Teach 4 the Heart

In this episode, we examine the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset and discuss why a growth mindset is so important. We then explore a simple 6-step framework you can use with your students to help them change their thoughts about challenging situations. Get the growth mindset worksheet (as well as links & notes) at www.teach4theheart.com/growthmindset.

We teachers are no strangers to conflict - but it's even more challenging when it's with those who should be on the same team (parents, fellow teachers, administrators, etc.) Join us as we discuss how to resolve this conflict & even use it to produce more meaningful relationships. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/conflict. ____________________________________________ How to Resolve Conflict in Your School We teachers are certainly no strangers to conflict. Sometimes it feels like we're more a ref than a teacher. Helping kids navigate their conflicts can be challenging, but it can also be one of the most rewarding aspects of the job. But the kids' conflicts are not the only ones we deal with. We sure are in the middle of a lot of conflict ourselves, aren't we? Who of us hasn't been chewed out by a parent, criticized by a student, or butted heads with an administrator? And these personal conflicts are often even more difficult and frustrating because they are just that - personal. ​ ​ Regardless of where the conflict is coming from, one of the biggest keys to handling it well is to think win-win. The concept of thinking win-win is nothing new, but it sure can be revolutionary in a classroom. Stephen Covey talks about it extensively in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, but I started understanding the concept in a faculty meeting. (Yes, some good things can come of faculty meetings I t took some time to really understand how to think win-win and how to flesh out that thinking in the classroom, and it's still definitely a work in progress. Too many times I forget about thinking win-win altogether. But, wow, when I do, it sure does make a difference! So how exactly do you think win-win in your classroom? Well, I'm glad you asked. (Come to think of it, these ideas work pretty much anywhere.) How to Resolve Conflict by Thinking Win-Win 1. Realize you are all on the same team. Teachers, parents, students, and administrators - we are all on the same team. It may not feel like it at times (okay, it definitely doesn't feel like it at times), but we are. We have a common goal: we want the students to learn, grow, and succeed. Before we can resolve our conflicts, we have to realize this concept for ourselves. It's not us versus administrator or us versus a parent or us versus student. We all want the same thing at heart. We are on the same team. 2. Treat others like you are all on the same team. Knowing you're on the same team isn't enough. You have to translate this into your actions & actually treat that parent who's criticizing you like you are on the same team (now here's the hard part) even when - especially when - they don't act like it. When someone else is making it a them-versus-you situation, take a minute to give some perspective. Remind them that you are on the same team, that you have the same goals, and that you want to work together to find a solution. This disarming approach can open the door to a conversation that is actually productive, not destructive. 3. Don't get defensive. I know our first inclination is to defend ourselves, but this is not the best approach. Instead, start by trying to genuinely understand the other person's concern. In order to have a win-win, you have to first understand what the administrator/parent/teacher/student truly wants. Then, and only then, can you explain your reasoning and find a solution that will benefit all. (This is also the only way to figure out if it is all a big misunderstanding.) 4. Find the real issue beneath the surface problem. Often the real issue is not the one that's brought to our attention. The real problem is something deeper - something that's making this issue seem much bigger than it is. I remember one student-student issue where one girl was upset with her friend for taking her pencil. That seemed incredibly stupid, but when we talked about it, there was a deeper issue. I can't remember all the details of this particular 7th-grade drama, but the friend had said or done something quite hurtful earlier in the week, and that was the true cause of the contention. It just manifested itself with a pencil theft. To resolve conflict, we must find the problem beneath the problem. Otherwise, we're just putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. ​ Click to Tweet 5. Look for creative solutions. If you've followed the steps above, often the conflict seems to work itself out. But sometimes, a solution still seems elusive. In this case, it's time to get creative. Think outside the box to discover a solution that will be the best for everyone involved. Invite the other person to suggest ideas, seek advice from someone wise, and spend time in prayer seeking God's wisdom. 6. Speak the truth in love. Throughout your conversations, speak the truth in love. Both parts are equally important. Speak the truth - be open and honest, and say the hard things that need to be said. But speak them in love. Kindness and understanding will go a long way. Whe

