The Better Teacher Project

Hi, my name is Beth and I don't have Netflix.

I think sweet tea is disgusting.

I have a texture issue with scallops (and olives and shrooms and shrimp).

I have never once been embarrassed by my height (6' 2).

I am slowly working toward that homestead/off grid life.

I'm going to show you how you can work less and actually enjoy your job.

But not before you tell me if you actually like sweet tea⬇️ (HOWWWWW?)


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I mean...I didn't know someone had invented time warping yet, but here we are.

WARNING: RANT AHEAD.

As a special ed teacher, I am often asked about students and what they need for specific things. Lately, I find myself asking my co-workers…’Did you ask them [the student] what they thought, what they need, what would work for them?’’ 

I don’t know why we think we know more about the student than the student knows about themselves.

ASK THEM. Ask them what they need. Ask them if they prefer this book or that book or listening to it on audio. Ask them if they want to talk about something that’s going on privately. Ask them if they would prefer to work on their paper with you or with a peer. Just ASK THEM.

And then LISTEN TO THEM. Without judgement. Without trying to find solutions to their problems. Without multitasking. Without guessing at what you think is right or better for them. Without putting your own opinions into the mix. Really LISTEN TO THEM.

And lastly...HONOR THEIR DECISION. Did they pick the book you think is too hard? Doesn’t matter. Did they ask for a break, even though you want to keep moving forward? Doesn’t matter. Did they decline a meeting with you to work on their paper even though they need it? Doesn’t matter.. HONOR IT.

Can we just agree that students might actually have an idea or two about their own needs? Whew.

[TEACHERS OF THE NORTH] STEAL MY HACK:

When I want to make my commute extra enjoyable while it's negative 87 outside, I heat up my rice pack and wear it during my drive!

BONUS: If your school is cold or you are a cold blooded person in general, heat it up mid day for that extra boost.

Is this extra? Maybe. Ask me if I care...

Other hacks employed today to make my day enjoyable:

✅Coffee store run
✅New mask from

Have a hack that makes your commute or day a joy? Share please!!!

*Rice pack from which I bought at in Paoli, Wi for my local peeps.

🛑STOP AND READ🛑
How much do you actually make per hour?

Do you know?

It's tax season, so now is a great time to do the math.

Maybe $23/hour? $19/hour? $17?

Now factor in the time you put in on the weekends. After school. Before school.

Now how much are you making per hour?

$15/hour?? $13/hour??

NOW FOR THE BIG QUESTIONS...

Is it worth $15 an hour to plan and prep on the weekends or is your family worth more than that?

Is your own time to enjoy cooking worth more than that?

Is your family time spent exploring worth more than that?

Is your time to go paddle boarding/running/hiking worth more than that?

TAKE BACK YOUR TIME.

Lots of suggestions available in the free 'Take Back Your Time' Toolkit.

And I'll show you HOW to do it in my course 'Take Back Your Sunday's'.

(Link in Bio)

There is only ONE day that is appropriate to drink from this cup.

And that day happens to be TODAY!

❄️❄️ HAPPY SNOW DAY❄️❄️

Yes, even virtually we got a snow day. Thank God for small delights.

TOP NINE...that's a lot to unpack.

Something that stand out to me is how much teachers crave permission to feel and be HUMAN.

This year placed an undeserving burden on teachers.

And like with most things, we try to make lemonade out of lemons.

But it's clear to me that we need to be reminded that we don't NEED to make lemonade.

We don't need to just Carry On.

We NEED to be human.

If the series resonated with you last year...please know this. I will always give you permission to be human and imperfect and just okay.

But please. Work on giving YOURSELF permission this year.

P.S. Share this account with your teacher friends. Please. Even your strong teacher friends. (ESPECIALLY your strong teacher friends).

I don't know who needs to hear this, but...

I got you.

Why you won't find me feeling guilty⬇️

BECAUSE WE ARE STILL TRYING TO TEACH WHILE IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC.

That's all.

Reason # 1 million why I'm a huge advocate for rest.

Your mind needs space to breathe, to think, to move things to working memory, etc.

If you are constantly in this grind culture mode, your brain literally doesn't function as well.

You ever get these genius ideas? Or finally come up with the perfect solution to a nagging problem?

