1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:03,900 Heidi: This is episode 257 of Teacher Approved. 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,000 You're listening to teacher approved, the podcast helping 3 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,720 educators elevate what matters and simplify the rest. I'm 4 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:13,260 Heidi. 5 00:00:13,500 --> 00:00:16,620 Emily: And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story 6 00:00:16,620 --> 00:00:19,260 Window, where we give research-based and teacher 7 00:00:19,260 --> 00:00:22,200 approved strategies that make teaching less stressful and more 8 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,680 effective. You can check out the show notes and resources from 9 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:27,960 each episode at secondstorywindow.net. 10 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,245 Heidi: We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to 11 00:00:31,245 --> 00:00:31,665 the show. 12 00:00:31,665 --> 00:00:38,865 Emily: Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's 13 00:00:38,865 --> 00:00:42,885 episode, we are talking about how to survive that mid-May 14 00:00:42,885 --> 00:00:47,085 slump, where you can see summer but you can't quite reach it 15 00:00:47,085 --> 00:00:50,250 yet, and we're sharing a tip for holding the day steady when the 16 00:00:50,250 --> 00:00:51,810 routine is falling apart. 17 00:00:51,810 --> 00:00:55,590 Heidi: But first, let's start with a try it tomorrow, where we 18 00:00:55,590 --> 00:00:57,870 share a quick win that you can try in your classroom right 19 00:00:57,870 --> 00:01:00,510 away. Emily, what is our suggestion for this week? 20 00:01:00,510 --> 00:01:03,690 Emily: This week, try complimenting a colleague in 21 00:01:03,690 --> 00:01:07,590 front of their class. May is the season where teacher burnout 22 00:01:07,590 --> 00:01:11,070 really starts to bite, and one of the best antidotes to burnout 23 00:01:11,070 --> 00:01:15,435 is connection. We get so isolated in our own classrooms 24 00:01:15,435 --> 00:01:18,675 with our own problems, and it's easy to forget that there are 25 00:01:18,675 --> 00:01:22,695 other adults in the building who totally get it. And really, this 26 00:01:22,695 --> 00:01:25,095 couldn't be easier. Just the next time you're talking to a 27 00:01:25,095 --> 00:01:27,615 colleague who has students with them, just say something nice 28 00:01:27,615 --> 00:01:29,055 about them in front of their class. 29 00:01:29,475 --> 00:01:33,315 Heidi: My friend Vicki was so good at this. Anytime she popped 30 00:01:33,315 --> 00:01:36,495 into my classroom, she'd say something like, Do you guys know 31 00:01:36,540 --> 00:01:39,780 how awesome your teacher is? You are so lucky to be in her class. 32 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:43,800 This did two things at once, obviously, like, I loved Vicki 33 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:48,120 for it, but it also gave me an opening to praise my class. I'd 34 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:51,420 always say something back, like, it's pretty easy to be a good 35 00:01:51,420 --> 00:01:53,940 teacher when your class is this awesome. I'm so lucky to have 36 00:01:53,940 --> 00:01:54,780 these kids in my room. 37 00:01:55,260 --> 00:01:58,425 Emily: Oh, I love that. And then I bet everybody's day was just a 38 00:01:58,425 --> 00:02:02,025 little bit brighter when she did that. Well, if you like this 39 00:02:02,025 --> 00:02:04,665 idea or anything else we share here on the podcast, we would 40 00:02:04,665 --> 00:02:07,785 love it so much if you take a second and give us a five star 41 00:02:07,785 --> 00:02:09,825 rating on your podcast listening app. 42 00:02:09,825 --> 00:02:13,785 Okay, so let's talk about why this stretch of May is so 43 00:02:13,785 --> 00:02:16,305 brutal, because it's not just one thing, it's like three 44 00:02:16,305 --> 00:02:19,065 things stacked up on top of each other in a trench coat. 45 00:02:19,065 --> 00:02:22,290 Heidi: Of course it is, and that's why it's so tricky to 46 00:02:22,290 --> 00:02:25,830 manage. First up, everyone's emotions are all over the map. 47 00:02:25,830 --> 00:02:28,410 Some kids are crying because they don't want fourth grade to 48 00:02:28,410 --> 00:02:30,570 end, and other kids are crying because fourth grade isn't 49 00:02:30,570 --> 00:02:33,870 ending fast enough, and they're fed up. And you're probably 50 00:02:33,870 --> 00:02:36,210 somewhere in the middle, just trying to hold it all together. 51 00:02:36,270 --> 00:02:39,030 Emily: And then there's the structure thing. Your Kids 52 00:02:39,030 --> 00:02:41,910 genuinely need your routines right now because they are so 53 00:02:41,910 --> 00:02:45,210 dysregulated, but they push back on every single one of them. 54 00:02:45,210 --> 00:02:47,955 They want to know what's coming next, but they don't actually 55 00:02:47,955 --> 00:02:50,115 want to do what's coming next. 56 00:02:50,900 --> 00:02:53,420 Heidi: Yeah, that's a fun puzzle to solve at the end of the year 57 00:02:53,420 --> 00:02:55,460 when your tank is totally empty. 