So proud of our students and their teachers who worked tirelessly this year to embed TWR strategies in ELA and math. Staff worked in vertical groups to celebrate growth in writing from fall to spring and determine next steps for FY27. @CurryAtTheCreek@GSCES_APTaylor@Schung118
10 Things Educators Need During a School Break and Why
1. Sleep without an alarm
Your nervous system has been living on adrenaline and cortisol. Deep rest helps reset the brain restore emotional regulation and improve memory mood and immune function.
2. Silence and nothingness
The brain needs quiet to downshift from constant decision making. Mental stillness reduces cognitive overload and allows the prefrontal cortex to come back online.
3. A non rushed bathroom visit
Having to suppress basic bodily needs keeps the brain in a low level stress state. Unrushed bathroom access restores a sense of safety dignity and control which directly calms the nervous system.
4. Laughter that makes your stomach hurt
Laughter releases endorphins and dopamine which naturally reduce stress and anxiety. It also reminds your brain and body that joy still exists outside of survival mode.
5. Connection with people who do not need anything from you
Educators give all day long. Low demand relationships restore emotional energy and protect against compassion fatigue.
6. A slow bath or shower in the morning
Warm water activates the parasympathetic nervous system lowering cortisol and muscle tension. A slow start to the day tells the brain you are safe and not in crisis mode.
7. Food that is eaten slowly and actually enjoyed
Mindful eating supports digestion stabilizes blood sugar and calms the nervous system. Your body deserves nourishment not rushed fuel.
8. Time without solving problems
Constant problem solving keeps the brain in threat detection mode. Breaks from decision making allow the nervous system to recalibrate and reduce mental exhaustion.
9. Reminders that you are more than your job
Identity overload increases burnout risk. Engaging in hobbies or creativity activates different neural pathways and restores a sense of wholeness.
10. A true break with compassion for yourself
Compassion fatigue is real. Prolonged caring without recovery depletes emotional reserves. Rest and self kindness rebuild resilience empathy and long term sustainability.
Final Thought
School breaks are not a luxury. They are neurological and emotional repair time. Rest is not quitting. Rest is what allows educators to return regulated connected and able to keep doing the work that matters so deeply.
MTSS for MLLs…an important question we should ask says Jamie Scripps is, “Are we using appropriate scaffolds for their proficiency level?”
https://t.co/HTl566xK7e
ILT engaging in a SIP review after MP 1. Time to celebrate the hard work of our stakeholders and continue to look ahead at our areas for growth. @CurryAtTheCreek@GSCES_APTaylor@Schung118
Love this photo of my favorite old office. The north end substation for #OCBP on 130th street. So much nicer than the bayside trailer we had in the middle north.😂
Making the most of our open house to engage our community with caregiver sessions on our ELD program and strategies to support literacy and math at home. @CurryAtTheCreek@GSCES_APTaylor@Schung118
“Research clearly shows that how much readers understand about the text’s topic before they read it is a major factor in how much they understand while and after they read it.”https://t.co/knItodApYy
Love seeing the application of our professional learning around the Writing Revolution play out in our classrooms. 2nd grade is off and running. @CurryAtTheCreek@GSCES_APTaylor@Schung118
After our professional learning on the Writing Revolution one of our teachers shared this quote with me. What a perfect way to illustrate the importance of writing. @CurryAtTheCreek@GSCES_APTaylor@Schung118
When students turn in a blank page, it is rarely because they do not care. More often, it is because they have not been given the tools to tackle the tough challenge of writing. Writing is not instinctive; it is taught strategy by strategy, sentence by sentence. With explicit instruction, blank pages become filled with ideas, evidence, and confidence.
#writinginstruction #hochmanmethod #scienceoflearning #literacy
🧠💬 Teaching kids how to explain their thinking? Try the “Because, But, So” strategy!
🟠 Because – explain why
🟢 But – show contrast
🔵 So – show result
https://t.co/ajjyohtHhj
“Few teachers will be lucky enough to be planted close to a marigold. You will have to seek them out. You can identify them by the way they congratulate you on arrival, rather than asking why anyone would want this godforsaken job. Or by the way their offers to help sound sincere