This is episode 241 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're talking about how to get the most out of teacher

winter talks, which is our upcoming audio summit happening

in just a few days, and we're going to share what to do

before, during and after the summit, so you actually walk

away with the strategies that you want and that you'll use.

We've also got a teacher approved tip for how to keep

your best ideas visible so they don't end up in the forgotten

idea graveyard.

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

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

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

This week, we want you to write a thank you note. It could

be to a student, a co-worker, your most supportive parent,

your custodian, or even a specialist who makes your day

better, anyone who's made an impression on you lately. This

is obviously just a nice thing to do, but it matters beyond

that, because psychologists have actually demonstrated that

expressing gratitude, especially in written form, produces a

lasting boost in happiness and it reduces stress.

So this is good, not just for the person receiving it, but

also you as the person doing it.

Yeah, it deepens connection, and it helps you

feel better. And the beauty of thank you notes is that it's so

simple. They don't require any grand effort. You just have to

take some time and give some attention to write a few

sentences and that's it.

And if you want to take this further, you can involve

your students too by having them choose someone to write a thank

you letter to. It could be another student, a teacher,

someone at home. This type of activity helps to build that

gratitude habit early. And your students need all of that good

payoff too.

Right, and you could do it often throughout the year. It

doesn't have to just be once, and it's such a simple thing

with a big payoff. So if you like this idea or anything else

we share on the podcast, would you take a second and give us a

five star rating and review in your podcast listening app?

If you're listening to this episode, chances are you are

somewhere in the middle of the school year where your routines

are set, the excitement has worn off a little or a lot, and

teaching might feel more like a grind than a calling, and if

that's you, you are definitely not alone.

No, you're not alone. But we do have some good news. In

just a few days, teacher winter talks is kicking off, and it is

designed for this exact moment of the year. It is an audio only

summit, which is an important choice, because no video means

yes, pajamas.

Yes. That is literally on our registration page, and we

stand by it.

And this summit is full of short, practical sessions

that you can listen to on the go. The goal of this event is

simple. We want to help you reconnect with what's working,

find a few fresh ideas and maybe even fall back in love with

teaching again.

Plus we're gonna have a ton of fun at the same time,

because we don't do boring around here.

No, we don't. And today's episode is all about how to get

the most out of the summit, what to do before it starts, how to

listen in a way so that these new ideas actually stick, and

what to do afterwards, so that those good ideas don't disappear

into a folder that you never open again.

Oh yeah. We have all been to conferences and summits where

we feel so inspired in the moment, and then a week later,

we can barely remember what we picked up. All of our good ideas

are a thing of the past.

Oh, yep, yep, okay, I got a story about this. So years ago

I got to attend the International Reading

Association conference in Chicago. It was like a big deal.

My school was receiving an award, so they sent a few of us,

and it was amazing. I came home with my notebook just bursting

with ideas. I had sticky notes everywhere, and I was so fired

up.

Oh yeah, I remember, you were so jazzed after that.

It was all so good. But here's the problem. This

happened in May. By the time we got back and I had, you know,

shaken off the jet lag, I had maybe three weeks left in the

school year, and so I looked at all these big ideas, and I

thought, well, it just be a waste of energy to try and

implement anything new right now, so I'm just going to save

all this for the start of the next year.

And let me guess, did that ever happen?

No, fatal mistake. By August, of course, when I'm

setting up my room again, I had completely lost the momentum,

like I came across my notebook at some point and flipped

through it, I barely remembered why I'd been so excited about

half of it, the ideas all just felt disconnected. The key

details were fuzzy. The spark was just dead.

Oh, yes. So then those ideas went to the forgotten idea

graveyard.

Yep, that's exactly what happens. And we don't want it to

happen to anyone listening to teacher winter talks. So today

we are going to give you a framework for getting the most

out of the summit, before, during and after, and after

today's episode, you will walk away prepared to use at least

one strategy that you picked up from the summit.

Okay, so let's start with before the summit. You've got a

few days left to get ready still, so what should teachers

be thinking about, Heidi?