Is the start of class a bit hectic? In this episode, we discuss practical tips to get your class started without all the chaos. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/startclass Get the free classroom management minicourse at www.teach4theheart.com/minicourse _____________________________________________ How to Start Class Without the Chaos When I first started teaching there was only one word to describe the start of class – chaos. I remember standing in front of my class as the bell rang wondering how on earth I was going to get their attention. With half the class talking, 5 kids walking around the room, and 2 more coming in late, it seemed hopeless. But it actually wasn't as tough as I thought. There were just a few key things I was missing. So whether your class is pretty much out of control or if it could just use a little fine tuning, here are some things I've learned about the start of class. How to Start Class Effectively 1. Have an assignment posted. If you're not starting class with some type of assignment, you've got to try it. A start-of-class assignment truly makes such a huge difference because it gives your students something productive to do while you complete all of your administrative tasks such as taking attendance. Have a consistent place in your room where you always post the assignment. Not sure what to use as your assignment? Keep reading - we'll give some tips for what makes a good start-of-class assignment in just a minute. 2. Teach your students to start the assignment without prompting from you. Now, this is where I went wrong. I had an assignment, but if students don't start working on it, then it's not going to do you any good. You have to train your students to sit down and get started without your having to say anything. If you're not even in the room they should automatically go to their seats and get started on the assignment before the bell even rings. And, no, it's truly not impossible.. But it doesn't happen by accident. You have to be intentional about training them to do this. Check out my post "How to Teach Procedures that Your Students Will Actually Follow" for specific directions on how to make it happen. 3. Have a plan for what you'll do if students aren't on task when the bell rings. At first, you're going to have to train your students to get right to work so that they're already busy when the bell rings. But after the class has learned the procedure, you'll need a plan for what to do when a few students (or occasionally half the class) are still talking or disruptive after the bell. You can read the plan I finally came up with here. What Makes a Good Start-of-Class Assignment? The most important thing is that the start-of-class assignment should need no explanation. I know, I know – there's always a kid who wants an explanation. But it should be simple enough that you don't feel guilty saying, "You need to read the directions and figure it out for yourself." It could be some review questions from the textbook, a journal prompt written on the board, or a separate worksheet with a quick exercise. Simply ask yourself, "What do my students need more practice/help with?" and then come up with a short activity that will help them master that skill. Keep in mind that you can use the same activity for more than one day and just give them 3-5 minutes at the start of each class to work on it. If you're not sure what would work best for your class, ask a fellow teacher at your school or in our Facebook discussion group. If you happen to teach middle school math, you can grab a set of the practice exercises I used here. Need more help corralling classroom chaos? Start our free classroom management minicourse & regain control of your classroom in just 3 days. Start the minicourse.

No matter where we teach, we should be striving to show Christ to our students. Here's 10 ways we can do that each day. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/showChrist. Join the prayer challenge: www.teach4theheart.com/prayerchallenge. __________________________________________________________ 10 Ways to Show Christ to Our Students If you're a Christian teacher, it shouldn't matter where you teach. Our goal should be the same - to show Christ to our students. Some of us can be more open and apparent, but all of us can and should be intentional about showing Christ and His love in every way we can. When I think about sharing Christ, the first thing that pops into my head is talking about Him. And while we should certainly take advantage of every opportunity we get to talk about God & His truths, just talking about Him isn't enough. Our students need to see Christ in us. We need to showthem who He is. And that's something every one of us can do - no matter where we teach. I wish I could say I'm always a perfect model, but I'm not. None of us are. But with God's help we can continue to grow closer - in our personal walk, in our testimony, and in our portrayal of Him. Let's look at a few ways, in particular, that we can model Christ in our classrooms. How to Model Christ in Our Classrooms Love our students. God is love, and if we want to show Him to our students, we must also love them - all of them. Even the one that's driving us crazy. And it's not enough to just say we love them. We need to show them that we love them. We discuss how in my post "How to Show Real Love to the Kids (Even When They're Not Acting Lovable)." Be kind and understanding. When we're mean or grumpy, we turn students off and are a poor model of the Savior we serve. We must be kind and understanding of our students' struggles. This doesn't mean that we are a pushover. But we can be kind and firm at the same time. And, in fact, we must be. Care more about our students than our policies. Too often we get so entrenched in our policies that we miss the point - that we're here to help our students grow. Sometimes a student needs some mercy. Sometimes we shouldn't be fair. Sometimes what's best for a student doesn't line up perfectly with our plan. In these cases, we must pray for wisdom and remember that the growth and maturity of our students is our main goal. Have high expectations and hold students to them. Caring more about our students than our policies in no case means we should start letting everything go. On the contrary, we must have high expectations. And we must hold students to them. If we're pushovers or wishy-washy, we are a poor example of Christ's authority and leadership. Value integrity. Our society today has little value for integrity, yet we all respect it when we see it. Model integrity in your own life and expect it of your students. Teach them what it looks like, and put forth the effort to help them develop it. Counsel students; don't just hand out punishments. I know that in a busy day, it's much easier to just hand out a detention and be done with it. But if this is all we ever do, we're not going to make much of an impact on our students. We need to take the time to counsel them - whether it's about their behavior in our class or an interpersonal dispute or a tough situation they're facing. Be approachable and show them that you're there to help them grow. (Check out the post "How to Counsel a Student" for more insight.) Let His truths permeate your conversations and lessons. God's truths should be such a part of us that we can't help but speak them in our daily conversations and in our lessons. And lest those of you in public schools think this doesn't apply to you, realize that God's truths are universal. Our students need to hear them, even if they can't be told straight out that they come from the Bible. Check out this post here for details about what is legally allowed in public schools. Model Christlike living. Our lives should portray Christ, and our conduct should be an example. The Spirit should be evidencing His fruit - love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. And our lives should be marked by integrity and purity. We would never want our sin to be a stumbling block for our students. Be humble. Servant leadership is a powerful example of Christ and will draw students to Him. When we can set aside our pride, admit our mistakes, and not be easily offended, our students will see a very real difference. Be real. Above all else, we have to be real. Genuine. Ourselves. Students can sense hypocrisy a mile away, and it will turn them off faster than anything. We are not perfect. And we don't always have it all together. When we're authentic about our own struggles, we show them that our faith is real and model how God can work in us to change us and mold us into His image. Take our 21-day prayer challenge! Unleash the power of prayer on your students and school. Simpl

