This is episode 237 of Teacher Approved.

You're listening to Teacher Approved, the podcast helping

educators elevate what matters and simplify the rest. I'm

Heidi.

And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story

Window, where we give research based and teacher approved

strategies that make teaching less stressful and more

effective. You can check out the show notes and resources from

each episode at secondstorywindow.net.

We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to

the show.

Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's

episode, we are talking about how to make January something

you actually look forward to, yes, really, and sharing a

teacher approved tip for prepping your room before the

long winter break.

But first, let's start with a try it tomorrow, where we

share a quick win that you can try in your classroom right

away. So Emily, what is our suggestion for this week?

This week, as you're wrapping up this year and

looking ahead to the new one, choose a one word theme for

yourself, just one word that captures what you want to focus

on or how you want to feel as you start the new year. So maybe

that's steady or grace or joy or ease. Write that on a sticky

note and put it somewhere where you will see it every day, maybe

on your bathroom mirror or your desk, or you can even set it as

your phone lock screen. When January feels overwhelming, that

one word can remind you what matters most.

We talked about choosing a one word theme back in episode

27, my gosh, it's been so long. But it is such a simple practice

that makes a real difference for how you approach your January

fresh start.

And if you like this try it tomorrow, or anything else we

share here on the podcast, we would appreciate it so much if

you took a second and gave us a five star rating and review.

If you are hearing this before winter break, there's a

good chance that your energy tank is running low. You're

maybe even running on fumes at this point.

Yeah, you've given your students, your classroom and

your family so much already. So today we want to help you give a

little something to future you.

Yes, we want to help you step into the new year with calm

and confidence, because coming back after winter break is so

rough. The holidays are over, the days are short, and the

classroom is just full of sniffles, but we can make that

transition easier, maybe even joyful, with a few intentional

choices right now.

So we're sharing three simple ways to set up a January

that feels calm and confident. You've prepped, planned and

rested. Now it's time to launch, but gently.

Yes, gently is the key. So let's start with the first

way to beat the post break blues, and that's to give

yourself something to anticipate, because when you

have something to look forward to, those first days back feel

less like a slog and more like a fresh start.

And don't underestimate the power of this, and we did

talk about it back in episode 40, but it's worth revisiting

now, because it's so effective. When you have something exciting

on the horizon, it changes how you feel about going back.

Yeah, you can think of this in two ways, short term and

long term. Start with short term anticipation and plan something

in your classroom that you are genuinely excited about.

Yeah, that's the key though. It has to be something

you are excited about. Maybe it's a unit you love to teach, a

science experiment that always sparks curiosity, or a read

aloud that you love to read.

Oh, yes, this is so important. One year I was

dreading going back so much that I went and I made myself a

calendar of all of those, like silly days that they have every

day of the week, like, you know, this day is snowman day and this

day is penguin day, you know, all of those, like that.

Uh-huh.

So I made myself a calendar, and then each day, I

picked a little fun activity to do that day. So it might be

something I did with my students, it might be something

I did with friends. It might be something that I just did

myself. For snowman day, I bought powdered donut holes,

like a big batch of them, and I used, I don't even know what I

use, like chocolate chips, and I think those candy coated

sunflower seeds, orange ones to make a snowman face.

Oh yeah.

And I brought him in and left him in the work room. Just,

it was just a little project, a little creativity, something to

push me out of the blues. And also, I think maybe it helped

everyone else around me have a little happier January too. And

it really did make such a difference in how I felt that

month.

I love that. And excitement is contagious. When

you're excited about something, your students will feel that

energy too, and it makes coming back easier for everyone.

Just, you know, keep it simple. Think small, meaningful

sparks. Maybe you plan a cozy, comfy Friday where everyone

brings blankets and stuffed animals for read aloud time. Or

you do a week long wonder challenge where students bring

in questions that they're curious about.

Oh, I love that. You could add a new component to

morning meeting, like a daily moment of gratitude, or start a

good thing jar where everyone can share the good things they

notice.