58 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,420 Emily: And that's the third piece, their energy is going up, 59 00:02:59,420 --> 00:03:03,320 yours is going down, and there are still three or more weeks at 60 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,900 school left, and your calendar looks like it was filled out by 61 00:03:05,900 --> 00:03:07,400 someone on a dare. 62 00:03:07,940 --> 00:03:11,480 Heidi: Or maybe by an adrenaline junkie. There are the assemblies 63 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,540 and dress up days in all of the end of your celebrations. 64 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:14,960 Emily: Yep. 65 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:17,945 Heidi: Given a choice, no rational person would choose to 66 00:03:17,945 --> 00:03:22,205 cram this many extras into an already heated situation. It's 67 00:03:22,205 --> 00:03:25,145 kind of like tossing gasoline onto a fire. 68 00:03:25,325 --> 00:03:27,845 Emily: I know, I'm always like the parents don't want this 69 00:03:27,845 --> 00:03:30,845 much, the teachers don't want this much. Why, why does they 70 00:03:30,845 --> 00:03:34,205 have to be like this? Well, with so much going on, I think 71 00:03:34,205 --> 00:03:37,085 teachers feel like they have to pick a side either you double 72 00:03:37,130 --> 00:03:40,370 down on structure and you hold the line on every single rule, 73 00:03:40,790 --> 00:03:43,310 which, you know just makes the kids push back harder, or you 74 00:03:43,310 --> 00:03:47,090 let it all go and try to coast through the days, and that 75 00:03:47,090 --> 00:03:49,850 means, you know, your classroom is in chaos by 10am. 76 00:03:50,090 --> 00:03:52,070 Heidi: Neither of those approaches work particularly 77 00:03:52,070 --> 00:03:56,570 well. That's because May is not an all or nothing kind of month. 78 00:03:56,930 --> 00:04:00,275 You don't have to choose between structure and fun. You just have 79 00:04:00,275 --> 00:04:01,595 to make sure they're balanced. 80 00:04:01,595 --> 00:04:04,775 Emily: If you're new here, welcome. We're so glad to have 81 00:04:04,775 --> 00:04:07,475 you. This might be a new concept if you're new here, but if 82 00:04:07,475 --> 00:04:09,635 you've been here a while, then you already know that this is 83 00:04:09,635 --> 00:04:11,135 one of our favorite topics. 84 00:04:11,735 --> 00:04:15,035 Heidi: Yeah, in fact, we love it so much we just wrote 70,000 85 00:04:15,035 --> 00:04:15,815 words about it. 86 00:04:16,655 --> 00:04:18,935 Emily: I mean, you know what? We were like, that's gonna be so 87 00:04:18,935 --> 00:04:21,935 hard to write such a long book, and we were contracted for a 88 00:04:21,935 --> 00:04:24,620 60,000 word book, which felt like a lot, but, you know, we 89 00:04:24,860 --> 00:04:28,880 just had so much to say. We felt like we needed that extra 10,000 90 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:29,960 words to say it all. 91 00:04:30,020 --> 00:04:33,080 Heidi: We tried to cut it back, but there's just so much to say. 92 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:35,480 Emily: Every time we cut something, I think we just added 93 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:36,800 something else, somewhere else. 94 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:42,440 Heidi: So if you need a refresher, a calmly managed 95 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,785 class requires a balance between two energies, structure and 96 00:04:45,785 --> 00:04:49,385 spark. That balance shifts depending on where you are in 97 00:04:49,385 --> 00:04:52,865 the school year. These last few weeks are what we call the home 98 00:04:52,865 --> 00:04:56,765 stretch. This is the season where rebalancing matters most. 99 00:04:57,125 --> 00:04:59,945 Too much rigidity right now triggers resistance, but too 100 00:04:59,945 --> 00:05:02,345 much looseness sends the whole class into free fall. 101 00:05:02,345 --> 00:05:05,465 Emily: So the trick in this season is to maintain the 102 00:05:05,465 --> 00:05:09,425 predictability your class needs, to feel grounded, and add just 103 00:05:09,425 --> 00:05:12,470 enough novelty to keep them interested, but not hyper. 104 00:05:12,470 --> 00:05:17,030 Heidi: And that is a trick, but we are here to help you out. 105 00:05:17,390 --> 00:05:21,230 Today, we are sharing five small switch ups. These are little 106 00:05:21,230 --> 00:05:24,590 shifts that add the spark your students are craving, without 107 00:05:24,590 --> 00:05:27,410 giving up the structure that's keeping you functioning. And 108 00:05:27,410 --> 00:05:29,330 none of these require very much prep at all. 109 00:05:29,330 --> 00:05:32,075 Emily: Yeah, these are just tiny tweaks to what you're already 110 00:05:32,075 --> 00:05:34,955 doing. And our first smart switch up is the change of 111 00:05:34,955 --> 00:05:37,955 scenery. This is exactly what it sounds like, you do your regular 112 00:05:37,955 --> 00:05:40,055 activity, you just move it to a new location. 