Well, the first thing, and this might sound obvious,

but it does make a huge difference, is to decide what

problem you want help with. Go into the summit with one or two

current pain points in mind.

Yeah, because when you know what you're listening for,

the right ideas are going to stand out so much faster.

They're going to find you easier, and it gives you a

filter to work through all the new information you're going to

get.

Right. So instead of trying to absorb everything, you

can scan for what applies to your situation. And our summit

covers four main areas, classroom management and

behavior, literacy, instruction. and teacher wellness.

So ask yourself, Where am I struggling most right now?

That is your filter for the whole weekend.

And then once you know your filter, you can preview the

session lineup with confidence that you will hear the exact

tips that you need right now.

And that's really important, because there are

over 25 sessions. We want you to start by scanning the session

titles and star the ones that speak to your needs right now.

You want to make sure that you set aside time to listen to

those specific sessions.

So for example, if behavior is your biggest

struggle right now, maybe you want to prioritize the five step

behavior reset system for after break, or heart center

boundaries and consequences.

Or if literacy feels stuck, there's the struggling

reader breakthrough or rebooting reluctant writers.

And if you are running on empty, which, let's be honest,

most of us are right now, there's five tiny tweaks to help

teachers survive winter burnout.

Oh yeah, that sounds like a must listen.

Oh yeah, for me too. Okay, so you know your problem.

You scan the sessions. Emily, what else should teachers do

before the summit starts?

Well, consider matching your sessions to your listening

locations. This is where audio summits really shine, and why we

were so determined to make this an audio summit, because you can

multitask, and that is something we love to do when we're

learning. And since you don't have to watch a screen, there's

no video, you can think about where you're going to be this

weekend and where you're going to be listening.

Yeah, are you going to be driving kids to practice for

whatever sport is in January? I don't even know. I was going to

say soccer, but...

Maybe it depends where you live.

Hockey?

There you go.

Maybe you're walking the dog, folding the laundry. When

you match sessions to low brain tasks, the follow through

becomes so much more likely. You're not having to carve out

special time. You're just layering your learning onto the

things you're already doing. So make a plan for when you might

want to listen with your weekend plans.

And then here's a couple practical tips. You want to

charge your headphones before the weekend. That is the worst

when you pop open those earbuds and they're dead. Oh, it's the

worst.

Or the kids have run off with them.

Yes. And then make sure you know how to access the

sessions, which will be on the podcast feed. Or we have a free

members area, if it would be easier for you to listen from

your laptop or your computer. And then here's an important

detail, with a free ticket, each session is available for only 24

hours. So you do want to think about which sessions you're

going to prioritize each day in case you run out of time to

listen to them all.

However, if you grab the max pass, you have lifetime

access to these sessions. You can listen to these whenever is

convenient or as often as you want. So there really is less

pressure that way. But even then, a loose plan helps ensure

that you actually check out the content that's most relevant to

you.

And the times that I've upgraded my summit ticket, when

I've gone to lots of different summits, I've been the most

successful when I plan to consume as much of the content

as possible, when everybody else at the summit is, even if I have

extended access. Because otherwise you lose any kind of

urgency, and it feels like I'll just listen to that sometime,

and then you don't. So I think if you can, prioritize doing at

least some of your listening this weekend, even if you have

the max pass.

Yeah, there's so much energy when everyone is getting

in it together, really creates a sense of momentum to help you

want to keep going and move things forward. And it's

sometimes really hard to summon that energy when you're on your

own.

For sure. And then the last thing you want to do before

the summit is set up a simple capture system. So decide how

you're going to jot down ideas. And let's be honest, you

probably won't be sitting at a desk with a notebook during this

summit. You'll probably be washing dishes or grocery

shopping.

So in that case, your options might be a notes app on

your phone, a Google Doc, I love a Google Doc. A few sticky

notes, or even, you know, voice memos to yourself while you

listen. Find a method that's effective for what you're going

to be doing, even if it's not elegant.

