1 00:00:00,900 --> 00:00:03,540 Heidi: This is episode 259 of Teacher Approved. 2 00:00:05,580 --> 00:00:08,640 You're listening to Teacher Approved, the podcast helping 3 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:12,360 educators elevate what matters and simplify the rest. I'm 4 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:12,900 Heidi. 5 00:00:13,140 --> 00:00:16,260 Emily: And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story 6 00:00:16,260 --> 00:00:18,900 Window, where we give research-based and teacher 7 00:00:18,900 --> 00:00:21,840 approved strategies that make teaching less stressful and more 8 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,305 effective. You can check out the show notes and resources from 9 00:00:25,305 --> 00:00:27,585 each episode at secondstorywindow.net. 10 00:00:27,585 --> 00:00:30,885 Heidi: We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to 11 00:00:30,885 --> 00:00:31,305 the show. 12 00:00:31,305 --> 00:00:38,865 Emily: Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's 13 00:00:38,865 --> 00:00:41,625 episode, we are talking about a strategy that can make your 14 00:00:41,625 --> 00:00:45,345 whole life easier, seriously, and sharing a tip for surviving 15 00:00:45,345 --> 00:00:46,965 your end of year events. 16 00:00:47,865 --> 00:00:50,610 Heidi: Let's start with a try it tomorrow, where we share a quick 17 00:00:50,610 --> 00:00:53,190 win that you can try in your classroom right away. Emily, 18 00:00:53,190 --> 00:00:54,990 what is our suggestion for this week? 19 00:00:55,230 --> 00:00:58,410 Emily: Okay, this week, before the year ends, say thank you to 20 00:00:58,410 --> 00:01:01,830 someone who helped make this year a little easier. Think 21 00:01:01,830 --> 00:01:06,030 about everyone who helped you pull this year off. Maybe it's 22 00:01:06,030 --> 00:01:08,730 your teammate who covers your class when you need to run to 23 00:01:08,730 --> 00:01:13,275 the bathroom, or the cafeteria worker who somehow still smiles 24 00:01:13,275 --> 00:01:17,235 while serving her 300th meal of the day, and maybe she saves you 25 00:01:17,295 --> 00:01:20,055 the good salads or whatever. 26 00:01:20,055 --> 00:01:23,295 Heidi: Yeah, yeah, the emotional job of being a lunch worker is 27 00:01:23,295 --> 00:01:26,355 wild, and probably nobody ever thinks her. You know, the kids 28 00:01:26,355 --> 00:01:29,955 aren't. But this doesn't even have to be someone from school. 29 00:01:29,955 --> 00:01:32,715 It could be the parent who had your back during a hard moment 30 00:01:33,015 --> 00:01:34,560 instead of making it worse. 31 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,500 Emily: Uh huh. So whoever it is, find a way to share your 32 00:01:37,500 --> 00:01:41,160 gratitude. Just send a text, a note, or take a moment to talk 33 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:42,780 as you pass each other in the workroom. 34 00:01:42,780 --> 00:01:46,380 Heidi: And we would like to thank all of you who have left 35 00:01:46,380 --> 00:01:50,220 us lovely ratings and reviews. They help us out so much, and we 36 00:01:50,220 --> 00:01:51,240 read every single one. 37 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,660 Emily: It's true we do, and they make it a little bit easier for 38 00:01:54,660 --> 00:01:56,925 us to keep doing our podcast. So thank you. 39 00:01:58,065 --> 00:02:01,845 Heidi: All right, everyone, let's start with a story time. 40 00:02:02,265 --> 00:02:06,525 So I had a year with a ton of mid year student turnover. Now, 41 00:02:06,525 --> 00:02:08,925 my school always had high turnover rates, but that year, 42 00:02:08,925 --> 00:02:12,585 it was like a third of the kids that I had at the end of the 43 00:02:12,585 --> 00:02:14,805 year did not start the year in my class. 44 00:02:14,805 --> 00:02:18,945 Emily: Oh my gosh. That is so hard. It's rough getting so many 45 00:02:18,945 --> 00:02:22,590 new kids in the middle of the year, and every new kid that 46 00:02:22,590 --> 00:02:26,790 comes in means a whole long to do list that you have to do when 47 00:02:26,790 --> 00:02:28,830 you already have a long to do list. 48 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:31,480 Heidi: Yeah, oh, the pit your stomach when you get that 49 00:02:31,540 --> 00:02:34,900 dreaded email. It means, you know, stopping everything, and I 50 00:02:34,900 --> 00:02:37,360 had to go and figure out what they needed. So find a folder, 51 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,600 find a name tag, make a desk label, grab the parent info, 52 00:02:40,780 --> 00:02:43,480 figure out where their cubby was gonna go. Oh, and then, of 53 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:45,760 course, you have to prep the class that this is gonna happen. 54 00:02:45,940 --> 00:02:46,720 Be cool, guys. 55 00:02:47,140 --> 00:02:49,000 Emily: Don't make us look bad. 56 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:53,665 Heidi: Because nobody had ever talked to me about how to 57 00:02:53,665 --> 00:02:56,785 efficiently onboard a new student, every single time it 58 00:02:56,785 --> 00:02:58,285 was like starting from scratch. 59 00:02:58,285 --> 00:03:01,465 Emily: Yeah. And when something is so far outside your regular 60 00:03:01,465 --> 00:03:05,545 routine, it feels like just a one off task, but it can start 61 00:03:05,545 --> 00:03:07,225 happening like once a month. 62 00:03:07,465 --> 00:03:11,245 Heidi: Yes. So you know, here I am getting ready for the third 63 00:03:11,245 --> 00:03:15,505 new student of the term, and the light bulb finally turned on. 64 00:03:15,670 --> 00:03:19,990 I'm not a quick learner. I was like, This is so dumb. I'm doing 65 00:03:19,990 --> 00:03:22,630 the same thing over and over and over and forgetting steps every 66 00:03:22,630 --> 00:03:26,170 time. So I sat down and I made a bunch of new student bags with 67 00:03:26,170 --> 00:03:28,870 all of their supplies, including, I was very proud of 68 00:03:28,870 --> 00:03:31,630 remembering this, the little popsicle stick that you put in 69 00:03:31,690 --> 00:03:35,290 your name picker jar. And then, plus, I finally made a checklist 70 00:03:35,350 --> 00:03:37,630 so all of my steps were in one place. 