This week we’re taking a much needed family getaway. In that vein, I thought I’d leave you just a little invitation…to give yourself permission to _________________ (you can fill in the blank!).

It’s possible that I wrote this for myself, more than I did anyone else. It’s also possible that I need to learn this just as much as anyone. I hope that if it fits, you will give yourself a little permission when/if you need it most… Give yourself permission….

Give yourself permission to just focus on relationships this school year.

Learn who your students are in a way…

Can we agree that it’s all about relationships in a classroom?

As much as the outside observer (i.e. most people who have never stepped foot in a classroom, but make a lot of decisions for the education system), wants to think it’s about standardized test scores, fancy technology, or behavior plans, the bottom line is that classroom relationships are THE building block for doing any impactful learning.

Did you ever have that experience where you were at a team meeting, faculty meeting or eating lunch and a fellow coworker makes a comment about having trouble with a certain student. Your…

Heartfulness practice may be the mindfulness for teachers practice to open our hearts and keep us connected.

I’m going to just cut right to the chase. You should check out this mindfulness for teachers practice today. Right now. Seriously. It will make you feel better. Promise…

One We are Teaching Well member commented “I just finished the video of Heart fulness! I wish EVERYONE could hear it! It was awesome. Such peace comes from it!” And another member said, “This is just what I needed today.”

So I thought I’d just pass on this mindfulness for teachers recording to all of you. …

The Insight Timer STILL Holds Up for Teacher Self-Care

We may have gotten a barrage of “teacher self-care” tools and apps that may or may not be serving our needs this past school year and summer. I don’t know about you, but I’m hearing about a lot of things that were “gifted” during the spring but now are changing the parameters for access in the upcoming school year.

I completely understand that business is business, but I want to share a teacher self-care app that has been completely free since its inception and promises to remain free “forever”….and that is the Insight Timer. …

We’ve heard it all before…how lucky we are to be teachers. We get so much time off. We don’t have to work over the summer….blah, blah, blah, blah.

This post isn’t even about all the work we do over the summer to get ready for the next year. That’s a whole other topic that I’m not even delving into right now.

What I want to talk about is something that not many teachers talk about to others (because they wouldn’t understand) and maybe a lot of teachers don’t even talk about it to each other (because we think we’re alone).

…

Mindfulness for teachers may be the solution to this summer’s difficult emotions.

If you haven’t caught the news, I’m going to just save you the trouble but not go into it too much. Let’s just say in the world (and in education) things are feeling a little overwhelming and uncertain…to put it mildly.

This week we received some specifics about our own path forward to opening and I’m just trying to not get too caught up in what that might mean right now. What I keep telling myself is who knows what will be happening in a few weeks….

So if you’re struggling with this same thing: getting swept up with the…

How do you teach a two year old to practice mindfulness and focus on his breathing for a few deep breaths?

Show him how to smell a flower of course!

This same technique can be used to develop our own teacher mindfulness practice which will benefit health and wellbeing this summer.

It’s no surprise that people tell us to “stop and smell the roses”. This adage is something that is how we encourage others to slow down. To notice what is happening. To enjoy the moment as it’s happening.

So, what I would offer is to stop and smell the flowers this summer, to practice the very act of a generous inhale and exhale.

Some of the flowers will have scent…

What can “weeds” teach us about teacher burnout?

I have a friend and neighbor (who is also a teacher…what a great combination!) who messaged me this week and said, “I think our clover is feeding all of your bees…it’s out of control!”

When I mentioned that to Jordan, he said he thought ours was coming back with a vengeance this year as well. Although it is a perfect source of nectar and pollen for our bees (and lots of other critters), clover is often seen as a nuisance or a less than perfect plant that comes and infiltrates perfectly manicured lawns. In some cases It’s dug up, mowed…