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A cheerful cartoon woman wearing glasses holds an iced drink with a "RELAX" note and a tablet, surrounded by tropical leaves, a smiling sun, and logos for Canva, Wakelet, Book Creator, MagicSchool AI, and a color palette icon, evoking a relaxed summer learning vibe.
Good Teaching

Mix Fun with Forward Thinking This Summer

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

This summer can be both fun and forward-thinking. Whether you’re a classroom teacher looking for fresh tech ideas or an administrator planning for next year, use this summer to not only recharge but to also reignite. Let’s look at how you can blend rest and relaxation while sparking inspiration for next year.

Recharge Your Batteries (You Deserve It!)

First and foremost, give yourself permission to pause. Take that beach trip, finish that book, binge watch that show guilt-free, and have fun. A mental reset is essential to your long-term health. Take a look at this reset checklist for a list of additional ideas.

Small Steps, Big Ideas

This summer, think of growth in micro-doses. There is no need to overhaul your entire curriculum. You could try a couple of these things:

  • Explore one new tool that you can test on your own time.
  • Subscribe to one inspiring education podcast.
  • Attend one virtual session or webinar. Try to find ones that will allow you to watch replays.
  • Write down one big idea you want to try in August.

Sometimes it’s that one thing that makes all the difference come fall.

A smiling woman relaxes in a teal armchair, holding a book in one hand and an iced coffee in the other, with a laptop and sunglasses on the desk beside her.
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Summer Friendly Digital Tools to Explore

Summer is the perfect time to explore some user-friendly digital tools. These tools are perfect for light exploration:

  • Book Creator – Try making a short summer reflection journal.
  • Canva – Create a slide deck for back-to-school.
  • Edpuzzle – Test creating short video lessons with questions to flip your classroom in the fall.
  • Loom – Practice recording quick video intros or welcome messages for next school year.
  • Wakelet – Curate summer learning ideas or articles.

Each of these tools has a low entry point and high engagement payoff.

Get Inspired by Playful Planning

This summer, inspiration doesn’t have to look like work. There isn’t any pressure. It’s about planting seeds for next year. Consider:

  • Creating a Bitmoji classroom just for fun or for real use.
  • Hosting a “tech playdate” with teacher friends. Include coffee and/or snacks.
  • Making a vision board using Canva for your classroom goals.
  • Trying AI tools like MagicSchool.ai or Brisk for time-saving lesson planning ideas.
A cheerful illustration split into two panels: the left shows a cartoon teacher in a Bitmoji-style classroom holding a tablet and having fun, and the right displays a colorful vision board with motivational images and phrases like "Stay Positive" and "GOALS."
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Relax and Plan

You don’t have to choose between relaxing and planning. With a little intention, you can do both. Have a summer of joy, relaxation, and just enough prep to make you excited about back-to-school season.

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The teacher is looking thoughtfully at a bulletin board filled with student work, books, and inspirational quotes. The classroom has soft natural lighting, wooden desks, and educational posters. The teacher wears casual professional attire and has a calm, reflective expression.
Good Teaching

Finding Your Ikigai as a Teacher

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

When was the last time you paused to consider why you teach? Between lesson planning, managing classrooms, grading, meetings, and the ever-changing demands of the profession, it’s easy to fall into the rhythm of doing without reflecting. In addition, it’s easy to lose sight of the deeper “why” behind what we do. This is where the Japanese concept of Ikigai can offer a guiding light.

What Is Ikigai?

Ikigai (pronounced ee-key-guy) is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being.” It represents the intersection of four key elements:

  • What you love
  • What you’re good at
  • What the world needs
  • What you can be paid for

In the center, where these four areas overlap, lies your ikigai. It is a unique personal and professional sweet spot that brings meaning to your days.

A visual of four overlapping circles labeled: “What you love,” “What you’re good at,” “What the world needs,” and “What you can be paid for,” with “Ikigai” at the center.
AI Generated Image by Author

For teachers, this idea may feel both familiar and elusive. You probably chose this profession because it touched on all four of these areas. But somewhere along the way, fatigue, routine, or systemic challenges may have dulled the clarity of that purpose.

Why It Matters

Teaching is inherently meaningful work. But it’s also emotionally demanding and often undervalued. Over time, even the most passionate educators can experience burnout or feel disconnected from their “why.”

Reconnecting with your Ikigai isn’t about adding more to your plate. It’s about realigning with what matters most. It’s about finding small moments of joy, rediscovering your strengths, noticing your needs, and giving yourself permission to pursue a life that feels purposeful.

Steps to Discovering Your Ikigai

Here are some reflective prompts to help you begin:

1. What Do You Love?

Think about the moments in your teaching day that make you lose track of time. Is it the spark in a student’s eye when they finally “get it”? The creative process of designing a new lesson? The friendships with colleagues?

2. What Are You Good At?

Reflect on your strengths as an educator. Are you a natural storyteller? A patient listener? Do you excel at building relationships, organizing chaos, or inspiring curiosity?

3. What Does the World Need?

Consider the needs you see in your students, your school, or your community. Where do your passions and skills align with these needs? Perhaps you’re the teacher who creates a safe space for students who feel unseen, or the one who brings innovation to your team.

4. What Can You Be Paid For?

While teaching is rarely about the paycheck, it’s important to recognize the professional value you bring. How can you continue to grow and be recognized for your contributions?

Putting It All Together

Try creating a simple Ikigai diagram or journal entry, mapping out your answers to these questions. Notice where the circles overlap. What themes emerge? What small steps can you take to spend more time in your “Ikigai zone” each day?

Bringing Ikigai into the Next School Year

Finding your Ikigai doesn’t require a major life change. Often, it starts with a shift in awareness. What if you carved out just 15 minutes a week to do something that taps into your purpose. For example, mentoring a colleague, redesigning a lesson you love, or exploring a topic that fascinates you? These small shifts can add up to a deeper sense of alignment and fulfillment during the next school year.

Don’t let this reflection be just an end-of-year exercise. Let be a way for you to remember to seek joy and purpose every day, even in the small stuff. Teaching is more than a job. It’s a calling. By embracing the spirit of ikigai, we can stay connected to what matters most and bring more meaning, intention, and joy into our lives and classrooms.

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A joyful classroom scene with a smiling teacher holding a coffee mug as students throw papers in the air and celebrate around her, sunlight streaming through the windows.
Good TeachingSocial-Emotional LearningSummer Ideas

Avoid Teacher Burnout Before Summer Break

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

It’s 2:30 PM on a Wednesday in May and teacher burnout is a very real, very near threat. Your desk disappears under a mountain of projects waiting to be graded. Three parent emails about graduation requirements demand immediate attention. The end-of-year inventory forms sit untouched in your inbox, and your department head just announced an extra staff meeting tomorrow. Meanwhile, your students bounce between wild energy and complete apathy as summer looms. Sound familiar?

Teachers often describe May as “March Madness with grading instead of basketball,” and there is good reason. Field trips, final exams, end-of-year celebrations, and looming deadlines collide just as everyone’s energy dips. While the chaos feels unavoidable, you are not powerless. With a few intentional shifts, you can lower stress, safeguard your mental health, and finish strong while avoiding the dreaded teacher burnout.

Recognize the Pressure Pot

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First, name what is happening. Stress climbs when your brain juggles unspoken worries, so spend five quiet minutes listing everything weighing on you—late work to grade, parent e-mails to answer, the classroom inventory nobody has started. Seeing the load on paper turns vague anxiety into a concrete plan. It also helps you notice physical signals of burnout and overload such as headaches, shallow breathing, or irritability. By spotting early warning signs, you can act before tension spills into your teaching or your life at home.

“I keep a ‘Sunday brain dump’ ritual where I write absolutely everything down that’s swirling in my head,” shares Miranda, a middle school science teacher. “Just getting it all out of my thoughts and onto paper immediately cuts my stress in half.”

For tech-savvy educators, consider doing what I sometimes do – an AI-assisted brain dump: Use voice mode with an AI assistant like ChatGPT to simply talk through everything on your mind. You can have a natural conversation about all your tasks, concerns, and ideas. When you’re finished, ask the AI to conclude by providing a prioritized list of action items based on your conversation. This approach combines the stress relief of verbally processing with the organizational benefit of leaving with a structured plan—perfect for educators who prefer talking to writing.

