Latest / Teacher Approved: Elementary Teacher Tips & Strategies / 272. Your Free Backstage Pass to Teacher Summer Talks

Transcript

272. Your Free Backstage Pass to Teacher Summer Talks · Teacher Approved: Elementary Teacher Tips & Strategies

0:01
Heidi: This is episode 272 of Teacher Approved.
0:07
You're listening to Teacher Approved, the podcast helping
0:10
educators elevate what matters and simplify the rest. I'm
0:13
Heidi.
0:14
Emily: And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
0:17
Window, where we give research-based and
0:20
teacher-approved strategies that make teaching less stressful and
0:23
more effective. You can check out the show notes and resources
0:26
from each episode at secondstorywindow.net.
0:29
Heidi: We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to
0:32
the show.
0:37
Emily: Hey there, thanks for joining us today. This episode
0:41
is a little different. Our Teacher Summer Talks summit
0:44
kicks off next week, and so we pulled together an exciting
0:48
sneak peek. Eight of our summit speakers each recorded a quick
0:53
tip to share with you.
0:55
Heidi: So, this is basically a sampler platter of the summit.
0:59
If a tip makes you want to hear more, you're in luck, because
1:03
that speaker has a full session waiting for you.
1:05
Emily: Yeah, so let's start with our good friend Jessica Ivey,
1:09
lovingly referred to by Jivey, by most of us, by many of us.
1:14
She's got a grammar tip that's really a writing tip in
1:18
disguise.
1:19
Heidi: And this is such a clever way to work smarter. She's got
1:23
one tiny question that does more than a whole worksheet, so let's
1:27
hear what she has to say.
1:28
Jessica Ivey: Hey, teacher-approved listeners, I
1:31
hope your summer is treating you well, and you're soaking up some
1:34
rest before the planning season kicks back in. I'm Jessica Ivey
1:39
Smith, also known as Jivey from Ideas by Jivey. I spent 10 years
1:45
teaching in the elementary grades, and I've spent over 15
1:49
helping teachers implement research-based strategies and
1:54
building literacy curriculum. My whole focus is to take that
1:59
stuff the research says works and make it simple enough to
2:03
actually pull off in a real classroom.
2:07
My teacher-approved tip is one small question that will stretch
2:12
your students' grammar further than any worksheet. That
2:16
question: How do you know? Most of us teach grammar by having
2:21
kids identify things, circle the noun, underline the verb, point
2:27
to the adjective, but here's the catch nobody warns you about. A
2:32
student can nail every one of those and still not reach for a
2:37
single strong word when it's their turn to write. Identifying
2:42
a part of speech and actually using it well turn out to be two
2:47
very different abilities.
2:49
So try this instead. When a student tells you a word is a
2:53
verb, resist the urge to just confirm it and move on. Stop and
2:58
ask, How do you know? Make them put the reasoning into words.
3:04
You'll see those gears turning. Instead of, raced is a verb,
3:09
you'll get, raced is a verb because it's what the boy did,
3:14
it's the action. You've nudged them from memorizing a label to
3:19
explaining how the word actually does its job in the sentence,
3:24
and that explaining is exactly what carries over when they
3:27
write, because now they don't just recognize a vivid word,
3:32
they get why it works and how to choose one themselves.
3:37
That question is just one piece of a bigger routine, and I'm
3:41
walking through the whole thing in my teacher summer talk
3:44
session, launching the mentor sentence routine in your first
3:47
two weeks. I'll show you a simple weekly rhythm that ties
3:52
grammar directly to writing, how to get it going in the opening
3:56
weeks of school so it sticks all year, and I'm even giving you a
4:01
ready-made lesson to start with, completely free. Now, I'd love
4:05
to connect with you at the summit, and you can also find me
4:08
anytime at Ideasbyjivey.com or over on Instagram @ideasbyjivey.
4:16
Come say hi, and let me know how your students respond the first
4:19
time you ask them, how do you know?
4:23
Emily: I love that, because this is how you turn a kid who can
4:26
label a verb into a kid who reaches for a strong one when
4:30
they write.
4:32
Heidi: And it's really so simple. I love an idea that's so
4:35
versatile. You could use this question daily, and every time
4:39
it would surface different kinds of thinking.