113 00:05:40,295 --> 00:05:43,835 Heidi: And it's almost magic how well this works. It can be as 114 00:05:43,835 --> 00:05:46,595 small as moving your read aloud from the back carpet to the 115 00:05:46,595 --> 00:05:49,715 front of the room, or having silent reading under desks 116 00:05:49,775 --> 00:05:51,035 instead of at desks. 117 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,240 Emily: And if your class really needs a bigger shift, or you 118 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:57,240 think they can handle a bigger shift, you can do something like 119 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:00,420 math review in the gym or a science lesson in a different 120 00:06:00,420 --> 00:06:03,240 teacher's classroom. You don't have to do anything different 121 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:06,120 with the content, but a new spot makes everything fresh. 122 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:09,000 Heidi: One of my favorite versions of this is doing a 123 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,600 class swap. If you have a willing teammate or two, try 124 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,305 rotating classes. So each teacher plans one activity, and 125 00:06:16,305 --> 00:06:18,945 the kids rotate through. That way you only have to plan one 126 00:06:18,945 --> 00:06:20,985 activity, and the kids are getting three or four new 127 00:06:20,985 --> 00:06:21,885 experiences. 128 00:06:21,885 --> 00:06:25,965 Emily: Yeah. Plus, kids often behave a lot better for teachers 129 00:06:25,965 --> 00:06:28,545 that they don't see every day, so that kind of gives you a nice 130 00:06:28,545 --> 00:06:31,245 break from refereeing the same arguments that you've been 131 00:06:31,245 --> 00:06:32,445 refereeing all year. 132 00:06:33,585 --> 00:06:36,405 Heidi: The reason a change of scene works so well is because 133 00:06:36,645 --> 00:06:39,870 novelty triggers the brain to release dopamine, which is the 134 00:06:39,870 --> 00:06:43,290 chemical tied to motivation and engagement. When something 135 00:06:43,290 --> 00:06:46,530 familiar shows up in slightly different ways, the brain perks 136 00:06:46,530 --> 00:06:50,010 up and pays attention. That new location is doing the management 137 00:06:50,010 --> 00:06:50,730 work for you. 138 00:06:51,510 --> 00:06:53,970 Emily: Okay, so our second switch up is playing the 139 00:06:53,970 --> 00:06:57,390 favorites. This is just bringing back the hits from earlier in 140 00:06:57,390 --> 00:06:57,930 the year. 141 00:06:58,410 --> 00:07:01,155 Heidi: This one is so underrated. When teachers think 142 00:07:01,155 --> 00:07:03,975 about adding spark at the end of the year, they usually think 143 00:07:03,975 --> 00:07:07,035 they have to plan something brand new. But honestly, the 144 00:07:07,035 --> 00:07:11,355 best stuff often already exists in your room. You've spent nine 145 00:07:11,355 --> 00:07:14,055 months building this class culture, so use it. 146 00:07:14,055 --> 00:07:17,115 Emily: Yeah, think about all the activities your kids loved this 147 00:07:17,115 --> 00:07:20,175 year, the favorite read aloud, the math game that everybody 148 00:07:20,175 --> 00:07:23,085 asked to play again, the science experiment that got everyone 149 00:07:23,085 --> 00:07:25,020 talking. You can just bring those back. 150 00:07:25,420 --> 00:07:28,720 Heidi: I had a class one year that was, like, weirdly obsessed 151 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:32,920 with musicals, and they were a tough class, especially at the 152 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,920 end of the day. They had just had it. So I made a deal with 153 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:38,680 them, if they would clean up quickly at the end of the day, 154 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:42,340 we could watch part of a musical until the bell rang. So at the 155 00:07:42,340 --> 00:07:45,580 end of the year, it just felt to spend an afternoon watching 156 00:07:45,580 --> 00:07:48,760 Sound of Music in one go, instead of in like five minute 157 00:07:48,805 --> 00:07:53,485 chunks. The kids were so into it, except, obviously I did fast 158 00:07:53,485 --> 00:07:56,485 forward Climb Every Mountain, because nobody, nobody has the 159 00:07:56,485 --> 00:07:57,385 patience for that one. 160 00:07:57,385 --> 00:07:59,125 Emily: No, why is that song in there? 161 00:07:59,545 --> 00:08:01,525 Heidi: There's one in every show, you're just like, okay, 162 00:08:01,525 --> 00:08:01,885 come on. 163 00:08:02,065 --> 00:08:05,785 Emily: Yeah, but that is the perfect example of playing the 164 00:08:05,785 --> 00:08:08,665 favorites. It wasn't a brand new activity, it was something your 165 00:08:08,665 --> 00:08:11,485 class already loved that they got to do in a bigger, more 166 00:08:11,485 --> 00:08:13,270 satisfying way at the end of the year. 167 00:08:13,270 --> 00:08:16,750 Heidi: What makes this so genius for May specifically, is that 168 00:08:16,750 --> 00:08:19,990 the kids already know how to do these activities, so they can 169 00:08:19,990 --> 00:08:23,170 just dive in. You don't have to teach the rules or model 170 00:08:23,170 --> 00:08:23,650 anything. 