I often get the Sunday scaries during the school year. Sometimes, I even get summertime Sunday scaries just because my system-body and mind-have become accustomed to expecting what the coming week will hold. One strategy that always helps whatever level of scaries I am dealing with is the organization and planning of my upcoming week. I have planned my weeks for a long time now on Sundays. It has become a Sunday morning tradition where I will look to the week ahead as a fresh start, a way to get ahead, or just a way to find some time to relax. This post contains a quick Youtube tutorial that shows you 3 different examples on how to plan your week. You will also find some more weekly layout examples in this blog post and detailed directions on how to use any notebook or journal to plan your best week.

I first started using the Passion Planner system in 2017, but abandoned it when I discovered bullet journaling and creating my own layouts. With bullet journaling, I loved the freedom of a blank page, and I had the time and energy to create layouts and spreads that worked for me. Fast forward to the recent process of pregnancy and motherhood, and everything got busy. I really felt like I could benefit from the focus that comes from using the Passion Planning system and planners not only because I didn’t have as much time to create layouts, but I also wanted to refocus on the dreams and goals I had before pregnancy and motherhood. Passion Planners have now turned into the ultimate tool when it comes to planning, goal-setting, and also tracking my schedule and baby’s schedule.

It started with virtual teaching in the fall of 2020 when I had to take things day-by-day. I started the 2020-2021 school year almost 5 months pregnant, and I was facing a crazy year of teaching without being in front of kids. I literally took things in the transition to that school year day-by-day. I loved the Daily Passion Planner because it was undated, and I could really focus on a few months at a time. In comparison, I tried the Weekly Academic Passion Planner for the 2021-2022 back-to-school year season because it gave me a chance to plan out my year as a new mom. This post goes into detail about my experiences in two Passion Planners, why I chose the new Passion Planner I did, and what I love and don’t love about each planner. I talk sizes, layouts, and different spreads that are included and what works for me now.

When I think of productivity, I think of schedules, goals, and the day-to-day grind. I think of planners. I think of lists that get to be checked off. I love a good list. Productivity may be one of the main reasons I will often turn to a journal or notebook, and bullet journaling has created an outlet where planning can become beautiful. Whether you choose a more formal setup of a planner like a Passion Planner or if you prefer a blank page, sometimes figuring out what system works best for you can make the difference between feeling in control and calm or full of chaos and overwhelm. This post contains ideas for daily, weekly, and monthly layouts for scheduling, and it also has a focused list of journaling prompts to help you figure out what really needs to go into your planning setup. Remember: Your journal can operate as a planner. No need to reinvent systems. You can create your own systems based on your style.

August always feels far away, and then all of the sudden it is here. It has to be one the fastest moving months throughout the year. Back-to-school advertisements and sales are everywhere. All of the teachers I know (including myself) are struggling with how the fall will look for students, teachers, and families as we return to teaching during a pandemic. How quickly will burnout set in? Will everything be okay? The new dynamic of being a mom will also be on my plate as I enter the upcoming school year. Managing family schedules, daycare, and finding time to fit in what really matters is going to be an added challenge. I have loved bullet journaling for the past 4 years, but I have also used a Passion Planner occasionally when I need to get myself back on track in terms of organization and goals. This post outlines how I plan to use BOTH a Passion Planner and a bullet journal to keep myself on track in terms of goals and tasks, but also dreams, family time, and trying to fit in a certain amount of self-care to avoid burnout.

The first few moments of class are critical for a variety of reasons, but the main reason for really focusing on those first few minutes is your entire lesson could be a success or failure depending on whether or not your students are engaged from the beginning. I love talking to teachers about warm-ups. I love hearing different strategies and ideas. One of the most powerful pieces of teacher advice I have to give is there is power in sharing the why or purpose behind your lesson right away. Our brains are hardwired for the information of “why am I here?” to feel safe and to create a sense of belonging. On another level, your warm-up helps unlock your classroom environment. You make students feel welcome with a warm-up.

So, how do you start class?

I have started my middle school English Language Arts class in a variety of ways. I sometimes rotate my warm-up strategies based on the grading marking period or trimester. I sometimes keep things that work well, and then I toss out other things that don’t. I almost always come back to some form of creative writing or choice reading with conferences.

December 2020 is upon us! No matter how you have felt about the past year with everything that has happened, December is always a mood. It is a distinct vibe. Perhaps you run to set up holiday decorations or maybe you are a person who might be feeling some ease because this year the same holiday gatherings-at work or at home-may or may not be happening. It is definitely an odd time. I like December because it brings about this idea of reflection, and I also love the idea of deciding here in Michigan to cozy up for the winter. In this post, you will see my December planning pages as well as some of the things I am doing to make December more enjoyable with cozy accents and decorations. You will also see my mood meter as I make sure to check-in with myself as to how I am feeling each day.

