longafterthebellrings

09/16/2026

5 things I’ll always have in my first grade classroom 🫶✨
1️⃣ A calm down corner to help little hearts reset and self-regulate
2️⃣ A classroom library filled with SEL books—organized and labeled by my students!
3️⃣ Class rules we create together so they mean something 💛
4️⃣ A voice board where ideas, questions, goals, and kindness bloom
5️⃣ A family photo display that reminds us we’re all connected 🏠❤️

These aren’t just “classroom setups”—they’re the heartbeat of our community. 💫
Want to hear more about how I use each one? Drop a “5 things” in the comments and I’ll send the details your way! ✨📩

09/07/2026

We are continuing to roll out the calm down corner. Why did I included naming your feeling in the calm down corner ?
🫶It helps you know yourself better – if you can say “I feel sad” or “I feel mad,” you understand what’s going on inside. (And there are other emotions as we know! Today we focused on sad and tired).
🫶It helps you calm down – once you know the feeling, it’s easier to figure out what to do about it.
🙌It helps you talk to others – you can tell a teacher, friend, or parent how you feel instead of showing it with only yelling or tears (although there’s nothing wrong with tears).
🙌It helps with friendships – when you know your feelings, you can also understand other people’s feelings better. (Empathy!!!)
🫶It helps you learn – when you handle your feelings, your brain is ready to pay attention in class. (A pretty important goal).

🌟 If you want the link to the slides I use to help with this convo, comment “feelings.”

09/04/2026

It was all about growth mindset for our latest SEL HeartSmart ❤️ mini unit! Remember- you can do hard things too.

Comment “growth” and I’ll send you the link! 🔗

08/28/2026

This calm down strategies week long mini unit has perfect back to school SEL activities that are no prep! 5 minutes a day can make a big difference for setting up positive environment for the rest of the school year.

🧘‍♀️ Comment “calm down” and I’ll send you everything!

08/23/2026

This may or may not be in my search history 🫠 😆

08/08/2026

PD day, last work day, and Meet the Teacher! Thanks for being on this journey with me. We made it! Godspeed ladies!

08/07/2026

08/05/2026

If you didn’t stand on something questionable this week are you even really a teacher?