I’m concerned about the wellbeing of teachers. The fact that we, Learners Edge, have a course category called Educator Wellness indicates that my worry is valid. The fact that we need to encourage teachers to learn about happiness, resilience and recharging tells me many teachers are sad, burned out and tired. I’ve read articles lately questioning whether teacher burnout or demoralization is the reason for good teachers leaving the profession. Or maybe it’s secondary traumatic stress. There are numerous reasons teachers are struggling with wellbeing, but regardless of the reason, I’m concerned.

With a game of Happiness Bingo!

Learners Edge has a fantastic new course on happiness called Living Your Happiest Life, Inside & Outside the Classroom. It’s been very popular and fits nicely into our Educator Wellness category because when you are happy, you feel well!  

The popularity of this course made me think, “What really makes you happy, Keely?” Of course, the very typical things came to mind: my kids, my boyfriend, free time, extra money, vacations, polar bears and chocolate. But you know what else makes me happy? I mean really happy? Bingo! Nothing makes me happier than yelling BINGO when my number is called!  

Helping You Put Behavior Puzzle Pieces Together!

Student behavior is a puzzle. Many pieces are necessary to make up the complete, TRUE picture. Does the child have positive connections with staff and other students? Does the child need routine? Could the child benefit from resilience building? What is developmentally normal? Has the child experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences or trauma? What is the function of behavior? Does she have a skill deficit? What is his learning style? Is she receiving proper nutrition? Did the child get a good night’s sleep? So many pieces… 

Because behavior is extremely complicated, it is often a daily challenge for educators. For this reason, Learners Edge has put together a list of the best behavior books for teachers. Think about what is missing for you to solve the behavior puzzle in your classroom. Then, check out our recommendation based on your needs.  

Five Fabulous Skills for Your Students' Lifelong SuccessSocial and emotional learning (SEL) is a “hot,” necessary topic for educators. Learners Edge has a number of courses in this category to help you gain the skills needed on this topic and develop activities for your learners. One of our most popular courses is 5041: Five Fabulous Skills for Your Students' Lifelong Success. This course, affectionately known as “The Fab Five,” provides an overview of SEL and uses it as a jumping off point to further discuss success skills students need. What teacher wouldn’t want students to increase these skills for school and for life!?  

Strategies for sparking curiosity in the classroom

Curiosity primes the brain for learning. It makes learning more rewarding and helps students learn more, and better. It also improves learning retention and deepens understanding of content. Pretty clear, right? Curiosity is a necessity in our classrooms, and since we are in the business of helping teachers, we thought we would provide you with a list of methods for awakening curiosity in your students.  

Interview with Travis Dresch

When we were kids, our minds were blown when we saw teachers outside of school. It was so out of context, but mysteriously cool: we saw them as humans, rather than just as their professional selves. 

To this end, the Learners Edge Chalk Blog interviews teachers in a regular segment called "Teacher Feature!" To hear more about the people behind the magic in the classroom, read on, and be inspired by these fantastic education superstars.

“Choose to be happy.” This is Travis Dresch’s teaching mantra. Travis is our featured teacher for August! Travis teaches high school chemistry and biology in the Cornwall-Lebanon School District in Pennsylvania. It’s apparent he enjoys science and teenagers which not everyone can say. 

I virtually “met” Travis when he signed up for one of our new courses: 5100: Train Your Brain, Change Your Life: The Practice of Happiness. His choice of courses sense given his mantra! (We thank Travis for his loyalty as this most recent course was only one of EIGHTEEN courses he has taken since 2015. Clearly Travis is also a life-long learner!)  

We asked Travis some serious, and not so serious, questions! Take a look.

Help Your Students Gain Positive Skills

At its widest point, the Grand Canyon stretches 18 miles (29 kilometers) across. It is 6000 feet deep. That’s more than a mile! Many people consider it to be one of the seven wonders of the natural world. The Grand Canyon is an example of amazing geology where it seems impossible to get from one side (where you are) to the other side (where you want to be). 

A similar canyon exists in classroom management: Challenges with student behavior (where you are)…great student behavior (where you want to be). 

So how do we do it? How do we get from where we are to where we want to be? The answer is simple. We build a bridge. 

Trauma in the Classroom
With the increase of schools and educators using the best practices of trauma-informed teaching, it is important to note that trauma-informed schools should include measures of care for all involved. Working with students who have experienced trauma takes a toll on teachers, support staff, specialists, and administrators in the form of secondary trauma or vicarious trauma.

Using real-life experiences to increase student engagement

The Bachelor, Survivor, American Idol, Real World, Deadliest Catch, Shark Tank, Duck Dynasty…the list goes on and on. While these shows often seem like just a teacher’s guilty pleasure, they go beyond encouraging procrastination and providing a reason to eat an entire bag of popcorn in one sitting. These shows are based on reality, and they typically suck us right in!  

What does reality have to do with these shows? Very little when you actually pay attention to the “stars” and the plots clearly sketched out by writers and producers. That being said, reality does have an impact when we are working to engage learners in the classroom. We could take a cue from how these engaging shows are structured. Real-world learning increases engagement, creates opportunities for students to make connections and develops student skills that will be used in adulthood. This authentic learning provides a reason to the student who is always asking, “Why do I even need to know this?” Real world learning activities often allow students to make an impact on a larger scale. And, if this type of learning is done well, it will suck your students in too! 

Here are six methods for bringing the real world into your teaching: 

Be Your Best YOU This Summer!

It is finally here! You made it! Summer, sunshine, and freedom! It’s time to celebrate the end of a successful school year and the beginning of a well-deserved break. You now have the opportunity to stop, breathe and rejuvenate. Doing so decreases the likelihood of burnout and increases your educator resilience so you can continue to make a difference in the lives of your students! 

Lucky for you, summer is my favorite season, so here are my top ten tips for letting your summer soul shine!