Now, if you are someone who thrives on going big, maybe

you love a themed room makeover or launching immersive units, so

lean into that. Yes, it is going to be a lot of work, but if it's

something that you enjoy, then the work is part of the fun.

The point is to think about what lights you up as a

teacher, what makes you excited to be in your classroom. That's

going to be different for every teacher, but find a way to

incorporate more of that in the near future.

And don't feel like this has to happen on day one. You

might plan something special for the second week back, or even a

Friday celebration to mark making it through that first

week.

Exactly. And then, once you've planned a fun little

treat, add a long term anticipation, something outside

of school that gives you a bright spot on the horizon. That

could be fun weekend plans, a dinner with friends, or even

dreaming about your spring break trip.

This really does make such a difference. Having

something joyful to look forward to keeps you moving through the

darker weeks with hope and energy. It's a little bit like

having a light at the end of the tunnel.

This is kind of like your January Joy list. Before you

leave for break, jot down two or three things. Remember, one

classroom, one personal, maybe one just for fun. There's a page

for this in the December teacher survival kit, of course, but you

could easily write it in your planner, put it on a sticky

note, or even set a reminder in your phone that pops up on your

first day back.

And keep in mind that planning something fun for your

students is helping them too. They are feeling that post

holiday slump just as much as you are.

And planning fun things for them is also fun for you, I

feel like I get excited knowing the kids are going to be

excited.

Yes, totally.

And a little spark of joy helps everyone ease back into

community. So we talked about this as the student engagement

hook in episode 233, it's one fun, low prep activity that

makes the first week back engaging. This idea is to give

kids a sense of a new beginning.

Yeah, you know, all the spark is over and it's just

regular school now, but if you have got something engaging

planned, the energy totally shifts. We talked about this in

the last episode, so if you need some new ideas, go check that

out. But this could be a new year's goal project, a time

capsule, class challenge, or having kids make their own

vision boards.

Remember, just keep it low prep for you and high

interest for them.

And then our second idea for January is one of our all

time favorites, and it is to do yourself a favor.

I love this concept because it works so well for me,

so, and maybe it doesn't work that well for everyone, but I

imagine some of you are like us, so think of it as a gift from

past you to future you. Ask yourself what you can do now

before break that will make January You breathe a sigh of

relief.

Yeah, this could be leaving your desk clean and your

classroom tidy. That would be such a huge gift. You know,

walking into a cluttered space in January, when you're already

feeling the weight of going back, it's just not fun.

I remember seeing a post from Sam at Engineer Does

Education where she was showing the state of her classroom at

the end of the first week of school. Her plan was to tidy

everything before she left, because that's not how Friday

Sam is going to treat Monday Sam.

I love that so much. It's like being your own friend,

because when you are exhausted after a month of the festive

disruptions, you just want to walk out the door and deal with

it all later, but really rally if you can, and find at least

one thing you can do to reset your room. And then when you

walk back in after the break, it'll be like getting a little

hug from your past self.

You could look out for your future self by prepping

your first day back slides or making your copies. Having those

ready to go means you won't be scrambling on that first morning

back.

Just remember to put all of the stuff you prep in your

January ready bin so you know exactly where you kept it.

Yes.

You could also think about restocking your favorite

pens or snacks, tucking a special chocolate bar your desk

drawer, or, you know, on a healthier note, staffing some

protein bars in a cabinet, or making sure that you have the

pens that you actually like to write with.

You could even write a sticky note to yourself with

reminders or encouragement, something like you've got this,

or remember to take attendance.

We're not trying to add to a massive to do list when

you're already going to be exhausted, just pick one or two

small things that will make the biggest difference to you. Even

if all you can do is change over your classroom calendar and

write Welcome Back on your whiteboard, that totally counts.

And then when you unlock your classroom in January, it

will feel calm and ready and welcoming, and you'll be so glad

you took those extra five minutes in December.

Alright, finally, let's talk about planning a soft start for

your return.

January doesn't have to be a big shock to the system.

You can make it gentle by easing back into your routines and

giving yourself permission to prioritize rest.