And then set a realistic goal for yourself beforehand,

something like, I'm going to pull one idea that I can try

next week, or I'm looking for one tip for making test prep

more effective.

Lowering the bar for what you're expecting of yourself

actually increases the chance that you'll use what you learn.

If you go in thinking that you need to implement everything,

you'll probably end up implementing nothing. You know,

ask me how I know about that.

I think everybody who's listening before knows that we

are all or nothing people, and we're constantly fighting that

tendency. And then one more thought, you might want to tell

someone that you're planning on listening. You could invite a

colleague or a teacher friend to join the free summit with you,

because this gives you some built in accountability and

someone to share ideas with later.

Or, you know, at the very least, tell your spouse, who

will just nod absent mindedly, even though they have no idea

what you're talking about.

Yep. And if you don't feel like you have anybody you

can invite, or anyone you want to talk to about this, that's

where the community will be there to support you. We will

help you get that accountability from all of us in the community

of the summit as well.

Okay, so that's before the summit. Now let's talk about

what to do during the summit. And our big theme here is listen

like a teacher, not a student.

Yeah, that's such an important tip. You're not

expected to implement things exactly as the presenter

describes. You're not taking a test on this later. You are

listening for concepts that fit with your personality and that

you can adapt to your students in your classroom.

I think sometimes we hear an idea and we're just like,

well, that wouldn't work for my class in that way that they

described it. And so then we just dismiss it.

Right, but you know, the presenter's context isn't your

context, and that's okay. Try to listen for the principle behind

the strategy and then make that yours. This is about finding

your comeback story, not copying someone else's.

All right, so we're listening for ideas to adapt.

Now let's take a look at the note taking. Because again,

you're probably multitasking, which means long, detailed notes

might not be realistic. So instead of trying to write

everything down, try to capture key phrases. Don't sweat trying

to copy down the whole paragraphs.

Yeah, you'll make yourself crazy that way. And if

you have the max pass, you can always re-listen later. You have

lifetime access, but you also get transcripts and

implementation guides. So you really can just listen and

absorb without having to worry about capturing every word. You

can go back to the implementation guides and the

transcripts to help you recall anything that you might need to

remember later.

I love those implementation guides, because

it gives you the big ideas and then has some space for you to

add anything to it that you want to but it's a really good

starting place to remember what was in a session. And here's

something I want to add, because I think it's kind of unexpected

advice, pay attention to your emotional reactions while you're

listening, because they're actually clues. So try to notice

when you feel relief or excitement, but also notice if

you feel any resistance.

Yeah, relief and excitement are obvious. Those

are clearly green lights. But resistance is interesting too.

It often reveals what you value or what you aren't ready to

change just yet, and that's worth paying attention to

instead of just dismissing.

So then one last thing for the during the summit phase,

pause when something clicks. Audio makes it so easy to pause

for 30 seconds to just write down a quick note. Engaging that

way dramatically increases your retention. And we don't want you

to forget all the good stuff you're going to pick up this

weekend.

And if a session really resonates, flag it for a second

listen instead of putting pressure on yourself to catch

everything the first time.

And don't forget to pop into the Facebook community. You

can share what's resonating, ask questions, connect with other

teachers or the speakers, and all of us understand how hard

mid-winter teaching can be, plus, we're just gonna be having

a ton of fun in there.

Really, it's a good time. Okay, so we have covered before

and during. Now let's talk about after the summit, because this

is where most people drop the ball. You know, where the good

ideas go to die.

Yeah, that poor forgotten idea graveyard, we're going to

avoid that. One suggestion is to sort your notes into three

buckets. After the summit, maybe on Monday, since that's a

holiday, you can do a quick 10 minute pass through whatever

you've captured, and then label each idea as one of three

things—try soon, save for later, and good to know.

So try soon is the stuff for the next week or two. Save

for later are ideas you want to try, maybe in the spring, maybe

next year, and good to know are those helpful perspectives, but

maybe they're not something that you need to act on right now.

