Cool Cat Teacher Blog is at coolcatteacher.com

Self-care is a word thrown around a lot these days in education. In the real world of teaching, answers aren't always easy. In fact, as I release this episode, "self-care" is the reason I did not go to #ISTELive that is this week. I need to focus on my health. So, it is fitting that today I discuss the reality of teaching with another teaching veteran. We share how we have navigated the stresses and struggles of teaching as we seek to live a balanced life and do what matters. In addition to the podcast, I've included some inspiring poems, quotes, and a video from the day I learned to walk this past May. I, Vicki Davis (the show host) have made some mistakes in self-care in the past year, and open up about what I've learned from those mistakes and how I'm moving forward to teach better and take better care of myself.  My hope is by being open about my own struggles and by bringing in the research that this show and blog post will help all of us teachers take ...

Today, Million+ follower, TikTok teacher, and creator of #TeacherTipTuesday, Megan Mayer, shares her thoughts about TikTok, how to prevent profanity on TikTok and why it is a valuable tool for teachers. Megan talks openly about what she’s learned about her videos that have gone viral, how to pick hashtags, and secrets for making videos that will help teachers. We end the podcast by discussing the controversial things teachers sometimes see doing on TikTok that we wish they wouldn’t. I’ve joined TikTok and am learning. This interview with Megan introduced me to TikTok as I embark on a learning journey on a new platform. Sponsor: Advancement Courses Last summer I took my professional development with  Advancement Courses  and I am so glad that I did! On my blog, I recently shared  10 Ways to Rejuvenate and Learn This Summer . All of the course ideas come from the advancement courses catalog to go to  https://www.coolcatteacher.com/top10    Learn about some...

Can we have joy in schools? How about on social media? With so many difficulties, it seems beyond impossible sometimes to find joy but it can be done. Today, Dean Shareski, the author of Embracing a Culture of Joy brings his perspective to the challenges of modern living and learning. While his message has been around for a while, it is perhaps even more important today. In today’s show we’ll discuss: How Dean brings joy and humor to Zoom meetings (and podcasts) including some cool hardware and software The ambient irritability that seems to be prevalent today Why we still need joy How small kindnesses can make a big difference and some examples in schools Keeping perspective as we face problems How we can embrace multiple emotions at once Having concern for the world’s problems and still finding joy in your day The importance of reflection How Vicki gets information from her students at the end of the school year to become a better teacher ...