities to get to know your students? Check. Supplies? It’s difficult to know exactly how to choose supplies you’ll use consistently over the many successful teaching years to come. Never fear! […]

Things I Learned After Teaching for 5 Years

The first year of teaching is the longest and shortest year of your life. It’s the best and the worst. It’s the most memorable, but also the one you may want to forget the most. I want to talk about what I learned during my first five years of teaching and how I have […]

New Year, New Fitness Goals

With the beginning of 2017, we all know what that means: a new year, new beginnings, and new resolutions. Time and again, getting in shape tops the charts of New Year’s resolutions. According to Nielsen, the majority of those surveyed placed getting fit on their list, topping any other resolution. This is the year […]

10 Reasons NOT to Do School Work During Winter Break

Even when winter break comes, most teachers still have a pile of work to complete. Working through your breaks can drain your energy for the rest of the school year. Here are ten reasons you shouldn’t work through your winter break. 10 Reasons to Put Work Aside Over Winter Break When you’re considering taking out […]

All I Want for Christmas is School Supplies (A Parody)

It’s that time of year again. The time when Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas gets stuck in your head until New Year’s, like it or not. Now however, we’ve spun the lyrics to represent what teachers want… school supplies. Reads best while listening to the song so hit play and enjoy! I don’t […]