Growing up I was the totally awkward and clumsy kid. Whenever someone in the family would fall or spill something, they would call them “Brooke”. I am completely, not-at-all joking. On Saturday mornings after pouring a big bowl of cereal, excited to watch Saturday morning cartoons, I would fill my bowl with milk and head…
How to Beat End of the Year Chaos
As the end of the year approaches in my school district, my fifth grade students have morphed into crazed zombies—little thought and lots of activity. I know it’s normal for this time of year, but I’m wondering what happened to my sweet little students from the beginning of the year! They’re still in there, somewhere!…
3 Ways to Avoid Decision Fatigue—and Overwhelm
Have you ever had those days when your brain feels like the spinning wheel you see when your computer has too much to process? Twirling, twirling, twirling on your screen while you wait for it do something. Anything? Our brains, much like computers, can only process a limited amount at a time. Making decisions is…
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5 Tips for Testing Tumult
We began standardized testing this week in our district. I enjoy this time of year since it’s the culminating event of our year of hard work. What I don’t enjoy is the stress other teachers and my students face during testing. I wish I could tell them—and you—that is everything is going to be okay….
How to Make Overwhelm Eat Your Dust
I write a lot about happiness and balance. But sometimes, no matter what, teaching can just be plain overwhelming. There have been moments when I’ve felt so overwhelmed I wanted to walk out the door and never come back. Fortunately, those days are far behind me. Luck has nothing to do with it though. Instead,…