Are you nervous, even anxious, about the coming school year? Join us as Trish Lott shares lessons she learned through her "nightmare year of terror" - specifically, how to overcome back-to-school anxiety. Download your free Who I Am in Christ Biblical Affirmations at www.teach4theheart.com/backtoschoolanxiety. Join our free prayer challenge at www.teach4theheart.com/prayerchallenge. Find out more about CEAI at www.teach4theheart.com/insurance. _____________________________________________________ When God wants to stretch me, He doesn't consult me because if things were left up to me, my life would always be comfortable. After completing my second year of inner-city teaching, urban education seemed way too challenging, so I applied to teach at a private Christian school because I thought it would be my dream job and let's be honest more "comfortable". The truth is, I have spent most of my life seeking comfort while avoiding my long list of fears: you know, fear of embarrassment, fear of failure, and fear of not being liked just to name a few. During my 3rd year in the classroom every one of my worst teaching fears came true. My anxiety was so consuming that I wanted to give up nearly every day, but I couldn't run this time. I was forced to face my fears. Thankfully, the Lord met me in that dark place, and I have never been the same. As the school year begins, you may be battling feelings of inadequacy, fear and even dread, but I hope that my story and the lessons I learned will encourage you to push past fear and trust God like never before! Let me tell you about the season I have nicknamed… "My Nightmare Year of Fear!" My Nightmare Year of Fear Within the first 3 weeks of school, the principal's son started a petition to get me fired and a third of the 8th grade class signed it before the boy felt bad and stopped. I found out months later, but the damage was already done. Another teacher's son spread a vicious lie to the parents accusing me of looking at inappropriate materials on the internet and cursing in class. The parents believed it and never checked with me. I found out by accident and was completely broken hearted. Before Christmas break, I found out that my students created awful memes making fun of me and spread them throughout the school via social media. I was crushed to know that I was a joke to my students. Hoping to build relationships, I shared my testimony with a few of my classes only to have some of the students invent graphic details that I never said and once again enrage the parents based on lies. I felt helpless in my attempts to build relationships. The students were incredibly intimidating and challenged me publically day in and day out! It seemed that their favorite game was "test the teacher!" Every "trick" I had learned up to this point just didn't seem to work on these kids. Each day felt like I was auditioning for my right to be a teacher at their school, and the "judges" were not nice. I had students that were actually looking for me to make mistakes, so that they could tell their parents. When I didn't mess up they would make things up. Many parents treated me cruelly—when they bothered to talk to me at all—and I cried myself to sleep most nights only to face more tears in the morning. Sadly, I could go on and on about how I was lied about, made fun of, verbally attacked and intimidated by parents and students for a whole year while the administration did nothing but blame me. The good news is God does not waste pain! The Lord taught me some powerful lessons during that difficult year. Sometimes as a teacher your worst fears do come true, but with God's grace you will make it through stronger, wiser and more skilled! Lessons I Learned During my Nightmare Year of Fear 1. Don't be intimidated by anyone because God is your defender and your protector! A teacher's world is filled with potentially intimidating people and situations. Yet Proverbs 29:25 says, "Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety." Normally we fear people because of what we think they can do to us. The fears can range from the fear of being mocked to the fear of being fired. During my Nightmare Year of Fear, it seemed like intimidation was lurking around every corner. Parents. Terrified. Me. Some parents would send scathing two page emails at the drop of a hat. Other parents would skip right over speaking with me and go straight to the principal or even higher before I had a hint that anyone was upset. A few parents ripped me to shreds face to face. Since students were constantly lying about me for fun, I was never sure which parents were mad at me, and I didn't know if the stories they were told were even true. My school's administration wouldn't tell me about most of the complaints, but I constantly found out in odd little ways. (I believe God exposed plots against me time after time.) I really had to battle fear of the future because I feared that lying kids, gossiping parents a

Starting at a new school can be intimidating and present a unique set of challenges. But with a little effort, administrators and teachers can make the transition a whole lot easier. Join us as we discuss 8 ways administrators and teachers can help support new teachers at their school. Pass along this episode to your principal: www.teach4theheart.com/support ___________________________________ Find out more about CEAI: www.teach4theheart.com/insurance