4:42
Emily: Speaking of the power of questions, our next tip takes
4:45
that same move into much trickier territory. So, here's
4:50
Shelby from Little Justice Leaders on what to do when a kid
4:54
asks something hard and you freeze.
4:58
Shelby: Hi, Teacher Approved listeners. I'm Dr. Shelby Kretz.
5:01
I'm the founder of Little Justice Leaders, and I help
5:04
teachers build classroom communities where all kids feel
5:07
seen, valued, and affirmed. For all of us as educators, there is
5:10
some point when a student is going to bring up a hard topic,
5:14
whether that's a question about gender, an inappropriate comment
5:17
about race, or some other remark about identity or diversity, and
5:21
you're frozen in front of the class. So, here's my
5:24
teacher-approved tip.
5:25
When these hard questions or comments come up, instead of
5:28
trying to respond right away or sweeping it under the rug and
5:31
panicking, we're simply going to ask a question. And here's why:
5:36
asking a question gives us a few seconds to figure out what the
5:40
right course of action is, and it also gives you a chance to
5:43
understand why your student asked the question or made the
5:46
comment in the first place.
5:48
So, the question is, what to ask. Of course, this depends on
5:51
what the student said, but here are a few good questions to have
5:54
ready. That's a good question. What made you think of that?
5:57
We're going to ask this if maybe it's a question about identity
6:00
that we don't know how to answer right away, but it's not exactly
6:03
offensive. Now, if they're saying something offensive or
6:05
potentially inappropriate, then we're going to say, "Hey, I want
6:09
to ask, where have you heard that before?" or "What do you
6:11
If you're still not sure how to handle the situation after the
6:11
think that word means?" or "Do you know what that means?"
6:14
Again, we're giving ourselves a beat to think about how to
6:17
handle it, but we're also giving the student an opportunity to
6:20
give us insight into what they meant.
6:24
student responds, you can always say, "Right now, I'm going to
6:27
continue with what we're working on, but we're going to come back
6:30
to this later." That buys you even more time to think about
6:32
it, while clearly signaling to your students that you're not
6:35
ignoring the question or comment.
6:36
So, why does this work? It keeps the door open, we're not
6:40
sweeping it under the rug or changing the subject. It tells
6:43
our students right away that we're not going to let harmful
6:45
behavior or harmful language pass by, and it also tells them
6:49
that our classroom is a safe place to ask hard questions.
6:51
We're not going to ignore it just because it makes us
6:54
uncomfortable. So that's it. It really is that simple. Just
6:57
start with a question, you buy yourself a little bit of time to
7:00
think, you gain insight into what your student was thinking,
7:03
and you clearly demonstrate to the class that you aren't going
7:06
to sweep things like this under the rug, and that you genuinely
7:10
care about what they think and what they have to say.
7:12
So, remember, responding well in these moments is so much easier
7:16
when you've already built a classroom where kids feel safe,
7:18
they feel known, and everyone understands what fairness looks
7:21
like. So at Little Justice Leaders, we help educators build
7:24
classrooms that are affirming and rooted in belonging. In our
7:27
teacher talk session, I'm sharing even more strategies and
7:30
our exact framework for creating a classroom culture where every
7:33
student feels like they belong. So, please don't miss it. We
7:36
share so many more resources for educators and families online,
7:40
so come find us at Little Justice Leaders on Instagram and
7:43
other social media, that's @littlejusticeleaders, and best
7:46
of luck creating a classroom culture that is truly rooted in
7:48
belonging this year. I'm so excited to connect with you
7:51
during the summit.
7:53
Heidi: Shelby is so right. In a tough moment, what you need most
7:57
is a few seconds to think, and a thoughtful question gives you
8:01
that buffer.
8:02
Emily: And it keeps the door open instead of shutting the kid
8:05
down, so it helps you stay in control of a moment that feels
8:09
like it might spiral out of your hands, but while still keeping
8:12
the connection open with your student.
8:15
Heidi: Our next tip is for everyone who's ever stared their
8:18
schedule wondering where on earth more writing is supposed
8:22
to fit. Here's Leigh from the Applicious Teacher.
