Jelly Bean and Pearl

“Jelly Bean” and “Pearl” could be characters from a children’s book. They aren’t. They both have horns, steering wheels, tires, and, well—you get my drift. They’re car nicknames. “The Gray Goose” and “Big Blue” fall into this category as well. A few years back my friend, Becky, nicknamed her 2000 Dodge Caravan “The Swagga Wagon.”…

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Heart-Pumping Countdown

Star-gazing squats, terrestrial toe touches, and cosmic kicks are all part of this ten day brain-break countdown. Now don’t worry, you don’t need the colorful bulletin board. Simply draw ten stars on your board and number them from 10 to 1. You can also use this countdown as a lead up to any special event:…

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End-of-the-Year Emotions

Year-end madness can create a bucketful of emotions. In a recent post, educational blogger Stacy Tornio outlines “16 Emotions Teachers Feel Every Day in May…Before Noon.” Before noon! After reading the list, I was exhausted—never mind experiencing each emotion in a handful of hours! But then again, I’ve never really considered which emotions I experience…

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Five Simple End-of-the-Year Tips

Spring break is behind you, and each day is a day closer to summer vacation. So how are you feeling? Upbeat? Thankful? Overwhelmed? Exhausted? A mishmash of these emotions and more? I’ve known teachers who cruise through the end of the school year without breaking a sweat. Trust me—I was never able to pull this…

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