learning is laughter

Sound Walls in Kindergarten?

Sound Walls in Kindergarten?

by | Teacher Issues, Teaching Blogs

 

There has been a lot of discussion about the use of sound walls in kindergarten vs word walls.  Because I am all about what works best for my learners, I researched the sound wall completely before deciding to discard my word wall which I have had a lot of success with. Here is what I learned. 

 

What are sound walls in kindergarten?

  1. Sound walls in kindergarten are focused on the phonemes that individual letters represent. It makes the connection from speech to print. 
  2. They are organized by phonemes and not by the order of letters in the alphabet.
  3. Students are taught the positions of the mouth and voice intonations when sounds are made and are then divided into categories. 

 

  • Stops
  • Nasals
  • Fricatives
  • Affricatives

 

 This is an in-depth program based on the Science of Reading. Students learn how to make the sounds and how their mouths and voices are used. Walls are created by phonemes. So, if a word begins with SH, they would look for that phoneme based on the category Fricative instead of looking for the S on a typical word wall. 

 

Pros and Cons of Sound Walls in Kindergarten

 

Pros

  • Students develop a greater understanding of how sounds are made.
  • They learn how speech sounds connect to the written word.
  • Learners can find irregular words by their initial sounds. The word “know” is found under “n.”

Cons

  • The vocabulary terminology and instruction are hard for young students to grasp.
  • A sound wall is a very slow-moving process in kindergarten. 
  • Consonants and vowels are separated into their own walls, and this makes having the space difficult. 

 

Personally, I am having a hard time finding where the letters are and I feel this type of structure may be way too difficult in the kindergarten classroom. It would be a long process to get kindergartners to find the words that they need for writing. 

 

Pros and Cons of Word Walls

 

Pros            sound walls in kindergarten?

  1. Young students know the order of the alphabet already. 
  2. Word Walls help students find sight words.
  3. Wall doesn’t separate vowels and consonants.

                    

Cons 

  1. Words are placed by a beginning letter which may not be the first phoneme heard in a word.
  2. The typical A-Z format leaves out many common phonemes.
  3. Students can’t always find words that they need for writing.

 

Should I use a sound wall in kindergarten?

 

First, if you have been around for a while, like me, when something new comes along we are a bit skeptical. We have seen trends and research come and go.

 

And, we usually end up taking the good parts but not buying into the entire program. 

 

This is me on this one. Am I going to throw out my word wall in exchange for the latest trend of the Sound Wall? No. I am not. Word walls have been very successful in giving my students tools to learn to read and write and make the transition from spoken word to written words. 

 

It is about giving kids enough tools to have in their toolbox that they will be able to find the one that does the job for them. What will I do? See below. 

 

How do I combine a Word Wall and a Sound Wall?

 

First of all, it is important to know what your goal is in having a word wall or a sound wall. My goal is to help students become independent writers and combine reading and writing skills to accomplish that goal. 

 

The sound wall takes components of Lively Letters which I like so much better when teaching kindergarten about phonemes and sounds. 

 

First, it doesn’t make things as confusing but still teaches about speech sounds and what our body parts are doing in a fun and motivating way. 

 

Alternatively, creating a word wall that incorporates different phonemes such as th, ar, sh and ch combines the best of both worlds. Students can still look for the beginning sound and find the word on the word wall. 

 

For me, the words that I put on my word wall are the most common words that kids want to use to express themselves while writing and have a hard time sounding out. They like to write about “my friend,” and people they “like.” These are often sight words and heart words that help them compose beginning sentences. 

 

Pendulum swings often. 

 

Of course, in kindergarten, students are still encouraged to use invented spelling on hard words in order to become creative, independent writers. If students want to spell every word correctly, their independence is shattered and the teacher is overwhelmed with, “ I don’t know how to spell, “skeleton.”

 

Every new strategy seems to have very good components within them. So, take what you feel makes sense and use it, but you don’t have to get rid of all your old successful strategies.

 

They will come back around as the pendulum swings. 