Plan Smart, Not Hard

Once the list exists, sort each task into three buckets: must finish, can delegate, and can drop. Here’s how to decide:

  • Must finish: Directly impacts student learning outcomes, is legally required, or affects student transitions to next year
  • Can delegate: Routine tasks others could help with (filing, organizing, data entry)
  • Can drop: Won’t significantly impact student learning or school operations, or can wait until next year

Tackle the first bucket with time-blocking: reserve small, focused blocks for grading bursts or packing materials instead of letting those chores stretch across the day. For the delegate bucket, enlist student helpers, peer tutors, or parent volunteers—many love shredding outdated handouts or labeling supply bins. Anything in the third bucket that will not truly affect students’ learning or campus compliance gets a polite farewell. Lightening the load this way frees mental space and preserves energy for what matters most.

Build Mini Breaks into Each Day

During a sprint to the finish line, teachers often skip the very habits that keep stress in check. Schedule three micro-breaks of two to five minutes and treat them like appointments. Stand at the window and focus on five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. Stretch your shoulders while the copier warms up or take a brisk lap around the hallway instead of scrolling emails between periods. These tiny resets calm the nervous system, lower cortisol, and improve focus when you return to students.

Set Boundaries and Protect Life Outside School

A hand gently holding a glowing, translucent sphere with a smiling face inside, set against a dreamy lavender background filled with soft bokeh light effects.

After hours, give yourself a daily “hard stop.” Decide in advance that work ends at 5:30 p.m. or after one last parent call—whichever comes first. Creating a clear closing ritual (shut the laptop, turn off classroom lights, or play a favorite playlist during the drive home) signals your brain that the professional day is done. Guard weekends by choosing one block of time—perhaps Saturday morning—for any lingering tasks, then leave the rest free for hobbies, family, and rest. Healthy boundaries keep teacher burnout from sneaking into summer vacation.

Lean on Your Team

A vibrant, abstract painting of six hands from different directions overlapping in unity, each painted in a unique color palette representing the spectrum of the rainbow.

Teaching seldom rewards lone-wolf heroes; it thrives on community. Share lesson materials, divide end-of-year paperwork, and celebrate small victories together, such as a tricky student finally mastering long division. If your district has an Employee Assistance Program, remind colleagues it exists and model using it yourself. Informal check-ins over coffee or a quick meme exchange in the faculty chat can lift moods more than you might expect. Collective care builds resilience that individual grit cannot match.

“Last May, four of us fifth-grade teachers divided the report card comments—each taking a subject area for all students,” explains Jerome, a veteran elementary teacher. “We cut our workload by 75% and actually wrote more thoughtful feedback because we weren’t rushing through dozens of comments per child.”

Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection

It is tempting to focus on unfinished curriculum units or that one bulletin board still missing student work. Instead, pause to acknowledge growth you witnessed: reluctant readers finishing their first novel, lab groups handling equipment safely, seniors crafting genuine thank-you letters. Display a “Wins Wall” where students and staff post moments of pride, or include a slideshow of highlights during the final class meeting. Celebration reframes the narrative from exhaustion to accomplishment and feeds motivation for the year ahead, turning teacher burnout in to teacher brainpower!

Know When to Ask for Help

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Persistent sadness, difficulty sleeping, or panic that will not ease are signals to reach beyond familiar supports. Contact a counselor, your primary-care doctor, or a trusted mentor. Apps such as Headspace and Insight Timer offer guided breathing and meditation tailored to busy schedules, and national hotlines like 9-8-8 connect you to immediate help any time of day. Seeking assistance is an act of professionalism and self-respect, not weakness, and it models healthy coping for students who are watching.

Adapting Strategies to Your Teaching Context

For elementary teachers: Enlist your students’ help with year-end tasks by turning cleanup into stations. One group sorts classroom library books while another organizes art supplies—making the work both educational and efficient.

For secondary teachers: Consider batch processing similar tasks (all essay grading, then all final exams) rather than completing everything for one class before moving to the next.

For teachers with limited resources: If parent volunteers or teaching assistants aren’t available, prioritize ruthlessly and consider swapping tasks with a colleague—your strength in organizing data might balance their talent for creating review materials.

The end of the year will always feel full, yet it does not have to feel overwhelming. By recognizing teacher burnout triggers, trimming non-essential tasks, weaving in quick recovery moments, and lifting one another up, you can breeze into summer with energy to spare.

Take action today: Remember that you are important—not just as an educator, but as a person with needs, dreams, and a life beyond school walls. Don’t neglect yourself in the rush to finish everything for everyone else. Your students need you at your best, which means taking care of yourself first. Share this article with a colleague who seems overwhelmed, try implementing just one strategy this week, join our Facebook page to exchange more survival tips with educators nationwide, or connect with other TCEA members and share in one of the many groups in our TCEA Social Community. Your mental health matters—not just for summer recovery, but for returning next fall with renewed purpose and passion.

What strategies have helped you manage end-of-year stress? Share your insights in the comments below—your experience might be exactly what a fellow teacher needs to read today.

*This post was written in collaboration with AI.

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A joyful teacher presents an "End-of-Year Awards" certificate to a smiling student in a brightly decorated classroom. Other diverse students clap and hold certificates, celebrating together with balloons and colorful streamers.
End of YearGood Teaching

Celebrate Every Student with a Classroom Awards Show

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

A classroom awards show is a great way to end the school year on a meaningful note. It’s the perfect time to reflect on how far your students have come. An awards show is something that acknowledges the effort, growth, and individuality of each student in your classroom. It gives every student a moment to feel recognized. Below you’ll find practical ideas and examples to help you make it happen.

Why Awards Matter

You might be wondering if classroom awards really make a difference. The short answer is yes. The last few days of school can feel like a blur of final tests and emotional goodbyes. A personalized award, even a simple one, offers a moment of recognition that tells students, “I saw you this year. You mattered.”

The goal isn’t to reward perfection. It’s to recognize growth, kindness, creativity, and character. When done right, these awards become more than paper. They become memories students carry with them.

A cheerful classroom decorated for an end-of-year celebration, with student desks neatly arranged. Each desk has a certificate and a rolled-up paper tied with ribbon. A colorful banner at the front reads, “You Made This Year Shine!” with balloons, streamers, and festive decorations creating a celebratory atmosphere.
Image create by Author using Canva AI

How to Make It Work for Every Student

With the classroom awards show, every student walks away with award that feels real and personal. You don’t need hours of planning. Just ask yourself, What makes this student uniquely them? Some things to look for or think about are:

  • Small kindnesses
  • Growth over the year
  • Creative expression
  • Hidden leadership
  • A memorable contribution

On tip is to keep a running list of student traits or moments. Focus on specific traits. In addition, you could use a theme for your awards show. For example, explorers, superheroes, film awards, etc. If a student isn’t standing out right away, ask yourself:

  • What have they improved in?
  • How do they treat others?
  • What do their peers appreciate about them?

These questions often uncover the most meaningful answers.

Award Ideas by Grade Band (Primary, Middle, and Secondary)

Below are ideas that work across age groups but feel free to mix and adapt to your classroom tone.

Primary

Award TitleDescription
Storyteller AwardFor vivid imaginations and creative tales
Kindness NinjaQuietly helps others with care and compassion
Future InventorAlways building or thinking outside the box
Giggle GeneratorBrings joy and laughter to the classroom
Bookworm AwardAlways has a book in hand
Sunshine AwardBrightens every room they walk into
Future ZookeeperAnimal lover and fact sharer
Drawing DynamoConstantly creating artwork
Curious QuestionerNever stops asking “why?”
Dance Floor DynamoCan’t resist moving to music

Middle

Award TitleDescription
The Quiet LeaderLeads by example, not volume
Future CEOOrganized, focused, and goal-driven
Most Likely to Ask the UnexpectedBrings fresh perspective with surprising questions
Tech WhispererFixes tech before IT arrives
Eco WarriorPassionate about protecting the planet
Deep Thinker AwardInsightful, reflective questions
Puzzle MasterStrategy games and logic wizard
Teammate of the YearMakes every group project better
Always Has an IdeaBrainstorming machine

Secondary

Award TitleDescription
Most Likely to Change the WorldPassionate and driven
Chill Under PressureCalm, composed, and dependable
Words That Hit DifferentPowerful writing or speaking
Design EyeGreat with visuals and aesthetics
Quiet ScientistReflective, curious, and consistent
Future Podcast HostExpressive speaker and listener
Undisputed Style IconFashion-forward and self-expressive
Sharpest Eye for DetailNotices what others miss

Keeping It Low Effort but High Impact

1. Use a Certificate Template

Create a one-page certificate template that you can tweak for each student. Just personalize the award title and one short sentence explaining it. Check out these End of the Year Student Award Templates and these Student Tech Awards Certificate Templates.