The first day of school sets the tone for the whole year. Here are 10 things to avoid on the first day of school. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/firstday Get the free classroom management minicourse at www.teach4theheart.com/minicourse __________________________________________________ What NOT to Do the First Day of School The bell rings and the students come pouring in to the first day of school. Excitement and a bit of chaos fill the air as well as some nervous anticipation – not just from the students but also from the teachers. Yes, the first day of school is extremely exciting, but those first few hours with your students are also critically important. In fact, they can actually make or break the entire school year. 10 Things Not to Do on the First Day of School Let the little things go. The biggest mistake I made during my first year of teaching was letting little things go. A little talking here, a student with their head down there – no biggie, right? Wrong. When we let the little things go, we give our students the impression that we either don't notice or don't care about their behavior. And the problem is that those little things won't stay little; they'll quickly escalate to full-blown problems. The answer? Simply address the small things with a simple statement such as "Greg, please sit up. Thank you." Check out my post "The Tiny Mistake that Could Ruin Your Whole Year" for more details on this topic. Lay down the law. My personality doesn't lean this direction, but I've seen teachers, in an attempt to avoid letting the little things go, take the opposite extreme. They decide they need to lay down the law and show the kids who's boss. So they jump on any small infraction and whack the kids with the biggest punishment possible to show them that they will not tolerate misbehavior. This isn't a wise approach either. Yes, you need to address the little things, but often all that's needed is a verbal correction. And if consequences are in order, give appropriate ones; don't inflate them just to scare the students. Check out my posts "Should Teachers Lay Down the Law?" for more thoughts about this. Make it a "fun day." Okay, yes, the first day of school should be kind of fun and exciting. But you shouldn't intentionally make it a "fun day" or a "party day." If you do, you are setting a very bad precedent and are just asking for your students to be out of control. Instead, start off the school year as structured as possible. Then, once the students are used to structure you should be able to add in some fun activities without losing control. Go over all your procedures. Please don't torture your students by spending the whole class going over a sheet that contains all your procedures. This is so boring, and it's probably also what every other teacher is doing. Yes, you absolutely need to teach your procedures, but you should teach them as they come up, not all at once on the first day. And if you have procedures written on a handout, just let your students read them for homework. (p.s. if you're wondering how to teach procedures, check out my posts "How to Teach Procedures that Your Students Will Actually Follow.") Spend more than 30 seconds talking about fire drills. Okay, if you teach elementary you might be justified in taking more like 2-5 minutes. But for middle school and high school, please don't. Just don't. These poor students are hearing about fire drills in every class, and it's not like they've never done one before. Furthermore, it's not as if they're going to remember exactly which direction they're supposed to leave the building in each of their 8 classes. Instead, go over fire drill procedures as quickly as possible. Then later in the week you can go over them in more detail when the students' brains aren't being overloaded with procedures. Dress down. Even if you typically dress somewhat casually, the first day of school is not the time to dress down. Your students only get one first impression of you, so the first day of school is the time to pull out the most professional outfit you have. Check out the posts "Do Teachers Really Need to Dress Professionally?" and "How to Dress Professionally on a Teachers' Income" for more thoughts on when dressing professionally actually matters and how to do it on a budget. Just wing it. If you try to wing the first day of school you will probably survive it just fine, but you're also wasting an incredible opportunity to start the year off right. Instead, plan every minute so that you are prepared, confident, and organized. The best way to start class is to have some type of simple assignment ready for the students as they enter the class. This will keep them occupied while you deal with the inevitable confusions of the first few moments of class. Let students choose their own seats. Even if you plan to allow students to choose their own seats at some point in the future, you still want to assign seats on the first day. Why? First, be

The first week of school can make or break your entire year. Start off right, and it's (relatively) smooth sailing. But if you make some of these common mistakes, you'll pay for it all year long. Listen as we discuss 5 common back-to-school mistakes - and how to avoid them. Notes & links: www.teach4theheart.com/mistakes Other Links: Classroom Management 101: www.teach4theheart.com/cm101 Classroom Procedure that Will Save Your Sanity How to Teach Procedures that Your Students Will Actually Follow Christian Educators' Association International (professional liability insurance & more): www.teach4theheart.com/insurance

