Weekly Classroom Reset Week 7: Using Kindness to Ground February By the time February starts, classrooms usually feel different. Students aren’t misbehaving. Routines haven’t disappeared. But energy is higher, patience is thinner, and it takes longer for the room to settle. If you’re noticing that shift, you’re not doing anything wrong. This happens every year. Early February is when students need support that calms, not corrects. This week’s classroom reset question:What helps my class slow...

Quick Friday Check-In Quick note, teacher to teacher. February moves fast. Valentine’s week is already loud, and then Pizza Day shows up right in the middle of it. Pizza Day is Monday, February 9. I just released a Pizza Day Classroom Theme Kit for days when you still want learning to happen, but don’t want to reinvent your plans. It’s low-prep and fits into a typical literacy and math block. Reading.Writing.Math.Early finishers.Nothing extra to manage. If you need something ready to go, here...

Planning Black History Month One of the questions I hear every year around this time is: “How do I plan Black History Month in a way that’s meaningful, but still realistic for my schedule?” Here’s the honest answer I’ve learned over time:You don’t need a brand-new unit to do this well. Strong Black History Month instruction often comes from thoughtful structure, not more activities. A clear plan for read-alouds, discussion, and follow-up work gives students space to engage deeply without...