Valentine’s Day is almost here! That means it’s time to switch up your winter classroom bulletin boards and door decor to something a little more soft and sweet.
We’ve pulled together the cutest classroom bulletin board inspo for Valentine’s Day- check them out below! And for all of our remote educators, you don’t have to miss out on the fun! Use these ideas for your Zoom backgrounds, or even create a “bulletin board” on a blank wall at home.
1. Books Are Like a Box of Chocolates
Have each child can make their own chocolate to hang on the bulletin board.
2. Love is an Open Door
Because you can never go wrong with Olaf on Valentine’s Day!
3. We TOAD-A-LY Love School
Put each child’s name on a heart, or get creative and have them each make lily pads.
4. Love You to Pizzas
Such a cute and fun reminder to let each child know they are loved.
5. One in a Minion
Who doesn’t love minions?! If you are feeling ~extra~ put some minion googles on each name heart!
6. Llama Tell You
Have each child write their favorite part of class on their own individual hearts.
7. How Many Kisses Tall Are You?
Not technically a bulletin board, but so creative and perfect for Valentine’s day!
8. Our Class is Full of Sweet Hearts
If you want a quick and easy Valentine’s Day bulletin board decoration, this is perfect for you!
9. Yoda One for Me
Alt. Title “Friends Forever, We Are” Put student names in the hearts – or for all our Mandalorian fans, use frogs 😉
10. Are You a Library Book?
Because nothing will even beat a good punny pick-up line.
11. Love is in the Air
….and so is our class! Add pictures of each student in your hot air balloon.
12. Bee-Mine
You could do so many things with this one! Have students make their own bees, make a honeycomb, put their photo on the bee-heads, etc.
13. Love Letters
So cute! You could even have each child write one good thing about the other and leave them in their envelopes.
14. We LOVE Learning
And we LOVE this. You don’t have to be a Sign Language teacher to use this door decor!
15. We Love School a Latte
Because we know how much you love coffee…
16. Will You Be My Favorite Gnomie?
Put student names in the hearts or have them each make their own cute little gnomes.
17. Black History Month + Valentine’s Day
= YES!
18. We Love Our Lab….A BOT
Or easily change up the wording to suit your classroom!
19. Let Love Grow
Perfect for Valentine’s Day and to leave up for Spring.
20. 28 Ways to Love Yourself
Because students need to know it’s important to themselves, just as they love others.
21. Reading is a Tweet!
If you make the birds look like the Twitter birds, it will surely get your student’s attention.
22. OWL Love You Forever
Simply, adorable, and easy to incorporate student art. What’s not to love?
22. “…Taught to Love”
Another one of our favorite Black History Month + Valentine’s Day bulletin boards.
23. A Cup of Kindness
Kindness week is ALSO in February, if you want to combine the two 🙂
24. Sending Love Your Way
Let your students paint or color their own hearts. You could even have them write what they love on them!
25. 100 Reasons Why
Have each student write on a few hearts why they love their class.
*BONUS* Anti-Valentine’s Day
Because not everyone has to love the holiday.
Head over to our Pinterest for more Valentine’s Day Bulletin Board options! Don’t forget to give us a follow at California Casualty to stay up to date on every new idea we discover! Scan our Pincode with your Pinterest camera to follow:
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. California Casualty does not own any of the photos in this post, all are sources by to their original owners. Get a quote at 1.800.800.9410 or www.calcas.com.
Coronavirus has taken its toll on the world, mentally and physically, and after almost an entire calendar year of adapting to the constant changes in education, our teachers are not the only ones who are feeling the effects. Students across the country have had their lives turned upside down more times than they can count within the last year- virtual classes, hybrid learning, not getting to spend time with their friends, avoiding public places, no birthday parties, spending their vacation-time indoors, wearing masks, not seeing their older relatives, etc. It’s no secret adjusting to our new normal has been stressful and hard on them.
As a teacher, your students trust and confide in you- sometimes more than their own parents- so oftentimes you play a critical role in helping them manage their own mental health, especially amidst a pandemic. By creating an environment that is safe and comfortable you can aid in helping them cope with their anxious or depressing thoughts and feelings, and catch issues before they become major problems.
Here are 4 easy ways you can create a classroom culture that encourages positive mental health.