8:26
Leigh: Have you ever looked at your schedule and thought, I
8:29
know my students need more writing, but how am I supposed
8:32
to fit it in? It's a challenge that I hear all the time, and
8:37
honestly, it's something that I struggle with too. Hey there,
8:41
I'm Leigh Langton, and I'm a third-grade teacher here in
8:43
Central Florida, the creator behind the Applicious Teacher,
8:47
and a lifetime advocate for helping teachers implement
8:51
research-based practices in ways that are actually realistic for
8:54
basic classrooms, just like mine.
8:57
One of the biggest misconceptions about writing
8:59
instruction is that it has to happen in this special dedicated
9:04
writing block, and the truth is some of the most powerful
9:07
writing can happen in just a few minutes throughout the day.
9:11
Here is a quick tip that you can try literally your first day
9:15
back at school. So, imagine for a second it's your first week of
9:19
school, and you're about to read a classroom community building
9:22
book, like "Our Class is a Family" or something like that.
9:26
Before reading, ask your students to spend a couple
9:29
minutes responding to this prompt. What are some things
9:33
that you do to help take care of your family? Now, let your
9:38
students write whatever comes to their mind, then you can share
9:43
what they wrote, read the story, come back to that same prompt,
9:48
and ask students to revise their thinking using the text that
9:53
they just read, as well as how they could apply it to their
9:55
classroom family.
9:57
And there, in just a few minutes, students have activated
10:01
prior knowledge, engaged deeply with a story, they reflected on
10:05
their classroom expectations from previous classroom
10:07
experiences, and they practice some very meaningful writing,
10:11
all in one simple quick write. That is the power of quick
10:17
writes.
10:18
In my teacher summer talk session, I'm going to show you
10:21
how to use quick writes to help build the bridge between the
10:24
science of reading and the science of writing, and you'll
10:26
walk away with practical, low prep ideas that naturally fit
10:31
into your reading, math, science, and social studies
10:34
times without adding another program, another resource, or
10:38
hours to your day, or hours to your planning. So be sure to
10:42
join me for quick writes marrying the science of reading,
10:45
and the science of writing, and I cannot wait to share more with
10:48
you.
10:50
Emily: A quick write before a read aloud is so doable, you
10:54
don't have to invent a whole new block, you are folding writing
10:58
into something you're already doing.
11:00
Heidi: And her first week community building example is
11:03
perfect timing, you could easily slot this into your first week
11:06
lessons.
11:06
Emily: Okay, now let's shift into math. So, here is Greg,
11:11
also known as Mr. Elementary Math, on how to stop guessing
11:15
your way through small groups.
11:18
Greg: What's going on, math fam? I'm Greg, also known as Mr.
11:21
Elementary Math. I'm a math coach and a curriculum writer
11:25
who helps third-grade teachers feel confident about
11:28
differentiation and small group instruction. My tip is all about
11:33
stopping the guessing game in your teacher-led small groups.
11:37
Here's something I see all the time: a teacher pulls a small
11:41
group, right, grabs an activity that looked good on paper, and
11:44
15 minutes later realizes it wasn't what that group needed.
11:49
Does that sound familiar?
11:52
So, here's the mind shift. Every student who sits down at your
11:55
small group table falls into one of three categories. They're
11:59
either still building understanding, they're
12:01
inconsistent and need more practice, or they've got it, and
12:05
they're ready for something deeper. Once you know which one
12:08
you're looking at, the right kind of lesson becomes obvious.
12:12
The tricky part isn't the teaching, it's figuring out
12:15
which category a group falls into before you waste your 15
12:19
minutes guessing.
12:21
So I'm breaking this down even more in my summit session called
12:25
Stop Winging It: How to Target Instruction in Math Small
12:29
Groups. I'll be sharing an example of how this looks, and a
12:32
quick checklist you can run through in under a minute to
12:36
know exactly what each small group needs. So, if guessing
12:41
sounds a little too familiar, you'll want to check me out. I'm
12:46
excited to connect with you during the summit. You can also
12:49
find me on Instagram @mrelementarymath.
12:54
Heidi: This is such a helpful framework. Once you know which
12:57
category you're looking at, the lesson kind of builds itself.
13:01
Emily: And that question that he ends on the figuring out the
13:04
category before you waste 15 minutes, that is the perfect
13:08
setup for our next tip. Greg helped us figure out what
13:11
happens at your small group table, and Marcy from Saddle Up
13:14
for Second Grade is here to talk about how to keep everyone else
13:18
on track.