 

 

 

Cover photo credits from Instagram: @shipshapeelementary, @mrswintersbliss, @learningwithmisspowell

Distance Education Virtual Graduation in Kindergarten

Distance Education Virtual Graduation in Kindergarten

by | Teacher Issues, Teaching Blogs

Everybody needs virtual kindergarten graduation ideas this year. Things will look a tad bit different.

They don’t have to be that different though. Take what you do and adapt to the virtual world. Kindergarten graduation is the first real milestone that children have in school. The kindergarten promotion songs and slideshows can still be used and adapted to digital learning.

Slide Show/Scrapbook

 

virtual graduation for kindergarten

 

I have created a template for a digital scrapbook that students are able to edit on the computer or there are also black and white copies. Put a graduation hat on your students to make it official.

Students can write about what they want to be when they grow up and their favorite memories.

Collecting pictures throughout the year and putting them to music is simple and easy these days. This slideshow template makes it even easier. Just add pictures and save as JPEG files. Most phones can do this with a touch of a button on I-MOVIE and other slideshow apps.

Kindergarten is a special year. This is a day that parents will often recall forever. Having a sweet song with adorable innocent pictures often evokes tears of pride.

Put the slideshow in Google classroom or make DVD’s to mail home to the students.

Song Ideas:

We are Going to be Friends

Let them Be Little

These are Days

It’s a Wonderful World

Daughter (applies to boys too)

You’ve got a Friend in Me

How Far I’ll Go

The Eye of the Tiger (Field Day pics)

 Kindergarten graduation is an occasion that parents and students will look back on proudly. My daughter is graduating from high school this year, but I will always remember her sweet face at her kindergarten graduation.

These virtual kindergarten graduation ideas will help you create a celebration that will be forever remembered and appreciated.

If you are having Zoom or Google Meet classroom sessions, pick one song that students can learn with you. These are some of the songs that everyone loves to sing.

Kindergarten Nights (Summer Nights)

This is honestly my favorite. Maybe, it is because I love John Travolta. Or, maybe it is because it lends itself to the cutest movements ever. Regardless, everyone is impressed with this kindergarten graduation song. Words can be found here.

Kindergarten, Kindergarten  (Love and Marriage)

Because my last name is Barton, we sing, “Kindergarten with Ms. Barton,” but “Kindergarten, Kindergarten” is just as cute.

The music to this song fits the lyrics perfectly. Click for the words.

First Grade, First Grade (New York, New York)

I found this song when my daughter’s kindergarten teacher used it for her kindergarten graduation. It is so adorable that I asked her for a copy of the words. This song is a timeless favorite.

Click for the words.

Other great kindergarten graduation songs are KinderFunk, Time to Graduate, We are the Champions.

Army Chant

I love this one as it is so easy for the kids to perform because they are just imitating what you say. The students also love this kindergarten graduation song/chant. They cannot contain their enthusiasm when they say, “Left, right, left right.”

Click for the words.

One Small Voice

This song is perfect for the last song. It is very beautiful when the kids sing it with the sign language actions. Parents will be extremely touched by this number.

Kindergarten Poem  kindergarten graduation songs

This is one of the many virtual kindergarten graduation ideas that students can do online. Give each student a letter in the word “kindergarten” and have them create a big picture of that letter.

Also, give them the line from the below poem that goes with the letter. They can then perform this on your Zoom graduation. Mute and un-mute as they say their lines.

K is for kindergarten! Hip, hip hooray!

I is for imagination. We use every day.

N is for numbers. We know, one two three.

D is for drawing, the best you can see.

E is for exercise to keep our bodies strong.

R is for reading books all day long.

G is for good friends. We make more every day.

A is for the alphabet we know how to say.

R is for remembering everything we learned.

T is for treats that we sometimes earned.

E is for excitement. This year we had some.

N is for next year. First grade here we come.

Kindergarten T-Shirts 

  

This is a perfect shirt for this year. You can possibly drive by and deliver the shirt and do social distancing photos with your students.

I was thinking of having a virtual drive by graduation and handing out their shirts and diplomas as they drive by in their cars. Parents can decorate their cars with positive signs.

Of course, I would be wearing a mask and gloves. Make sure you get permission first.

Also, these shirts can be done cheaper at a local t-shirt creation shop. They are happy to get the business.

Our teacher shirt will say “I virtually taught kindergarten.”