Classroom management is possibly the most challenging aspect of teaching today. But you don't have to end up with a disaster on your hands! Join guest teacher Latrisha Lott as she shares 4 simple steps she's learned to help prevent classroom management disaster. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/disaster Join our free Back-to-School Classroom Management Solutions live training at www.teach4theheart.com/backtoschooltraining _______________________________________________________ It can feel like you're navigating a maze blindfolded while carrying a 100-pound backpack and getting hit with paintball pellets (Ouch!). I'm talking about classroom management - one the most challenging aspects of teaching today. I don't know about you, but I don't think my teaching program did a fair job of letting me know what I would be facing as a teacher. Textbooks and teacher preparation classes painted a picture of compliant, well-behaved students who couldn't wait to learn. This may have been the experience of teachers 75 years ago, but it sure hasn't been my experience or the experience of ANY teacher I know that is currently in the classroom. I think it is time we be honest. Now I am not saying you can't get your students to that place, but in my experience, a peaceful, focused on-task, classroom, filled with quality learning requires hard work and EXCELLENT classroom management that is applied with godly wisdom. Let's face the facts. Society has changed. Students have changed. Parents have changed. uh, oh! Sadly, teachers don't always have the trust and respect of those they serve, and as the morals and values of a society implode, public servants like teachers are often left to clean up the mess. It is not your imagination. A huge number of young people are more disrespectful and rebellious than ever before. Parents often want to excuse their kid's wrong-doing and blame you! Administrators are often pressured to avoid disciplining students, so they might place those pressures on you. The workload is heavier than ever. You're not alone in these observations. Teaching. Is. Hard. I have taught in a charter school, a private Christian school and a public school. I have taught primary and secondary school. I have taught students of millionaires and students that did not know if they would have dinner each night. The classroom management challenges have been very similar in each situation. But there is hope! If you are in the classroom now, you have a reason to believe that God has called you to be a teacher for such a time as this. Students need godly teachers more than ever (in Christian schools and public schools), and He has called YOU! You can be a better classroom manager. You can build more trust with students, parents, and administrators. You can touch and even transform lives. However, there are some pesky roadblocks you may encounter, and it takes wisdom to avoid crashing into them! The roadblocks are often both internal and external depending on your circumstances and environment, but being prepared for them will help your year run smoother and save you lots of time, energy and potential conflicts down the road. Here are 4 simple steps I learned the hard way that will help you avoid classroom management disaster! 4 Simple Steps to Prevent Classroom Management Disaster 1. Don't let students manipulate you with their emotions. Have you had a student start bawling when you gave them a detention? Have you experienced a student's explosive anger when they don't get to go to recess? Ever have a student protest vehemently that they should have been the student of the week and that you always pick the same kids for everything—hurtfully accusing you of showing favoritism? When you give consequences or withhold rewards as a part of your classroom management plan, you will likely encounter pushback intended to cause you to feel guilty, second guess yourself or give in to the student's demands. And this problem can be compounded when students band together against you. Second guessing and giving in to demands are big mistakes, though, because students will realize they can turn on the waterworks, throw tantrums, or rope you into an emotional debate and control you through the sheer force of their feelings. Many times the student's emotions are genuine, but often times students will play up their emotions to see what you will do. The trick is to remain calm and stick to your consequences and rewards. Once your students see that you will remain calm, resolute, and unshaken in the midst of the storm of their emotions, students will typically try those tactics less and less. Use prayerful discernment to decide whether or not to console students in the moment or acknowledge their wounded feelings, but don't by any means let their hurt or upset feelings change your pre-determined set of consequences or rewards. Of course, there are rare circumstances where you truly feel led to cut the student a break or give them another c

Getting your room ready for the school year can be extremely exciting. It's also a whole lot of work. There are books to prepare, desks to arrange, decorations to create……The list seems never-ending. What we really need to focus on, though, is functionality. Yes, it's great if our rooms are cute and fun, but it's more important that we be strategic in how we set things up so that we can maximize our efficiency. In this episode, we examine 9 practical ways to set up your classroom to save time & help your students learn. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/settingup. 9 Areas to Include When Setting Up Your Room A station for you. You need a place somewhere in the front of the room to stash all those supplies that you need to have handy while teaching. If your desk is at the front, that could work. But if it's in the back, you need a secondary station to keep your notes, pen, etc. In/out bins. If you don't use in/out bins in your room, adding these can save a lot of time. I have one large in bin for group work. (After students pass in their papers, the last student paperclips them and puts them right in my in bin.) I then have separate in bins for each class for students to turn in late work or absent work - anything that's individual and not with the group piles. Finally, I have out bins for each class, and these save the most time. Instead of standing in front of class wasting time passing out papers, assign a student to pass them out for you. They simply go to their class's out bin, grab whatever's in there, and start passing them out. Sample tests. Post a sample test and/or quiz (one for each subject if possible) in your room so that students can get a basic idea of how you will be testing them. Of course this sample shouldn't include the real test questions, but it should give them an idea of the length, style, etc. This can help allay the fears of students who experience anxiety over testing. (This fantastic idea is from The First Days of School.) Post your classes on the door. If you have a self-contained classroom, this is as simple as posting your name and the grade level you teach. But if you teach multiple groups/classes, posting them outside the door will help students know that they are in the right place. Absent folders. Have a system for getting absent work to students. A simple but efficient system is to give a student in each class the responsibility of recording what you do in class. This form then goes in the absent folder so that returning students can easily see what they missed. Get an editable copy of the absence form here. Decor. If you enjoy decorating your room to the nines and you have time, then go for it. But if you're getting overwhelmed (or it's just not in your wheelhouse), all you need to do is create a warm learning environment for your students. The easiest way is to simply put up motivational or instructional posters (like these) throughout your room. To-do lists. No, not for you - for your students. Post lists such as what they should do at the start of class and what they should do if they finish an assignment early. A place to post start-of-class assignments. If your'e wondering why a start-of-class assignment is so crucial, take a minute to read this post. But you also can't forget about having a place to post it - something consistent so it's in the same place every day and students know where to find it. Oh and if you teach middle school math, you're in luck. Grab a set of middle school bellringers for free here. A place to post homework. Have a consistent place that students can find their homework assignments. I found it extremely effective to create a poster board for each class that included the class name and then had a spot for each day of the week. I would then laminate these boards and put them up along one wall. I could then use a wet-erase marker to write the week's assignments and upcoming tests/quizzes. A spray bottle of water and paper towels easily cleaned them at the end of each week. Get more tips & resources here.