13:19
Marcy: Hey, Teacher Approved listeners, I'm so excited to be
13:22
here with you today, and share a quick tip before my session at
13:26
the Teacher Summer Talks Summit. I'm Marcy Bernethi from Saddle
13:31
Up for Second Grade, and I help first, second, even third grade
13:34
teachers make math instruction feel more manageable with
13:38
practical routines, small group support and ready to use
13:42
resources.
13:43
If you are wanting to start small groups or math stations in
13:46
your classroom, the biggest thing I want you to remember is
13:49
this: you can't start small groups until your students know
13:54
what to do independently, and I say this because I learned this
13:58
the hard way. When I first started trying to do small group
14:02
math, I thought I could just pull a few kids back to my
14:05
table, give the rest of the class the math game for
14:08
activity, and they would magically know what to do.
14:11
Spoiler alert, that did not happen.
14:15
I had high expectations for them. I had not actually taught
14:19
them how to meet those expectations. I expected them to
14:23
work with a partner or a group, but I hadn't shown them what
14:26
that should look like and sound like. I expected them to use
14:30
math materials the right way, but I hadn't taken the time to
14:33
model it. I expected them to use the right voice level and
14:36
problem solve and take the basket off the shelf and clean
14:40
up and put it back exactly where it belonged, but here's the
14:43
thing: those are not things our students automatically know how
14:47
to do. They have to be taught explicitly, repeatedly, and
14:52
patiently.
14:53
Before you ever expect your students to work independently
14:56
during math stations, you have to slow down and teach the
14:59
expectations first. What does it look like to play a math game
15:04
with a partner? What does it sound like when you're using a
15:07
math voice instead of a recess voice? What do you do if you
15:10
don't understand the directions? What do you do when you finish
15:13
early? Those little routines might seem small, but they are
15:17
the foundation that makes small group math actually work.
15:21
So my tip for you is this: before you launch math stations,
15:25
pick one expectation and teach it like it is part of your math
15:29
lesson, because it is. Model it, practice it, and let students
15:34
try it. Stop and reteach when needed. You may feel like you're
15:38
moving slowly at first, but I promise you that time on the
15:41
front end will save you so much frustration later. In my teacher
15:47
summer talk session, five simple math routines to teach before
15:51
small group math begins, I will walk you through the five
15:55
routines I teach before launching math stations in small
15:59
groups so your students will know exactly what to do while
16:02
you're working with a small group at the teacher table.
16:06
I'll also share a fun freebie to help get your routine started,
16:10
because small groups can work, but the routines have to come
16:13
first. I would love to connect with you before the summit. You
16:17
can find me at Saddleupfor2ndgrade.com or head
16:20
on over to Instagram and find me @saddleupfor2ndgrade.
16:25
Heidi: And Marcy's right, you can't start small groups until
16:27
your students know what to do independently. That is so true.
16:30
Emily: Yeah, and it's probably something most of us learned the
16:33
hard way. It's really so easy to skip that step when we're just
16:38
excited to get going, but Marcy's right, those independent
16:42
routines aren't something that kids just know, you have to
16:45
teach them just like you'd teach anything else.
16:49
Heidi: Our next tip is about a tool a lot of us are still
16:52
figuring out how to use well. Here's Jen from Strategic
16:55
Classroom with a rule of thumb for AI and your back to school
16:59
prep.
17:00
Jen: I'm Jen from Strategic Classroom, and I help great
17:03
teachers get their time back without sacrificing their
17:05
effectiveness. I've been teaching about AI and the ethics
17:08
of using it in the classroom since 2018 which is why I'm so
17:11
excited to share my teacher-approved tip with you
17:14
today. That's about AI.
17:16
The thing about AI is that it is amazing at giving you the
17:19
illusion of productivity, you might sit down and generate a
17:22
whole bunch of stuff, which makes you feel busy and
17:25
accomplished, except then you look down and realize that
17:29
you've actually just created more work for yourself. So, the
17:32
rule of thumb that I want you to carry into back to school prep
17:35
is that AI can be a green light when you've already made a
17:40
decision, and you just want more options, or you want refinement.
17:44
I wouldn't use it when you haven't made a decision yet, and
17:48
you're hoping that it will decide for you.