Introductions

We all know that parents are going to be looking at one person: their child. Each of those special students should have an opportunity to say something if you are doing the graduation online.

Having the students introduce themselves and say what they want to be when they grow up or their favorite part of kindergarten is very entertaining.

In closing, I hope you found some virtual kindergarten graduation ideas that you can use for this year. To say the least, this was a very unique year of school.

Finding ways to make things special is what teacher do best. I am sure your students and parents will appreciate your effort in creating a memorable experience.

 

Click now to buy kindergarten slideshow template. 

 

 

 

Disclosure: Affiliate links are used in this post. The website may benefit from items purchased by clicking the links. This helps to keep the website active.

 

 

10 Best Teacher Side Hustles

10 Best Teacher Side Hustles

by | Teacher Issues, Teaching Blogs

Two things that teachers are lacking in are time and money. I may not be able to help with the time aspect, but maybe the money.

The Side Hustle is a term that has gained in popularity for teachers. Most teachers have some sort of second job to make up for the poor compensation that teachers receive. Also, teachers are very good at multitasking.

I am a teacher, and my side hustles are blogging and TPTing. I will be talk about the latter in this article.

 

VIP Kid-         

10 best teacher side hustles

This is an online education company that connects students and teachers globally through one-to-one personalized English language classes.

Pros-

  • You can make your own schedule keeping in mind that the time zone of Bejing, so early mornings and at night are a typical Vip Kid schedule.
  • All the lessons and slides are provided. It is mainly to correct language mistakes and help students speak in complete sentences.
  • There is no outside preparation time needed.
  • Some educators make up to 2,000 dollars each month.
  • There are many You Tube videos available to help with the process.

Cons-

  • Because of the time zone differential, shifts are often late at night or early morning. If you like to get up at 4 am then this may not be a con.
  • Your rate of pay is decided at the interview, so make sure you prepare yourself and include any ELL experience that you may have.
  • Taxes on Vip Kid income are approximately 25-30 percent depending on your state. Business and home expenses can be deducted to maximize return.

 

Ebay Buy and Sell

This is something that I have done for the past ten years, and I have made 500-1000 dollars a month on average. This works well if you like to frequent stores such as Goodwill, Savers and thrift stores.

Pros-

  • This is a great diversion from the stress of teaching. It is extremely mindless.
  • It is fun if you like to shop.
  • When you find “treasures” and expensive items, it can be quite an adrenaline rush.

Cons-

  • It takes some time to determine what is profitable.
  • Shipping costs and eBay and Amazon fees cut into profits.

Tips-

  • Take advantage of the discounts available for teachers. Stores such as Savers and Goodwill have designated days where items are 50 percent off.
  • We have had great success with old perfume, new toys, video games, and electronics.
  • Use the eBay app to scan UPC tags to see what you can sell each item for. We usually only buy items that can make at least an eight to ten dollar profit.

 

Etsy-            teacher side hustles

Teachers have some of the most innate creative abilities. Many times, this is why they are in the teaching field.  Etsy is an online business platform that offers unique gifts, jewelry and one of a kind items. It lends itself to being one of the best teacher side hustles.

Pros-

  • Product listing is very simple and straightforward.
  • Etsy generates some traffic if you have good keywords.
  • The Etsy app is very helpful for listing and keeping track of sales and products.

Cons-

  • Etsy takes a considerable amount of advertising to make the business profitable. Social media is very important in increasing sales and activity.
  • The market is saturated with ideas and items. If you have a great one, it will be soon be replicated.
  • Like anything, slow and steady wins the race. If you have something unique to offer, it will take time to build your store, but it can be done.

 

Tutoring

Varsity Tutors is a live learning platform that helps connect students and private tutors together for academic tutoring and test preparation for all ages, skill levels, and subject areas.

Pros-

  • You can make your own schedule and choose who and what to tutor.
  • This company is legitimate, and tutors make 17 dollars an hour on average.
  • Tutoring is done online, and this makes accessibility easy.
  • The company is well organized and efficient.
  • 50 dollars are given as referral incentives.

Cons-

  • This is an online tutoring service, and not everyone learns the best through an online platform.
  • Response to opportunities is key as customers can seek other tutors quite easily.