71 00:03:37,810 --> 00:03:40,495 Emily: And I'm really lucky that you figured all this out, 72 00:03:40,495 --> 00:03:43,675 because by the time I started teaching, you told me that I 73 00:03:43,675 --> 00:03:46,435 needed to do this and that it should be part of my back to 74 00:03:46,435 --> 00:03:50,455 school prep to make these new student packs. And oh, it was so 75 00:03:50,455 --> 00:03:53,335 easy to just gather everything while I'm already setting 76 00:03:53,335 --> 00:03:54,955 everything up at the beginning of the year. 77 00:03:54,955 --> 00:03:59,155 Heidi: But what was even easier was the time that one of my 78 00:03:59,155 --> 00:04:02,380 students switched schools and landed in your class. So because 79 00:04:02,380 --> 00:04:04,540 we were doing the same things, I could just hand you all his 80 00:04:04,540 --> 00:04:05,440 stuff, all ready to go. 81 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,160 Emily: That did work out that year, although I'm not gonna 82 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,460 lie, I was pretty much ready to send him back after a few days. 83 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:16,600 Heidi: He was a rough one. I can't say I was too sad to say 84 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:17,260 goodbye there. 85 00:04:17,500 --> 00:04:22,060 Emily: Yeah, I'm still salty about that. But today's episode 86 00:04:22,060 --> 00:04:24,865 isn't about preparing for a new student. We're just going to 87 00:04:24,865 --> 00:04:28,285 apply that principle to other parts of your school day. This 88 00:04:28,285 --> 00:04:33,085 is an idea from our favorite Kendra Adachi at the Lazy Genius 89 00:04:33,085 --> 00:04:36,565 podcast. We love her stuff, and if you like us, you'll probably 90 00:04:36,565 --> 00:04:37,165 like her too. 91 00:04:37,525 --> 00:04:40,645 Heidi: Yes, but remember, the rule is that you are not allowed 92 00:04:40,645 --> 00:04:43,525 to like her more than us. Okay? Everybody got that? 93 00:04:43,525 --> 00:04:46,525 Emily: Yes, absolutely, you, if you're listening to us, you 94 00:04:46,525 --> 00:04:49,750 implicitly signed on the line that you wouldn't do that. 95 00:04:50,290 --> 00:04:51,730 Heidi: Loyalty contract. 96 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:55,560 Emily: Yep. Okay, so Kendra calls this concept Decide Once. 97 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,500 The idea is that there are a million tiny decisions in your 98 00:04:58,500 --> 00:05:02,100 life that don't actually need to be made over and over. They just 99 00:05:02,100 --> 00:05:05,040 need some thoughtfulness about what the best action is, and 100 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:07,740 that's your decision. Then the next time the situation pops up, 101 00:05:07,740 --> 00:05:10,260 you just move forward, because you already know what to do. 102 00:05:10,260 --> 00:05:13,920 Heidi: This is an especially useful strategy for teachers, 103 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:17,865 because there are so many decisions. The whole day is 104 00:05:17,865 --> 00:05:20,865 nothing but decisions. If you are in the middle of teaching a 105 00:05:20,865 --> 00:05:24,525 math lesson, you have to decide if the pacing is appropriate. Do 106 00:05:24,525 --> 00:05:26,865 you need to slow down because the kids are confused or speed 107 00:05:26,865 --> 00:05:29,685 up because they're bored? Do you need to redirect the kid looking 108 00:05:29,685 --> 00:05:32,925 out the window, or is he just processing? How do you respond 109 00:05:32,925 --> 00:05:35,805 to this student's answer to encourage richer thinking, what 110 00:05:35,805 --> 00:05:37,485 modifications does the assignment need? 111 00:05:38,025 --> 00:05:41,430 Emily: Yeah, and that's just in 30 seconds. If you expand that 112 00:05:41,430 --> 00:05:45,930 out across the day, your life is just one decision after another, 113 00:05:46,050 --> 00:05:49,710 and even if it's invisible, making a decision is literally 114 00:05:49,710 --> 00:05:50,190 work. 115 00:05:50,310 --> 00:05:53,850 Heidi: Yeah, the average teacher makes something like 1500 116 00:05:53,850 --> 00:05:59,550 decisions a day, and every single one of them costs you a 117 00:05:59,550 --> 00:06:01,950 little bit of energy. That's why it's called decision fatigue. 118 00:06:02,070 --> 00:06:05,115 Emily: And we did a deep dive on this back in episode 79 so if 119 00:06:05,115 --> 00:06:08,535 you want to go check that one out, but the short version is 120 00:06:08,535 --> 00:06:11,295 that by this point of the school year, your decision making 121 00:06:11,295 --> 00:06:12,735 battery is at 1%. 122 00:06:14,235 --> 00:06:16,995 Heidi: And while there may not be a ton that you can do right 123 00:06:17,055 --> 00:06:21,195 now to charge that battery, there's a lot you can do to make 124 00:06:21,195 --> 00:06:23,485 sure that it doesn't get drained as much next year. You may not 125 00:06:23,485 --> 00:06:26,520 know everything that's going to happen in your classroom in the 126 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:30,360 next year, but there is so much that you can predict. You will 127 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:33,960 face student behavior challenges and overflowing inbox and sub 128 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:35,640 plans, those are guaranteed. 129 00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:39,240 Emily: Yep, and deciding once how to handle just those three 130 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:42,780 situations would make your day so much easier to navigate. But 131 00:06:42,780 --> 00:06:46,680 there are so many more potential decide once opportunities. So 132 00:06:46,860 --> 00:06:50,325 let's look at five categories of decisions and help you identify 133 00:06:50,385 --> 00:06:52,665 where you could be making fewer decisions. 