2. Build the Experience, Not Just the Materials

During the awards show, consider playing music. Dim the lights or use a red carpet entrance. This will set the tone and give the moment weight.

3. Keep The Awards Show Short and Kind

The awards show doesn’t have to be long. You only need 10 seconds per student to say something that will stick. A quick sentence with their name and why they’re getting their award is enough.

4. Super Low-Effort Options

If you don’t have time to create and print certificates, you could use sticky notes and write the award titles on them. In addition, you could use a slideshow with each student’s name plus the award they are getting.

A collage of digital-themed student award certificates with titles like "Tech Savvy Scholar," "AI Enthusiast," "Digital Designer," "Website Wizard," and "STEM Star." Each certificate features a unique design and highlights students' strengths in technology, digital citizenship, and innovation.
Screenshot by Author

Additional Tips

For your classroom awards show, you could let students nominate their peers. Try using a tool like Google Forms to create a classroom ballot where students suggest fun awards for their classmates. Just screen them beforehand.

You could also print the awards on card stock or bind them into a mini class yearbook with notes from classmates. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just personal.

Lasty, you might want to keep a copy of the awards for yourself. It’s a great record for parent meetings, reports, or just your own reflection. Plus, it’ll help next year when you want to reuse ideas.

They Will Remember

At the end of the year, students won’t remember the last worksheet. But they’ll remember how the classroom award made them feel. A personalized award, even a quick one, can stick with them long after the school bell rings for the last time.

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An open spiral notebook with lined pages sits on a wooden student desk, surrounded by a pencil, pens, and folders in a classroom setting.
Classroom ActivitiesEnd of YearGood TeachingSocial-Emotional Learning

End the School Year with Gratitude: A 15-Day Journal Practice for Students

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

As the school year draws to a close, both educators and students often experience a mix of emotions. There’s excitement for summer, pride in accomplishments, and perhaps even some anxiety about transitions ahead. This time of year presents a unique opportunity to cultivate mindfulness and appreciation through the practice of gratitude.

Below is a 15-day gratitude journal practice for students designed specifically for the final three weeks of school. Teachers can implement this in various ways – as a daily warm-up activity, a closing reflection, or even a take-home assignment. The best part? No special supplies are needed, just paper or a notebook and pens or pencils.

Why set up a gratitude journal process for students?

Based on research and my personal experience in and out of the classroom, practicing gratitude has powerful benefits for mental health and well-being. Developing a gratitude journal practice for students can:

  • Improve mental health and resilience
  • Enhance social connections and classroom community
  • Reduce stress and anxiety about upcoming transitions
  • Create a positive mindset to carry into summer
  • Build a lifelong habit that supports emotional well-being

Getting Started: Setting Up the Gratitude Practice

Introduction for Students

Take time to explain the concept of gratitude and its benefits. For younger students, you might describe it as “noticing the good things in our lives.” For older students, you can discuss the science behind gratitude and its impact on mental health. Consider sharing your own gratitude practice or examples.

Guidelines for Journal Entries

Help students end the school year on a reflective note with this 15-day gratitude journal practice. Strengthen emotional well-being, build resilience, and create meaningful closure—one thankful thought at a time.

When introducing this journal practice for students, emphasize authenticity over perfection in their reflections. Remind them that this is personal reflection time, not graded work, which removes the pressure of academic evaluation. Let students know that entries can be brief—even just a few sentences is enough to capture a meaningful moment of gratitude. While creating opportunities for those who wish to share their reflections with the class, always make sharing optional to respect students’ privacy and comfort levels. Additionally, consider encouraging creative expression beyond writing, allowing students to draw, doodle, or use other artistic mediums to express their gratitude in ways that might feel more natural to some learners.

End the School Year with Gratitude a 15-Day Journal Practice for Students

15 Days of Gratitude Prompts

Week One: Reflecting on Our School Year

  • Day 1: What is something you learned this year that you’re grateful for? How has this knowledge changed you?
  • Day 2: Write about a classroom memory from this year that makes you smile. What made it special?
  • Day 3: Name someone at school who helped you this year. How did they make a difference for you?
  • Day 4: What challenge did you overcome this year? What strengths or support helped you through it?
  • Day 5: What is one way you’ve grown or changed since the beginning of the school year? How does this growth make you feel?

Week Two: Appreciating Our Present

  • Day 6: What is something in your classroom or school environment that you’re thankful for? How does it help you learn or feel good?
  • Day 7: Write about a classmate who has positively impacted your school experience. What qualities do you appreciate about them?
  • Day 8: What is a small moment from today that brought you joy? Try to notice the details.
  • Day 9: Name three skills or abilities you have that you’re grateful for. How do these serve you at school?
  • Day 10: What tradition or activity from this school year would you like to carry forward? Why is it meaningful to you?

Week Three: Looking Forward with Gratitude

  • Day 11: What are you looking forward to about summer? How can you bring gratitude into your summer experience?
  • Day 12: Write a thank-you note to yourself for something you did well this year. What would you like to acknowledge?
  • Day 13: What is something you’re grateful to have learned about yourself this year? How might this self-knowledge help you in the future?
  • Day 14: Name someone outside of school who supports your learning journey. How do they help you grow?
  • Day 15: As you complete this gratitude journal, what has been your favorite prompt to reflect on? What have you discovered through this practice?

To make things easier, we’ve created a ready-to-use template with all the gratitude prompts above. You can download it, print it, or customize it to fit your needs. You can access it here.

Closing Celebration Ideas

A group of students sits in a circle on a grassy lawn, holding notebooks and engaging in lively discussion under a sky with soft clouds and bare trees in the background.

Consider ending the 15-day practice with a special activity to honor the experience. These culminating events create meaningful closure and help cement the gratitude practice as a significant moment in your classroom community. The final celebration also reinforces the value you’ve placed on reflection and appreciation throughout this journey.

  • Host a gratitude circle where students can share one highlight from their journals. Arrange seating in a circle to promote equality and connection, and consider using a special object as a “talking piece” that students hold when it’s their turn to share. This format creates a sacred space for listening and honoring each voice.
  • Create a classroom gratitude wall where students post anonymous gratitude notes. Provide colorful paper or sticky notes in various shapes, and encourage artistic expression alongside written reflections. This visual representation becomes a powerful reminder of collective gratitude that students can visit throughout the final days of school.
  • Write thank-you letters to people who made the school year special. Guide students through the components of a heartfelt thank-you letter, including specific examples of what the person did and how it affected them. Consider delivering these letters together as a class if recipients are within the school.
  • Compile class gratitude quotes into a memento for students to take home. This could be a simple booklet, digital presentation, or even a recorded video montage of students sharing their reflections. Include a photograph of the class alongside these quotes to create a keepsake that connects gratitude to this specific school year.
  • Plant a “gratitude garden” with paper flowers containing gratitude messages. Use colorful construction paper to create flower petals, stems, and leaves, with each component containing a different gratitude reflection. Display this three-dimensional creation in a prominent location, inviting other classes to view your gratitude garden blooming with appreciation.

Taking Gratitude Beyond the Classroom

Encourage students to continue their gratitude practice over the summer. The habits formed during these 15 days can become lifelong tools for resilience and well-being if nurtured beyond the classroom walls. By extending the practice into summer, students maintain an emotional continuity that can ease the transition between school years.

  • Suggest keeping their journal going with a weekly entry on a designated day. Create a simple calendar template they can take home, with gentle reminders to pause and reflect. Explain that consistency matters more than frequency, and that maintaining even a minimal practice keeps the gratitude muscle strong.
  • Share simple gratitude practices families can do together at dinner or before bedtime. Provide a handout with conversation starters like “What made you smile today?” or “Who helped you this week?” These collective practices strengthen family bonds while reinforcing the value of noticing the positive.
  • Discuss how noticing good things can help during challenging transitions such as moving to a new grade or school. Help students understand that gratitude isn’t about ignoring difficulties, but rather finding balance by intentionally noting positive moments alongside challenges. This balanced perspective builds emotional resilience they’ll need throughout life.
  • Invite students to write a letter to next year’s teacher expressing what they’re looking forward to in the coming school year. This future-focused gratitude exercise helps shift any anxiety about transitions into positive anticipation. Consider collecting these letters (with student permission) to deliver to colleagues before the new school year begins, creating a bridge between grade levels.

