Leaving at contract time isn’t magic—it’s systems.

If you’ve ever stayed late grading, prepping, or planning…
If you’ve ever watched the minutes tick past contract time while you were still drowning ...

If you’re counting down the days until break more intensely than your students are, you’re probably standing at the edge of burnout. Before it gets too far, there are a few things you need to stop doi...

My first winter break as a teacher, I didn’t get out of bed for three days.

The last day before break felt like I got hit by a car—emotionally, mentally, physically. And when I finally woke up three ...

There’s an unspoken rule in teaching that you have to earn your rest.
That you have to work yourself to the point of exhaustion before you’re allowed to pause.

That mindset is exactly what leads t...

When I started teaching, I was told the same thing over and over again: “Burnout is normal your first year.”

But here’s the truth—they were wrong.

Burnout doesn’t have to be the default. It doesn’t ...

Unpopular opinion: I love centers.

Centers allow me to differentiate instruction so students can work on the skills they need most—while I’m working independently or in a small group setting at the k...

In my last post, I shared how to set up centers so they practically run themselves. Today, we’re taking it a step further: how to get your students to run centers without you.

I’ll never forget the d...

• The other day, a teacher friend of mine—she’s a first-grade teacher in her third year—asked me how to set up centers. She admitted she’d been avoiding them because they felt overwhelming.

  So, we ...

The other day I was talking to a first-year teacher who was questioning whether they were really cut out for teaching. They were exhausted, overwhelmed, and wondering if their students deserved someon...

How to Handle Halloween Energy Without Losing Your Mind

I still remember my very first Halloween as a teacher. I was so excited to bring one of my favorite holidays to life with my kindergartners. I ...

When I first got my own classroom, I swore I wasn’t going to be the “mean” teacher. Other teachers told me things like, “Don’t smile until December” or “Be strict right away.” But I didn’t want to ...

Every year I notice the same trend in teaching.

September rolls around, and for the most part, students are listening, routines are flowing, and you feel like you’re on top of everything. Then Octobe...