134 00:06:52,665 --> 00:06:56,445 Heidi: And in case you're wondering, no, we have not 135 00:06:56,445 --> 00:06:59,565 forgotten that this is the end of the school year. We know you 136 00:06:59,565 --> 00:07:03,825 are tired, but this moment offers a chance for change that 137 00:07:03,825 --> 00:07:07,845 is going to be hard to come by later, and it's because you are 138 00:07:07,845 --> 00:07:09,045 tired that it works so well. 139 00:07:09,045 --> 00:07:12,390 Emily: Being fed up is your signal that something needs to 140 00:07:12,390 --> 00:07:15,270 change. Once you have a few weeks of summer break behind 141 00:07:15,270 --> 00:07:18,930 you, that vision will be less clear. You'll forget how 142 00:07:18,930 --> 00:07:21,810 frustrating managing your homework folders was until 143 00:07:21,810 --> 00:07:25,770 you're two weeks into September and fighting the same battle. So 144 00:07:25,890 --> 00:07:28,890 use your annoyance to make next year less annoying. 145 00:07:28,890 --> 00:07:33,435 Heidi: And that is the whole framework of this episode. What 146 00:07:33,435 --> 00:07:36,495 made you crazy this year? If something happened more than 147 00:07:36,495 --> 00:07:40,695 three times, that is a problem with your system, and system 148 00:07:40,695 --> 00:07:43,395 problems can usually be solved at one time. 149 00:07:43,395 --> 00:07:46,575 Emily: Okay, so our first category is the big one. Decide 150 00:07:46,575 --> 00:07:50,415 your default response to predictable problems. So we're 151 00:07:50,415 --> 00:07:52,995 talking about the behavior stuff. What do you say when a 152 00:07:52,995 --> 00:07:56,715 student blurts out? How do you resolve arguments at recess? How 153 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:00,240 do you redirect kids who are talking during work time? This 154 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:02,700 isn't the stuff that shows up on your pacing guide, but it's what 155 00:08:02,700 --> 00:08:06,300 you spend 75% of your day managing. I made up that figure, 156 00:08:06,300 --> 00:08:07,320 but it feels accurate. 157 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:11,640 Heidi: 90% feels probably more like it. And if you aren't sure 158 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:15,540 where to start, ask yourself, what situations kept pulling me 159 00:08:15,540 --> 00:08:19,845 into the same conversations over and over all year long? Maybe it 160 00:08:19,845 --> 00:08:22,785 was the bathroom. Some teachers spend the whole year being 161 00:08:22,785 --> 00:08:25,425 asked, Can I go to the bathroom? Can I go to the bathroom? Can I 162 00:08:25,425 --> 00:08:28,305 go to the bathroom? And answering that one kid at a 163 00:08:28,305 --> 00:08:29,805 time, and that drains you. 164 00:08:29,805 --> 00:08:32,745 Emily: And the answer is, not deal with bathroom requests 165 00:08:32,745 --> 00:08:36,825 better. The answer is, decide once, what is your bathroom 166 00:08:36,825 --> 00:08:40,965 system? Is it a sign out? Is it a hand signal? Is it two passes 167 00:08:40,965 --> 00:08:45,510 a day? Pick one and use it until it stops working, and hopefully 168 00:08:45,510 --> 00:08:46,050 it never does. 169 00:08:47,140 --> 00:08:50,260 Heidi: And that's the same with blurting. You can decide right 170 00:08:50,260 --> 00:08:53,620 now, what is my go to response when a kid blurts out? Maybe 171 00:08:53,620 --> 00:08:56,320 it's a hand signal. Maybe it's an acknowledgement and a 172 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:59,020 reminder. I can tell you have something to say, and I'm going 173 00:08:59,020 --> 00:09:00,220 to come to you in two minutes. 174 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:04,180 Emily: The point is you don't have to decide what to do on the 175 00:09:04,180 --> 00:09:07,240 spot, because not only is that exhausting, but it also means 176 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:11,185 your response is inconsistent, which kids pick up on so fast. 177 00:09:11,185 --> 00:09:14,905 My kids pick up on that at my house, those inconsistent 178 00:09:14,905 --> 00:09:17,125 systems get tested constantly. 179 00:09:17,125 --> 00:09:20,905 Heidi: Yeah, kids are crafty. They're always playing the odds 180 00:09:21,085 --> 00:09:25,165 that if they keep pushing, this will be the moment you cave, but 181 00:09:25,165 --> 00:09:28,645 if you respond the same way every time, they learn that what 182 00:09:28,645 --> 00:09:31,645 you say is what you mean, and they will stop testing you so 183 00:09:31,645 --> 00:09:32,185 often. 184 00:09:32,665 --> 00:09:35,830 Emily: To solidify your decide once decisions. Write a script 185 00:09:35,830 --> 00:09:38,950 for what to say. Maybe your decide once is that when a 186 00:09:38,950 --> 00:09:41,470 student is staring off into space during work time your 187 00:09:41,470 --> 00:09:44,650 prompt is, It looks like you need some help getting started. 188 00:09:44,710 --> 00:09:48,730 The first step is to blank. So put it on a card or a sticky 189 00:09:48,730 --> 00:09:52,030 note and keep it somewhere handy until it becomes an automatic 190 00:09:52,030 --> 00:09:53,950 response that you don't even need to reference. 191 00:09:53,950 --> 00:09:57,355 Heidi: Most of the discipline problems you face fall into 192 00:09:57,355 --> 00:10:00,475 predictable categories. The extra talking, daydreaming, 193 00:10:00,475 --> 00:10:04,135 blurting out, interruptions, and because they're predictable, all 194 00:10:04,135 --> 00:10:08,095 it takes is one decision to guide your response every time 195 00:10:08,095 --> 00:10:08,575 they happen. 196 00:10:08,575 --> 00:10:12,415 Emily: Okay, the second category of decisions involves your 197 00:10:12,415 --> 00:10:17,575 boundaries around work. This is email, grading, availability, 198 00:10:17,575 --> 00:10:20,620 all of the emotional labor stuff. And the question to ask 199 00:10:20,620 --> 00:10:24,280 yourself for this one is, where did I feel resentful this year? 200 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,220 Heidi: Resentment is a big clue that you're letting other 201 00:10:27,220 --> 00:10:29,860 people's priorities dictate how you spend your time. 202 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,100 Emily: I love the book Essentialism by Greg McKeown, 203 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:37,120 and he has a quote that stuck with me, if you don't prioritize 204 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,600 your life, someone else will. Teaching may be the only 205 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:44,305 profession where everyone from central office administrators to 206 00:10:44,365 --> 00:10:47,605 random people online feels entitled to tell you how to 207 00:10:47,605 --> 00:10:51,085 spend every minute of your day. Even though most of those people 208 00:10:51,085 --> 00:10:54,265 have no clue about the realities of running a classroom, they 209 00:10:54,265 --> 00:10:57,445 still have opinions, and they're not shy about sharing them. So 210 00:10:57,685 --> 00:11:00,505 if you let outside expectations determine your priorities, 211 00:11:00,505 --> 00:11:04,105 you're going to spend every day bouncing around like a ping pong 212 00:11:04,390 --> 00:11:05,590 ball in a blender. 