1. Create a Safe Space for Conversation
You can support the mental health of all of the students in your class by fitting in small lessons or units informing them about mental health, the symptoms, and what they can do for support. Normalize talking about feelings and the importance of mental health in your classroom, like you talk about the importance of physical health. Giving your students a safe space to discuss in your classroom will let them know that those anxious thoughts are, “normal” and that they are not the only ones feeling that way. The more you talk about common thoughts, feelings, and actions related to mental health, the better your students will be able to understand and identify them within themselves. Students and parents alike will benefit from knowing more about mental health issues and how they can cope and work through them.
2. Check in With Your Students
Checking in with your students will give you insight into their feelings, so will have foresight into what the day ahead will look like, and so you can follow up with them (or if it’s serious or consistent, with their parents) and see why they are feeling the way they are. There are a ton of different ways you can check in with your students. Many teachers use Mental Health Check-In Charts in their classrooms, so students can let the teacher know how they are feeling at the beginning of each day. If you’re teaching virtually, you can still use the same method, just have each student send an emoji or word that describes their feelings. If you would prefer to do check-ins more privately, you can have students keep a daily journal where they write a few sentences each day about their feelings and then submit them.
3. Create a Positive Learning Environment
Creating a positive environment for students means not only encouraging positivity, but it also means making your classroom (or virtual classroom) somewhere that your students feel comfortable, like they belong, can take risks, tackle challenges, and trust others. Some easy ways you can encourage these behaviors in your room include, incorporating engaging lesson plans and experiments, using fun technology or apps (like Kahoot), adding more group work and projects, bringing in flexible seating, and adding decor that encourages positivity and kindness like: posters, sticky notes, bulletin boards, etc. Not only does a positive environment help with students’ mental health, but it also has proven to boost students learning and academic success up to 25%.
4. Incorporate Some Brain Breaks Into Your Day
Brain breaks are an important part of the educational day, and they are great for student, and teacher, mental health! However, they are sadly often overlooked and forgotten about due to lack of planning and time. Brain breaks have multiple benefits including better behavior, increased productivity and mood, enhanced comprehension, creative thinking, and increased time on task. Because children’s brains cannot focus on one subject for too long, using short brain breaks between lessons have proven to help students pay more attention and succeed more overall in the classroom. Examples of easy brain breaks you can incorporate into your day include: a yoga video, short dancing session, 2-minute stretches, short meditation, taking a small walk around the classroom, or just closing their eyes and taking a minute to relax.
Even with a positive classroom culture, some students can still struggle with their mental health. As a teacher, it is important to know the signs of students that may need help.
Feeling sad, extremely tired, or withdrawn for more than two weeks
Has or expressed intentions to harm themselves or others
Intense worries or fears that make them unable to do daily tasks
Severe mood swings or changes in personality
Frequently causing problems or interrupting class
Having difficulty concentrating
If you see a student who is struggling week after week and not making any improvements, it’s time to reach out to parents, school counselors, or nurses for additional help.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
2020 has been a bumpy ride for everyone, especially for our teachers, school staff, and students. Between the sudden shift to remote learning in the spring, a summer spent stressing about protocols and procedures, and an uneasy and ever-changing fall semester, they’re drained and left curious, about what 2021 will have in store for them.
But if this past year has taught us anything, it’s that our teachers and educators are strong and will adapt to any environment, that the new year may bring, for the sake of their students.
That being said, over the course of the past year, teachers have learned many valuable lessons that they are bringing with them to help guide their classrooms in 2021.
Here are a few you can take into the new year too.
1. Combine Your Learning Method With Student Needs –. Remote learning students don’t just need time learning their lessons, students (especially those at young ages) need to spend time with children their own age and connect with them to grow socially. To help guide this process many teachers have changed up their lesson planning to help incorporate more engaging activities. Some have even started opening their classrooms early, so students have the chance to mingle, virtually spend time with their peers, and feel a sense of belonging.
2. Mental Health is Key – We’re all going through a public health crisis together, and students are going through it too. Anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions are all spiking. Now more than ever, it’s important to make sure your, and your student’s, mental health a top priority. Be sure to make checking in on your student’s mental health a priority (whether we like it or not, educators play the dual role of teacher and counselor). And if you are personally struggling, reach out to someone or seek help from a professional. It’s okay to not be okay.
3. Engage with Parents – With virtual learning parents are playing an active role in helping their children learn their lessons. Although it’s much harder, teachers are doing all they can to make sure each child is taken care of. However, if a child doesn’t understand their homework and they are not asking questions, their teacher isn’t just a hand raise away anymore. So the child turns to their parents for help. Parents have played such a large role in their child’s education this past year, so it’s important to continue to check in with them about how their children are doing, listen to concerns, and let them know what they can do to help their children continue to succeed during this time.
