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6 Teacher Strategies for the Week Before Winter Break

The week leading up to winter break is designed for chaos—parties, assemblies, and winter craft activities make it easy for a classroom to get carried away. This year, try out some of our preplanned strategies to keep your classroom organized and stress-free. 6 Ways Teachers Can Plan the Week Before Winter Break Built-in activities […]

Teacher Tools to Defeat Summer Learning Loss

The summer learning loss is real. Research shows that it can cause students to forget 22 percent or more of what they learned over the school year, making a teacher spend a month of review at the beginning of the next year just to get students caught back up. This might seem like the territory of […]

Teacher Health and Wellness

Wellness is a concept used to describe something bigger than just physical health. It’s a word that encompasses our overall well-being. Because teachers are the foundation of education and the ones who train all other jobs, teacher health and wellness is a topic of growing importance. Teacher Wellness and Compassion Fatigue Teachers are consistently […]

Drumroll Please. The 2022 Crystal Apple Award Winners Are…

Incredible nominations describing amazing teachers poured in. Thousands of votes were cast. Now, the time has come to reveal the winners of the School Specialty Crystal Apple awards. The contest, in its 8th year, invites educators and school communities to nominate deserving teachers who embody key contest criteria of inspiration, leadership and passion. This […]

Online Teaching Tips and Resources for Educators and Administrators

Online education, in some capacity, is here to stay. It has become a significant alternative for many districts and for many different reasons. As teachers, administrators, and students adjust and consider online teaching possibilities alongside in-person classrooms, many resources are available to help smooth out some of the inevitable bumps. We’ve compiled a list […]

5 Must-Do Relaxation Techniques for Teachers over Winter Break

If you’ve got a few days away from your classroom during the winter months, take some time to engage in relaxing activities. They can help reduce stress levels while giving you an opportunity to reflect on successes from the first semester and prepare for the next. Try a few of these winter break must-do […]

Packing It Up: Get Your Classroom Ready for Summer

As we approach the end of another school year, your classroom may be meticulously organized, a complete mess, or more than likely somewhere in between. No judgment here; even the best classrooms can get messy! Whatever your situation, it’s important to get your classroom ready for summer, which means preparing before the last day […]

When You Ask a Teacher If They’re Looking Forward to Summer

Teachers love their students. They love to see them learn, grow, and laugh. They love watching them share with each other, help one another, and show kindness to others. However, teachers also often find themselves worn out at the end of a long school year. So, what response will you get when you ask […]

Unique Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas

There are nearly endless ideas to show teachers in your life how much you appreciate them. It’s because of their time and effort that the students of today become educated adults in the future. Try one of these unique teacher appreciation gift ideas for the teacher in your life. 5 Unique Gift Ideas to […]

Second Semester Classroom Management Goals

Managing a classroom full of students who have been out of school for a week or more can be overwhelming. The start of a new semester, whether it’s in the fall or after winter break, takes a bit of planning and commitment to make it go as smoothly as possible. Tips for Refreshing Classroom […]

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 […]