17:50
Let me show you the difference. Let's say that you've already
17:53
decided that you want a lining up routine that utilizes a song.
17:57
You might ask AI for 15 transition songs that other
18:00
teachers use, so that you can pick the two that you love.
18:04
That's a real time saver, because you got a lot of options
18:07
that have already been teacher tested, and then you are making
18:10
the call. AI widened your options, but it didn't take away
18:14
the decision to use a lineup song.
18:16
Now, if you sit down and ask AI for 30 first week of school
18:20
activities, we now have 30 different activities to read,
18:25
vet, and mostly throw away or modify. That doesn't actually
18:28
save you any time. You gave AI the decision, and it gave you
18:32
back a pile of work. So, before we ask AI for anything this
18:36
summer, I want you to ask yourself, have I already
18:38
decided, or am I hoping that it decides for me. We want to widen
18:43
our options without outsourcing our judgment.
18:45
This is just one of three questions that I'm going to walk
18:47
you through in my teacher summer talk session, AI can do it,
18:51
should it, where I'll give you a whole framework for knowing
18:53
exactly which back to school tasks to hand to AI and which
18:57
ones to keep for yourself, plus one thing that I would never
19:00
ever put into an AI tool. You definitely want to hear that
19:03
last one. I would love to connect with you during the
19:05
summit, and you can also find me on Instagram and TikTok
19:08
@strategicclassroom. I'll see you there.
19:11
Emily: It is so easy to feel productive with AI when you've
19:15
actually just made yourself 30 things to sort through.
19:19
Heidi: And then you still haven't figured out the original
19:20
problem, so widen your options, but keep the judgment. No
19:25
computer can replace your expertise.
19:28
Emily: So far, everything we've talked about has been focused on
19:31
the classroom, but we can't forget the one thing that makes
19:34
it all work: the teacher.
19:36
Heidi: That's what these next few tips are about. Here's
19:39
Kelsey from Educate and Rejuvenate on what to do when
19:42
your teacher brain won't clock out.
19:44
Kelsey: Hi, Teacher Approved listeners, I'm Kelsey Sorensen
19:47
from Educate and Rejuvenate. I'm a certified life coach for
19:50
teachers and a teacher author, probably most known for virtual
19:53
events, life coaching, and sub plans, but my biggest love and
19:57
what I do is helping teachers enjoy their lives both inside
20:01
the classroom and outside of it. You might also know me as I have
20:04
been a guest on the podcast and a speaker at past teacher summer
20:09
talks and teacher winter talks, and I'm so thrilled to be back
20:13
as a featured speaker for Teacher Summer Talks 2026.
20:17
So, here is something I've noticed with my teacher clients
20:20
who I work with. During the school year, your teacher brain
20:23
follows you home. You're sitting on the couch trying to watch
20:26
your show, but you're actually replaying the email that parents
20:30
sent, or running through tomorrow's lesson for the third
20:32
time. Then, when the summer hits, you might think that it
20:36
can leave you alone, but it doesn't always. Maybe you're at
20:39
Target, not even thinking about school, just grabbing whatever
20:41
you came in for, and then you walk past the back to school
20:44
section and see all the folders and the backpacks, and your
20:46
stomach drops, even though it's July and nothing has actually
20:50
happened yet.
20:51
So today I want to give you something you can do in that
20:54
exact moment. First, name it out loud if you can, say, there's my
20:58
teacher brain again, or just, my teacher brain followed me into
21:02
Target, and summer's not even over. That's it. Just noticing
21:06
what is actually happening.
21:07
Second, before you even get to that moment, build yourself what
21:10
I call an anchor menu. This is where you pick two to five
21:14
things ahead of time that bring you back to the present moment,
21:17
instead of worrying about the past or fretting about the
21:20
future. At least one should be something you can do instantly,
21:23
even if you were like, say, in the middle of teaching, or in
21:26
the checkout line at Target. Maybe it's taking three deep
21:29
breaths, or pressing your feet into the floor, or rocking side
21:32
to side. Decide this now, so the second you name your teacher
21:36
brain, you already know what to do next to bring yourself back
21:39
into the present moment, instead of just standing in the checkout
21:43
line, spiraling.