And we talked about this concept in episodes 209 and 217,

the idea of creating a soft landing for yourself. Before you

leave for break, plan for that soft landing. Start by

automating decisions.

Yeah, do what you can to simplify things. Pick out your

first week of school outfits or lunches. When you are already

tired and adjusting to the alarm again, the last thing you want

to do is stand in front of your closet wondering what you're

going to wear.

Or stare into your fridge trying to figure out what to

pack for lunch. Make those decisions now, while you have

the mental energy.

Yeah, like you really could get ahead of this, lay out

your outfits, take photos on your phone, or, you know, just

make a list, whatever works for you.

And maybe you want to stock up on comfort foods you

love for that first week, like soup, tacos, breakfast for

dinner nights, or whatever makes you feel cozy and cared for.

Yeah. This isn't the week to go big or complicated. This

is the week for easy, nourishing meals that don't require much

thought. I think the lazy genius calls this planning your hot

dogs. Like, just make it simple.

Let real life take second priority for a few days while

you readjust. It's totally okay. The start of the school year is

just a season. It's not your whole life. It's the same thing

in January. Give yourself permission to lower the bar at

home.

You know, it's all right. Maybe your kids get some extra

screen time that week. Maybe you're going to order takeout

more than you normally would, or you're going to skip grocery

shopping and just eat what's in the freezer.

You could prep a small January comfort kit and put a

stash of tea, snacks, cozy socks, lotion or anything that

makes you feel cared for.

Well, you know, that's one of my favorite ideas. And

when you walk back into real life and everything feels a

little heavier, those small comforts remind you that you can

handle this. Someone cares about you, and that someone is you.

We've talked before about creating a recovery kit back in

episode 209, and the same principle applies here. Set

yourself up with the things that help you recharge.

These could be things that you have at school or

things that you have at home to help you focus on recovery after

a long day. Maybe for you, it's having a cozy movie queued up, a

book you're excited to read, or even just making sure your

bedroom feels like a peaceful retreat.

Or maybe it's having something to keep your kids

occupied so that you can crash on the couch for 20 minutes. The

goal is to make that transition back as gentle as possible.

Yeah, don't expect to hit the ground running at full

speed. Just give yourself some grace.

So as you wrap up for winter break, remember these

three small but powerful ways to create anticipation for the new

year. First, give yourself something to look forward to,

both short and long term. Plan something in your classroom that

excites you.

Second, do yourself a favor and set future you up for

success. Clean your desk, make your copies, restock your

snacks, whatever will make January You smile.

And third, plan a soft start and ease back into January

with grace.

You've already done so much to prepare for learning,

but these last few touches are how you can also make space for

comfort and calm when you return.

What's one small thing that you can do before you leave

for break to make it feel calm and maybe even a little magical

when you return?

We would love to hear what you're doing to create your

own soft start for January. Come share in our Teacher Approved

Facebook group.

Now for our Teacher Approved Tip of the Week, where

we share an actionable tip to help you elevate what matters

and simplify the rest. And this one is all about prepping your

room before you leave for the break. Take it away, Heidi.

Well, this is one of those things that seems obvious

until you forget to do it, and then you come back to some

unpleasant surprises. So make a list of everything you need to

do to secure your room before you leave. Start with the

basics. Shut down all the electronics and unplug them so

that you're not wasting electricity. Make sure anything

valuable is locked up. Empty your trashes, if the custodians

are not going to be around to do it right away.

And please clear out any food that might spoil or tempt

rodents to visit. You do not want to come back to that

situation. So check your desk drawers, your cabinets, anywhere

students might have stashed snacks or left a lunchbox. Look

for water bottles that might have been left behind. Make sure

there's nothing that's gonna grow mold or attract unwanted

guests while you're gone.

But here's something you might not have thought about.

You also might want to hide any contraband. It's really common

in some places for the fire marshal to use winter break to

visit the school, or maybe your administrators are going to stop

by in your room when you're gone.

And that's when you might get dinged on things that

normally fly under the radar.

Oh yeah, you know, things like the coffee maker microwave

or a little fridge. Might just want to pack all that up and

take it home for the break.