171 00:08:23,650 --> 00:08:26,710 Emily: And while the kids are busy, you get a pocket of prep, 172 00:08:26,770 --> 00:08:29,710 which means you can pack a bin or grade a stack of papers. 173 00:08:29,890 --> 00:08:32,710 That's the kind of hack you need at the end of the year. 174 00:08:32,710 --> 00:08:36,235 Heidi: So as you were thinking about your last weeks, think 175 00:08:36,235 --> 00:08:39,835 back over the year. What activities did your kids ask to 176 00:08:39,835 --> 00:08:43,255 do again? What lit them up? Don't reinvent the wheel. Just 177 00:08:43,255 --> 00:08:44,755 use the wheel you already have. 178 00:08:45,475 --> 00:08:48,535 Emily: Our third switch up is one a lot of teachers don't 179 00:08:48,535 --> 00:08:51,295 think about, and it's a really fun one. Give your students a 180 00:08:51,295 --> 00:08:53,875 peek at what they'll learn next year. 181 00:08:53,875 --> 00:08:57,175 Heidi: I love this one because it taps into something kids 182 00:08:57,175 --> 00:09:01,000 really want, which is to feel like they're growing up. By May 183 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,520 they have been in your grade all year. They want to know what's 184 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:05,620 next, and they want to feel like the big kids. 185 00:09:05,980 --> 00:09:08,680 Emily: So go peek at the curriculum for the grade above 186 00:09:08,680 --> 00:09:12,460 yours and pick something that has a natural wow factor. So if 187 00:09:12,460 --> 00:09:16,060 you teach second grade, maybe you do a mini lesson on cursive. 188 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:18,940 If you teach third grade, maybe you introduce two digit 189 00:09:18,940 --> 00:09:22,225 multiplication. If you teach fifth grade, maybe you give them 190 00:09:22,225 --> 00:09:24,385 a taste of middle school science. 191 00:09:24,685 --> 00:09:27,265 Heidi: To really boost the buy in. Present it with some 192 00:09:27,265 --> 00:09:30,745 fanfare. You can say something like, You guys have learned so 193 00:09:30,745 --> 00:09:33,865 much, I think you're ready for something kids usually don't see 194 00:09:33,865 --> 00:09:37,165 until next year. That kind of framing just turns this lesson 195 00:09:37,165 --> 00:09:38,185 into a whole event. 196 00:09:38,485 --> 00:09:42,025 Emily: Yeah, and it like raises the level of concern in the room 197 00:09:42,205 --> 00:09:44,950 in a good way, because suddenly the kids are leaning in like, 198 00:09:45,010 --> 00:09:48,850 Ooh, this is something I'm going to need. And they pay closer 199 00:09:48,850 --> 00:09:51,310 attention, because the stakes feel important. 200 00:09:51,780 --> 00:09:54,600 Heidi: Just make sure that those stakes aren't causing any 201 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:55,320 anxiety. 202 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:55,800 Emily: Yeah. 203 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:59,820 Heidi: Frame it as a sneak peek, not as a preview of how hard 204 00:09:59,820 --> 00:10:00,720 things are going to get. 205 00:10:01,140 --> 00:10:03,420 Emily: And also be considerate of next year's teacher. You 206 00:10:03,420 --> 00:10:06,540 don't want to step on their toes by going too deep into a topic 207 00:10:06,540 --> 00:10:09,000 that they're going to teach in the fall. Just stick to 208 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:13,380 introductory, hands on stuff. The goal is to spark curiosity, 209 00:10:13,380 --> 00:10:14,805 not to teach mastery. 210 00:10:14,805 --> 00:10:18,045 Heidi: So a really good example of this is multiplication 211 00:10:18,045 --> 00:10:21,945 tricks. Kids think they're so cool, but if you teach a bunch 212 00:10:21,945 --> 00:10:24,405 of shortcuts before they've built the conceptual 213 00:10:24,405 --> 00:10:27,645 understanding, you're going to undermine the work that next 214 00:10:27,645 --> 00:10:30,225 year's teacher is trying to do. So keep it light. You're not 215 00:10:30,225 --> 00:10:32,985 responsible for teaching this, so just enjoy the fun part of 216 00:10:32,985 --> 00:10:33,105 it. 217 00:10:33,765 --> 00:10:36,165 Emily: And if you don't want to deep dive into one topic, you 218 00:10:36,165 --> 00:10:37,050 can also just do a broader sampling. Pull up the curriculum 219 00:10:37,050 --> 00:10:42,150 for next year and let kids preview a bunch of different 220 00:10:42,150 --> 00:10:45,150 things, let them share what they already know about each one and 221 00:10:45,150 --> 00:10:46,590 what they're excited to learn. 222 00:10:47,070 --> 00:10:48,990 Heidi: This is one of those switch ups that delivers 223 00:10:48,990 --> 00:10:52,530 structure and spark at the same time. There's spark because it's 224 00:10:52,530 --> 00:10:55,650 new and exciting and a bit of a mystery, and there's structure 225 00:10:55,650 --> 00:10:58,830 because the kids naturally lean in when they realize that this 226 00:10:58,830 --> 00:11:00,030 content actually matters. 