When does that happen?

In the middle of writing lesson plans?

While responding to emails?

Or while you're on a walk?

Or maybe in the shower?

Why is that? Could it be that you are possibly giving your brain some space to think and do its job??

I think so.

So here's your reminder to give your brain some breathing room today.

My self-care Sunday secret: keep myself entertained to keep the at bay.

✅candles
✅Evening drink (white russian pictures here...my winter fav for some reason)
✅Spending time at my home casino (I've been on a winning streak lately!!)

My other not so secret secret? It's taken years to develop the strategies that help me manage the day to day things. You can find them in my course 'Take Back Your Sundays'. Link is in the bio.

⬇️ What are you doing this lovely (dark) evening?

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE...CAN YOU GUESS RIGHT??

Hey-o teacher fam, allow me to introduce myself if you're new here. My name is Beth, high school special Ed teacher from Wisconsin. I am constantly planning my next vacation to the mountains while I watch stabby-shooty crime shows. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Place your emoji in the comments with the one you think is a LIE.

🍁I actually don't like fall, and hate decorating for it, including Halloween.

🏃🏼‍♀️Despite not liking it, I've run a marathon (Grandma's marathon in Duluth, MN!)

🔴 I've technically been a red head before!

So! Which one am I lying about?! What do we have I common? Drop your guesses below!

If you've liked my post-it note series, you don't want to miss what I've got brewing next!

Ever feel like you need these reminders tattooed on your forehead? How about we compromise and I just send them to you directly?

Just drop a 🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏼‍♀️ below and I'll shoot you the deets tomorrow! (I can't tonight... Painting my nails. V important self-care going on💅🏼)

I'm exhausted. That's all. that's the quote. Be kind to yourself this weekend.

ONE YOGA SESSION this week.

That's all I committed to. Just one. Not 'one a day's or 'workout every day's or 'stop eating all the freakin' Oreos NOW'.

Small changes, big results. If I can make one session a habit, that's a 100% improvement from where I am now. 100%!! That's crazy good.

So I'm going to go move my body in ways that feel good to me. I'm still in my PJ's, don't have yoga pants on, and didn't even put on a bra (gasp)! And I'm showing up on my mat because I want to honor the commitment I made to myself.

Tell me if your wanting to make a small change below...how small can we get???

I mean, I know we’re awesome, but DANG! Do we really have to teach virtually/hybrid/F2F during a pandemic to prove it?! How about you just take my word for it, OK?

SAVE THIS NOW] Are you ready to break-up with your email?

I really mean it. Can you physically remove your work email from your phone? Can you sit through the anxiousness of not getting that notification IMMEDIATELY?

Yes, you can. You can do this. You can do hard things like AT LEAST stop the ping/buzz/alert that you have a new email. Your email DOES NOT OWN YOU.

Let me tell you a story about how I would suggest that ‘other’ people take their email off their phone, but I could never actually do it. It’s crazy, but THIS. THIS SOLUTION has reduced my anxiety this week SO MUCH.

FOLKS. I know I’m using a lot of CAPITALS but that’s because YOU NEED TO DO THIS. IT WILL HELP YOU SAVE SO MUCH TIME!!!!

So please. Take Back your Email NOW. 

If you want more time saving hacks, go DOWNLOAD my FREEBIE called ‘Take Back Your Time’. Super helpful in identifying where you can save yourself a few precious minutes. [Link in Bio]

I'm still in the hard beginnings. But trying to remember that there are some beautiful endings in store. We just have to get through the messy middle. We can do it. I pinky promise.

I'm not working today.
Today is not a contract day.
Today is designed for my well-being and mental health.
Today I focus on me.

But howwwww can I not work when there IS CLEARLY so much to do?

It's taken me a long time to get to this space but you must understand this one thing:

You're to-do list can wait. You will always have something on it, and you could work yourself ragged. My to-do list is important. AND it will be waiting for me next week.

So take a day or an hour, or a coffee break. And thank me later.

I broke my number 1 Rule this morning.

I fired up my laptop and did some WORK FOR SCHOOL😱.

I will preach not working on the weekends until the cows come home, but I ALSO know that during this Back To School season that my work life balance leans more towards work. AND THAT'S OK.