Did you spend this past year stuck in the crazy cycle - overwhelmed, exhausted, and never able to quite get caught up? Join us as we speak with Elizabeth Chapman, a high school English teacher and mom who knows first-hand just how crazy teaching can be. We discuss why balance is worth fighting for & practical steps you can take right now to do just that. Get the notes at www.teach4theheart.com/crazy. Links mentioned: FREE balance training event: www.teach4theheart.com/balancetraining Angela Watson's 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club: www.teach4theheart.com/40hourteacher

Summer is a time to rest and refresh - but also to grow both professionally & personally. Join us as discuss 10 ways to grow as a teacher this summer. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/grow. Join one of our summer events at www.teach4theheart.com/events. Other links: Create Your Dream Classroom: www.teach4theheart.com/dreamclassroom Classroom Management 101: http://academy.teach4theheart.com/p/classroom-management-101 Teach Uplifted: www.teachuplifted.com

Did you spend the last few months longing for the summer so you could get a break from your teacher anxiety? Are you already dreading those back-to-school signs that will bring it all back in full-force? Whether you struggle directly with anxiety as a teacher or would simply label it "stress", this episode will help you examine the true root of these feelings - and how to teach without anxiety. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/anxiety Join Teach Uplifted or our free live training at www.teachuplifted.com

What should you focus on RIGHT NOW to best grow as a teacher? A seemingly simple question but one that's not always easy to answer. With so many questions bouncing around in your head & so many challenges on your plate, it can be hard to figure out what to focus on next. That's why we've developed the Teacher Success Roadmap. Get all the links at www.teach4theheart.com/roadmap. ______________________________________________ The Teacher Success Roadmap This roadmap is meant as a guide – a clear path towards success that will show you step-by-step what areas you need to focus on as you seek to grow as a teacher. As well as the resources you need in each area. These steps are sequential. So take a look at each one in order. If you believe you're doing pretty well with the first step, move on to the next – until you get to an area where you know there's room to grow. And that – right there – is the perfect spot to focus next. Don't worry too much about the rest of the roadmap. Just take the next step. Once you've mastered that, you can come back and continue on the road to success. Step 1 | Walk with God Experience the power of a vibrant relationship with God as you spend time with Him and talk with Him throughout the day. If you try to teach in your own strength, you may be a great teacher – you may even make a difference in your students' lives. But you won't have a fraction of the impact that you could have if God is working through you. That's why we must value our relationship with Him and make it a priority. We must realize that spending time with Him and talking to Him throughout the day is the most important work we can do – way more important than our never-ending to-do list. If you haven't yet developed the habit of spending time with God each day, then that's where you should start. Here's some great resources that can help you get started: Summer Bible study for teachers: Grace Changes Everything with Bonnie Kathryn Hunter FREE daily devotionals: Our Daily Bread And if you don't know God personally, I encourage you to start with this article here: How (and why) to Have a Relationship with God Step 2 | Manage your classroom Create a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. It's tough to teach when your students aren't listening. That's why great classroom management is key to any successful classroom. Think of it as the foundation - it's not really exciting, and it's not the most fun piece of the house to work on, but without it, everything else you build will eventually come crashing down. If you're struggling with classroom management, this isn't something you can just ignore and hope it gets better. You have to make changes. You have to figure this out. The good news? We're here to help! Free resources to get you started: Top Recommendation: Classroom Management MiniCourse: 3 Days to Regain Control Listen: Season 1 of the Teach 4 the Heart Podcast: Classroom Management Read: Classroom management articles Go straight to the all-in-one solution: Join Classroom Management 101 Step 3 | Plan & execute effective lessons Structure your lessons so your students truly understand and master key skills. Are your students struggling in your class? Are you seeing way too many D's and F's and getting way too many confused looks? Our default reaction is to blame the students for not trying, but the hard truth is that sometimes we're not doing the best job explaining the concepts in a way students can actually understand. We owe it to our students to be continually improving our teaching methods – always looking for better ways to create more of those lightbulb moments. Need help planning & teaching effective lessons? Read: Blog posts on teaching effectively Cult of Pedagogy instructional articles (My friend Jennifer Gonzalez at Cult of Pedagogy has a wealth of helpful advice on how to teach effectively. Please be aware, however, that her advice is NOT from a Biblical perspective – so use discernment as you decide what strategies to adapt for your classroom.) Step 4 | Find balance Don't let teaching take over your life. Find balance by learning to teach in a way that is actually sustainable. Are you overwhelmed by your workload, stressed by your mile-long to-do list? You can't let teaching take over your life or you're headed straight for burn-out. Or, at the least, I'm-so-tired-and-stressed-I-can't-think-straight-ville. Neither of which make you a very effective teacher. The good news is that it IS possible to be an amazing teacher without working 24/7. But to achieve balance you must make it a priority and seek out creative solutions. Which we'd love to help you with 🙂 Free resources to get you started: Watch: 5 Summer Secrets to a Stress-Free Fall by Angela Watson Watch: Teaching with Balance Video Series Listen: Season 2 of the Teach 4 the Heart Podcast: Balance & Time-Management Go straight to the all-in-one solution: Join Angela Watson's 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club (accepting new members at t