213 00:11:06,670 --> 00:11:10,510 Heidi: That's visceral. And that's why deciding once can be 214 00:11:10,510 --> 00:11:14,410 so useful here. If you don't determine what's reasonable for 215 00:11:14,410 --> 00:11:18,910 you, other people will. Take email, for example. I just saw a 216 00:11:18,910 --> 00:11:22,750 teacher on threads yesterday. She got an email from a parent 217 00:11:22,750 --> 00:11:26,470 at 9pm asking what the teacher was doing to help find a lost 218 00:11:26,470 --> 00:11:29,275 water bottle. That's not a situation that needs to be 219 00:11:29,395 --> 00:11:30,475 handled at 9pm. 220 00:11:30,955 --> 00:11:34,375 Emily: Oh my gosh. Of course, if you wait to respond, you end up 221 00:11:34,375 --> 00:11:37,255 spending the whole morning before kids arrive answering 222 00:11:37,255 --> 00:11:40,435 everyone else's urgent questions instead of managing your own 223 00:11:40,435 --> 00:11:45,355 tasks. So what are your email rules? Maybe you decide on a two 224 00:11:45,355 --> 00:11:48,835 stage email boundary where you scan the inbox for essential 225 00:11:48,835 --> 00:11:51,820 information before school and only reply to what's truly 226 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:55,600 urgent, and then use 15 minutes after dismissal to reply to 227 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,900 everything else. That way you prevent email from consuming 228 00:11:58,900 --> 00:11:59,860 your prep time. 229 00:12:00,460 --> 00:12:03,700 Heidi: And you can apply the same philosophy to grading. If 230 00:12:03,700 --> 00:12:07,060 you don't decide for yourself, then every single paper in your 231 00:12:07,060 --> 00:12:10,660 inbox becomes its own decision. Do I grade this? Do I need to 232 00:12:10,660 --> 00:12:13,900 write feedback? Do I spend my prep time on this, or do I take 233 00:12:13,945 --> 00:12:15,745 the stack home with me and grade on the couch? 234 00:12:15,745 --> 00:12:18,985 Emily: And grading is important, but it cannot be allowed to 235 00:12:18,985 --> 00:12:22,765 consume the time and energy you need for actual teaching and 236 00:12:22,765 --> 00:12:26,785 living your life. So decide what gets graded and at what level. 237 00:12:27,085 --> 00:12:29,425 If the purpose of grading something is to determine if the 238 00:12:29,425 --> 00:12:32,965 students understand it, what's the minimum you could look at to 239 00:12:32,965 --> 00:12:36,205 make that decision? Maybe you only grade the even problems on 240 00:12:36,205 --> 00:12:36,805 a math page. 241 00:12:36,805 --> 00:12:40,090 Heidi: And are there things that you can just skip grading 242 00:12:40,090 --> 00:12:43,450 altogether? When I taught, we corrected our morning work as a 243 00:12:43,450 --> 00:12:46,810 class, because the discussion was actually part of the 244 00:12:46,810 --> 00:12:49,810 learning, so I never bothered to grade the page. 245 00:12:49,930 --> 00:12:53,290 Emily: Oh no, not ever. Do not grade morning work unless you're 246 00:12:53,290 --> 00:12:56,830 required to grade every assignment. But even then, are 247 00:12:56,830 --> 00:12:59,890 there some things that can be checked for completion only? 248 00:13:00,310 --> 00:13:03,055 Heidi: Yeah, you can just decide once that you save your best 249 00:13:03,055 --> 00:13:05,695 efforts for assignments that will inform your instruction. 250 00:13:06,380 --> 00:13:08,780 Emily: Now, in a perfect world, every assignment would be viewed 251 00:13:08,780 --> 00:13:11,960 as a formative assessment, but until the district hires a 252 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:14,960 secretary to handle your paperwork, you do have to be 253 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:15,560 selective. 254 00:13:15,560 --> 00:13:18,080 Heidi: Yeah, unless they're going to offer you some better 255 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:21,140 support, you need strong boundaries to protect your 256 00:13:21,140 --> 00:13:25,340 peace. Apply that to your work hours as well. What time do you 257 00:13:26,060 --> 00:13:28,388 walk out of the building? What time do you stop responding to 258 00:13:28,388 --> 00:13:31,145 messages? Are you on Class Dojo or, you know, whatever app on 259 00:13:31,145 --> 00:13:34,265 the weekends? Because if you don't decide, you're going to be 260 00:13:34,265 --> 00:13:37,445 answering those parent messages about water bottles at 9pm and 261 00:13:37,445 --> 00:13:38,465 then resenting it. 262 00:13:39,065 --> 00:13:42,065 Emily: And that trains people that they have unlimited access 263 00:13:42,065 --> 00:13:45,005 to you, which means they'll keep expecting it. So decide when 264 00:13:45,005 --> 00:13:47,825 you're off duty. Maybe it's, I do not respond to messages after 265 00:13:47,825 --> 00:13:50,825 five, and I do not respond on weekends. Whatever your number 266 00:13:50,825 --> 00:13:53,390 is, decide once and stick with it, and maybe make sure your 267 00:13:53,390 --> 00:13:54,470 email is not on your phone. 268 00:13:54,470 --> 00:13:59,810 Heidi: Yes, very wise. Okay. Number three is to decide your 269 00:13:59,810 --> 00:14:01,310 flow of stuff. 270 00:14:01,910 --> 00:14:06,590 Emily: Stuff. Piles. Unfinished tasks, ugh. The papers on the 271 00:14:06,590 --> 00:14:09,890 counter that you've forgotten exist. And the question for this 272 00:14:09,890 --> 00:14:14,090 one is, what kept piling up literally on your desk or in 273 00:14:14,090 --> 00:14:15,230 your brain all year? 274 00:14:15,275 --> 00:14:18,695 Heidi: I saw a quote once that has haunted me ever since, 275 00:14:19,115 --> 00:14:21,875 clutter is the physical manifestation of unmade 276 00:14:21,875 --> 00:14:22,715 decisions. 