227 00:11:01,095 --> 00:11:04,095 Emily: Okay, switch up number four is team up time, and this 228 00:11:04,095 --> 00:11:07,095 one solves a really specific May problem, which is that kids are 229 00:11:07,095 --> 00:11:09,495 dying for social interaction right now. 230 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:12,540 Heidi: Yeah, they pretty much want to talk non stop, but you 231 00:11:12,540 --> 00:11:15,660 can't just let them sit in a corner and chat. Although that's 232 00:11:15,660 --> 00:11:19,740 probably tempting. So we need a structured outlet for that 233 00:11:19,740 --> 00:11:20,160 energy. 234 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:23,400 Emily: One of the best ways to do this is to team up with a 235 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,460 class in a different grade, reach out to a teacher friend, 236 00:11:26,460 --> 00:11:29,880 ideally, one whose class is two or three grade levels different 237 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:32,805 from yours, and see if they'd be interested in partnering with 238 00:11:32,805 --> 00:11:33,405 your class. 239 00:11:33,405 --> 00:11:36,465 Heidi: When I taught second grade, my friend Angela taught 240 00:11:36,465 --> 00:11:39,765 fifth, so it worked out really well for our classes to partner 241 00:11:39,765 --> 00:11:42,705 up. My kids would bring math games or books to read with 242 00:11:42,705 --> 00:11:45,645 their buddies, and then Angela and I got a chance to hang out 243 00:11:45,645 --> 00:11:46,485 for a few minutes. 244 00:11:46,965 --> 00:11:50,145 Emily: And what's so great about this is that it satisfies the 245 00:11:50,145 --> 00:11:53,565 social hunger without the chaos that usually comes with it. The 246 00:11:53,565 --> 00:11:56,325 older kids show up to those buddy sessions like little 247 00:11:56,370 --> 00:12:00,150 mentors. They want to be impressive role models, and the 248 00:12:00,150 --> 00:12:02,910 younger kids want to impress them right back, so they're on 249 00:12:02,910 --> 00:12:05,550 their best behavior because they're trying to seem grown up. 250 00:12:06,030 --> 00:12:09,150 Heidi: Plus that has real academic value. The little kids 251 00:12:09,150 --> 00:12:11,790 get one on one support, which is hard to come by in any 252 00:12:11,790 --> 00:12:15,030 classroom, and the older kids get a chance to review skills 253 00:12:15,030 --> 00:12:18,150 that they may not have practiced in a while. Even a fifth grader 254 00:12:18,150 --> 00:12:20,655 can use some more time with subtraction facts and reading 255 00:12:20,655 --> 00:12:21,255 fluency. 256 00:12:21,255 --> 00:12:24,795 Emily: One important tip if you do this, be sure to assign the 257 00:12:24,795 --> 00:12:28,515 buddies. Do not let the kids pick, otherwise you're going to 258 00:12:28,515 --> 00:12:31,755 have somebody standing alone, and then you'll feel terrible. 259 00:12:31,935 --> 00:12:34,455 So make a pairing list ahead of time, so you can pair kids 260 00:12:34,455 --> 00:12:38,115 strategically based on social and emotional needs. 261 00:12:38,655 --> 00:12:41,955 Heidi: And a really nice bonus of team up time is that kids who 262 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:45,240 struggle with behavior in your room often shine in this 263 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:48,600 setting. Because the dynamic is different, they get to be the 264 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:52,320 helper, and this can really be such a confidence boost for kids 265 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:54,060 who don't usually get to feel that. 266 00:12:54,900 --> 00:12:58,860 Emily: Okay. Our last switch up is little freedoms. Loosening 267 00:12:58,860 --> 00:13:02,700 one low stakes rule can make your students feel like they got 268 00:13:02,700 --> 00:13:04,500 handed the keys to the castle. 269 00:13:05,580 --> 00:13:08,325 Heidi: This one is maybe the most counterintuitive on the 270 00:13:08,325 --> 00:13:11,865 list, but stick with us. It seems like relaxing a rule will 271 00:13:11,865 --> 00:13:15,765 just make everything fall apart, right? But that is genuinely not 272 00:13:15,765 --> 00:13:18,585 what happens, as long as you do it strategically. 273 00:13:18,585 --> 00:13:22,245 Emily: Yeah, the strategy is the most important part here. Start 274 00:13:22,245 --> 00:13:25,185 with something that has insignificant impact on your 275 00:13:25,185 --> 00:13:29,550 routine. So if your normal rule is no toys at school, maybe you 276 00:13:29,550 --> 00:13:32,550 say you can bring a small stuffed animal or a fidget for 277 00:13:32,550 --> 00:13:35,610 your desk tomorrow. Even if the rest of the day is completely 278 00:13:35,610 --> 00:13:38,250 ordinary, that one little freedom feels like a treat. 