4. Technology Gaps Exist and You Can Help – For some communities, the rapid shift to online learning has highlighted the gap in digital accessibility, with some students not having access and falling behind. Is this a problem you can solve on your own? No. But as an educator, you can help voice the problems you’re seeing and advocate for your students.
5. Collaboration Can Yield Amazing Results– All throughout the pandemic teachers from all across the country have come together to create virtual learning resources and lesson plans to help support each other throughout the transition to remote learning. This has resulted in thousands of new creative ideas that ultimately benefit students and help them learn (like virtual field trips!). Collaborating virtually for lessons or projects with other teachers, organizations, coaches, librarians, etc., is possible and definitely worth taking advantage of.
6. Flexibility is a GOOD Thing – It’s not always so easy to be flexible, especially when you have a whole semester of lesson plans that need to be completed re-thought. But teaching during COVID-19 has really highlighted the importance of flexibility and creativity.From all-new learning environments to best strategies for engaging students, there’s been an explosion in innovation, new ideas, and discoveries. Adaptation, flexibility, and thinking-out-of-the-box are turning out to be pandemic era superpowers.
COVID-19 has impacted nearly every aspect of our lives and will forever change our society and communities. It’s no secret that that education may look very different in the future, and that thought can be unnerving, but teachers will continue doing what they do best. Energized and transformed by all we’ve learned in this past year of disruption, they will take their knowledge and find a way to continue touching the lives of their students and leading them to success.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
It’s that time of year again…. winter break is officially over.
Sure, there is nothing better than seeing your students faces after a few weeks away from each other; but let’s be real, it feels so good to be able to lay around in your PJ’s all day and not do anything besides binge TV shows you haven’t had the time to keep up with. And did we mention eat and go to the bathroom whenever you want?
If you are reluctantly getting back into your normal routine this week, take a peek at these totally relatable and equally hilarious memes that prove other educators are having the same struggle.
When reality starts to set in:
Walking into school like:
And how we’re feeling currently:
And finally, a little motivation we could all use:
This article is furnished by California Casualty. We do not own the right to any of the photos in this post. California Casualty has been providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Congratulations on surviving another semester of pandemic schooling, which could be considered enough stress for an entire school-year itself. You’re now savoring the last of your winter break and some hard-earned R&R. But the mornings are dark; it’s cold and snowy (or wet) outside. Chances are, you’re not itching to get back to early morning zoom classes!
Motivation at the peak of winter takes a hit every year. Here are some tips to fire up your and your students’ motivation to get through these last winter months with renewed energy and focus.
For Teachers
1. Start and end the day with joy – Bookending your day with little pleasures – anything that brings a smile – can help your mindset for the whole day. This could be as simple as using a beautiful, high-quality planner, sipping your morning coffee from a favorite mug, or setting photos of family and friends in view. Or it could be taking a daily walk to connect with nature, keeping a gratitude journal, or any other little ritual that brings joy.
2.Know that you’ve got this – Take a moment and look back at how you met and rose to the challenge of 2020. Taking time to acknowledge your achievements and resiliency can help you find the motivation to forge ahead into 2021. Having confidence in yourself will help fortify you when overwhelm creeps up from time to time.
3. Practice self-care – We all know the drill about airplane masks: Take care of yourself first, or else you won’t be able to help others. List out the things that replenish and energize you, and then take steps to prioritize those in your week. Maybe it’s reading, hiking, or connecting with friends. Tending to your own health and well-being will have a spillover effect of being a better teacher.
4. Communicate with your administrators – Your administrators are there to support you, so ask for assistance when you need it. Use clear communications to let them know about challenges or workload issues – and remember that just like at every other school in the nation, pandemic-era education is a work in progress. Patience and open communications are some of the best tools for thriving amid the challenges.
5. Remember why you’re doing this – At the end of the day, it’s about the kids. When overwhelm and stress threaten to overtake you, try to reconnect with the reason you became a teacher in the first place. Acknowledge it’s not easy and everyone’s doing the best they can. Compassion – for yourself and your students – goes a long way.
6. Pace yourself – Sometimes, having the finish line in sight helps with the final push. Put up a calendar and mark the days until spring break. You’re only a couple of months away – you can do it!
Helping Your Students
7. Share your experience – By acknowledging with your students that everyone’s been having a hard time, it gives them permission to feel their feelings. By sharing any struggles you yourself have had, they’re likely to feel less alone, ashamed, or self-critical.
