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Introduction

My first year teaching, I remember going out with my teaching buddies to happy hour on Friday's once a month. We would order some cheap appetizers and let the unwinding begin. The consensus of those nights was we spent too much time at school. We were working 50-60 hour weeks and that was before the weekend began. On the weekends we would continue to work but it never ended. The overwhelm was chasing us but no matter how hard we work, it never ended. 
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The end of that first year, I sat down with my teaching buddies once again and said I am not doing this again. I cannot have another year like this. There has to be a way for me to teach and live. If I can't find a way, I will have to stop teaching as my family comes first. 

That summer, we did a lot of research! We came up with a plan and we put it into action. We succeed and failed all at the same time. The changes we were making helped but the sheer number of projects we took on was overwhelming. Those Friday night dinners once a month, became a way of tweaking our ideas. 

The next year, I had compiled all we learned and began writing our plan. This plan became The Path to Passionate Teaching. I shared my plan and we put it into action. That year we only worked 45 hours each week.  
In the last five years a lot of changes have been made: we moved states, districts, positions, and some of us even left teaching all together. Despite the changes, we have continued to use the plan set forth in The Path to Passionate Teaching with success. We are all now working 40 hours a week. We have time to live our lives with passion and can enjoy ourselves in and out of the classroom. 

How do I get started? 

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Staying organized is one of the ways to become a passionate teacher. For this reason, we have created a few items to help you organize your journey to passionate teaching.  You can either create a binder of our resources and print them out OR you can visit us here for our monthly blog posts. Pick the choice that works best for you!
​Get the Binder from Zazzle
Binder Basics
File Size: 424 kb
File Type: pdf
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Overview
File Size: 198 kb
File Type: pdf
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Summer Overview
File Size: 159 kb
File Type: pdf
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Beginning Checklist
File Size: 204 kb
File Type: pdf
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Office Hours
File Size: 220 kb
File Type: pdf
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Note Pages
File Size: 145 kb
File Type: pdf
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School Year Challenges

When the overwhelm reaches out and begins to haunt you, that is when you know you need help! On the 1st Friday of each month, you will have a chance to jump in and join the challenge. Each monthly challenge is designed to take you one step closer to becoming a passionate teacher. We will give you advice, examples, and ideas surrounding this month's topic.

Just as all teachers do, we want you to make this challenge your own! Use the hashtag #daisiesandchalkpassion to share your journey and help other teachers just like you! For this month's post please see our blog. For past posts, please click on the links below. 

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September

Setting up your year for success for you and your students! 
  • Office Hours
  • Morning Routines
  • ​Afternoon Routines
  • Student vs. Teacher Jobs
  • Procedures Matter
  • Pacing Guides
  • Students Aren't Robots
  • The Importance of Choice
  • Making Copies
  • Correspondence
  • To Do Lists
  • Lesson Planning
  • Avoiding Vampire Teachers
  • Positivity is Key!
  • Priority Standards
  • Vertical Alignment

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October

There are a lot of surprises throughout the year but having a plan to handle them will help elevate the stress of these surprises. 
  • Indoor Recess
  • Field Day
  • ​Game Day
  • Favorite Class Games
  • Things to do in 5 Minutes
  • Minute-To-Win It Games
  • Welcoming A New Student
  • When Parents Divorce
  • Picture Day
  • The Loss of a Loved One
  • Room Transformations
  • Brain Breaks
  • Collaboration Strategies
  • Computer Games
  • Spirit Week
  • Read Across America
  • Welcome Baby!
  • Carnival Week
  • Grandparents Day

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November

Testing, Data, Tracking, Progress Monitoring, Reviewing, and more. What should you do and when? 
  • Review Parties
  • Review Strategies
  • Tracking Data
  • ​Easy Progress Monitoring
  • Testing Motivation
  • Standards Tracking
  • When to Test
  • What Testing Means to Students
  • Planning for Short Weeks
  • Test Strategies
  • Testing Routines
  • Different Types of Tests
  • Using Data for Lesson Planning
  • Using Data to plan Grading

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December

Party Planning and Celebrations do not have to be stressful. Creating simple traditions will help you enjoy these more. 
  • Party Agenda
  • Party Parents
  • Easy Decorating Ideas
  • Party Games
  • ​Party Crafts
  • Quarterly Celebrations
  • ​RAK in the Classroom
  • Making Your Party Kit
  • ​Storing Monthly Supplies
  • Valentines
  • Creating Traditions in the Classroom
  • Holiday Room Transformations
  • Celebrating Mistakes
  • Classroom Parents
  • Volunteers Wanted

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January

This month we are diving deep into Goal Setting and how one should do that in and out of the classroom. 
  • SMART Goals
  • Types of Goals
  • When to Create Goals
  • Tracking Success
  • What to do when Goals Fail
  • Class Goals
  • Individual Student Goals
  • Tracking Goals
  • Standards Based Grading
  • Report Card Comments
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  • One Word 2021
  • Monthly Goals
  • Yearly Goals
  • Quarterly Goals
  • To Do Lists
  • Bucket Lists
  • I met my goal. What's next? 
  • ​Why are goals important? 