I am perfectly comfortable doing work on the weekend right now because this season dictates that.

I know that there are seasonal that may lean more towards life. And I KNOW I have the skills and mindset needed to maintain this balance.

If you don't, however, and you find yourself working EVERY WEEKEND AND DREADING IT, go check out my course Take Back Your Sundays. During the first lessons you'll find out exactly where your time is going, so you can begin to take it back.

Link in bio, check it out NOW before you waste another weekend.

Put down that laptop!

If you're anything like me, BTS season is often full of long days. And this particular back to school season is one for the books. We are no doubt putting in so much overtime right now.

That makes this part vitally important. We deserve to rest and recoup over the weekend. Rest can do things hustle can't. So take up your ENTIRE WEEKEND to do so.

If your long days could use some structure and support, go download my free toolkit 'Take Back Your Time'. Our work is already hard...don't make it harder on yourself.

(Link below...and let's be honest. Why wouldn't you download something that's free and could potentially save you valuable time?!? You'd be silly not to. SILLY)

https://www.thebetterteacherproject.com/take-back-your-time

Do you hang out with your coworkers over the summer or no?

I’m talking about a normal summer...not .

I feel like answers usually fall into two groups:
You hang out with coworkers, meeting up for drinks, hanging out with kids and family. You keep the text lines open, send emails about school ideas, and wish each other well.
While you like/love all your coworkers, you do your own thing over the summer and start off fresh with your work fam in the fall.

Me? I’m mostly 1, but sometimes a 2 if my mental health needs taking care of. I keep in touch, get drinks when possible, maybe catch a bonfire. Today, I went and weeded our community labyrinth and took a walk with a coworker.

How often do you see your coworker family over the summer? I’m curious!

It's baaaaaaack.

3 Questions to ask yourself [HIT SAVE NOW]

I want you to think of your biggest time suck as a teacher right now. Is it grading? Is it emails? Is it lesson planning? What is it??

Then ask yourself these 3 questions:

CAN I AUTOMATE IT?
This might look like using Google forms for weekly quizzes, learning about Google sheets and auto sum/other rules so grade entering or IEP timelining isn’t so painful, using a FAQ in your signature for parents’ FAQs.

CAN I COLLABORATE ON IT?
I want you to consider collaborating with teachers, admin, parents, and students. Lesson planning and sharing with other teachers, collaborating on a student support plan with parents, collaborating on end of unit projects with students.

CAN I DELEGATE IT?
In a classroom, this might look like classroom jobs (yes, letting go of control of things and handing it over to students), but online, it might look like assigning a timekeeper for discussions, assigning a note taker to staff meetings, asking students to submit questions for circle/community building.

Struggling to figure out how something could be automated, collaborated or delegated? Drop your situation below and let's use the power of community to do some group thinking!

Summer 2020 Starter Pack:
🎨tie dyeing✅
🌱plant hoarder✅
🍞 sourdough maker ❌
👩‍🍳 Baker ✅

3 out of 4 isn't bad🙈

Have you tried any of these this summer? My most recent was this tie dyeing experience, and I'm not mad about it😅.

Tell me what you've tried this summer!

3, 2, 1 Style:

3 THINGS I'M GRATEFUL FOR:
+I just rigged a support for my tomato plant by myself
+ because it's such a cute shop, I'm a little obsessed.
+The ☀️

2 THINGS I CAN DO THAT WOULD MAKE TODAY GREAT:
+Finish my ice dyeing project
+Spend some time in the sun by myself

1 THING I CAN DO FOR SOMEONE ELSE:
+Make brandy slushes for tomorrow 😲

Drop your 3 below⬇️ (or your two or one...or all of them!!)

Anxious about next school year?

Breathe with me.

Inhale to the count of 4.
Exhale to the count of 6.

Doing this helps activate our parasympathetic nervous system. That’s the cool, calm and collected one, not the fight or flight one.

It’s a strategy we always have available to us, as we carry our breath with us everywhere we go.

So who’s breathing with me 🙋🏼‍♀️🌬️

Who's drinking their water today??!!🙋🏼‍♀️

The ONE TINY THING I’ve implemented that has changed my life.