277 00:14:22,775 --> 00:14:24,155 Emily: Oh my gosh, it's so true. 278 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,120 Heidi: As someone who struggles to make those decisions and 279 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:30,120 therefore deals with a lot of clutter, that just felt a little 280 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:35,100 too personal. So I promise that I'm not being judgmental when I 281 00:14:35,100 --> 00:14:39,300 say that the stack of papers on your desk is not paper. It's the 282 00:14:39,300 --> 00:14:42,600 decisions you've not made yet. Do I need to save this file, 283 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:46,260 grade this, send this home, or throw it away? Until you decide, 284 00:14:46,260 --> 00:14:48,405 it stays like an open loop in your brain. 285 00:14:48,825 --> 00:14:52,785 Emily: Oh, it's so hard. I feel like I hit my decision fatigue 286 00:14:52,785 --> 00:14:56,445 early. So I feel like I I'm burned out on decisions very 287 00:14:56,445 --> 00:14:59,685 early in the day. And so there's always so many, so many 288 00:14:59,685 --> 00:15:02,565 decisions piling up around my house. Okay, but one of the 289 00:15:02,565 --> 00:15:06,585 easiest wins then in this whole episode is to decide how you are 290 00:15:06,585 --> 00:15:10,305 going to handle the papers that come in frequently. If you don't 291 00:15:10,305 --> 00:15:13,470 have a specific turn in system for student work start there. 292 00:15:13,770 --> 00:15:17,670 Heidi: But also consider how you handle unfinished work. Now, I 293 00:15:17,730 --> 00:15:21,030 never did get a good system down for this, so it meant I had to 294 00:15:21,030 --> 00:15:24,930 make a decision every single time it came up. Save yourself 295 00:15:24,930 --> 00:15:28,710 that hassle. Decide, do you have a basket for all unfinished 296 00:15:28,710 --> 00:15:31,530 work? Maybe your kids have a folder in their desks. 297 00:15:31,530 --> 00:15:34,875 Emily: And then also decide when it comes back out, because part 298 00:15:34,875 --> 00:15:37,995 of the problem is having a system for stuff going in and no 299 00:15:37,995 --> 00:15:41,475 system for stuff coming out, and then it just becomes a paper 300 00:15:41,475 --> 00:15:42,135 graveyard. 301 00:15:42,135 --> 00:15:46,215 Heidi: Yeah, so decide once unfinished work goes in this 302 00:15:46,215 --> 00:15:49,215 folder. Every Friday we do a finish up Friday for 30 minutes, 303 00:15:49,215 --> 00:15:52,575 or whatever the rhythm is, but the cycle is decided. 304 00:15:52,575 --> 00:15:56,355 Emily: Yes. Another strategy that can help is deciding once 305 00:15:56,355 --> 00:15:59,460 to adopt the One Minute Rule, which is something we picked up 306 00:15:59,460 --> 00:16:00,600 from Gretchen Rubin. 307 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,360 Heidi: Yes, and we love Gretchen Rubin as much as we love Kendra. 308 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:07,200 Again, you will probably love her podcast if you have not 309 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:10,380 discovered her already. But remember the rule, you cannot 310 00:16:10,380 --> 00:16:13,260 like her and her sister more than you like me and my sister. 311 00:16:13,260 --> 00:16:16,800 Emily: Yes, correct. We have strict rules here, but the one 312 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:19,104 minute rule just says that if something takes less than a 313 00:16:19,104 --> 00:16:23,865 minute, just do it now. Don't let a 30 second task haunt you 314 00:16:23,865 --> 00:16:26,925 for weeks when you could have just done it and been done with 315 00:16:26,925 --> 00:16:30,345 it. You will be amazed at what a difference just that tiny switch 316 00:16:30,345 --> 00:16:33,705 makes. And I try to keep that going for myself at home. And 317 00:16:33,705 --> 00:16:36,765 the other one is the one touch rule, where, if I'm holding the 318 00:16:36,765 --> 00:16:42,225 mail, for example, I deal with it right then. I try to, okay, I 319 00:16:42,225 --> 00:16:45,690 try to deal with it right then. I tell myself, one touch rule, 320 00:16:45,690 --> 00:16:49,170 one touch rule, don't set it down, deal with it now. So those 321 00:16:49,170 --> 00:16:51,630 can go hand in hand, one minute and one touch. 322 00:16:51,750 --> 00:16:56,490 Heidi: It's just too much stuff all the time. Okay, our fourth 323 00:16:56,490 --> 00:16:59,910 decide once category is to decide your repeatable routines 324 00:16:59,910 --> 00:17:03,150 for the situations that come up over and over again. These are 325 00:17:03,210 --> 00:17:07,395 your SOPs, your standard operating procedures. And the 326 00:17:07,395 --> 00:17:10,695 reflection question here is, what situations left me 327 00:17:10,695 --> 00:17:12,795 scrambling to remember what I did last time? 328 00:17:13,395 --> 00:17:16,215 Emily: Like the new student bag situation that we were talking 329 00:17:16,215 --> 00:17:19,035 about earlier. That is a perfect example. Getting a new student 330 00:17:19,035 --> 00:17:22,395 isn't a hard situation, is just interruptive, because you have 331 00:17:22,395 --> 00:17:25,035 to stop everything and switch gears so you can make a whole 332 00:17:25,035 --> 00:17:25,935 bunch of decisions. 333 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:30,160 Heidi: Your new student protocol is a great place to add an SOP, 334 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,460 like we said, but consider your system for helping absent 335 00:17:33,460 --> 00:17:36,280 students who come back and need to catch up. Maybe there's a 336 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:39,280 folder on the absent students desk, and you assign a buddy to 337 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:41,440 add any missing work to it, done. I 338 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:44,860 Emily: t's also helpful to decide your SOP for making sub 339 00:17:44,860 --> 00:17:49,600 plans and events like picture day and field trips. These are 340 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,765 things you only do once or twice a year, but it takes real effort 341 00:17:52,765 --> 00:17:55,465 to manage them if you start from scratch every time. 342 00:17:55,945 --> 00:17:59,305 Heidi: You will be so happy to have these done. Once you see 343 00:17:59,305 --> 00:18:01,885 how many decisions you're saving, you're going to wonder 344 00:18:01,885 --> 00:18:03,505 how you ever manage without these. 