T.G.I.F. Newsletter - Mistakes, Questions, and Thinking Too Much

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This is the 33rd T.G.I.F. Newsletter. This newsletter will always be free. Your support helps with site costs and provides some much-appreciated motivation. 🙏. You can keep me energized with a coffee ☕, or by using the button below. Thank You!

T.G.I.F. is a weekly newsletter featuring education news, and teaching, personal development, and professional learning resources.

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Hello Friends and T.G.I.F. 😁 Here are some things I thought were worth sharing this week.

The News

Here are some articles that grabbed my attention.

• I’ve made some of the mistakes on this list - 11 of the Biggest Classroom Management Mistakes and How to Fix Them. I think the best piece of advice is to not take everything personally. It’s important to assess each situation and act accordingly, but be careful not to personalize it.
• Asking students questions is one of the best ways to get to know them. Here’s a list of questions to choose from. When I ask students “What’s something that I should know that will help me be a better teacher for you?” I receive useful information.
• If you like statistics, this article is for you. This is a comprehensive data snapshot from the National Center for Education Statistics. It’s worth a scroll through.
• The New York Times has a free-to-use learning network. You’ll find teaching resources, quizzes, vocabulary, writing prompts contests, and challenges. It’s geared primarily toward middle and high school teachers. I enjoy the picture prompts.
• Most teachers have the Think-Pair-Share technique in their toolkits. The article “Getting the “Think-Pair-Share” Technique Right” is a great refresher. There’s even an added tip that includes using a dry-erase board.

Growth

Personal Development and Wellness Resources

• When the school year begins, stress levels increase. It turns out recovery is a skill. It’s possible to get better at it with practice. Part of the challenge is to figure out what works for you. It’s different for everyone. Here are some tips.
• Many people struggle to find the time to read. The act of reading, regardless of what it is, has been found to promote longevity. There are other cognitive benefits as well. Some of the research suggests it also increases empathy.
• Maybe it's time to stop thinking so much.

Inspiration

Here is a quote I’ve been revisiting this week:

“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.” -Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night*

Favorite Things

• 🏖 Long Weekends - This first week back to school was only three days, but it felt like six. I’m looking forward to a long weekend to organize things and prepare for the first full week.
• 📓 Notion - This is a great note-taking and life-organizing tool. Each week I use it to collect my thoughts, draft this newsletter, and save links to articles I want to revisit later.  There's so much more to it. I've just been scratching the surface.

Thank you again for reading this week. Have a fantastic weekend!