Ending the school year with gratitude provides closure while building essential emotional skills. By taking just a few minutes each day for these simple reflections, as shown in this journal practice for students, we give our pupils a powerful tool for navigating life’s transitions and challenges.

As educators, modeling our own gratitude practice can be just as important as guiding our students. Consider journaling alongside your class and sharing your own reflections when appropriate.

How will you incorporate gratitude into your end-of-year activities? We’d love to hear how you implement this gratitude journal in your classroom! Share your experiences, adaptations, and student reactions in the comments below or on social media using #TCEA and #ClassroomGratitude. Your insights might inspire fellow educators to bring gratitude practices into their own classrooms.

The investment of this 15-day journal practice for students can yield benefits that last far beyond the final school bell.

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A split-screen image showing a young woman using her phone in two different settings: on the left, she stands in a classroom environment wearing glasses and a backpack; on the right, she relaxes on a couch in casual clothes, holding her phone with a candle lit nearby.
Digital CitizenshipGood Teaching

Social Media for Teachers: Smart Habits and Strategies to Adopt

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Social media has changed how we connect, blurring the lines between our professional and personal lives. For K-12 educators, this overlap creates both opportunities and risks. Teachers are seen as professionals, role models, and private individuals all at once. That makes managing social media more complex than it is for most other professionals.

When work and personal boundaries blur online, the consequences can be serious. A post meant for friends might reach parents, students, or administrators. Comments from years ago can resurface at the worst possible time. This guide offers practical strategies to maintain clear boundaries between your professional and personal social media presence.

Understanding the Risks

Two students sit at a table, looking at a large screen displaying a social media feed, with one student expressing surprise over a classmate’s negative post.

When you’re a teacher, privacy works differently online. Students and parents may recognize you in digital spaces even when you’re using different names or pseudonyms. Consider the case of a teacher whose gaming profile was discovered by students who recognized similarities in username patterns. Community members often follow teachers across platforms, creating unexpected visibility in spaces you might consider private.

What you post can directly impact your career. Schools increasingly monitor social media, and content that conflicts with institutional values often leads to difficult conversations with administration. Many districts now have social media policies that explicitly outline expectations for educator conduct online, both during and after school hours.

When students access your personal content, professional boundaries can erode. Consider how classroom dynamics might change if students discovered a teacher’s personal comedy podcast containing adult humor. Though created for a different audience entirely, such content could significantly alter how students interact with their teacher, potentially creating classroom management issues that persist throughout the school year.

Why Separating Accounts Matters

Split image of a young woman in two settings—on the left, she's seated at a desk in a classroom holding papers, and on the right, she's sitting comfortably in an armchair at home using a smartphone.

When looking at social media for teachers, maintaining separate work and personal accounts has several key benefits. A dedicated professional account highlights your expertise, classroom innovations, and teaching philosophy. It helps you connect with other educators, present at conferences, and even explore consulting opportunities. Keeping accounts separate allows you to share personal interests, family moments, and opinions without professional scrutiny. This separation lets you connect with friends and family authentically, without filtering everything through a professional lens.

There are also legal protections to consider. Even personal posts can lead to disciplinary action if they “disrupt the educational process.” Teachers have been fired for vacation photos, political opinions, and other content courts have ruled as disruptive to their classroom effectiveness. A professional account sets clear expectations for school-related interactions, preventing students and parents from expecting immediate responses during personal time. When work and personal accounts are combined, it becomes difficult to disconnect. Separate accounts help maintain boundaries, provide a more focused message and allow you to better meet the unique needs of both audiences.

Setting Up a Professional Account

A young woman sits at a desk, intently focused on a laptop screen, with one hand on the keyboard and the other resting thoughtfully on her chin.

Creating a professional social media presence helps educators engage with the broader educational community while maintaining appropriate boundaries. Choosing the right platform is key. While some platforms are great for networking and making professional connections, others facilitate subject-specific discussions or do well at support sharing classroom visuals.

Optimizing your profile is essential. Use your real name or a consistent professional pseudonym and include your teaching position, subject area, and certifications. Avoid sharing personal details beyond your professional background. A professional profile photo should be clear and reflect your role as an educator, ideally taken in your classroom. Your bio should highlight your educational philosophy, teaching experience, and interests. Stating your account’s purpose, such as “Sharing middle school science resources and connecting with fellow educators,” provides clarity.

Using your professional account to reflect on new teaching strategies, professional development experiences, and classroom successes adds credibility. However, identifiable student information should never be shared. Focusing your posts on teaching strategies and combined data from multiple students, without identifying individuals, helps protect student privacy and ensures you comply with privacy policies. Building strategic networks by following educational leaders, researchers, and organizations creates meaningful engagement and potential career opportunities. Many educators have secured conference speaking roles and job opportunities through professional networking online.

Security and privacy should always be prioritized. While making professional accounts public allows for networking, using content filters to control who can comment is a good safeguard. Enabling two-factor authentication and using a separate email for professional accounts helps maintain security. Thoughtfully planning content ensures a balance between sharing classroom strategies, professional development reflections, and educational resources while maintaining work-life boundaries.

Since professional accounts represent both the educator and the district, posts should align with the professionalism expected in parent-teacher conferences or school board meetings.

Managing Your Personal Accounts

A young man holds a laptop while appearing to juggle floating items around him, including shirts, a car, a planner, and a bag, symbolizing multitasking and life balance.

Keeping personal social media private and well-managed is just as important as maintaining a professional account. Adjusting privacy settings regularly ensures that content remains visible only to intended audiences. Setting personal accounts to private and limiting past post visibility provides an extra layer of protection. Platform updates frequently reset privacy settings, making regular reviews necessary.

Managing friends and followers is another crucial step. Some educators establish policies about accepting student requests, often declining them until after graduation. Using “Close Friends” lists on Instagram or custom privacy groups on Facebook helps control who sees certain content. Before posting, consider how it might appear if taken out of context. Even in private groups, venting about students, parents, or colleagues can have unintended consequences. The “headline test” is a useful guideline—if a post became a news article, would it be problematic?

Each platform has its own risks. Facebook’s privacy settings need frequent review. X should be protected if personal content is shared. Instagram and TikTok can expose location data, and Snapchat’s “disappearing” content can still be screenshotted. Conducting a regular digital footprint check by searching for your name online and setting up Google Alerts helps track what’s publicly available. Deleting old, inactive accounts further protects privacy.

Maintaining a clear separation between personal and professional social media isn’t about hiding who you are—it’s about maintaining clear boundaries with the school community.

Five Best Practices for Managing Social Media for Teachers

An infographic titled "Best Practices for Managing Social Media" featuring six key tips with icons and illustrations to promote safe, professional online behavior.

To maintain a professional and personal balance online, educators should keep these five best practices in mind. And, if you’d like to share these best practices, print out this PDF version to post in your teachers’ lounge.

  1. Separate Professional and Personal Accounts – Maintain distinct accounts for work and personal use to keep boundaries clear.
  2. Regularly Audit Privacy Settings – Review and adjust privacy settings every few months to protect your information from unintended audiences.
  3. Be Mindful of Content – Always assume that anything posted online can be seen by students, parents, or administrators, even if shared privately.
  4. Use Secure Passwords and Authentication – Enable two-factor authentication and use strong passwords for both professional and personal accounts.
  5. Monitor Your Digital Footprint – Search for yourself online and remove outdated or inappropriate content that may impact your professional image.

Maintaining separate professional and personal social media accounts isn’t just a best practice—it’s essential for protecting your career, reputation, and well-being. A professional account provides opportunities to showcase expertise, connect with educators, and support professional growth, while a well-managed personal account allows for authentic interactions without work-related concerns.

The most effective approach to social media management for teachers is proactive, not reactive. Thoughtful privacy settings, clear boundaries, and regular audits prevent issues before they arise. The effort put into maintaining these digital spaces safeguards your career and creates peace of mind.

By modeling responsible digital identity management, educators not only protect themselves but also teach valuable digital citizenship skills that students will need for their own futures.

What’s the best tip you have regarding social media for teachers? Let us know in the comments!

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Educational ResearchGood Teaching

Support Relational Thinking with Research-Based Strategies

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“I don’t get it!” This common classroom refrain highlights a frequent struggle. Students memorize facts but miss connections. They see pieces but not the whole picture. It’s easy to experience a fragmented view of what’s happening around us. This leads to frustration and disinterest, making it hard to use what we know. It’s easy to get trapped, recognizing individual puzzle pieces but unable to put a complete picture together. This can lead to frustration and disengagement, hindering their ability to apply knowledge in meaningful ways. This blog offers several strategies, no AI or technology needed.