345 00:18:04,705 --> 00:18:07,585 Emily: Okay, our last decide once category is to decide how 346 00:18:07,585 --> 00:18:10,885 you collaborate with other adults, and the question to ask 347 00:18:10,885 --> 00:18:14,290 yourself is, where did working with other adults feel unclear 348 00:18:14,290 --> 00:18:15,610 or frustrating this year? 349 00:18:16,210 --> 00:18:19,330 Heidi: Honestly, the kid part of teaching is hard, but it's still 350 00:18:19,330 --> 00:18:23,890 so much easier than dealing with other adults. It's the co-worker 351 00:18:23,890 --> 00:18:25,810 drama that just tips me over the edge. 352 00:18:26,050 --> 00:18:29,710 Emily: Oh yes, it's so hard. It shouldn't be this hard. We're 353 00:18:29,710 --> 00:18:33,010 all grown ups. But the tricky part about using decide once 354 00:18:33,010 --> 00:18:36,055 here is that you likely don't have complete control over every 355 00:18:36,055 --> 00:18:39,355 situation, so it is important to be clear with what you can 356 00:18:39,355 --> 00:18:39,895 control. 357 00:18:39,895 --> 00:18:43,915 Heidi: A great place to start is deciding in advance things like, 358 00:18:44,215 --> 00:18:47,275 what will I volunteer for and what will I not? Because if you 359 00:18:47,275 --> 00:18:49,795 don't decide that ahead of time, you're going to get pressured 360 00:18:49,795 --> 00:18:53,215 into saying yes to things that you will regret for the next six 361 00:18:53,215 --> 00:18:53,755 months. 362 00:18:54,835 --> 00:18:58,480 Emily: So decide once. I will run one committee, but not two, 363 00:18:58,540 --> 00:19:01,660 or I'll bring food for the team breakfast, but I am not the 364 00:19:01,660 --> 00:19:05,260 person organizing it, or I'll cover one duty trade per month, 365 00:19:05,260 --> 00:19:05,980 and that's it. 366 00:19:06,220 --> 00:19:08,500 Heidi: Yeah, because somehow you're the one that's always 367 00:19:08,500 --> 00:19:11,680 willing to cover for someone else, but somehow they're never 368 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:15,280 available when you need their help. And then the other piece 369 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:19,360 is, how are you going to share resources? Or are you going to, 370 00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:22,945 because unclear expectations are a recipe for hurt feelings. 371 00:19:22,945 --> 00:19:26,665 Emily: So decide for yourself. Maybe you decide to share your 372 00:19:26,665 --> 00:19:29,665 Google Slides, but not to share materials, because those cost 373 00:19:29,665 --> 00:19:33,805 you a lot of money, or whatever your version is, but you decide 374 00:19:33,805 --> 00:19:36,745 once, and then you don't have to litigate it every time someone 375 00:19:36,745 --> 00:19:37,105 asks. 376 00:19:37,105 --> 00:19:41,245 Heidi: So those are our five decide once categories. Number 377 00:19:41,245 --> 00:19:43,825 one, decide your default responses to predictable 378 00:19:43,825 --> 00:19:47,410 behavior problems. Number two, decide your work boundaries. 379 00:19:47,650 --> 00:19:51,490 Number three, decide the flow of stuff. Number four, decide your 380 00:19:51,490 --> 00:19:55,210 repeatable routines. And number five, decide how you collaborate 381 00:19:55,210 --> 00:19:56,170 with other adults. 382 00:19:56,170 --> 00:19:59,110 Emily: Okay, is your head spinning because we just threw a 383 00:19:59,110 --> 00:20:03,250 lot at you? But let's simplify. Sometime in the next couple of 384 00:20:03,250 --> 00:20:07,255 days before this year fades from your brain, open up a Notes app 385 00:20:07,255 --> 00:20:10,675 on your phone or grab a piece of paper and make a list. The title 386 00:20:10,675 --> 00:20:14,815 is, what drove me crazy this year, and then write down 387 00:20:14,815 --> 00:20:18,415 everything that bugged you, drained you or made you cry, and 388 00:20:18,415 --> 00:20:21,895 then mark anything that happened more than once. Anything you 389 00:20:21,895 --> 00:20:25,195 marked is a good candidate for the decide once treatment. 390 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:28,360 Heidi: And you do not have to fix all of these. The point is 391 00:20:28,360 --> 00:20:32,080 not to overhaul your whole life. The point is to take a few of 392 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:36,220 those recurring frustrations off your plate. And if you are a 393 00:20:36,220 --> 00:20:39,220 Teacher Approved Club member, we've got a special bonus 394 00:20:39,220 --> 00:20:42,940 printable for you. We've made you a blank what drove me crazy 395 00:20:42,940 --> 00:20:46,120 this year list just for this exercise. So if you remember, 396 00:20:46,120 --> 00:20:49,225 you can grab it now. You can print it and handwrite on it, or 397 00:20:49,225 --> 00:20:52,045 type it right in the Google Doc, whatever works for your brain. 398 00:20:52,045 --> 00:20:55,285 Emily: And if you are not in the club and you want to know more 399 00:20:55,285 --> 00:20:58,585 about it, you can find that link in the show notes too. The club 400 00:20:58,585 --> 00:21:01,465 is where we go deeper on all the stuff we talk about here on the 401 00:21:01,465 --> 00:21:05,845 show, with bonus resources, monthly trainings and challenges 402 00:21:05,845 --> 00:21:07,345 to help you get where you want to be. 403 00:21:07,345 --> 00:21:11,485 Heidi: Decide once is such a useful strategy because it keeps 404 00:21:11,485 --> 00:21:14,470 you in control of the moment. You don't have to drop 405 00:21:14,470 --> 00:21:16,930 everything else you're managing to tend to this one problem, 406 00:21:17,290 --> 00:21:19,390 because you already know how to manage it. 407 00:21:19,930 --> 00:21:22,150 Emily: And that is such a helpful framework that we 408 00:21:22,150 --> 00:21:25,030 applied it to the whole school year in our new