If you would rather do private tutoring in your area, rates can be much higher. Care.com is a great place to list your skills and find local students in need of tutoring services.

 

Test Scorer–

From their website: “Constructed-response scoring professionals are part-time employees who are Readers for the College Board’s Advanced Placement® (AP®) Program or other testing programs, and/or Raters associated with ETS’s TOEIC®, TOEFL®, Praxis® and GRE® programs.”

Pros-

  • Work can be done online or at test centers across the Unites States.
  • ETS provides reasonable accommodations and/or assistance to applicants with disabilities
  • This is a very flexible job with overall good company management.

Cons-

  • Training is ongoing.
  • Pay recently went from 20-15 dollars an hour.

 

Dog Watching/Walking-  

 

teacher side hustles

If you are a dog lover, dog sitting, or walking can amount to a nice extra chunk of change in your pants pockets. Rover.Com can put you in touch with many customers that live in proximity.

Pros-

  • You can pick and choose how much you work.
  • This job provides time for exercise and the opportunity for lots of play and fun with furry friends.
  • Watching dogs at your own home is possible and enables a relaxed environment.
  • Pet sitters are usually paid 45-75 a night. Rates are flexible, and having good reviews on Rover.com will help you earn more money.

Cons-

  • Cleaning up poop, vomit and other dog-induced messes top the list. Dogs can destroy a toilet paper roll in one second. Be proactive in avoiding messy situations.
  • Walking dogs can be dangerous. Carry pepper spray in case there are stray dogs that come after you or the dog that you are walking. Make sure that your dog is secured on a leash.
  • Customers will call you at the last minute for emergency sitting opportunities. Be prepared to give times that you are not available.

 

Instacart-

This is an online grocery shopping business where employees fill orders that they received online.

Pros-

  • Schedule is extremely flexible, and you can work when you want and how much you want.
  • Tips can be good.

Cons-

  • This job has poor job security.
  • Reviews on this company are very poor. Employees complain about tip baiting, wear and tear on cars, and job dissatisfaction.
  • Employees wait to hear back from customers on replacements for items that aren’t in the store.

 

Surveys-

Imagine sitting on your couch with a cup of coffee and your phone. Who needs to imagine that? We do it all the time, but this time you can get paid. All you need to do is answer some questions and express your opinions. Survey Junkie is a great site to add to the list of teacher side hustles.

Pros-

  • You can pick and choose how much you work.
  • This is extremely mindless work.
  • Surveys take about 15 minutes to complete and the payout threshold is 10 dollars.

Cons-

  • This is not a huge money maker.
  • There is literally no job growth or potential for advancement.
  • Taking surveys all day can be tedious.

 

TPT-

This is one of the leading teacher side hustles for educators. We have all heard the stories about millionaire teacherpreneurs.  Teachers Pay Teachers has replaced the old Mailbox teaching ideas that we previously bought.

Pros-

  • This provides a completely passive income once your store is up and running.
  • Teachers are in control of how much time to put into this job. You are your own boss.
  • Some educators make up to 2,000 dollars each month.
  • There are many You Tube videos available to help with the process.

Cons-

  • This is a long game. You cannot quit your other job overnight.
  • Marketing and social media are a big factor in the success of a store.
  • TPT stores take a lot of time and good computer skills are essential.

Teachers are often extremely successful at their jobs and their teacher side hustles. The reasons are apparent:

  • Great ingenuity
  • Efficient at multitasking
  • Creative
  • Hard-working
  • Empathetic

 

There are many other teacher side hustles out there. It just depends on your talents and interests. Here are a few other teacher side hustles that may interest you.

DoTerra

Pure Romance

Graphic Artist

Uber/Lyft

Paparazzi Jewelry

Rodan Fields

Beachbody Fitness

 

 

 

 

How to Teach Kindergarten in 30 Easy Steps

How to Teach Kindergarten in 30 Easy Steps

by | Humor, Teacher Issues, Teaching Blogs

So, you want to know how to teach kindergarten? Just follow these 30 easy steps, and it will all come together nicely.

