09/17/2026
This book brought me back to my last few years teaching kindergarten and 1st grade. Every morning I made it a point to stand at the classroom door, make eye contact and smile, welcome each child by name, and wish them a “Good morning.”
Having each child respond and look me in the eye allowed them to feel seen, gave them a moment to slow down and shift gears, and really strengthened our connection. Such a simple action set the tone for our day and made a world of difference.
I read an article by Timothy Walker in graduate school about the importance of play and enjoyment during the school day, and those ideas have stayed with me ever since.
That’s also a big part of how I approach teaching phonics and reading. I believe learning to read can—and should—be joyful. Playful games and activities give children opportunities to practice important skills, build confidence, and stay engaged while they learn. Sometimes, making learning feel like play is what helps children want to keep learning.
Want to make phonics practice feel more like play? Comment PLAY and I’ll send you the link to all of my fun, no-prep phonics games!
I read this book as a tired teacher on a Sunday night and by Monday morning I had changed how I teach.
I picked up "Teach Like Finland: 33 Simple Strategies for Joyful Classrooms" by Timothy D. Walker because I was burnt out. Timothy is an American teacher who moved to Finland when his wife got a job there, and he ended up teaching in a Finnish public school. Finland, the country everyone says has the best education in the world, and he walked in expecting to find some secret super-strict system. Instead, he found kids who take more breaks, who play more, who are happier.
What broke my heart and healed it at the same time was how simple his 33 strategies are. It's not about fancy tech or working harder. It's about well-being. He talks about how Finnish kids go outside every hour, even in -20 degree weather, because fresh air is not a reward, it's a right. How teachers are trusted, not micromanaged. How classrooms have couches and kids learn to relax and breathe before a test. How belonging comes before achievement. I read the chapter about joy and had tears in my eyes because I realized how much joy I had squeezed out of my own classroom trying to chase test scores.
I tried just two things this week. I added a real brain break where we just went outside and looked at the clouds for five minutes, no learning objective attached. And I started greeting each kid at the door by name and asking them one real question, not about homework. The shift was instant. They were calmer. I was calmer. It made me realize how much of our American system is built on anxiety, more hours, more homework, more pressure, while Finland is built on trust.
If you are a teacher, a parent, or anyone who cares about kids, please read this. It's not about copying Finland perfectly, we can't, our system is different. It's about remembering that kids learn best when they feel safe, rested, and happy. This book gave me permission to teach like a human again, not like a machine. And my students are better for it.