279 00:13:38,250 --> 00:13:42,630 Heidi: If you are relaxing a rule in one place, you need to 280 00:13:42,630 --> 00:13:46,470 fortify the structure around it. Make the boundaries clear. Maybe 281 00:13:46,470 --> 00:13:49,290 the stuffies only come out during quiet reading time, or 282 00:13:49,290 --> 00:13:52,455 you can read aloud to your stuffy for fluency practice. The 283 00:13:52,455 --> 00:13:55,035 parameters make sure that freedom feels fun. 284 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,820 Emily: If you try this one, make sure to set limits on what they 285 00:13:57,820 --> 00:14:01,540 can bring. So no electronics, nothing expensive or 286 00:14:01,540 --> 00:14:04,720 irreplaceable, because you do not want to be the reason that 287 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:07,420 Dylan loses his beloved teddy bear that he sleeps with every 288 00:14:07,420 --> 00:14:07,600 night. 289 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,300 Heidi: Yeah, his parents aren't going to thank you for that. And 290 00:14:10,300 --> 00:14:13,540 you also don't want to have somebody's Switch mysteriously 291 00:14:13,540 --> 00:14:14,740 disappear from their backpack. 292 00:14:14,740 --> 00:14:15,700 Emily: Oh gosh, yeah. 293 00:14:16,060 --> 00:14:19,120 Heidi: Your classroom rules exist for a reason. So if you 294 00:14:19,165 --> 00:14:22,585 are deciding to relax a rule, you have to account for all of 295 00:14:22,585 --> 00:14:23,905 the potential side effects. 296 00:14:24,265 --> 00:14:27,205 Emily: Yeah, somehow it takes a lot of extra rules to support 297 00:14:27,205 --> 00:14:30,985 one relaxed rule, which feels a little funny, but it works 298 00:14:31,045 --> 00:14:33,865 because it gives kids that taste of freedom that they're craving 299 00:14:33,865 --> 00:14:35,005 without giving up control. 300 00:14:35,005 --> 00:14:38,545 Heidi: Another easy little freedom is loosening hallway 301 00:14:38,545 --> 00:14:42,130 expectations, not in a crazy way. We don't do crazy hallway 302 00:14:42,130 --> 00:14:42,310 here. 303 00:14:42,370 --> 00:14:42,850 Emily: No. 304 00:14:42,850 --> 00:14:46,210 Heidi: But you can let the line leader pick a silly walk, as 305 00:14:46,210 --> 00:14:49,930 long as everyone stays silent. Or turn the hallway into a 306 00:14:49,930 --> 00:14:52,150 freeze game. When you turn around, everyone has to pose 307 00:14:52,150 --> 00:14:52,810 like a statue. 308 00:14:52,810 --> 00:14:55,990 Emily: Instead of relaxing a rule, you can try implementing a 309 00:14:55,990 --> 00:15:00,910 new rule, but this rule is meant just for fun. So growing up, 310 00:15:00,910 --> 00:15:05,155 because we're old, we watched Pee Wee's Playhouse on Saturday 311 00:15:05,155 --> 00:15:08,995 mornings, and Pee Wee always had a secret word, and whenever you 312 00:15:08,995 --> 00:15:10,795 heard it, you were supposed to scream. 313 00:15:11,815 --> 00:15:14,455 Heidi: I always tried so hard to remember the word after the 314 00:15:14,455 --> 00:15:17,995 episode was over, but no luck. Memory like a sieve even when I 315 00:15:17,995 --> 00:15:21,475 was eight. But you can apply the same principle in your 316 00:15:21,475 --> 00:15:21,895 classroom. 317 00:15:21,895 --> 00:15:23,755 Emily: Yeah, but not with the screaming part. 318 00:15:23,995 --> 00:15:24,775 Heidi: Yeah, no screaming. 319 00:15:24,955 --> 00:15:28,780 Emily: Do something like maybe take a nod from Finding Nemo and 320 00:15:28,780 --> 00:15:31,540 have a class call and response. So anytime the teacher says 321 00:15:31,540 --> 00:15:33,640 Shark Bait, the class says, ooh, haha. 322 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:37,960 Heidi: That's such an easy way to add some whimsy to the day. 323 00:15:38,260 --> 00:15:40,960 The only catch is remembering that you have to say Shark Bait 324 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:42,040 a few times a day. 325 00:15:42,460 --> 00:15:45,100 Emily: Yeah, maybe you need to set a little alarm on your phone 326 00:15:45,100 --> 00:15:46,180 to remind you to do it. 327 00:15:46,180 --> 00:15:49,480 Heidi: If you decide to try offering some little freedoms, 328 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:53,125 stick to one relaxed rule at a time. Don't listen to everything 329 00:15:53,125 --> 00:15:56,845 at once, or it really will fall apart. And frame it as a 330 00:15:56,845 --> 00:16:00,025 privilege that the kids earned through being responsible. Be 331 00:16:00,025 --> 00:16:01,765 willing to pull back if things get wild. 332 00:16:02,500 --> 00:16:05,440 Emily: So those are our five smart switch ups for the messy 333 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:09,640 middle of May. Change a scene, play the favorites, peek ahead, 334 00:16:09,700 --> 00:16:12,520 team up time, and little freedoms. That's how you keep 335 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:14,740 structure and spark balanced in May. 336 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:18,880 Heidi: And if this topic was helpful, you are going to love 337 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:21,640 our new book. It's coming out in August, and it will walk you 338 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:24,940 through how to reset the balance between structure and spark all 339 00:16:24,940 --> 00:16:25,465 year long. 340 00:16:26,005 --> 00:16:28,645 Emily: The book is available for pre-order, and we would love 341 00:16:28,645 --> 00:16:31,885 your support. If you've gotten value out of these conversations 342 00:16:31,885 --> 00:16:34,945 around the podcast, pre-ordering our book would be a great way to 343 00:16:34,945 --> 00:16:37,945 support us. Every author says that, but it is so true, the 344 00:16:37,945 --> 00:16:40,645 pre-orders really do make a big difference for authors. 