As I reflect on the planning that I did at the beginning of August, I am keenly aware of the transition to the fall teacher schedule that happens in September. Yesterday was the first day of school and our first day implementing our district’s online learning plan. While today was the first full day, and I think it went pretty well, there still is something to be said about the major adjustments in the schedule that happens in not just my life, but in the life of a teacher. Really, anyone associated with someone going to school. Different pockets of priorities sneak up around keeping track of new tasks, email inboxes, trying to stay organized, and encouraging personal creative growth and inspiration. One way I like to try to maintain life’s course during times of transition is through journaling. Last month I wrote about how I was utilizing the Undated Daily Passion Planner in Lush Green in order to take things one day at a time. I can focus on the goals and the tasks that need to happen that day. This has been an adjustment in how my brain thinks. I am a habitual planner-aheader. I want to know what is happening a week from now, a month from now, and a year from now. I am constantly making lists. However, I think this particular fall season calls for all of us to maybe considering slowing down.

However you find yourself slowing down this fall season, I hope you get a chance to focus in on your goals, get curious about your own learning, and indulge in small moments that make you happy. One way to do that is to focus on your journaling habits. You may be choosing to use a bullet journal system, keep a Passion Planner, or write down your thoughts in any notebook you have around the house. My process for September involves figuring out where my motivation is through an inspiration layout, and then planing for each day, one at a time. This post is a preview of my inspiration layout for the month, some dailies, and my process for tackling the rest of the 29 days ahead.

I love looking at what other people have planned for the first two weeks of school. While some people feel inventive and creative, I sometimes feel really pressured to make sure that the first two weeks feel…perfect. And I can guarantee that nothing feels particularly perfect this year as we head back-to-school with online learning. However, I told my classes today: “No matter where we are, we are going to learn and have a great time.” I meant it. I wanted to include my favorite resources, books, and the learning platforms that I am using for heading back-to-school. I know that my teaching will be forever changed due to the adaptations and modifications I am making for my instruction in the current moment. This post starts with my first day plans, and then it provides a simple-structured outline for the rest of the two weeks. I did not include any language regarding essential questions and standards. I wanted to focus on the main activities and the tools I used to plan those activities along the way.

The end of August and the beginning of September marks the official kick-off of back-to-school. Many of you have probably been planning for a while. Some of you may be still working out the first few weeks of plans for your classroom. Wherever you are in the planning process, this post is designed to give you some sparks of joy and added creativity in your planning and in your adjustment in the closing out of summer. If you have reached a dead-end, (like I had earlier this week) browse the posts below to find one that may help insert some much-needed inspiration into your plans or your own personal routine. You will find some posts about teaching including ideas for classroom activities, literacy instruction, and how to structure your class setup. You will also find mindset posts about anxiety, stopping negative teacher talk, and remaining uncomfortable as you approach this school year with a focus on anti-bias and anti-racist teaching. I know this school season of 2020-2021 is unlike any other we have faced in the world of teaching; however, I know we can do this through the collaboration of ideas and helpful reminders to see the good in all situations.

We can do this. I promise.

Any time there is a transition from being on a break from work back to the everyday routine, it is a struggle. However, this past transition from winter break to teaching in January seemed a little tougher than usual. My students seemed off, I seemed off, and I had to plan for a sub day in the middle of the week due to a school improvement conference I had to attend. The theme for the week was “off.” There are signs of burnout that creep in that sometimes have nothing to do with being on a break or not. Simply, teachers are asked to do all things at all times, and this causes mindset burnout-even if they are just coming off of a break. There are lots of symptoms, but I find that my day-to-day resiliency to handle all of my teacher tasks begins to suffer when I feel burnout settle into my mindset. it is the moment when making a to-do list even seems overwhelming.

For example, I was making the comment to my husband one night this past week:

“I feel like I could work for another 2-3 hours tonight, and I still would not be caught up. I’m never caught up.”

Some teachers that are part of the #mytimeismyown movement on social media, or are trying to prioritize their time outside of the walls of teaching, may have just cringed. But, we all have been there. I don’t want to work at home, but the demands of the job continue to demand time. I recently got 100 graphic novels awarded to my classroom through a grant. I would not have received those materials if I had not given up time outside of the usual to write the grant, present the grant, and then follow through on plans for the new materials. The real question here is how do we set limits? Because the truth is, teachers are trying as hard as they can.