Teachers (and Parents Helping from Home), You’ve Got This!

Seven Reasons Why You’re Going to Be AWESOME This Year and Seven Sweet Ideas, to Boot!We’re the first to admit, this school year may be a little bit crazy. No matter your school’s current scenario, things are definitely not status quo. But teachers, you’ve got this! Here are three reasons why you’re going to ROCK this school year, from us, your biggest fans!First, you’re fab on the fly. What you teach may be mandated, but how you teach it has always been up to you! You’re flexible, you try different approaches with different students, and you turn on a dime when something’s not working. Second, you’re cool with collab. You’re used to collaborating with your colleagues, bouncing crazy ideas off each other, and sharing resources. And you’ll be there for each other now, too, to test each other’s online platform sign-in processes, do trial runs of video calls, troubleshoot technology issues, and share the awesome TED Talks, Khan Academy lessons, free downloadable EI worksheets, and funny teaching memes you find. And third, you bring the fun! From putting their packs on the right pegs to lining up for lunch, you’re used to making even the most mundane activities more fun – and we know you’ll keep finding awesome ideas to do just that ????Speaking of awesome ideas, we’re sharing a few of our own, meant to make your learning space, day, and overall outlook just a little bit brighter:1. Keep Things Quiet!If you’re teaching or learning from home, create a customized doorhanger to let the rest of your crew know that you are online. Cut your own door hanger out of sturdy cardboard, purchase a blank wood hanger at Michael’s and paint it yourself, or follow these easy instructions to transfer an inkjet page onto wood.Photo credit: FamilyShoppingBag.com2. Add Some Inspiration!Print a positive message each day and post it where your kids can see it. Or, if you’ve got great writing, write your words of encouragement on your whiteboard. Then read it aloud with your kids at the start of the day (and again the middle and end, if need be!). Find some great quotes to copy at Greeting Card Poet. Visit our blog for some super tips on building back-to-school confidence and print out our adorably awesome mini posters to help set the tone for an inspiring year!3. Stay Organized!If you’re working from a smaller space than usual, it’s especially important to have a place for everything and keep things organized. Our Small Space Place Pocket Chart is a great way to store your materials! You can also use it to plan and organize your week, revealing one pocket at a time to your students.4. Get to Know Each Other!Kids crave connections and teachers want to get to know their teachers, so host a virtual show and tell. Save a bit of time each week for kids to show off their pets while you share your prized coffee cup collection or whatever other wacky things you’ve got to get your kids giggling. Here are some ideas on how to get set-up!Photo caption: sarahchesworth.com5. Get Moving!A welcomed break from the computer screen, send your kids on a scavenger hunt! Have students find items from around the house as they relate to lessons.  Teaching Science or STEM? Have them go find a real-world example of an inclined plane. Teaching math? See if they can snap a pic of a parabola. Check out these fantastic 22 Scavenger Hunt Ideas.6. Play Dress Up!Keep things light with a spirit week! Have the class dress up in a different theme each day – and you do it, too! Think crazy hair, Hawaiian shirts, mismatched socks, and pajamas. Odds are, your online students won’t even have to change! Here are 4 serious benefits of playing dress up for child development.[caption id="attachment_6939" align="alignnone" width="700"] Photo credit: mommyevolution.com[/caption]7. Bring in Reinforcements!You’re not in this alone. Use your parents and online resources to add some variety and keep your kids engaged. Host a reader’s workshop with parent guest readers or authors reading their own books online. Type “Children’s Book Authors” into YouTube and take your pick or click here for awesome options from PBS Kids.  Join this read-along of "You Matter" with author Christian Robinson.This year is a huge ask, for sure. Teachers are going above and beyond what they ever imagined they’d be doing in the name of educating our kids and keeping them safe. There’s no one we trust more than you to do it – and we’re here for you! Find free resources, including ideas, experiments, printables, and downloads perfect for teachers and homeschooling parents alike, on EducationalInsights.com. You’ve got this!