I started this habit about 3 weeks ago. And I don't see myself giving up anytime soon. Want to know what it is?

Here’s my secret: I drink a glass of water FIRST THING in the morning. YES, EVEN BEFORE COFFEE. 😱SO BORING, RIGHT?! ( I KNOWWWWW).

3 things I noticed when I started drinking water:

1️⃣I peed a lot more.
2️⃣ Ifelt I had my life together just a little bit more.
3️⃣My morning..er...digestion..has become more regular.🤦🏼‍♀️

But that’s not why I’m actually kinda excited about this little habit. I’m EXCITED because I’ve actually fricking stuck with it for 3 weeks and it now feels routine. I feel like I have effectively changed a habit of mine, and it feels good. CRAZY GOOD.

Anyone else working on changing a habit??!! Let me know⬇️

INTERRUPTING racing thoughts [SAVE THIS]

It’s 11pm and I’m still laying in bed...awake. My thoughts keep jumping from what to do about a particularly difficult student, a co-worker who I am struggling to communicate with, a parent who seems to have it out for me, and let’s not forget about the actual teaching. Prepping for different entry points, different ability levels, different strengths and weaknesses, IEP accommodations and supports, etc.

Nothing ever gets solved by these 11pm thought tornadoes. I just get more anxious.

The crazy thing is, we often feel like we have no control over this when in fact, our thoughts might be one of the few things we DO have control over.

ONE STRATEGY TO INTERRUPT RACING THOUGHTS:

→ Replace your racing thoughts with the truth from a different perspective.

[What I mean]

Shifting your perspective helps, but it can sometimes feel fake or disingenuous. This is often because we force ourselves to shift to the PERFECT perspective instead of one that matches your truth.

[Example]

→ Racing thought: What if this staff meeting is a disaster. No one is going to be happy.

→ FAKE PERFECT perspective: I get to go to a meeting. YAY. I get to hear what my co-workers are unhappy about. YAY.

→ REALISTIC perspective: I can feel good about voicing my opinion. I can listen to understand my co-workers' perspectives.

This isn’t an easy practice, it does take...practice. You’ll find yourself getting angry or being pessimistic when all you can think of is the FAKE PERFECT perspective. Give yourself grace, and keep practicing. It will get easier.

Once you find the realistic perspective, replace your racing thoughts with it, and repeat it over and over.

What racing thoughts do you have? Drop them below, and let’s commiserate together.

Oh, and let me know if I can help figure out a replacement perspective...I kinda enjoy it.

[MEET FIRST YEAR BETH]

First year Beth was so excited! She had been working with high school students with disabilities as a paraprofessional for 5 years, and KNEW that this is what she wanted to do. But first year Beth had ALSO just moved 4 hours away from all her friends, didn’t know anyone, and let’s just say, teaching is a lot different than being a paraprofessional. First year Beth was very quickly..IN OVER HER HEAD.

ENTER a coordinator who quickly took first year Beth under her wing. Her office became the crying corner, the paperwork place, and the wide-eyed WTF JUST HAPPENED location station.

Without her, first year Beth was doomed. She taught her how to deal with parents, the difference between the 800 different IEP paperwork pieces, and how to have fun with her students.

While first year Beth would face new challenges as second year and third year Beth, without the help of her coordinator, she wouldn’t have stayed in this profession.

STAY TUNED for the sequel, FIFTH YEAR BETH: BURNT

[Swipe to see 2019 Beth]

NEWSFLASH: Time spent worrying is time wasted. [Warning: RANT AHEAD]

I, like most of you, have no idea what next school year will bring. We have scenarios, but there is absolutely no way to tell what the state of our state will be in in September. Remember how quickly things shifted this spring? They could just as easily shift in numerous directions between now and the fall.

I see way too many teachers right now worrying about if they’ll be back in school, back online, forced to wear masks, forcing their students to wear masks, etc. Not that you shouldn’t think about *some* of this stuff, but realize how much real estate you are giving up to things that are out of your control.

If worrying about next school year is taking up a lot of headspace, you need to LET THAT S**T GO. You have absolutely no control over it. NONE. But you DO have control over how you spend your time and what you allow to take up space in your head.

Whew. Rant Over.


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