21:44
Now even if this is the one thing you take from today, it
21:47
can actually help you enjoy what you have left of your summer and
21:50
walk into the new school year with a tool that is going to
21:53
help you to bring yourself back to the present moment among all
21:57
of the back to school stress. But there's even more waiting
22:00
for you at Teacher Summer Talks. I've got a session called How to
22:03
Stop Dreading September Before It Even Starts, and it goes much
22:07
deeper into all of this. I'm a featured speaker this year, so
22:10
keep an eye out for it. You're not going to want to miss that
22:12
session. I have some great things to share with you there,
22:15
and an awesome freebie too.
22:17
You can also find me on Instagram @educateandrejuvenate,
22:21
and if you want a little pick-me-up, every week, I send
22:23
something via email called the Teacher Brain Break, where I
22:26
share a little tip like this. You can sign up for that at
22:29
Educateandrejuvenate.com/teacherbrainbreak.
22:33
That's it for now, but I can't wait to see you at Teacher
22:36
Summer Talks.
22:39
Emily: Her shopping example got me, because that's exactly what
22:42
happens. You're fine, you're just buying paper towels, and
22:45
then the backpacks are right there, and your stomach just
22:49
drops. It's the worst feeling.
22:51
Heidi: I hate that moment. But what I like is that Kelsey gives
22:54
you something to actually do in that moment. You don't have to
22:57
give into the panic or push it down like it's not real. Name
23:02
it, and then go to your anchor response. Help your nervous
23:05
system do its job of keeping you regulated.
23:08
Emily: While Kelsey's tip is about catching yourself in the
23:11
moment, the next one is about setting things up before the
23:14
moment ever hits. So, here's Jacey on the boundary most of us
23:18
forget to plan for.
23:20
Jacey: Hi, everyone, I'm Jacey Schank. I want to leave you with
23:24
one quick tip that has the power to completely change your school
23:28
year. Most teachers think boundaries are things we set
23:31
with other people, boundaries with parents, boundaries with
23:34
coworkers, but one of the most important boundaries is actually
23:38
the ones we set with ourselves.
23:40
Here's what I mean. Every August, teachers create
23:43
classroom procedures, lesson plans, and organizational
23:46
systems, but very few teachers create a plan for protecting
23:50
their own energy. Instead, we tell ourselves, I'll start
23:54
taking care of myself when things settle down, I'll start
23:57
exercising once I get into a routine, I'll start meal
24:00
prepping after the first few weeks of school. Guess what the
24:04
problem is: teachers never actually get caught up. There's
24:07
always another email, another meeting, another lesson, another
24:11
responsibility.
24:13
So, my challenge for you is very simple: before school starts,
24:17
choose one personal non-negotiable, just one. Maybe
24:21
it's eating breakfast every morning, maybe it's taking a 10
24:24
minute walk before school, maybe it's setting a hard stop time
24:28
and refusing to work after that time. Whatever it is, decide
24:32
right now, because if you don't intentionally protect your
24:35
well-being, the school year will gladly consume every bit of time
24:39
and energy that you have.
24:41
One of the biggest lessons I learned recovering from burnout
24:44
was that taking care of yourself isn't something you do after
24:47
everything else is finished. Taking care of yourself is a
24:50
boundary, and it is one that deserves protection. If this
24:55
resonates with you, be sure to check out my full session,
24:58
Protect Your Energy: three back to school boundaries every
25:01
teacher needs, where I will walk you through the exact
25:04
boundaries, habits, and systems that helped me recover from
25:08
burnout and create a healthier, more sustainable teaching
25:11
career.
25:12
And if you'd like more support, encouragement, and practical
25:15
strategies for preventing burnout, I'd love to connect
25:18
with you on Instagram @jaceypulverschank, J A C E Y P
25:24
U L V E R S C H A N K. I can't wait to connect with you and
25:31
help you protect your energy this school year.
25:34
Heidi: This is so common, we plan every procedure for the
25:38
kids, and we leave ourselves completely out of it.
25:42
Emily: And that line, I'll take care of myself when things
25:44
settle down. I mean, there is no settling down, the year is never
25:49
gonna get less busy, so you have to set your non-negotiable now
25:53
before your intentions just get swallowed up by your to-do list.
25:58
Heidi: So that is our sneak peek from eight of the voices that
26:01
you will hear at Teacher Summer Talks.