345 00:16:41,125 --> 00:16:44,365 Heidi: And as a bit of spark to the structure, we have some 346 00:16:44,365 --> 00:16:47,050 really fun pre-order bonuses on the way, and we will tell you 347 00:16:47,050 --> 00:16:47,890 more about those soon. 348 00:16:47,890 --> 00:16:50,170 Emily: Yeah, and if you've already pre-ordered, you'll 349 00:16:50,170 --> 00:16:53,710 still get all the bonuses after so don't worry. There is a link 350 00:16:53,710 --> 00:16:56,230 in the show notes if you're ready to pre-order, and a huge 351 00:16:56,230 --> 00:16:59,050 thank you in advance to anyone who does. It really means so 352 00:16:59,050 --> 00:16:59,650 much to us. 353 00:17:00,490 --> 00:17:03,130 Now for our Teacher Approved Tip of the Week, where we share an 354 00:17:03,130 --> 00:17:05,950 actionable tip to help you elevate what matters and 355 00:17:05,950 --> 00:17:09,130 simplify the rest. This week's teacher approved tip is to 356 00:17:09,130 --> 00:17:12,235 protect your morning routine. Let's talk about it, Heidi. 357 00:17:12,900 --> 00:17:15,720 Heidi: Oh, this is so important. We just spent the whole main 358 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:18,420 segment talking about adding spark to the day, and now we're 359 00:17:18,420 --> 00:17:23,580 saying, But wait, not in the morning. Mornings set the tone 360 00:17:23,580 --> 00:17:26,040 for the whole day. If you start the day with too much 361 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:29,400 excitement, that energy keeps climbing until it crashes. You 362 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:32,640 know, usually around 10:30 in the form of a meltdown over a 363 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:36,180 missing pencil. Your students need predictability more than 364 00:17:36,180 --> 00:17:39,945 ever right now, because they are so dysregulated. The kids who 365 00:17:39,945 --> 00:17:43,605 resist structure are usually the ones who need it the most, and 366 00:17:43,605 --> 00:17:47,265 the morning is the anchor for all of those swaying nervous 367 00:17:47,265 --> 00:17:47,865 systems. 368 00:17:47,865 --> 00:17:50,625 Emily: Yeah. So even when you're loosening rules and switching 369 00:17:50,625 --> 00:17:53,985 things up later in the day, keep your morning the same. That 370 00:17:53,985 --> 00:17:57,405 predictability is what lets them handle the spark that you are 371 00:17:57,405 --> 00:17:58,785 going to add in later. 372 00:17:59,445 --> 00:18:02,190 Heidi: And that's what makes the rest of your day work. If the 373 00:18:02,190 --> 00:18:05,070 morning is steady and predictable, then the change of 374 00:18:05,070 --> 00:18:08,370 scene later feels like a fun shift, instead of just one more 375 00:18:08,370 --> 00:18:09,450 thing in a chaotic day. 376 00:18:09,630 --> 00:18:10,110 Emily: Right. 377 00:18:11,190 --> 00:18:16,290 Heidi: To wrap up the show, we are sharing what we're giving 378 00:18:16,290 --> 00:18:21,034 extra credit to this week. Emily, what gets your extra 379 00:18:21,034 --> 00:18:21,036 credit? 380 00:18:21,036 --> 00:18:21,059 Emily: I'm giving extra credit to the miracle foot cream that I 381 00:18:21,059 --> 00:18:22,035 got, except it's not called that. It doesn't even like, have 382 00:18:22,035 --> 00:18:24,675 a name. It's just like a made, I don't know. 383 00:18:24,855 --> 00:18:25,635 Heidi: Black market? 384 00:18:26,355 --> 00:18:29,295 Emily: No. It's just like, not like a name brand. It's just 385 00:18:29,295 --> 00:18:33,375 like a cheap brand on on Amazon, it says grocerism is the name. 386 00:18:33,975 --> 00:18:34,935 Heidi: Grocerism? 387 00:18:34,995 --> 00:18:36,315 Emily: Grocerism, yep. 388 00:18:36,375 --> 00:18:37,155 Heidi: Okay. 389 00:18:37,215 --> 00:18:40,755 Emily: It is a 40% urea cream, which sounds like, oh, that 390 00:18:40,755 --> 00:18:43,095 might be spicy. It's not spicy at all. It just feels like a 391 00:18:43,095 --> 00:18:45,660 nice lotion, and it's got a little bit of salicylic acid in 392 00:18:45,660 --> 00:18:48,300 it, and like a couple of other things, like aloe vera and 393 00:18:48,300 --> 00:18:50,580 stuff. And like, you put this thing on at night and you will 394 00:18:50,580 --> 00:18:52,800 have soft feet in the morning. I'm not even joking. 