book Structure 409 00:21:25,030 --> 00:21:28,810 and Spark. So think about behavior. A lot of teachers hit 410 00:21:28,810 --> 00:21:31,750 a wall in December when your usual system stopped working. It 411 00:21:32,050 --> 00:21:34,570 doesn't mean that you failed. It just means that December asks 412 00:21:34,570 --> 00:21:36,955 something different of you than September does. 413 00:21:36,955 --> 00:21:40,735 Heidi: Right. And if you have already decided that when 414 00:21:40,735 --> 00:21:44,035 December rolls around, you're going to layer in a short term 415 00:21:44,035 --> 00:21:47,515 behavior, reward system, you aren't scrambling on December 12 416 00:21:47,515 --> 00:21:50,455 when the wheels start coming off the bus, you already know what 417 00:21:50,455 --> 00:21:51,235 you're reaching for. 418 00:21:51,235 --> 00:21:54,475 Emily: And the same thing in January. Suddenly, the seating 419 00:21:54,475 --> 00:21:57,055 arrangement that was just fine before does not work anymore. 420 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,520 You know this is coming. Kids need a mid year reset. So you 421 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:03,580 can decide right now that when you get back in January, you are 422 00:22:03,580 --> 00:22:06,100 going to separate kids a little more than you did at the start 423 00:22:06,100 --> 00:22:08,860 of the year. You could literally pick out the new arrangement 424 00:22:08,860 --> 00:22:10,060 before you leave for summer. 425 00:22:10,660 --> 00:22:13,540 Heidi: That is the power of decide once. It's not about the 426 00:22:13,540 --> 00:22:18,100 paper or the email. This applies to the whole year. When you know 427 00:22:18,100 --> 00:22:21,520 what each season is going to ask of you, you stop reacting and 428 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:23,080 you start managing proactively. 429 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,680 Emily: That is exactly why we wrote the book. Structure and 430 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:29,920 Spark maps every season, from back to school to the home 431 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:32,920 stretch, and it gives you the engagement tools and behavior 432 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:36,805 systems for each one. So instead of deciding every August and 433 00:22:36,805 --> 00:22:39,205 every December and every January, you're just going to 434 00:22:39,205 --> 00:22:41,785 decide once how to handle what you already know is coming. 435 00:22:41,785 --> 00:22:45,445 Heidi: The book comes out August 18, and pre orders are open now, 436 00:22:45,445 --> 00:22:49,105 and they really do help us out so much. The link is in the show 437 00:22:49,105 --> 00:22:52,165 notes, and we've got some fun pre-order bonuses coming your 438 00:22:52,165 --> 00:22:55,105 way over the next few months. We would love to have you with us 439 00:22:55,105 --> 00:22:55,705 for this. 440 00:22:56,530 --> 00:22:58,810 Emily: Now for our Teacher Approved Tip of the Week, where 441 00:22:58,810 --> 00:23:01,750 we share an actionable tip to help you elevate what matters 442 00:23:01,750 --> 00:23:05,170 and simplify the rest. This week's teacher approved tip is 443 00:23:05,470 --> 00:23:08,950 buy ice cream sandwiches. Tell us about it, Heidi. 444 00:23:08,950 --> 00:23:11,530 Heidi: I don't think there's ever a bad time to buy ice cream 445 00:23:11,530 --> 00:23:14,650 sandwiches, but this can be such a lifesaver at the end of the 446 00:23:14,650 --> 00:23:18,010 school year. If one of your upcoming celebrations involves 447 00:23:18,010 --> 00:23:20,755 an ice cream bar, you know kids love an ice cream bar, do 448 00:23:20,755 --> 00:23:23,695 yourself a favor and buy ice cream sandwiches instead of tubs 449 00:23:23,695 --> 00:23:27,295 of ice cream. They're so much easier to manage. You don't have 450 00:23:27,295 --> 00:23:30,475 to find room in the faculty room freezer for a giant tub of ice 451 00:23:30,475 --> 00:23:33,535 cream, usually around everyone else's tub of ice cream. You 452 00:23:33,535 --> 00:23:36,295 don't have to have a line of 25 kids waiting while you try to 453 00:23:36,295 --> 00:23:39,175 scoop bowls, and they're getting impatient, and the ice cream is 454 00:23:39,175 --> 00:23:41,455 rock hard because it just came out of the freezer. 455 00:23:41,455 --> 00:23:43,255 Emily: I think you still have ice cream PTSD. 456 00:23:43,255 --> 00:23:43,435 Heidi: I do. 457 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,200 Emily: But with this, you can still have the ice cream bar 458 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:50,140 fun. Just unwrap the sandwiches and put them in a bowl and then 459 00:23:50,140 --> 00:23:52,600 let the kids smother them in sprinkles and chocolate sauce 460 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:55,120 and whipped cream and all the things. And now they have a 461 00:23:55,120 --> 00:23:57,760 little ice cream sandwich sundae situation. 462 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:00,960 Heidi: And the kids will still think this is magical. So save 463 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:03,540 yourself the hassle, save yourself the shoulder pain from 464 00:24:03,540 --> 00:24:06,000 scooping for 20 minutes straight, and grab a couple of 465 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:07,560 boxes of ice cream sandwiches. 466 00:24:08,460 --> 00:24:12,540 To wrap up the show we are sharing what we're giving extra 467 00:24:13,500 --> 00:24:20,197 credit to this week. Emily, what gets your extra credit? 