What is Multi-Structural Thinking?

Here’s a vignette to capture the challenge many students face:

Picture Maria, a student grappling with a new concept. “I just don’t understand!” she exclaims, her voice laced with frustration. Her teacher, Mrs. Ramirez, offers a reassuring smile.
“You have all the pieces,” she explains, “but you haven’t quite figured out how they fit together yet.” Mrs. Ramirez then sketches four boxes on a piece of paper, labeling them “Main Idea,” “Details,” “Connections,” and “Summary.”
“Let’s tackle this one box at a time,” she suggests. A flicker of hope sparks in Maria’s eyes as she begins to relax. Maria’s experience exemplifies multi-structural thinking.

Like Maria, students experience thinking like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle they can’t seem to put together. Watching colleagues at work put a jigsaw puzzle, bringing every piece to its home, I identify with students who feel like they just can’t see the whole picture.

Students like Maria have the individual facts but can’t make the next step to see the complete image they form. For example, a student may know about the Boston Tea Party, the Declaration of Independence. What they may not see is how they are connected to the American Revolution. This fragmented view stops them from developing a deeper grasp of historical events and what they mean.

How do we move students from unistructural or multistructural thinking to encompass more perspectives? One way is to guide them towards relational thinking.

Strategies That Work

Relational thinking is the ability to see the connections between ideas and understand the bigger picture. Several high-effect size instructional strategies can help with that. If you read the TCEA blog, you know that there are various phases of learning (e.g. Surface, Deep, and Transfer Learning) that students may be in at any time relevant to what they are studying. Matching a high-effect size instructional strategy appropriate to the phase of learning students are in is key.

A few strategies (updated as of 01/2025) you may want to cultivate in your practice appear below.

Instructional Strategies by Phase of Learning

Surface Learning

  1. Feedback corrective reinforcement and cues (Effect Size: 0.92)
    Providing learners with information about their performance to guide improvement, reinforce success, and clarify next steps.
  2. The Jigsaw Method (Effect Size: 0.92)
    Students collaborate in expert groups to master subtopics and teach them to peers, fostering connections between concepts.
  3. Effects of testing (Effect Size: 0.63)
    Using tests and quizzes to enhance learning and retention.
  4. Flipped classrooms (Effect Size: 0.58)
    Reversing the traditional learning environment by delivering instructional content outside of the classroom.
  5. Direct instruction (Effect Size: 0.56)
    A teacher-led approach focusing on clear explanations and modeling foundational skills and concepts, suitable for introducing new topics.
  6. Retrieval Practice/Practice Testing (Effect Size: 0.49)
    Actively recalling information from memory to reinforce learning and improve long-term retention.

Deep Learning

  1. The Jigsaw Method (Effect Size: 0.92)
    Students collaborate in expert groups to master subtopics and teach them to peers, fostering connections between concepts.
  2. Constructivist Teaching (Effect Size: 0.90)
    Students actively explore ideas and solutions through hands-on activities, fostering deeper understanding.
  3. Feedback timing (Effect Size: 0.89)
    Providing learners with insights at the most effective moment in the learning process
  4. Argumentation (Effect Size: 0.86)
    Engaging in the process of reasoned debate to deeply explore and understand concepts.
  5. Outlining and Organizing (Effect Size: 0.86)
    Structuring information hierarchically using outlines or graphic organizers to identify relationships between ideas.

Transfer Learning

  1. Self-Reported Grades (Effect Size: 0.96)
    A strategy where students assess and predict their own performance or learning outcomes.
    This approach encourages self-reflection, goal setting, and self-regulation, fostering deeper engagement and ownership of the learning process.
  2. Mathematics problem solving (Effect Size: 0.88)
    Strategies and techniques used to approach and solve math problems
  3. Transfer strategies (Effect Size: 0.75)
    Activities that encourage students to apply learned concepts in new situations, emphasizing metacognition.
  4. Problem-Based Learning (Effect Size: 0.53)
    A strategy where students work in groups through a problem-based learning scenario and decide what they need to learn to resolve a particular problem or questions. The aim is also to promote critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and communication skills.

Exploring how each of these strategies can be adapted in your work could take a lifetime. One recommendation is to slowly get comfortable with one strategy from each phase of learning, then work with your students.

Let’s take a look at three of my favorites strategies along with technology you can use (but you don’t have to). Each can lay the groundwork for relational thinking.

Three Strategies for Everyday Use

Strategy #1: The Jigsaw Method

If you are wondering, “Why not pick the Jigsaw Method for surface and deep learning phases?” you are on the right track. The Jigsaw Method, especially the three step jigsaw, works great for both Surface and Deep phases of learning. When I’ve used it with adult learners, I’ve found that learners become experts and advocates for what they have learned in a quick manner.

Grade K-5 Students

To introduce the Jigsaw Method to K-5 students, it might be fun to use a Game Design activity. Here’s one for your consideration:

K-5 Introduction: “Game Creator Teams”

  1. Home Groups and Game Elements:
    • “We’re going to design our own video game! First, we’ll split into Home Groups. Each group will choose a different part of the game to become experts on (characters, levels, story, music, or art).”
  2. Expert Groups and Becoming Game Designers:
    • “Now, let’s form Expert Groups. All the ‘Character Designers’ will meet together, all the ‘Level Designers’ will meet, and so on. Work together to brainstorm and plan the best ideas for your part of the game!”
  3. Home Groups and Teaching the Team:
    • “Time to go back to your Home Groups. Take turns sharing your game element ideas with your group. Work together to combine all the ideas and create a super fun game concept!”

You can follow suggestions in this blog entry for actually constructing the game using what students put together in this initial effort. Follow this same model of shifting students from 1) Home Groups, 2) Expert Groups, and 3) Home Groups with academic topics. Use it until students can do it with minimal guidance. I like to share a jigsaw organizer with students so they have something to write on. Some rely on EduProtocols but I find that the technology gets in the way. You want students engaged by ideas and their thinking, less so by the technology at surface learning.

Grade 6-12 Students

If you are in the grades 6-12, you may want to try this out to introduce students to the Jigsaw Method.

6-12 Introduction: “Pop Culture Showdown”

  1. Home Teams and Categories:
    • “We’re having a Pop Culture Showdown! You’ll start in Home Teams, and each of you will pick a different category to research: (Movies, Music, Social Media Trends, Memes, or Fashion).”
  2. Expert Groups and Deep Dive:
    • “Next, you’ll meet with the Expert Groups—all the ‘Movie Buffs’ together, all the ‘Music Maniacs’ together, etc. Your mission is to become the ultimate expert on your category so you can teach your team all about it.”
  3. Home Teams and the Showdown:
    • “Finally, return to your Home Teams. Take turns presenting your category. After everyone shares, your team will work together to create a final Pop Culture presentation that showcases the most important and interesting things from all the categories!”

What are some other ways you could introduce the Jigsaw Method in your classroom that would work for your students?

Two More Strategies for Deep Learning

You may be thinking, “I can’t use Jigsaw Method ALL the time for Deep Learning. What else is there?” Two of my other favorite strategies include two Deep Learning strategies. I can’t part with Outlining and Organizing and Argumentation. Use these when you want students to develop a deeper conceptual understanding of how facts, perspectives connect in a subject area.

Please find below two blog entries that explore various approaches:

Ok, let’s switch gears from introductory learning opportunities and seeing how learning connects to applying that learning to new situations. Applying what we have learned to new situations involves transfer learning.

Transfer Learning

This final area is one that many educators don’t spend too much time on. John Hattie suggests (source) “that around 90% of classroom teaching and learning focuses on surface knowledge and learning.” At some point, students must make the transition to Deep Learning, and eventually Transfer Learning. It’s when this level of insight is required that tools like John Biggs’ SOLO Taxonomy are helpful.

My go-to strategy for Transfer Learning is Problem-Based Learning. I also see value in schema-based frameworks that involve mathematic problem-solving. Read more about Problem-Based Learning, as well access other resources.

Relational Thinking: Seeing the Big Picture

Relational thinking empowers students to see how individual ideas fit together to form a cohesive whole. They begin to see the completed jigsaw puzzle, understanding the relationships between the pieces. For instance, they can articulate how the Boston Tea Party directly contributed to the Declaration of Independence and the ensuing American Revolution. As Maria works with Mrs. Ramirez, using the four-box strategy, she starts to connect the dots. She progresses from simply listing facts to explaining their significance and interrelationships. This shift marks a crucial step towards deeper learning and critical thinking.