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February

This month we are working with Professional Development. Simple steps to make all of this less stressful!
  • Evaluation Prep
  • Surprise Evaluations
  • Walk Throughs
  • Crafting Communications
  • Fostering Relationships  with Parents
  • Parent Folders
  • ​What is Professional Development? 
  • Portfolios
  • ​Branding You
  • Danielson Domains
  • Updating Your Resume
  • Communication Documentation
  • Using Your Voice
  • Assertive Communication
  • Summer PD 2021

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March

This month we are taming the paper monster! As teachers, paper is our nemesis. Once one stack is dealt with three more appear. Learn simple ideas to tame this monster once and for all!
  • How to Grade
  • Student Work Samples
  • Copies
  • All Assignments are not created Equal
  • Planning Your Grading
  • Cleaning out the File Cabinet
  • Student Files
  • Student Portfolios
  • New Student Kits
  • Documenting Accommodations
  • Analyzing & Using Data
  • What is MTSS? 
  • Sending Papers Home
  • ​Managing your Email
  • What should you grade? 
  • Permission Not to grade
  • What documentation do you really need? 
  • Extra Lessons in Your Pocket
  • Keeping things for Future Use
  • Missing Work & Absent Students
  • Lock Box of Information
  • Collecting Data
  • Student Data Folders

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April

This month we are focusing on organizing all the things. Organization is truly a hidden key to successful teaching! 
  • Math Centers                   
  • ELA Centers
  • Parent Communication
  • The Teacher's Desk
  • Must Have Supplies
  • Organizing your curriculum
  • Tips to Staying Organized
  • Organizing Your Library
  • Amazon Wish List
  • Student Desk Organization
  • The Teacher Tool Box
  • Organizing Students without a desk
  • Party Supplies
  • Your File Cabinet
  • ​Student Records
  • ​To Label or Not to Label
  • Planning for Emergencies
  • Copy Days & Lesson Plans
  • The Importance of Labels in the ESL Classroom
  • Round-up of Organizational Tips​
  • Stop Copying the Same Thing!

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May

This month we are looking at prepping for next year and how to handle the inevitable move to a different room. 
  • Smarter Packing
  • Prepping for Next Year
  • Moving Classrooms or Schools
  • ​Working through the Summer
  • ​Things to Donate
  • Packing for Summer
  • Relocating out of state
  • To Take or To Toss
  • When a Student Leaves
  • Reciprocity
  • Electronic vs. Paper Copies
  • Organizing Your Google Drive


​WARNING! 

DO NOT look at the above links as a list of things you must do! Look at it as a list of options on things that you can improve inside of your own classroom. As mentioned in the introduction, you are picking 1 project to work on this month. ONE way to improve your already amazing classroom.  If you have time you can pick another one or wait until next year to tackle the next thing on your list. 

Trying to do all of these things at once is a sure fire way to fail and become overwhelmed. The goal is to eliminate the overwhelm not add to it. 

Summer Challenges

Despite the popular myth, we all know that teachers work during the summer. This is our time of the year to catch-up, reflection, and to prepare for the year ahead. For this reason, I have created challenges to help us prepare to be our best selves in the upcoming school year.
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June

This month we are focusing on you! YOU MATTER and now is the time to take care of you. 
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Meal Planning
  • Beauty
  • Dressing for Success
  • Mental Health
  • The 24 Hour Rule
  • Favorite Breakfast
  • Easy Lunches to take to School
  • Dinners on the Run



  • Discounts for Teachers
  • Hobbies
  • ​Travel
  • Drink More Water
  • ​Finding Peace
  • Nutrition Matters
  • Noom
  • ​Fun Matters!​

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July

This month we are focusing on adding new tools to our toolbox. As teachers, we are reflective and need to always be up-to-date with the latest research. Having a specific month set aside to focus on this allows us to take it off our plate the rest of the year. 
  • Apps for Google Meets
  • Book Studies
  • Being Better than Last Year
  • Professional Development Classes
  • Professional Development Seminars and Webinars
  • The Role of Social Media
  • How to Stay Relevant
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  • New Technology
  • Must Read ELA Books for Teachers
  • Must Read Math Books for Teachers
  • Must Read Classroom Management Books
  • The Power of Networking
  • Distant Learning vs. E-Learning
  • Teaching in a Covid World

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August

Our focus during the school year is on our students. This month. we will be focusing on all the things and people we have been neglecting. 
  • Family Bonding
  • Building Faith
  • Friendship Connection
  • The Importance of Traditions
  • Delegating is Important
  • Building Communities
  • Home Town Vacations
  • Exploring Your State
  • Managing our Home
  • Car Maintenance
  • Vacation Time!
  • Weekend Getaways
  • Adventure to No Where
  • Help Wanted
  • Volunteering

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