Do you dread tackling that ever-growing stack of essays? Does it take you forever and a day to get through them? In this episode, we give a simple & easy way to grade writing quickly - while still giving valuable feedback to students. Get notes, links & a sample grading form at www.teach4theheart.com/gradequickly

You're tired, exhausted, wondering if you can make it to the summer. But what if instead of counting down the days, you could make these last days count!? Join us as we discuss 6 tips to finish the school year strong. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/finishstrong

Students LOVE review games, but when we can't afford to spend more time on the game than we do on the review. Fortunately, you can play a fun review game without taking time away from the actual review. Join us as we discuss 7 review games that won't waste your time. Get links & written explanations at www.teach4theheart.com/reviewgames

Ever think about flipping your classroom but not really know where to start? Join us as we answer all your most questions about how to flip your classroom - and why you (and your students) will love doing so. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/flip. Find out more about MathLight at www.mymathlight.com.

Blank stares, confused looks, bombed tests - these are all signs that your students just aren't understanding what you're teaching them. Join us as we discuss practical tips to help your students understand concepts that they're confused about. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/understand

If you're thinking seriously about quitting teaching, you owe it to yourself, your students, and your families to make the right decision. In this episode, we discuss 6 key questions to ask yourself when you're considering quitting teaching. Get links & notes at www.teach4theheart.com/quitteaching.

Ever suspect a student of something but you're just not sure? Maybe you think they cheated - or that they're lying to you. But how can you proceed when you don't know for sure what happened? In this episode, you'll discover a simple solution for those times you suspect a student but just aren't sure what happened. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/suspect. Find out more about Classroom Management 101 at www.teach4theheart.com/cm101.

Are you struggling with classroom management? Is your class (just a little) out of control? If so, you won't want to miss these 10 classroom management changes you should make right now. (Yes, even if it's the end of the school year.) Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/10changes. Sign up for our free live training at www.teach4theheart.com/training.

Dressing professionally can make a big difference in how your students perceive and respect you - especially if you are a younger teacher or if your students are older. But how do you dress professionally on a limited teacher's income? That's what we're discussing in today's episode. Get notes & links and see pictures of cute professional outfits at www.teach4theheart.com/dress.

A student's failing your class - what on earth do you do? Don't panic, don't take it personally, but don't throw your hands up in the air either. Here are 9 practical ways you can help a failing student. Get notes & additional resources at www.teach4theheart.com/failingstudent

Do you ever feel like you're alone as a teacher? Like you're facing all these challenges and there's just no one there to help you figure it all out? In this episode, you'll learn how to connect with like-minded teachers who can encourage, support, and advise you. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/alone. Find out more about Teach Uplifted at www.teachuplifted.com.

If you're feeling overwhelmed and discouraged, surrounded by negativity, then this episode is for you. Join us as we discuss 8 reasons you might be feeling discouraged as a teacher - and how to overcome them. Join the free 3-day challenge for Christian teachers: Renew Your Joy & Refresh Your Perspective at www.teach4theheart.com/joy. Get notes & links at www.teach4theheart.com/discouraged.

When you lose your voice as a teacher, you'd do almost anything to get it back! Join us as we discuss 5 effective methods to restore your lost voice. Get notes & links at teach4theheart.com/voice

As a Christian teacher in a public school, you may be surprised to discover that religious discussions are not quite as taboo as you might think. In fact, it is legal to teach about religion in the public school as long as you do it in an academic matter and don't try to convert your students. Join us as we speak with Finn Laursen, director of CEAI, who shares with us his knowledge of what is and isn't legal for Christian teachers in the public school. Get notes & links at teach4theheart.com/religion.

Next week we'll be discussing how Christian teachers can legally bring up God & religion in the classroom. But before we get there, we have to answer a very important question - should we? In other words, is it morally or ethically right to talk about religion in a public school? In this episode, we examine two common objections to religion in the classroom and see why they might not be quite as valid as so many tend to think. Get notes & links at teach4theheart.com/objections

Tracking homework and trying to hold students accountable can quickly become a teachers' nightmare. But before you bang your head against the wall, try some of these simple tips to manage homework without going crazy. Get links & notes at teach4theheart.com/homework.