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Good TeachingInstructional CoachingLeadershipProfessional Learning

From Micromanagement to Macro Leadership in Education

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

While “macro leadership” is lesser known leadership style, we’re all had an experience or two with micromanagement. Perhaps you’ve had a boss who assigned you a task but then dictated every step along the way. Or maybe you’ve caught yourself as a leader unable to let go, overseeing every detail of your team’s work.

In the first scenario, instead of having the freedom to run with a project and seek clarification when needed, you faced constant direction and intervention. In the second, you found yourself unable to trust your team with outcomes, insisting on controlling the process. While micromanagers rarely recognize their behavior in the moment, their actions clearly demonstrate a fundamental lack of trust.

As educational leaders, we often find ourselves deeply involved in the day-to-day operations of our institutions. While attention to detail is important, there comes a point when close oversight transforms into micromanagement, hindering rather than helping our teams. Join me in exploring the journey from micromanagement to what I call macro leadership, a style that empowers educators, builds trust, and ultimately creates more sustainable and effective educational environments.

Understanding Micromanagement in Educational Settings

An older man in a suit sits at a cluttered wooden desk, surrounded by towering stacks of books and paperwork, looking serious and overwhelmed.

What Drives Us to Micromanage?

Micromanagement rarely stems from a desire to control for control’s sake. Instead, it typically emerges from genuinely good intentions combined with underlying concerns, past experiences, or misconceptions about leadership. Understanding these root causes isn’t about making excuses, but rather about gaining the self-awareness necessary to change our behaviors. As educational leaders, we’re particularly susceptible to certain triggers that activate our micromanaging tendencies. Let’s examine these drivers with honesty and compassion for ourselves and our colleagues.

  • Fear of failure or mistakes – In education, stakes are high – we’re responsible for student outcomes, institutional reputation, and meeting various standards. This pressure can lead us to hover over our staff, checking every detail to prevent potential problems.
  • Past negative experiences – Perhaps you’ve delegated responsibility before, only to be disappointed with the results. These experiences create hesitation to trust others with important tasks.
  • Perfectionism – Many educational leaders have specific visions for how things should be done, based on years of experience and proven success. When others take different approaches, it can be difficult to resist the urge to intervene.
  • Transition challenges – Leaders who come from teaching roles may struggle to shift mindsets. The skills that made you an excellent classroom teacher (maintaining control, directing activities) don’t always translate to effective leadership of adults.
  • Accountability pressure – External accountability from school boards, parents, accreditation bodies, and governmental agencies creates pressure that can cascade down to micromanagement.
  • Skill gap perceptions – Sometimes micromanagement stems from a genuine belief that team members lack necessary skills or experience, leading to the feeling that close oversight is necessary.
  • Personal insecurity – Less acknowledged but equally powerful is how control can serve as a way to demonstrate value or expertise, particularly for new leaders establishing themselves.

The Hidden Costs of Micromanagement

Micromanagement extracts a steep price from educational institutions, often in ways that aren’t immediately visible on organizational charts or budget spreadsheets. When leaders hover too closely, staff morale plummets as skilled educators feel devalued and distrusted, frequently leading to increased turnover among your most talented team members. Simultaneously, micromanagement stunts professional growth by removing opportunities for teachers and administrators to develop critical thinking, decision-making abilities, and resilience through navigating challenges independently. The controlling leader isn’t immune either—constantly monitoring details across multiple projects inevitably leads to burnout and overwhelm as they become the bottleneck for every decision. Innovation suffers dramatically when staff learn that new ideas will be scrutinized, altered, or dismissed, eventually stopping the flow of creative solutions altogether. Perhaps most concerning for long-term institutional health is the dependency culture that emerges—team members gradually lose confidence in their abilities and stop taking initiative, waiting instead for explicit direction on even routine matters. Finally, there’s the simple mathematics of inefficiency: every moment a leader spends checking work that a capable team member could handle independently represents time not spent on strategic thinking, relationship building, and addressing truly leadership-level challenges.

The Benefits of Macro Leadership

A diverse group of professional women engaged in a business meeting, smiling and collaborating around a conference table with laptops, notebooks, and documents.

What is Macro Leadership?
 Macro leadership represents a fundamental shift from controlling processes to empowering outcomes. Unlike micromanagement, which focuses on closely directing and monitoring detailed activities, macro leadership operates at a higher level – setting clear vision, establishing guiding principles, and creating supportive frameworks that enable teams to execute with autonomy. It’s characterized by strategic guidance rather than tactical intervention, by coaching rather than commanding, and by measuring results rather than monitoring methods. Macro leaders provide the “what” and “why,” then trust their teams with the “how,” stepping in primarily for support, resource allocation, and barrier removal.

  • Scalable leadership impact – By focusing on the bigger picture, you can influence more areas of your institution rather than getting bogged down in details of a few.
  • Teacher and staff growth – When team members take on real responsibility, they develop new skills, confidence, and professional judgment.
  • Improved morale and engagement – Staff who feel trusted and valued experience higher job satisfaction and demonstrate greater commitment.
  • Culture of innovation – Freedom to solve problems independently cultivates creative solutions that might never emerge under tight control.
  • Sustainable leadership practices – Distributing responsibilities reduces leader burnout and creates more resilient organizations.
  • Effective succession planning – Macro leadership naturally creates a pipeline of capable future leaders who have had meaningful leadership experiences.
  • Focus on strategic priorities – When not consumed by day-to-day details, leaders can concentrate on vision, long-term goals, and systemic improvements.

Practical Steps for Making the Transition to Macro Leadership

A lone figure walks down a sunlit path surrounded by lush greenery, with golden rays of sunlight streaming through the trees.

Shifting from micromanagement to macro leadership doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a deliberate journey that requires self-awareness, courage, and persistent practice. The good news is that this transition follows predictable patterns, and educational leaders before you have successfully navigated this path. The strategies below represent both mindset shifts and practical techniques that work particularly well in educational environments. You don’t need to implement them all at once—in fact, gradual implementation often leads to more sustainable change. Choose one or two approaches that resonate with your current challenges, experiment with them, reflect on the results, and then incorporate additional strategies as your confidence grows. Remember that occasional regression is normal; what matters is your overall trajectory toward a more empowering leadership style.

Set Clear Expectations

  • Define outcomes and standards clearly while allowing flexibility in methods
  • Communicate your values and non-negotiables, but avoid prescribing exact procedures
  • Develop shared understanding of what success looks like

Implement Regular Check-In Structures

  • Replace constant oversight with structured touchpoints
  • Create balanced feedback systems that provide support without micromanaging
  • Use data dashboards and other tools to monitor progress without constant intervention

Practice Deliberate Restraint

  • When tempted to intervene, ask “Is this truly necessary or am I acting out of habit?”
  • Wait 24 hours before stepping in on non-urgent matters
  • Challenge yourself to delegate one new responsibility each month

Develop Robust Feedback Systems

  • Create channels for team members to share challenges before they become problems
  • Normalize “learning conversations” rather than only having “performance conversations”
  • Build psychologically safe environments where people can admit mistakes

Celebrate Autonomous Success

  • Publicly recognize successful independent work and problem-solving
  • Share stories of how staff initiative led to positive outcomes
  • Create forums where team members can showcase their innovations

Adjust Your Perfectionism Threshold

  • Distinguish between areas requiring excellence and those where adequate performance is sufficient
  • Accept that others’ methods may differ from yours while achieving similar results
  • Focus critique on outcomes rather than methodologies

Model Vulnerability and Learning

  • Share your own journey away from micromanagement
  • Admit when your instinct to control has been wrong
  • Ask for feedback on your leadership style and act on it

Create Accountability Structures

  • Help team members develop self-monitoring mechanisms
  • Teach others to evaluate their own work against agreed standards
  • Build peer feedback and collaboration systems

Provide Appropriate Resources

  • Ensure staff have what they need to succeed independently
  • Invest in professional development that builds capacity
  • Remove structural barriers to autonomous action

Start Small

  • Begin by delegating in low-risk areas to build your confidence
  • Identify “practice fields” where mistakes have minimal consequences
  • Gradually expand scope of delegation as trust builds

The journey from micromanagement to macro leadership isn’t easy, but it’s essential for creating vibrant, effective educational institutions. By understanding our own tendencies to micromanage, recognizing the benefits of a macro approach, and implementing practical strategies for change, we can transform our leadership style and empower our teams to achieve exceptional results.