 

1. Write a detailed plan to give to your administrator one week ahead of time. 

 

2. Change plan to reteach today’s lesson tomorrow, the next day and the next.

 

3. Change plan again to accommodate more hands-on activity for the upcoming full moon. 

 

4. Begin daily calendar activities.

 

5. Listen to a student respond that today is Octember 3rd, and in 120 days it will be her birthday.

 

 

6. Call on other students who talk about their Uncle Joe’s birthday, what they are getting for their birthday and how they wish their birthday was today.

 

7. Begin to go over letters and sounds.

 

8. Try not to react as one student tells you that a word that begins with the letter D is doggy doo doo.

 

9. Review sight words.

 

10. Try to remember that the sight word, “but” must always be used in a complete sentence to eliminate fits of laughter.

 

 

11. Begin daily journal writing.

 

12. Break up arguments over who gets to use the pencil with the good eraser.  

 

13. Tell students to slowly say again the words that they want you to help sound out because you have no idea what it is they are trying to say. 

 

14. Decipher pictures that somehow always resemble a male’s private part.

 

15. Tie the same kid’s shoelaces for the 10th time in 30 minutes.

 

16. Practice going over to the carpet 20 times until the students walk without doing cartwheels or pretending to slide into third base.

 

 

17. Begin math centers. 

 

18. Redirect student who is cutting his math cut and paste worksheet into one million minuscule pieces. 

 

 

19. Have students line up for lunch. Reiterate that this is not a race.     

 

20. Have students who thought that this was indeed a race try lining up again.

 

21. Discuss that cutting in line isn’t appropriate and that in the long run, it really doesn’t matter who is first. 

 

22. Console the kid who is crying because he is not first in line.

 

 

23. Take time out for yoga breathing and poses to cool down after lunch recess. 

 

24. Send student to the nurse’s office who was, in fact, kicked in the face during the Downward Facing Dog pose. 

 

25. Rotate Daily Five Centers. 

 

26. Explain to students the directions every 10 seconds until centers are over. 

 

27. Stop centers when students voices are no longer considered “inside” but instead “outside at a heated protest” voices. 

 

28. Mutter to yourself something about “kids these days.”

 

29. Dismiss students, and answer questions from the parents who did not read the weekly newsletter.

 

30. Sigh a huge breath, and look for all the missing glue and marker lids that disappear like socks in the night.    

 

 

What Effective Teacher Staff Meetings Look Like

What Effective Teacher Staff Meetings Look Like

by | Teacher Issues, Teaching Blogs

It is said that teachers are the worst students. This is often because they feel as though their time is being wasted in teacher staff meetings and better spent in their classrooms.

Time is extremely important to teachers: They don’t have much. 

Here are many ideas that will prevent teachers from looking toward their phones for engagement instead of at their fearless leader during a teacher staff meeting.  

  • Have food!!!

There is only one thing that may make a teacher’s heart beat a little faster than a Friday right before the final bell and that is Free Food.

A full Las Vegas buffet might not be possible at every single meeting, but even having a few Tootsie Rolls in the middle of the table helps to instantly raise morale.

Bring in a Keurig so staff members won’t have any problem being alert and focused. The effort and thought alone goes a long way during teacher staff meetings.

  • Don’t scold in public.

A teacher staff meeting is never the time to admonish faculty for not following directives or procedures. Often, administrators direct a complaint to the whole staff when it is intended for a few people hoping “they” get the message. 

Also, singling out grade-levels who perform poorly on standardized testing is divisive and harmful to morale. 

Correcting staff is always better accomplished with private conferences. Staff meetings are for general information and team building, not for calling out a group of individuals.

  • Run an efficient teacher staff meeting 

                     

    teacher staff meetings 

                                                                                            

Having an agenda and sticking to it is always the best practice. 

We all know that there is that “One Teacher” who always wanders off-topic or asks a question just as the meeting is about to be dismissed. 

Saying something like “Come see me after the meeting to discuss” or “We are running a bit behind” keeps the meeting focused and more productive.

  • Collaborate.

It is important to involve “teachers” in teacher staff meetings. This doesn’t necessarily mean Icebreakers.

Teachers are so exhausted they don’t automatically feel like moving around and playing games. 

