7 Links to Lift Up Yourself and Your Students

We curate the week's best teacher resources, whether lesson plans, book lists or perfect printables.

Maintaining positivity can be tough. Our local news has been crowded with anything but happy stories. Schools are under attack, facing financial strains like never before, overwhelming pressure on staff and students alike and heartbreaking tragedies. We need a breather.

This week’s resource roundup is dedicated to building and embracing our wellbeing — teachers, kids and communities. Let’s make time for the things that count the most.

1. “Teenagers have lots of reasons for being more anxious, stressed, and distracted than adults. They deal with high expectations from parents, social pressure from friends, and the constant fear that their smartphone will go dead and totally ruin their life,” writes Matt Bellace, PhD. Click here to read about educating teens on natural highs to manage angst, stress and hormones.


2. This post on helping kids experiencing anxiety really hit home with us and provided some great go-to ideas.


3. Dealing with pandemonium after the bell? Try these strategies for starting class without the chaos.


4. Possibly the best thing we can instill in our students is a growth mindset. Learn more about what it is and how you can promote it with articles like this.


5. Feel like everyone around you is sick? You’re not wrong. Recent reports show that Arizona has the highest flu rate in the country. Head over this way for some ways to educate young kids about germs.


6. Give kids a brain break by getting them moving and grooving with these seven YouTube channels.


7. You better believe teaching can be physically demanding — there’s no end to the daily standing, lifting, and walking. The good news? Exercise supports the production of new neurons and synapses in the brain (see: makes you smarter), relieves stress and improves memory. Use your smart phone to make fitness easier by trying out one of these top fitness apps for busy people.


8. Let’s commit to making our campuses better places. Plug in to this podcast on how to build a positive school culture no matter where you teach, or just read through the highlights.

With a little extra mindfulness, we can build our minds, bodies and outlooks — and lead the ways for our colleagues and students, too! Until next time, happy clicking.