Remember that this shift doesn’t happen overnight. Be patient with yourself and your team as you navigate this transformation. The rewards – in terms of team development, organizational health, and your own leadership satisfaction – are well worth the effort.

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Good TeachingSocial-Emotional Learning

Five Ways to Build Self-Esteem in K-12 Students

by Macee Hall
written by Macee Hall

Did you know that, according to one recent study, more than 60% of adolescents report having low self-esteem? Studies also show, however, that self-esteem and academic engagement are positively correlated, meaning that the classroom is a wonderful place to build self-esteem in K-12 students. 

Building self-worth and value starts at home, of course. But not every child has access to the emotional building blocks they need to thrive. That’s where K-12 educators come in. If you’re looking to develop your students’ self-esteem, whether you work with little learners or high school scholars, make sure to include these five action items in your classroom. 

1. Celebrate Achievements and Progress

When trying to build self-esteem in K-12 students, focus on recognizing and celebrating all achievements, no matter how small. This helps students develop a positive self-image and reinforces their belief in themselves. And while it’s important to celebrate successes, it’s equally as important to celebrate progress and growth. Try shifting the focus of your statements to positive self worth with phrases like, “Thank you for being such a hard worker,” or “I hope you’re proud of yourself for X,Y, and Z.”

2. Foster a Positive Classroom Environment

It’s no secret that self-esteem follows a sense of belonging. In fact, many students develop low self-esteem from feeling like an “other” in their social groups. To combat this, create a safe and inclusive classroom where students feel valued and supported. This environment will encourage participation, risk-taking, and self-expression, leading to a higher belief in oneself. Remember to ensure every student feels included and valued to enhance their sense of belonging.

3. Encourage Self-Expression and Personal Growth

Along with a sense of belonging, a strong sense of self is needed for students’ self-esteem to blossom. Provide ample opportunities for students to engage in activities that promote self-expression — like art, music, or sports — to help build their confidence. Encourage students to explore their interests and passions, which can help develop a sense of identity and self-worth.

4. Model Resilience and Positive Growth

Students, whether big or small, learn by watching the adults in their lives. So, act as a good role model and show how you’ve developed your self-esteem throughout your life! Share personal stories of overcoming challenges to demonstrate that setbacks are normal and can be overcome with persistence, or show students how to manage emotions and cope with stress through positive self-talk and relaxation techniques

5. Promote Self-Awareness and Reflection

The best way to build self-esteem in K-12 students is to teach them to self-reflect and help them develop a sense of self-awareness. Teach students to recognize their strengths and areas for growth through self-reflection and self-assessment by encouraging journaling and creative outlets for self-expression. This will help students develop a positive mindset and self-acceptance.

How do you help your students build their self-esteem? Let us know in the comments below!

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A vibrant, surreal illustration of a human brain exploding with splashes of blue and yellow paint, symbolizing creativity, innovation, and the fusion of art with science.
Classroom ActivitiesGood TeachingSTEM/STEAMTechnology Applications

Integrating Art into STEAM Lessons

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

In today’s rapidly evolving world, education is no longer just about teaching students what to learn—it’s about equipping them with the skills to think creatively, solve problems, and adapt to new challenges. This is where STEAM education comes in, blending the rigor of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) with the creativity and innovation of the Arts.

But why does art belong in this equation? Simply put, art transforms STEM into STEAM by fostering imagination, encouraging hands-on exploration, and helping students see connections between disciplines. For K-8 teachers, integrating art into STEAM isn’t just a way to make lessons more engaging—it’s a powerful tool to deepen understanding, spark curiosity, and prepare students for a future where creativity is as valuable as technical knowledge. In this post, we’ll explore practical strategies, inspiring ideas, and actionable tips to help you seamlessly weave art into your STEAM curriculum, creating a richer, more dynamic learning experience for your students.

Why Art Belongs in STEAM

A young girl in a futuristic, creative workspace builds a miniature city using gears and circuits, surrounded by glowing light bulbs, floating mechanical parts, and a DNA helix spiraling into the sky.

At first glance, art might seem like an outlier in the world of STEM. After all, what does painting or sculpture have to do with solving equations or building robots? The answer lies in the unique role art plays in fostering creativity and innovation—skills that are essential for success in any field. Art isn’t just about creating something beautiful; it’s about thinking differently, exploring possibilities, and expressing ideas in ways that words and numbers alone cannot.

When art is integrated into STEM, it transforms into STEAM, a holistic approach that encourages students to approach problems with both logic and imagination. For example, a science lesson on the water cycle becomes more engaging when students illustrate the process through drawings or create a 3D model. A math lesson on geometry comes alive when students design tessellations or build sculptures using geometric shapes. These activities don’t just make learning fun—they help students visualize abstract concepts, make connections between disciplines, and develop a deeper understanding of the material.

Research supports this approach, too. Studies have shown that students in STEAM programs often outperform their peers in traditional STEM programs, particularly in areas like critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving. By integrating art, we’re not just teaching students to be scientists or engineers—we’re teaching them to be innovators, creators, and lifelong learners. Art belongs in STEAM because it reminds us that creativity is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.

Key Principles: Integrate Art into STEAM

A visually structured "Educator Quick Start Guide for STEAM," outlining key principles for integrating art into STEM, a quick implementation framework, and key reminders for effective STEAM instruction

Integrating art into STEAM isn’t just about adding a splash of color to a science project or letting students doodle during math class. It’s about creating meaningful connections between disciplines, fostering creativity, and empowering students to think holistically. You can find these principles as well as other information neatly organized in our three-page Educator Quick Start Guide for STEAM. To successfully weave art into your STEAM curriculum, consider these key principles:

Authentic Problem-Solving: Connect STEAM activities to real-world challenges and applications that students can relate to. When art is integrated with STEM to address authentic problems—whether local environmental issues, community needs, or global challenges—students develop a deeper sense of purpose in their learning. For example, students might design artistic water conservation devices, create informative murals about local ecology, or build aesthetically pleasing adaptive technologies for people with disabilities. This approach helps students understand the real-world impact of their interdisciplinary skills, fosters empathy and social responsibility, and demonstrates how creative thinking combined with technical knowledge can make a meaningful difference in the world.

Interdisciplinary Approach: Art shouldn’t exist in a silo—it should naturally complement and enhance STEM subjects. For example, a lesson on ecosystems can include creating dioramas, while a unit on geometry can involve designing tessellations or building 3D models. By blending art with STEM, you help students see the interconnectedness of disciplines and encourage them to approach problems from multiple perspectives.

Hands-On Learning: STEAM thrives on active, project-based learning. Art integration is no exception. Whether it’s painting, sculpting, coding digital art, or designing prototypes, hands-on activities allow students to experiment, make mistakes, and learn through doing. These experiences not only deepen understanding but also make learning more memorable and engaging.

Student-Centered Design: Give students the freedom to express their creativity and take ownership of their learning. Instead of prescribing exactly how an art component should look, provide open-ended prompts that allow for individual interpretation. For instance, rather than asking students to draw a specific diagram, challenge them to create a visual representation of a concept in their own unique way. This fosters creativity and builds confidence.

Inclusivity: Art has the unique ability to engage learners of all abilities and backgrounds. It provides multiple entry points for students who may struggle with traditional STEM subjects, allowing them to showcase their strengths in new ways. For example, a student who finds math challenging might excel at creating a visual representation of a data set, while another might use storytelling to explain a scientific concept.

Reflection and Iteration: Incorporate opportunities for students to reflect on their creative process and iterate on their work. Ask questions like, “How did your artwork help you understand the concept?” or “What would you do differently next time?” This not only reinforces learning but also encourages a growth mindset, where mistakes are seen as opportunities for improvement.

By embracing these principles, you can create a STEAM environment where art isn’t just an add-on — it’s an integral part of the learning process. This approach not only enriches the curriculum but also prepares students to think creatively and critically in an increasingly complex world.

Practical Strategies for K-8 Classrooms

A vibrant classroom filled with young students engaged in hands-on STEAM activities, combining art, science, and technology. Children paint circuits, build models, and work with digital screens, while walls are adorned with colorful scientific diagrams and artwork.