468 00:24:20,197 --> 00:24:20,675 Emily: I'm giving extra credit to murdoku. So maybe people have 469 00:24:20,675 --> 00:24:23,145 seen the murdle activity books that are for like kids and 470 00:24:23,145 --> 00:24:26,445 adults. There's different versions. It's a fun puzzle book 471 00:24:26,445 --> 00:24:31,305 for solving a pretend murder, and not in a gruesome way. But 472 00:24:31,305 --> 00:24:36,705 murdoku is a really unique twist on it, because it's a logic 473 00:24:36,705 --> 00:24:40,125 puzzle. So you kind of have a grid you're working from that 474 00:24:40,125 --> 00:24:43,965 has some things on the grid, like furniture, and then you're 475 00:24:43,965 --> 00:24:48,450 given a set of clues. And those clues help you narrow down from 476 00:24:48,450 --> 00:24:52,050 the list, like, who could possibly be the murderer. And 477 00:24:52,050 --> 00:24:55,230 it's so fun, and I like that they're quick to do, like, I can 478 00:24:55,230 --> 00:24:57,390 just decide to do one, and it will take me, like, five 479 00:24:57,390 --> 00:25:00,450 minutes. So it's not a big time commitment, either. And it kind 480 00:25:00,450 --> 00:25:02,070 of reminds me of playing clue. 481 00:25:02,430 --> 00:25:03,630 Heidi: That's what it sounds like. 482 00:25:03,630 --> 00:25:08,235 Emily: Yeah. So anyway, I highly recommend this book if you want 483 00:25:08,235 --> 00:25:11,235 to do some more analog activities. This one's really 484 00:25:11,235 --> 00:25:11,415 fun. 485 00:25:11,415 --> 00:25:13,935 Heidi: I'll have to check that out. I can add it to my analog 486 00:25:13,935 --> 00:25:14,355 bag. 487 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:17,960 Emily: Yes. Okay, what are you giving extra credit to, Heidi? 488 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:21,440 Heidi: Well, this is less fun, but my extra credit goes to fast 489 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:26,720 drying stone sink trays. I was tired of getting that dried up 490 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:29,540 puddle under the soap dispenser. You know, where it gets, like, 491 00:25:29,540 --> 00:25:32,840 gritty, like, I hate that. And I thought there had to be a 492 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:33,380 solution. 493 00:25:33,380 --> 00:25:35,120 Emily: There has to be a better way! 494 00:25:36,260 --> 00:25:38,945 Heidi: I could do a commercial. And that's when I found these. 495 00:25:39,005 --> 00:25:41,345 They're just little stone trays that you set your soap 496 00:25:41,345 --> 00:25:45,905 dispensers on, and they absorb water crazy fast. And plus, 497 00:25:45,905 --> 00:25:48,425 they're really affordable. I think I got a set of three for 498 00:25:48,665 --> 00:25:51,845 $12. And I will have a cheap problem solver. We need more of 499 00:25:51,845 --> 00:25:52,385 those in life. 500 00:25:52,385 --> 00:25:56,165 Emily: Yeah. And the funny thing that I'm laughing about is that 501 00:25:56,165 --> 00:26:00,365 I just recently got one too, but not, not exactly the same. The 502 00:26:00,365 --> 00:26:04,610 one I got is like two long pieces that have, like a half 503 00:26:04,610 --> 00:26:07,790 circle cut out at the end. So you put it around your your 504 00:26:07,790 --> 00:26:08,330 faucet. 505 00:26:08,330 --> 00:26:09,470 Heidi: Oh, oh, okay. 506 00:26:09,470 --> 00:26:12,050 Emily: And so then it goes, like, because I have a problem 507 00:26:12,050 --> 00:26:16,310 where my back splash, like the grout right along my counter, 508 00:26:16,310 --> 00:26:19,370 and the backsplash is always like chipping, because water 509 00:26:19,370 --> 00:26:23,030 gets up there. And so I just barely got those. But I also 510 00:26:23,030 --> 00:26:26,615 have, I have a drying rack for dishes that's the same kind of 511 00:26:26,615 --> 00:26:30,275 thing. And I have a bath mat in my bathroom, outside my shower 512 00:26:30,275 --> 00:26:31,055 that's like this. 513 00:26:31,055 --> 00:26:32,735 Heidi: I didn't even think of a bath mat. 514 00:26:32,735 --> 00:26:35,135 Emily: Yeah, so and I thought I would hate it but I've had it 515 00:26:35,135 --> 00:26:38,495 for years. It's not cold. You know, since it's a stone, it 516 00:26:38,495 --> 00:26:41,195 seems like it would be cold on your feet, but it's not at all. 517 00:26:41,555 --> 00:26:45,635 And I just like that it's not a mat that's getting moldy. 518 00:26:45,875 --> 00:26:47,360 Heidi: Oh, well I'll have to check that out. 519 00:26:47,360 --> 00:26:51,620 Emily: Yep, all of the diato, I think it's diatomaceous earth 520 00:26:51,620 --> 00:26:55,580 stuff. It's all the rage now, and it's, and there's so many 521 00:26:55,580 --> 00:26:59,180 affordable places selling it too where, when I first got my bath 522 00:26:59,180 --> 00:27:02,180 mat, there was like, one high end company that was doing this, 523 00:27:02,180 --> 00:27:04,580 and nobody else was, but now you can get them cheap anywhere. 524 00:27:04,780 --> 00:27:07,060 Heidi: That's good. I'm gonna have to look for something. So 525 00:27:07,060 --> 00:27:10,240 my sink doesn't have a backsplash, but the grout 526 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:15,280 between, like the sink and the counter, or the latex, what is 527 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:17,920 it, silicone, I'm always having trouble leaking there. I wonder 528 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:20,020 if I can get something like, goes over the edge. I'm gonna 529 00:27:20,020 --> 00:27:21,100 have to investigate now. 530 00:27:21,220 --> 00:27:22,000 Emily: Yeah. 531 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:23,080 Heidi: Got me on a quest. 532 00:27:23,140 --> 00:27:27,700 Well, that is it for today's episode. Decide once while this 533 00:27:27,700 --> 00:27:30,505 year is still fresh, and start next year off with a whole new 534 00:27:30,505 --> 00:27:31,225 bag of tools. 535 00:27:31,225 --> 00:27:34,345 Emily: And if you're a club member, if you want the 536 00:27:34,345 --> 00:27:38,305 printable version of the what drove me crazy this year list, 537 00:27:38,425 --> 00:27:41,605 head on over to your dashboard on the club and look for it 538 00:27:41,605 --> 00:27:41,785 there. 539 00:27:41,785 --> 00:27:47,485 Heidi: We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm 540 00:27:47,485 --> 00:27:48,085 Heidi. 541 00:27:48,145 --> 00:27:51,430 Emily: And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow 542 00:27:51,430 --> 00:27:53,950 or subscribe in your podcast app so that you never miss an 543 00:27:53,950 --> 00:27:54,370 episode. 544 00:27:54,370 --> 00:27:57,130 Heidi: You can connect with us and other teachers in the 545 00:27:57,130 --> 00:28:00,370 Teacher Approved Facebook group. We'll see you here next week. 546 00:28:00,550 --> 00:28:01,330 Bye for now. 547 00:28:01,390 --> 00:28:02,170 Emily: Bye.