Diane Levitz, a principal at West Elementary, says that “teachers love to leave a meeting just like they leave a conference — with something valuable they can take home.”

Have teachers share something a partner teacher did in their classroom. Teachers are more likely to want to share an instructional idea their colleague has than their own ideas. 

Also, involving teachers in important decisions like choosing textbooks and instructional materials helps with building relationships. Teachers know which materials work best for their students. 

  • Build morale with positivity.

Positive aspects of teaching and learning should always be shared and appreciated. 

This doesn’t essentially mean choosing the “Best Teachers” for that praise. This practice can often divide staff. 

One great idea that principal Ken Rogers had was to have teachers write down positive characteristics of fellow teachers, mentioning some of their amazing work.

He picks a name, and the one chosen receives an award to keep in the classroom until the next meeting. 

  • Create an inviting atmosphere.

Create an atmosphere for staff meetings that is inviting to teachers. 

Having teachers walk into “Because I’m Happy” or even “The Eye of the Tiger” can change the mood of the room instantly.

Add a Scentsy or plug-in to add to the relaxation effect. 

Room temperature is also important; teachers waving their hand-outs in front of their faces, instead of reading them, is counter-productive. 

  • Focus on the concerns of teachers.

Being in touch with the needs of teachers builds relationships. Ask them what results they want to achieve from their teacher staff meetings. 

Do they want to share concerns about student behavior or have guest speakers come in to talk about specific topics? Do they need strategies to deal with time management and personal stress? 

They will tell you. 

  • Cancel unnecessary teacher staff meetings. 

       

     teacher staff meetings

                                                                                                                                      

If a memo or an email can cover the entire content of a staff meeting, then call it off. Minutia can be sent out in an attachment. 

Often, administrators worry that no one will read the information. 

The same teachers who will read the emails are the teachers who will pay attention at the staff meetings. 

Actually, more will probably read the info because they can do it on their own schedule. 

Hook em now!

Start on Day One to engage teachers with staff meetings. They won’t have that same feeling of dread if they know meetings will be productive and useful. 

Faculty may even look forward to meetings, especially if Krispy Kreme is waiting for them at the door. 

 

Read also about tips for effective professional development here. 

 

 

 

 

Teacher Insomnia Tips – Sleep better this school year!!!

Teacher Insomnia Tips – Sleep better this school year!!!

by | Teacher Issues, Teaching Blogs

teacher insomnia

Millions of people search every day and, of course, every night for the magic cure to teacher insomnia.

Natural, pharmaceutical, and make believe home remedies are bought and tried by desperate people everywhere whose greatest wish is to snooze like they once did.

If you envy babies, dogs, and people that fall asleep at church, sleep is a problem for you, but there is a solution for teacher insomnia. Thank goodness!!

Many people view the natural act of sleep as an enemy. In order to make sleep an ally, we need to change the way we think and act towards this biological need.

We all have different root causes that lead to the same effect: No ZZ”S!!! 

 Anxiety is the main culprit fighting our basic desire to achieve peaceful oblivion. Job anxiety is a huge problem with teacher insomnia.

I had major anxiety. Thoughts of what I needed to do to help the students in my class achieve success consumed my thoughts. This led to an irrational fear that I would never be able to sleep again.

This is very common among insomniacs. I began researching tips for sleep extensively as it was affecting my whole entire life and that of my family.

I read books, saw therapists and learned many helpful solutions that I still use today when faced with a never-ending night of tossing and turning.

  • Use sleep promoting habits to eliminate teacher insomnia.   teacher insomnia

There are a few physiological concepts that you should understand about sleep.

Our body temperatures do not stay the same throughout the day. They follow a natural rhythm that changes over the course of activities.

Body temperature is the lowest in the wee hours of the night and fluctuates throughout the day reaching its high around 6:00 p.m.

The times we are most alert are in the late morning and early nighttime hours.

This is why teachers feel a need for caffeine in the afternoon.

In the evening as body temperature declines, we biologically become drowsier with the strongest innate push for sleep being about 3:30 in the morning.

The key to working with your body’s circadian rhythm is to enable your body to have a low body temperature when you are trying to sleep.

This can be done in various ways to help eliminate teacher insomnia.