Integrating art into STEAM doesn’t have to be overwhelming—it can start with small, intentional steps that make a big impact. Here are some practical, grade-level strategies to help K-8 teachers bring art into their STEAM lessons in meaningful ways:

Elementary (K-5)

At this stage, students are naturally curious and eager to explore concepts through hands-on experiences. They learn best through play, experimentation, and sensory engagement, making art an ideal medium for introducing STEM concepts in an enjoyable and accessible way. By integrating art into science, technology, engineering, and math lessons, students can visualize abstract ideas, manipulate materials to test their understanding, and develop problem-solving skills in a creative environment. Whether they are painting a diagram of the water cycle, building geometric sculptures, or designing patterns that demonstrate symmetry, these activities help them make connections across disciplines. Additionally, the open-ended nature of art encourages students to think critically, ask questions, and develop their own unique interpretations of STEM concepts. By fostering both analytical and creative thinking, art-integrated STEM learning not only deepens comprehension but also builds confidence in young learners as they explore and experiment in meaningful ways.

Science + Art: Have students illustrate scientific concepts, such as the life cycle of a butterfly or the layers of the Earth. For example, after learning about plant growth, students can create a step-by-step comic strip showing the process from seed to flower. Consider a “Weather Collages” activity where students use mixed media (paint, fabric, paper) to create collages that represent different types of weather.

Math + Art: Use art to teach mathematical concepts like symmetry, patterns, and geometry. Students can create symmetrical drawings, design tessellations, or build 3D shapes using clay or recycled materials. Try a “Fraction Art” activity where students divide a piece of paper into sections and decorate each section to represent different fractions.

Engineering + Art: Combine creativity with problem-solving by having students design and build structures, such as bridges or towers, using materials like popsicle sticks, straws, or LEGO bricks. Encourage them to decorate their creations, blending functionality with aesthetics. A “Marble Run Design” activity challenges students to design and decorate a marble run, experimenting with angles and slopes to make the marble travel as far as possible.

Middle School (6-8)

As students grow older, their ability to engage in more complex problem-solving and creative challenges increases, making art an even more powerful tool for STEM learning. Middle school students are often developing a stronger sense of independence and personal expression, which can be leveraged through projects that combine artistic design with real-world applications. At this stage, technology becomes a critical component, allowing students to explore digital art, animation, coding, and 3D modeling as ways to express their understanding of STEM principles. For example, they might use software to create interactive simulations of ecosystems, design architectural models that incorporate principles of physics and geometry, or develop infographics that visually represent data from a science experiment. These types of projects encourage students to think beyond traditional methods of learning by blending logic and creativity in ways that prepare them for future careers in STEAM fields. By integrating art with STEM, students not only develop critical problem-solving skills but also learn to approach challenges with innovation and adaptability, which are essential in today’s rapidly evolving world.

Technology + Art: Introduce digital tools like coding platforms (e.g., Scratch or Tinkercad) to create animations, digital art, or 3D models. For example, students can code an interactive story that explains a scientific concept or design a 3D-printed object that solves an engineering challenge. “Digital Storytelling” can be a powerful way to use coding to create an animated story about concepts like the water cycle or the solar system.

Engineering + Art: Challenge students to design and build functional prototypes, such as a wind turbine or a simple machine, while incorporating artistic elements like color, texture, and form. An “Eco-Friendly City Model” project allows students to design a sustainable city using recycled materials, incorporating both engineering principles and artistic design.

Math + Art: Explore the intersection of math and art through activities like creating fractals, designing geometric patterns, or using data visualization techniques to turn numbers into art. A “Data Art” project invites students to collect data (e.g., survey results or weather data) and create an infographic or visual representation of their findings.

Cross-Grade Opportunities

Collaborative Projects can pair older students with younger ones for mentorship opportunities, such as helping younger students design and build a STEAM project. Community Connections invite local artists or professionals to share how they use art and STEM in their work, inspiring students to see real-world applications. Creating a STEAM gallery or exhibition where students can display their projects celebrates the integration of art and STEM.

By incorporating these strategies, you can make STEAM lessons more dynamic, engaging, and accessible for all students. Whether it’s through hands-on projects, digital tools, or collaborative activities, art has the power to transform STEM into a truly interdisciplinary experience.

Example STEAM Activities

Rainbow Science (Grades K-2)

Objective: Students will learn about light and color mixing while creating rainbow art.

Description: Students use prisms or water to explore how light creates rainbows, then mix primary colors (red, yellow, blue) to paint or draw their own rainbows.

Assessment: Observe students’ ability to mix and identify secondary colors, and ask them to explain how rainbows form in their own words.

Extension for Gifted and Talented: Challenge students to create a “rainbow journal” documenting different light experiments (e.g., using flashlights, mirrors, or colored filters).

Bridge Building (Grades 3-5)

Objective: Students will design and build a bridge that balances strength and artistic design.

Description: Using materials like popsicle sticks, straws, or LEGO bricks, students construct a bridge that can hold weight while incorporating decorative elements like color, patterns, or themes.

Assessment: Test the bridge’s strength by adding weights (e.g., pennies or small objects), and evaluate the creativity and functionality of the design.

Extension for Gifted and Talented: Have students research famous bridges worldwide and incorporate architectural styles into their designs.

Coding Art (Grades 6-8)

Objective: Students will use coding to create an animated story or artwork that explains a STEM concept.

Description: Using platforms like Scratch, students code an interactive animation (e.g., the water cycle, solar system, or a math concept like fractions). They can add characters, dialogue, and sound effects to make their project engaging.

Assessment: Assess the accuracy of the STEM concept portrayed and evaluate the creativity and functionality of the code.

Extension for Gifted and Talented: Challenge students to create a more complex project, such as a game or simulation, and present it to the class.

Tips for Success

A glowing lightbulb with a bright filament, symbolizing creativity and innovation, against a dark background

Integrating art into STEAM can feel daunting at first, but with the right approach, it can become a seamless and rewarding part of your teaching practice. Here are some practical tips to help you succeed:

Start Small: Begin by integrating art into one subject or unit at a time. For example, add a drawing activity to a science lesson or incorporate a design challenge into a math project. Gradually expand as you and your students become more comfortable with the STEAM approach.

Collaborate with Art Teachers or Local Artists: Partner with your school’s art teacher to co-plan lessons or share resources. Invite local artists or professionals to visit your classroom and demonstrate how they use art and STEM in their work.

Use Readily Available Materials: You don’t need expensive supplies to integrate art into STEAM. Everyday items like paper, markers, clay, recycled materials, or digital tools can be just as effective. Get creative with what you already have in your classroom or school.

Encourage Student Reflection: After each STEAM activity, ask students to reflect on their process and learning. Questions like, “How did art help you understand the concept?” or “What was challenging, and how did you overcome it?” can deepen their understanding. Use journals, group discussions, or presentations as reflection tools.

Embrace Open-Ended Projects: Allow students to take ownership of their work by providing open-ended prompts rather than step-by-step instructions. For example, instead of saying, “Draw a plant cell,” ask, “How can you creatively represent the parts of a plant cell?” This encourages creativity and allows students to explore their unique ideas.

Celebrate and Showcase Student Work: Create a STEAM gallery or exhibition where students can display their projects. This not only boosts their confidence but also helps the school community see the value of integrating art into STEM. Use bulletin boards, digital portfolios, or school-wide events to showcase their creations.

Seek Professional Development: Attend workshops, webinars, or conferences focused on STEAM education. Many organizations, such as the National Art Education Association (NAEA) or local STEM/STEAM networks, offer resources and training for teachers. Join online communities or social media groups to share ideas and learn from other educators.

Be Patient and Flexible: Integrating art into STEAM is a learning process for both you and your students. It’s okay if things don’t go perfectly the first time—experiment, reflect, and adjust as needed. Celebrate small wins and use challenges as opportunities for growth.

Integrating art into STEAM isn’t just about making lessons more colorful or fun—it’s about unlocking the full potential of your students. By blending creativity with science, technology, engineering, and math, you’re helping students see the world in new ways, solve problems with innovative thinking, and express their ideas with confidence. Whether it’s through hands-on projects, digital tools, or collaborative activities, art has the power to transform STEM into a dynamic, interdisciplinary experience that prepares students for the challenges of the future.

As you begin your STEAM journey, remember to start small, embrace experimentation, and celebrate the unique ways your students bring art and STEM together. The results will not only enrich your classroom but also inspire a lifelong love of learning in your students. So, grab some paintbrushes, coding tools, or recycled materials, and let creativity take the lead—your STEAM adventure starts now!

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