Simply Novel Blog - Teaching Tips and Ideas for Teachers

You've had enough “positivity” and messages to “fill your cup first.” You are over it; I get it.   You just want to cry.  Or vent.  Or scream.  Or completely give up. Or E) All of the above.  I have never heard of so many teachers rail against “toxic positivity” (even this post may be triggering you right now) as I have recently.  And you are right.  It feels like that right now. 

So many of us have been bombarded with daily self-care strategies - things that include “sing a song,” “eat all the chocolate,” “make yourself smile,” or “have a glass of wine.”  All of these are great—when we are dealing with minor stresses such as a rude parent interaction, or too many papers to grade, the internet going out, or having to take on an extra duty all week.  But what happens when we are literally facing a crisis—like a global pandemic, widespread fear and depression, schools that have moved virtual, and an overall sense that life is never going to be what it once was ever again?  The key is to practice resilience.

Facing an unprecedented time of unrest, including extreme discord within our social and political climate, health concerns circling around a global pandemic, and even the uncertainty and lack of control with teaching and literally what is happening in your own lives… distance learning, anyone? In some ways, the current situation we are in could even be considered chaotic. It makes sense that many of us are feeling anxious, worried, depressed, and frustrated at our lack of control with what is happening all around us.  So how do we regain some sense of control in a world that feels so out of control?

Whether navigating returning to life after COVID-19, a problematic student or parent, the lack of support from administration, or any other personal or professional crisis, situation, or obstacle, are you reactive or responsive? It's a powerful question, and one that -- especially during challenges -- requires us to get present and check in with ourselves.

As many of us enter into the 3rd, 4th, 5th, week—or longer—of in-home confinement, it is natural that nerves are beginning to fray, and relationsh...

Martin Luther King Jr. and the March on Washington by Frances E. Ruffin is a fabulous high-interest book for grades 2-4, and a Common Core Informa...

Abigail Adams: Girl of Colonial Days by Jean Brown Wagner is an engaging book about the the life of one of the most famous women in history, Abiga...

Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson is a powerful and engaging book about the American Civil War and the Lincoln Assassination, perfect f...

We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson is a powerful, yet engaging and high-interest book for grades 3-5.  The following is a list of suggestions for projects that can be used during or after reading to engage your students and deepen students' understanding of the themes presented in the book. 

Reading the short story "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman can be a powerful study on colloquialisms and the changing use of language.  The following questions can help your students dig deeper into the contextual meaning of these words, providing insight into not only the story itself, but the social and historical context of the time the story was written.