Most ideas will land in save for later or good to know,

and that's fine. You can't change everything in your room

at once. This sorting process just helps you see clearly what

actually belongs in try soon so you can focus your limited

energy there.

Okay, so once you've sorted your notes, now, pick one

thing to try right away, maybe a new transition routine, or a

phrasing change, or a small scheduling shift. So the summit

ends Monday, and if you are in the US, that's actually a

holiday. So that makes Tuesday your launch day.

And we are serious about choosing one thing to try on

Tuesday and not leaving it as a I'll do that soon, because

sometime soon is how ideas end up in the graveyard. So the

longer you wait, the more that great idea fades. Attach your

one thing to a real moment, like I'm going to try this right

after morning meeting, or I'll use this during writing time on

Tuesday.

And this is where I wish I could go back and talk some

sense into Chicago Heidi, because I had three weeks. Those

were three weeks I could have tried something. And in fact,

trying something would have been a great fit for the end of the

year, because I could have just tested things out without having

to fully commit to them.

Yeah, or even just tried part of something.

Yeah, like I didn't need to overhaul my whole reading

block. I could have tried one new data tracker or one

different way of doing partner reading. But it was just easy, I

was tired, I convinced myself it wasn't worth doing any of it

because I couldn't do all of it, the story of my life. And then I

lost everything.

So please, we're begging you, commit to this. Help us

help you by starting something on Tuesday, even if you can only

do part of the idea, even if you can't fully implement the new

routine yet, you can try one suggestion from one presenter.

Yeah, partial start is a million times better than a

perfect plan that you never begin. So the goal is simple, by

Tuesday afternoon, make sure you have taken one action connected

to what you've learned.

And if you want to create some more accountability, share

what you learned with a teacher friend or your students and tell

them I heard something really cool at this summit. I want to

try it.

Sharing your intention increases your commitment to

actually following through, plus, you might inspire someone

else or get some helpful feedback.

And we want to hear about it in the summit Facebook group

too. That community is there to support you through putting

these ideas into action.

And then, this is really important, give yourself

permission to let some good ideas go. Not everything needs

to be implemented right away.

Yeah, even if it's a great idea, if it isn't right

for this season, you can just consciously put it in that save

for later bucket and release it without guilt.

Yeah, our goal isn't to use everything. It's to use what

fits where you are right now.

And remember, if you have the max pass, those sessions

aren't going anywhere, you can come back to them in March or

May, or whenever you're ready.

And speaking of the max pass, there is another bonus I

want everyone to know about for after the summit. Anyone who

upgrades gets to join us for implementation week in the

Teacher Approved Club.

I'm so excited about this. We're going to help you

take your favorite ideas from the summit and make a plan and

put them into action with some accountability and

encouragement. It will be the best way to put a bow on the

whole summit experience, and it will also be low lift. We're

just going to be doing a little bit that week. We're not going

to make you commit to hours every day to get stuff done. It

will just be a little task every day to help you put these ideas

into action.

Okay, let's do a quick recap. Before the summit, know

your problem, preview with intention, match your sessions

to your listening spots, and set up a simple capture system.

And then during the summit, listen for ideas to

adapt, make notes manageable, notice your emotional reactions,

even the resistance. Pause when something clicks, and connect

with us in the community.

And then after the summit, sort your ideas into

three buckets. Pick one thing, start it Tuesday, even if you

can only do it partially, and then share it out loud for

accountability and you can just release the rest.

So if you haven't registered yet, grab your free

ticket at secondstorywindow.net/teacherwintertalks.

This runs January 17 through the 19th, and we will put a link to

the show notes as well.

And if you want lifetime access, plus bonus sessions and

implementation guides, plus your access to implementation week,

grab that Max pass. You will see all of the details after you

register.

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. This week's tip builds on something

we've been talking about, how to keep what matters visible so

that your ideas don't disappear.

Well, the biggest reason summit learning fades isn't

because our notes weren't good enough. It's that we never look

at those notes again. Raise your hand if you're guilty here.

It's just us raising our hands.