395 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:53,400 Heidi: Oh, okay, 396 00:18:53,460 --> 00:18:55,800 Emily: I've been using it on the back of my 10 year old's arms 397 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:59,220 too, because she's got the keratosis polaris problem. Hers 398 00:18:59,220 --> 00:19:02,160 was getting pretty bad, and so we put that on and like the next 399 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:05,820 day, it already was a ton better. So check it out. It 400 00:19:05,820 --> 00:19:06,780 works good. 401 00:19:06,780 --> 00:19:09,585 Heidi: Okay, I'm sure there'll be a link in the show notes. 402 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:12,420 Emily: There will. What are you giving extra credit to, Heidi? 403 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:16,680 Heidi: I'm giving extra credit to the three wins app. I think 404 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:20,040 this was only on iPhone, so apologies to Android users. But 405 00:19:20,220 --> 00:19:22,500 I've been using this for a couple months now, and I love 406 00:19:22,500 --> 00:19:27,000 it. So the idea is that, I think it's set up where, like at the 407 00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:29,700 start of the day, you pick the three most important things you 408 00:19:29,700 --> 00:19:32,100 want to get done in that day, and then at the end of the day 409 00:19:32,100 --> 00:19:34,125 you come back and you say whether or not you've done 410 00:19:34,125 --> 00:19:37,305 those. But I use it just at the end of the day to make a list of 411 00:19:37,305 --> 00:19:38,805 everything I managed to get done. 412 00:19:39,285 --> 00:19:43,185 And as someone who struggles with productivity guilt, this 413 00:19:43,185 --> 00:19:47,145 has been a game changer. It's so easy. I just go through it, I 414 00:19:47,145 --> 00:19:50,625 list everything I got done, because sometimes you get to the 415 00:19:50,805 --> 00:19:54,978 end of the day and you see everything you didn't get done, 416 00:19:54,978 --> 00:19:55,050 or what you feel like you got done isn't enough, or you just 417 00:19:55,050 --> 00:19:57,450 take for granted all the little things you did, like, you know, 418 00:19:57,810 --> 00:20:01,050 getting a load of laundry done, or putting the groceries away. 419 00:20:01,290 --> 00:20:05,430 Like, once you start listing it out, it's just been such a huge 420 00:20:05,670 --> 00:20:09,450 relief to me to be like, Oh, I'm crushing it. I'm doing so much 421 00:20:09,450 --> 00:20:12,270 here. And if you check off all the wins for the date, you get 422 00:20:12,270 --> 00:20:15,090 confetti. So, that's extra fun. 423 00:20:15,330 --> 00:20:17,250 Emily: It's like, now that you're a Libby user, you'll have 424 00:20:17,250 --> 00:20:20,535 to know this, that when, if you return a book early, they pop up 425 00:20:20,535 --> 00:20:23,235 a little bouquet on the screen, and if you click that, then it 426 00:20:23,235 --> 00:20:25,875 shoots all these flowers. I didn't even know this until a 427 00:20:25,875 --> 00:20:28,695 couple months ago, I was returning books early and not 428 00:20:28,695 --> 00:20:30,015 getting a celebration. 429 00:20:30,555 --> 00:20:32,535 Heidi: Yeah, you've missed out. 430 00:20:32,535 --> 00:20:35,355 Emily: Yes, but I will check this out, because it's, usually 431 00:20:35,355 --> 00:20:37,755 at the end of the day I'm like, What did I even do today? Even 432 00:20:37,755 --> 00:20:42,840 though I know I did stuff and it's way easier to just focus on 433 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:44,640 all the things you didn't get done. 434 00:20:45,980 --> 00:20:48,500 Heidi: Yep, I used to have a journal that I would try and 435 00:20:48,500 --> 00:20:51,200 write in, but I just couldn't keep up with it. But it's so 436 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:54,440 easy on my phone. So I give this five stars. 437 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:59,480 That is it for this week. May is a tug of war between holding on 438 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:02,360 and letting go, and the way through that middle stretch is 439 00:21:02,360 --> 00:21:05,660 not to pick a side, but to rebalance. Try one switch up 440 00:21:05,660 --> 00:21:07,040 this week and see what happens. 441 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:09,665 Emily: We'd love to hear which one you tried. So come find us 442 00:21:09,665 --> 00:21:13,565 on Instagram @2ndstorywindow, and that's with a two. And don't 443 00:21:13,565 --> 00:21:17,165 forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. We will see you 444 00:21:17,165 --> 00:21:17,705 next week. 445 00:21:19,865 --> 00:21:23,105 Heidi: We hope you enjoyed this episode of teacher approved. I'm 446 00:21:23,105 --> 00:21:23,705 Heidi. 447 00:21:23,765 --> 00:21:27,065 Emily: And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow 448 00:21:27,065 --> 00:21:29,585 or subscribe in your podcast app so that you never miss an 449 00:21:29,585 --> 00:21:29,945 episode. 450 00:21:29,945 --> 00:21:32,750 Heidi: You can connect with us and other teachers in the 451 00:21:32,750 --> 00:21:35,990 Teacher Approved Facebook group. We'll see you here next week. 452 00:21:36,170 --> 00:21:37,010 Bye for now. 453 00:21:37,010 --> 00:21:37,790 Emily: Bye.