Sometimes twinkle lights might not be allowed, or a decor

hanging from the ceiling. If you're not sure what's okay and

what's not, talk to a teacher who's been at your school for a

while, and they can give you the inside scoop.

Yeah, this is so hard because you never know what's

gonna catch their eye. And in my experience, it seems largely

arbitrary, because some things are fine one year, like hanging

stuff from the ceiling is totally fine, and then the next

year, they freak out, but then the next year is fine. Again,

you just can't keep up.

Yeah. In episode 233 we recommended starting a list of

the tasks needed to close up your room for a few weeks. So if

you did do that, pull that out now.

But if you didn't make one, then take five minutes and

get it going now.

And surprise, we can help you with that. There's a sheet

for this in our December teacher survival kit, and it includes 35

suggested tasks to get your wheels turning, everything from

recycling papers to unplugging devices.

Yeah, because you don't want to be the one who starts

the building on fire, like my junior high social studies

teacher did with his plugged in hot plate that he left on.

To wrap the show, we are sharing what we're giving extra credit

to this week. Emily, what are you giving extra credit to?

Okay, I'm giving extra credit to Tiktok Shop.

Okay, I don't know what this is.

Okay. So you can shop on Tiktok, which I did not know

until somebody had, like, come across some great deal and was

like, you gotta, you have to buy it on Tiktok shop, though,

that's where the deal is. And it's annoying because they're

constantly doing these, like, if you open Tiktok and you go to

shop, there will be sudden, like, promotions for you when

you open it, of like, save, you know, this amount on this amount

in the next 30 minutes, or whatever. So that is annoying,

because you never know what you're going to get. But I have

got some great deals over there. And I found if you have

something you're interested in, I've started just checking to

see if it's on Tiktok shop first, because sometimes it's

cheaper there, surprisingly. They almost always seem to have

free shipping. And if you just stick it in your cart, when you

come back later, you're more likely I found, now this is not

scientific, but I have found that you have a coupon for it if

you leave it in there.

Interesting.

So that has been a secret weapon for holiday shopping is

I, as I'm looking for something, I check Tiktok Shop first. Also

that is where I was able to find Labubus for my 10 year old, is

through the official, they have to be the official Pop Mart or

Pop Mart US. I think it's like Pop Mart Local and Pop Mart US,

with like the official check mark. And those are legit, and

they come fast, and they're not marked up at all. That's the

best price I've seen anywhere on them, is there. So if you are

also on the hunt for Labubus, it's getting a little late, but

it shipped fast, in my experience. So if you're still

on the hunt, check out Tiktok Shop.

Yeah, that's a great tip. I had no idea.

What are you giving extra credit to, Heidi?

Well, my extra credit goes to the book Adventures with

Friends, a collection of RPG one shots. So this is a whole new

world to me. Emily's oldest daughter has been playing

Dungeons and Dragons this year, and someone was looking for a

gift idea for her. I came across this book that is perfect for a

teenage girl, or really, anyone who likes cuteness. So it's got

four different adventures in it, and then each one comes with the

details for how to run that game. But the exciting part is

that each of those adventures has little paper crafts that you

can cut out and assemble.

Yeah, cute.

Like for the Fey Fayre, there are a bunch of little

stalls that you can set up that your players can go and visit as

part of their role playing adventure. I am not doing this

book justice. It is packed with so many fun details, and I think

it is a great price. I think it's like 20 bucks, and it is

huge. It is really thick.

Oh.

So there's a link in the show notes if you want to check

it out for any of the TTRPG players in your life.

Well, she's gonna love that.

I hope so. It's way cute.

Thanks so much for joining us today. We hope these ideas help

you create a January that feels a little more joyful and a lot

less overwhelming.

And remember you don't have to do all of these things.

The goal is just to make coming back easier, not to add any more

to your already full plate.

We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm

Heidi.

And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow

or subscribe in your podcast app so that you never miss an

episode.

You can connect with us and other teachers in the

Teacher Approved Facebook group. We'll see you here next week.

Bye for now.

Bye.