26:04
Emily: And every single one of these speakers has a full
26:06
session waiting for you at the summit, going deeper than they
26:10
could go here in just a few minutes. Teacher Summer Talks
26:13
runs july 20 through the 23rd, and it is free. All of the
26:18
speaker sessions are audio, and so you can listen while you're
26:22
driving or watching kids at the pool, or whatever you want to do
26:26
to relax.
26:27
Heidi: But we are not finished yet. Of course, we couldn't
26:30
leave you without a tip of our own, and we are picking up right
26:34
where Jacey left off. Our tip is to schedule around your brain,
26:38
not your time. So, tell us more about this, Emily.
26:41
Emily: Okay, so basically every productivity tip teachers get is
26:44
about the clock, right? So they tell you to block it, batch it,
26:49
find the gaps, but the problem is making the mistake of
26:52
assuming that every hour is equal, and I don't know about
26:56
you, but there are some tasks my brain just cannot handle after
26:59
4pm. So instead of just going down your to-do list, try
27:03
sorting your tasks by energy.
27:05
Heidi: Right. Some tasks, like lesson planning, parent
27:09
communication, that was a hard one for me, problem solving, and
27:13
looking at data, they all need your good brain, those are more
27:17
high-energy tasks.
27:19
Emily: But not every task requires that same level of
27:22
focus. That's where your low energy pile comes in. So, that's
27:26
running copies and organizing, clearing out your desk, filing
27:30
papers. None of that needs your sharpest hours.
27:34
Heidi: So, take a minute to reflect and ask yourself, am I
27:38
trying to do thinking work during my tired hours, because a
27:43
lot of us are. We save lesson planning for Friday afternoon or
27:47
late at night when we are the most depleted version of
27:50
ourselves.
27:51
Emily: And when you're not thinking clearly, it makes every
27:53
task feel twice as hard. So, please do yourself a favor and
27:57
manage your energy, not your time.
27:59
Heidi: I even have that as a sticky note on my computer. It
28:02
works for everyday life as well as it does for school. In fact,
28:06
you can just start using this right away. You don't have to
28:08
wait for school to start. Take a look at your back to school prep
28:12
and sort all of your tasks the same way.
28:15
Emily: If you're freshest in the morning, use that time for
28:18
planning your first week, building your classroom
28:20
procedures, designing lessons, mapping routines, all that high
28:25
brain work.
28:26
Heidi: But if you're more of a night owl, save those tasks for
28:29
the hours when your head is the clearest. Put the kids to bed,
28:33
put on a favorite show, and fire up your laptop. Make your system
28:36
fit the realities of your life.
28:38
Emily: And save all the low brain stuff, like cutting out
28:41
lamination, organizing supplies, stuffing birthday bags, when
28:46
you're running on fumes. You don't need a fresh brain to use
28:49
a paper cutter.
28:50
Heidi: Please make sure you're paying attention while using a
28:52
paper cutter, even if you are feeling tired. Nobody needs to
28:56
start the school year with stitches.
28:58
Emily: Yeah, I feel like no stitches is just a good goal for
29:00
everyone. And another good goal is to join us for the Teacher
29:05
Summer Talks Summit next week. Tickets are free, and all of the
29:10
speaker sessions are audio, so it frees you up to do whatever
29:13
you're doing. And then we have a few live sessions every day that
29:16
are going to be super fun if you can make it live, but even if
29:19
all you can do is take in the audio content, you will get so
29:22
much out of this week.
29:23
Heidi: Besides all of our sessions, you get a guided first
29:27
day plan challenge, so you walk into August with a real back to
29:31
school plan all ready to go, and you get to hang out with us. So
29:34
that's definitely a bonus.
29:35
Emily: Yeah, we'll help you do it. It's gonna be so much fun.
29:38
Heidi: Grab your free ticket at secondstorywindow.net/summertalks,
29:44
or even easier, just follow the link in the show notes.
29:47
Emily: Thanks for listening. Hope to see you at the summit
29:49
next week.
29:50
Heidi: Bye.
29:53
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm Heidi.
29:57
Emily: And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
30:04
or subscribe in your podcast app so that you never miss an episode.
30:04
Heidi: You can connect with us and other teachers in the
30:07
Teacher Approved Facebook group. We'll see you here next week.
30:10
Bye for now.
30:10
Emily: Bye.