  • With the risk of sounding like one of your parents, have a regular bed and wake up time. 

 Sleeping in on the weekends completely destroys your circadian rhythm.

 Body temperature rises in the morning as soon as we start moving and see the sun. If this is delayed, your body temp will also be delayed at nighttime.

  • Turn down the darn air conditioning.

 I get it. I live in Las Vegas, and my dad always had the air set at 85.

If we were hot, his solution for everything was to jump in the pool. Sleeping weather is cold weather.

We enjoy better sleep in the winter than in the summer. Why? The cold helps to lower your body temperature.

Pay a few dollars extra as your mental health is worth it.

 Do you wake up as soon as the morning sunlight hits your face? I did until I eliminated the sunlight hitting my face.

Darkness helps lower the body temperature as well. Melatonin levels are increased when there is darkness, and this is what creates the feeling of drowsiness.

Melatonin also regulates your circadian rhythm, so having a room dark as space is helpful for many reasons.

There are very reasonable priced black-out shades that make it seem like it is pitch black outside at 2:00 in the afternoon.

  • Take a hot bath with lavender two hours before bedtime. 

  • teacher insomnia

We need to prepare our brainwaves to relax and forget about the events that lead to teacher insomnia.

A hot bath for 15-20 minutes will also raise our body temperatures and cause it to fall in a few hours.

Lavender has been shown to relax a person. Putting a few drops in a water bottle and spraying it on the pillow at night produces a calming effect that lasts throughout the night.

  • Kick your partner to the curb or maybe the couch.

    A National Sleep Survey found that one in four couples go to bed in separate rooms due to issues affecting sleep such as different work shifts, snoring, and restless movements.  Because insomnia affects moods and behavior, this might actually improve your relationship instead of hurt it.

  • Exercise!   

This is a big deal.

Exercise eliminates stress by kicking in endorphins, dopamine and serotonin.

These are the chemicals that regulate mood and calm down brain waves enabling sleep to come easier, faster and longer.

Exercise is invaluable to the sleep equation. It works to lower body temperature at night, relieve the anxiety and depressive feelings that contribute to insomnia and contribute to overall self-confidence.

This doesn’t mean that you need to run five miles a day or take a Cardio Pump class although this would probably give you an incredibly restful night’s sleep.

Try 20 minutes of walking quickly around your house while playing on your phone or listening to Journey’s Greatest Hits.

That’s what I do anyway.

  •  Get Rid of Negative Thoughts!  

 Greg Jacobs, in his book, Say Goodnight to Insomnia discusses in detail how negative thoughts are playing a role in teacher insomnia behaviors.

Fearing that you are not getting enough sleep actually contributes to the lack of it.

Common negative sleep thoughts are:

If I don’t sleep tonight, my day tomorrow will be ruined.

I am never going to fall asleep.

I am never going to fall back asleep.

I really need to sleep tonight.

I’m awake!!!!!!!

I can’t stop thinking ridiculous thoughts.

I know these thoughts creep up on us. What do we do instead? We replace them with positive thoughts such as:

I will fall asleep soon.

I will be fine tomorrow.

I will exercise tomorrow and sleep better tomorrow night.

  • Use Sleep apps.

Another strategy that can be used when insomnia prevents peaceful slumber is to use a sleep app. My favorite is called Relax Melodies.

This app has soothing sounds that calm active brain waves setting the stage for blissful sleep to occur.

Sounds may be created by combining two or three together such as soft rain and ocean waves.

The ambient sounds are amazing. The reviews are incredible and it comes highly recommended for anxiety, depression and sleep issues.

  • Practice breathing techniques.

I have had tremendous success with the breathing technique 4-7-8 which is recommended by Dr. Andrew Weil.

I use the simple process of inhaling through my nose for 4 seconds, holding it for seven seconds and exhaling though my mouth for 8 seconds.

Repeat the cycle three or four times to relax your mind and body.

You can feel it working to achieve a greater sense of calm and peace that helps eradicate those teacher insomnia thoughts that keep us awake.

These tips should make you feel more in control and confident about solving your teacher insomnia issues whether short term or long term. I bet you will sleep better tonight and every night.

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