You know, a week later, we can barely remember what we

listened to. The notebook goes in a drawer, the Google doc gets

buried, and that's the end of it. So here is how to beat that.

First, choose one home for your best ideas. Pick a spot that you

already look at regularly. Maybe that's your plan book, you can

put a sticky note on your desk, a notes app, if you actually use

your notes app, or you could even send yourself an email.

The key is already look at regularly, because if you

don't naturally see it, you won't use it. And then create a

try this soon shortlist. This is different from your raw notes.

Pull three to five ideas from the summit and rewrite them as

actions. So instead of writing, "invite questions," write, "end

lessons by asking students what questions they have." This turns

inspiration into something your brain recognizes as doable.

That's so important, because it's easy to let a good

idea get lost in the fog of I'm not sure how to put this into

practice. So you're going to make a clear, specific step. And

then third, we want to attach those ideas to what's already

happening in your room. So try asking yourself, where in my day

would this fit? Ideas stick best when they are linked to

something that's already happening. So maybe, I will try

this new transition when we line up for lunch, or I'm going to

add this to my Friday reflection time. This way you're not adding

something new to your to do list, you're just layering on

what's already there.

And finally, set a revisit reminder. Schedule a

reminder in your phone for two or three weeks after the summit

to look back at your notes. Fresh eyes can help you catch

things you forgot about, and you might be ready for a save for

later idea by then.

And if you have the max pass, this is a great time to

re-listen to your favorite session with new perspective.

You're going to hear things that you missed the first time.

And the whole point of this tip is to bridge the gap

between I learned something great to I actually use this

idea in my classroom.

And please come share your favorite summit takeaways

in the Teacher Approved Facebook group afterward. We would love

to hear what resonates with you, and maybe you'll pick up some

great new ideas from other people sharing what they loved.

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

credit to this week. Emily, what gets your extra credit?

I'm giving extra credit to monochromatic coloring books.

So I got hit with a Facebook ad, as you do, and then it followed

me all over the internet, until I bought one, and it was a

Christmassy one, and I, of course, did not use it every day

in December. I knew that I wouldn't, but I used it a lot,

way more than I have ever done any coloring recently. What

attracted me to this was the simplicity of like, you just

pick one color, and you color that page. Like, I wanted it to

be mindless, I wasn't really looking for the creativity side

of it. So this was perfect for me. And then my youngest

daughter got me a new one for Christmas, so I have a non

Christmas one waiting for me to use. So this is a fun way to do

some hands on coloring, doing something with your hands, you

know, is so much more relaxing. But if you don't want to have to

make decisions, or you're not in the mood to be creative, this is

right up your alley.

Yeah, that's been my downfall with coloring. It's

like, I don't want to have to think about it, just, I want

something to do that's not scrolling my phone. So, that

sounds like a perfect win.

Yeah. What are you giving extra credit to, Heidi?

Well, my extra credit goes to the hearthbound candle

from Good Dot Store. This was a Christmas present from Emily's

daughter, and I love it. The scent is brown sugar fig and

redwood moss, and it smells exactly like that. It really has

an amazing scent, but I love that it's not too strong,

because you know how sometimes it can really give you a

headache, this is perfect.

Yeah.

And it has a wood wick, so it's got that extra cozy fire

popping noise.

I love that.

So I will link to the shop in the show notes. But I

don't see this particular candle in stock right now, but it's

definitely something to keep an eye out for. And if you aren't

aware, Good Dot Store is John and Hank Green's online shop,

where all the profits go to funding a maternity hospital in

Sierra Leone. So not only do you get an amazing product, you're

actually doing a lot of good when you buy it.

Yes, I love it. So good.

That is it for today's episode. Use the before, during,

and after strategies we shared today, and we promise you will

walk away from our summit with ideas that you actually use, not

just, you know, inspiration that fades, another notebook in the

notebook graveyard.

Teacher Winter Talks runs January 17 through 19th, and we

really hope to see you there. The link is in the show notes,

so go grab your free ticket.

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.