8. Be optimistic – Optimism is contagious. The more positivity and optimism you bring to the classroom, the greater the chance it’ll rub off on your students. It may well help buoy them and ignite their natural resilience. Remind them that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel – spring break is around the corner!
9. Encourage kids to designate a cheerleader or two – If kids surround themselves with people who encourage and support them, they’ll get through this year with a lighter mental load. Encourage them to find a few people in their life whom they can check in with on their successes and struggles. Support and community are more important than ever right now.
10. Make this crazy time a learning experience – No matter their age, kids will take away life lessons from this pandemic year. By framing this year as a challenge that you all tackled and surmounted together, they’ll gain lessons on resilience, community, and collaboration that will serve them for years to come.
11. Celebrate successes – Celebrating students’ successes – whether those are individual or collective – will be extra meaningful this year. Recognizing their hard work and achievements will help them feel seen and acknowledged. Successes can be academic, behavioral, or something you see in their personal growth.
12. Make it fun – Find simple ways to give your students a lift as they return from winter break. This might mean sending welcome-back messages or scheduling something fun for them to look forward to, such as a competition or creative group project. Infusing passion and creativity into their lessons and subject matter will go a long way towards engagement.
Finding motivation (this year especially) to get through the rest of winter might take every ounce of energy you’ve got – but in the end, you may just end up being surprised by your own strength and resilience.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Author: Erin Randolph has taught elementary school for ten years. She lives in Olathe, KS with her husband, son, and daughter.
After a short winter break, teachers will be returning to their classrooms (and virtual classrooms) to begin the 2nd semester of the school year. The new semester brings with it a fresh start. It can also be stressful jumping back into a hectic schedule after such a blissful break.
Try making some of these small changes to help ease this transition.
Get Organized
An organized classroom and workspace are important for students and for teachers. Start small, like that messy, top desk drawer, or home office desk. Then work up to the big stuff, like the 4-drawer filing cabinet you haven’t touched in years.
I try to get one “space” completed each day. A good rule of thumb for questionable items: if you haven’t used it, looked at it, or touched it in a year, toss it or give it away. With your classroom and workspace uncluttered, you can focus more of your attention on students.
Make a Plan to Positively Communicate About Students
I began doing this a few years ago and I’ve never looked back. At the beginning of the 1st and 3rd quarters (September and January), I send home a message to each family regarding their student. I plan for one message per day, moving alphabetically through my roster. For teachers that are teaching remotely, an email or a text works just fine too!
In the messages, I praise students for accomplishments, positive behaviors, and hard work. My messages are only about a paragraph long and take less than 10 minutes to compose. Parents appreciate the communication from me and students are excited about being recognized for the things they are doing well in the classroom.
With everything that is going on in the world and in classrooms today, it’s hard to keep up with the grading itself, much less entering it into “the system.” To avoid this stress, carve out a time that you will solely dedicate to entering grades. This might be a daily routine or a weekly one.
Mine happens to be on Friday morning (before all the weekly homework comes in). I dedicate 30 minutes of my Friday plan time just for this task. When the quarter is over, I don’t have to worry about scrambling to get my “grades in.”
Plan Spot Checks for Struggling Students
Most teachers are consistently monitoring students who have difficulty. To more accurately monitor student progress, my district uses a web-based universal screener and progress monitoring program for reading and math. I set a notification on my school calendar to check on my struggling students.
Every other week, I check on my students who receive a math or reading intervention (help outside of the regular, core instruction time). I make note of students who are not making progress in their interventions and follow through with the appropriate teachers/interventionists. I also like to use student data folders; students track their own progress on weekly tests and quizzes. It’s efficient and effective for tracking student progress throughout the year and something to share with parents at conference time.
Get Students Involved in Goal Setting
Adults set New Year’s resolutions, so why shouldn’t students? The New Year is a great time for students to set academic and behavior goals for the semester. I ask students to:
Identify the specific goal (ex: score 8 out of 10 on weekly spelling test 4 weeks in a row)
Make a plan for how they will accomplish the goal (ex: write spelling words 2 times each night)
Provide evidence that they met goal (ex: 4 consecutive teacher-graded tests with a score of at least 80%)
If you are learning in-person, post the goals in the classroom where students will always see them. If not, have each student write them on sticky notes and place them where they can see them daily.
Take time during the quarter or semester to conference with students about said goals. Are students making progress towards goals? Why or why not? What needs to change?
Check-in with yourself at the end of every school week and see if you are sticking to your resolutions, this will help hold you accountable and keep you on track.
Happy New Year and happy second semester, you’re almost there! You can do it!
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