When parents complain about you to administration, it's easy to get defensive, frustrated, and even discouraged. But if you take the right approach, you can turn a parent complaint into an opportunity for growth and even increased cooperation moving forward. Get notes at www.teach4theheart.com/complaining

Sometimes we think there's no way to escape the 24/7 teacher stress cycle. But that's just not true. Join us as we discuss 5 simple but powerful techniques to reduce your stress and save your mental brainpower. Get links & your Intentional Procrastination To-Do List System at www.teach4theheart.com/stress Find out more about Angela Watson's 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club at http://teach4theheart.com/40hourteache

Imagine a teacher who was full of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. What a powerful testimony that would be! But that's exactly the work the Spirit wants to do in our lives & is our topic today as we discuss the 10th and final trait of impactful Christian teachers. Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3

Do we trust God in our day-to-day lives, or yield to stress, worry, and anxiety? Join us as we discuss the 9th trait of impactful Christian teachers: releasing fear & trusting God. Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3

Amidst all the confusion of our era, we must look to the Bible for wisdom and answers. Impactful Christian teachers seek wisdom and truth and make a habit of thinking Biblically. Join us as we discuss this 8th trait of impactful Christian teachers. Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3

Imagine being so close to God that you can hear His voice and direction day-to-day in your classroom. What a profound impact you would have! That's why a strong relationship with God is so important, and it's the 7th of 10 traits of impactful Christian teachers that we are discussing this season. Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3

If we want to make a real difference, we should be encouraging and edifying not only our students but the adults as well. In this episode, we discuss how to build up and support students, parents, fellow teachers, and even administrators. This is the 6th of 10 traits of impactful Christian teachers that we are discussing this season. Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3

We continue to examine 10 traits of impactful Christian teachers in this 3rd season of the podcast. Today, we discuss how being humble and genuine can open doors for incredible impact. Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3

This season we're discussing 10 traits of impactful Christian teachers. Today, we consider how the most impactful Christian teachers don't just focus on outward behavior. They're much more concerned with teaching for the heart. Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3

Love is the most powerful force in the world, and as Christian teachers we are clearly called to love our students. But how do we show them God's love on a day-to-day basis? In this episode, we're discussing 12 practical ways to let your students know you love them. This is the 3rd episode of our third season in which we're discussing 10 Traits of Impactful Christian teachers. Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3

Impactful Christian teachers strive for excellence because they know they are working for Christ, not for men. And they shun two dangers that seek to derail them: mediocrity and perfectionism. This episode is part of our 3rd season in which we're discussing 10 Traits of Impactful Christian teachers. Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3 Join Teach 4 the Heart: www.teach4theheart.com/mission

Impactful Christian teachers know why they are in the classroom & have a strong sense of their mission. This season we're discussing 10 Traits of Impactful Christian teachers, and in this first episode we talk about what our mission should be as Christian teachers – whether we teach in public, private, or Christian schools. Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/season3

Two members of the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek joins us today to discuss their experience, share time-saving advice, and give you a unique insider look at this life-changing program. Join us in this final episode of the Balance & Productivity season as we dive deeper into the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club & discuss why it's helped so many teachers and how it can help you too. Find out more about the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club at www.teach4theheart.com/40hourteacher. Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/podcast20.

Angela Watson of the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek joins us today to tell us a little more about the training & share 6 secrets of real teachers who are reducing their workload with the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club. Join us in this 7th episode of the Balance & Productivity season as we speak with Angela about how to finally find balance. Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/podcast19 Find out more about the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club at www.teach4theheart.com/40hourteacher

Many teachers have convinced themselves that they must keep giving until there's nothing less, but that is not a good idea. In this 6th episode of the Balance & Productivity season, we're discussing why you can't keep up a frantic pace and the very real consequences that will ensue if you try to.Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/podcast18 Get your free guide to controlling your work hours at www.teach4theheart.com/balance

We've all heard of budgeting your money, but have you ever thought about budgeting your time? In this 5th episode of the Balance & Productivity season, we draw important parallels between budgeting money and scheduling time and realize that wise management of our time can make us truly rich.Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/podcast17 Get your free guide to controlling your work hours at www.teach4theheart.com/balance

If you want to have time for what's important, you've got to redeem that time somehow. In this 4th episode of the Balance & Productivity season, we're discussing 25 specific tips to help you save time & take home less work. See which ones resonate most with you & try them out because over time little changes add up to big results.Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/podcast16 Get your free guide to controlling your work hours at www.teach4theheart.com/balance

Distractions & disruptions are all too common during teachers' planning periods, but if we're going to find balance, we have to figure out how to reduce them. In this 3rd episode of the Balance & Productivity season, we're discussing 9 simple ways to reduce distractions & disruptions during planning periods so that you can actually get stuff done.Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/podcast15 Get your free guide to controlling your work hours at www.teach4theheart.com/balance

If we're going to find balance, we need to embrace 6 time-saving principles. This season we're discussing balance & productivity tips, and in this 2nd episode we're discussing 6 key principles that will help us save time, be more productive, and finally find balance. Thanks to Angela Watson, creator of the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club, for sharing these principles.Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/podcast14 Get your free guide to controlling your work hours at www.teach4theheart.com/balance

As teachers we're often overwhelmed & stressed by all there is to do, and sometimes we might even feel like it's taking over your life. This season we're discussing balance & productivity tips, and in this first episode we're tackling 8 lies we teachers tell ourselves about our workload and the corresponding truths that will set us on the track to finally achieving work/life balance.Get links & additional info at www.teach4theheart.com/podcast13 Get your free guide to controlling your work hours at www.teach4theheart.com/balance