December 1, 2025 • 24 mins
December has officially arrived, and we’re sharing the December classroom behavior strategies that help keep things calm when student energy is sky-high. In this episode, we walk through the routines and mindset shifts that make the biggest impact, from daily expectation check-ins and protecting your mornings to using our “swiss cheese strategy” when the schedule is full of holes. We also highlight how simple festive breaks can add just the right amount of seasonal fun without sacrificing structure, and when a short-term reward system (like the reindeer system that saved one of Heidi’s wildest Decembers) can give your class the boost they need. With the right balance of consistency and intentional fun, you really can stay grounded and enjoy the magic of the season!
Prefer to read? Grab the episode transcript and resources in the show notes here: https://www.secondstorywindow.net/podcast/december-classroom-behavior-strategies/
Resources:
- December Teacher Survival Kit
- Festive Break Pack
- Reindeer Reward System [December Behavior Help Set]
- Podcast Playlist: Teaching in December
- Solar fairy lights
- Join the Teacher Approved Club!
- Connect with us on Instagram @2ndstorywindow.
- Shop our teacher-approved resources.
- Join our Facebook group, Teacher Approved
- Leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
- Leave a comment or rating on Spotify.
Related Episodes to Enjoy:
- Episode 105, Festive Fun in December: Engaging Holiday Activities to Do With Your Class
- Episode 106, The December Survival Kit: 3 Essential Tips to Help Teachers Thrive
- Episode 233, The Smooth December Framework Every Teacher Needs (And It Starts in November)
- Episode 234, How to Plan Teaching in December So January Feels Easy
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Heidi (00:00):
This is episode 235 of Teacher Approved.
You're listening to TeacherApproved, the podcast helping
educators elevate what mattersand simplify the rest. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (00:14):
And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
Window, where we give researchbased and teacher approved
strategies that make teachingless stressful and more
effective. You can check out theshow notes and resources from
each episode atsecondstorywindow.net.
Heidi (00:29):
We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to
the show.
Emily (00:36):
Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's
episode, we're discussing fourstrategies to help maintain the
calm despite all of December'schaos, and we have a teacher
approved tip for designing theperfect reward system for your
class.
Heidi (00:52):
Let's start with a try it tomorrow, where we share a quick
win that you can try in yourclassroom right away. Emily,
what is our suggestion for thisweek?
Emily (00:59):
This is a fun one. It's called a procedure mystery
photo. So you just take photosof your classroom procedures,
maybe snap a picture of howbooks should look in the book
bin, or what a properlyorganized desk looks like, or
how students should line up atthe door. Then you show these
photos to your class and havethem guess which procedure is
being modeled. You can even turnit into a little game, like zoom
(01:22):
way in on the photo so it onlyshows part of the whole picture.
Take a screenshot, and then zoomout a bit and repeat the
process. Then you have a seriesof photos that get progressively
easier. So you start by showingthe grainy, zoomed in photo, and
challenge students to guess itbefore you reveal the full
photo.
Heidi (01:41):
I feel like this is like a game show game like, you get
more points the more zoomed inthe photo is.
Emily (01:47):
For sure.
Heidi (01:48):
And this is kind of sneaky brilliant because you're
reviewing expectations, but itreally does feel like
entertainment. And if you dothis in November or December,
you are setting yourself up tohit the ground running in
January, because five minutes ofreviewing procedures today can
save you 30 minutes of having toredirect everyone in January.
Emily (02:07):
Oh, yeah. So grab your phone, take a few pictures and
try it out. Super simple.
Heidi (02:12):
If you like this idea or anything else we share here on
the podcast, would you take asecond and give a five star
rating? Ratings and reviews areone way that new listeners find
us, so it really is a huge helpto us.
Emily (02:23):
If you're listening the day this episode comes out,
welcome to December. Can youbelieve it? We're here.
Heidi (02:29):
It doesn't feel possible. And you know how December goes.
Winter Break feels so close, andyet it is still so far away.
You're probably counting downthe days while simultaneously
trying to keep your studentsfrom bouncing off the walls.
Emily (02:43):
And you are not alone. So let's just acknowledge that at
some point this month, almostevery teacher looks around the
room and thinks, I give up. Mykids are off the rails.
Heidi (02:52):
Yeah, there comes a day where the normal management
strategies that carried youthrough September and October
and most of November are justnot cutting it anymore.
Emily (03:01):
But it really doesn't have to be like this. You can
keep the calm even in December.
Heidi (03:08):
Okay, but like, let's manage expectations up front. We
are not promising perfection.There's only so much you can do
when there's an assembly everyother day and your students are
just zipping around the roomlike cartoon characters, but
with the right strategies, youcan prevent total chaos.
Emily (03:27):
Behavior management in December really comes down to
finding that balance betweenstructure and spark. Of course,
in December, spark is basicallypouring through the doorway, so
we gotta balance that flood, andour students need us to provide
structure, to keep the energybalanced.
Heidi (03:44):
So today we're going to walk you through four ways to
increase the structure in yourroom, and these don't require
you to turn into the Grinch.We're talking about keeping your
expectations alive, maintainingyour routines, using structured,
festive fun and adding shortterm rewards when you need a
boost.
Emily (04:01):
Alright, so let's jump in with the most important thing
you can do to manage behavior inDecember, and that is to keep
your expectations alive. Whenthose kids are extra chatty and
you're running on caffeine andChristmas cookies, this might
not seem like much of asolution, but it really is a
powerful way to keep structurestrong despite all of that extra
(04:21):
spark.
Heidi (04:21):
Now, again, you know December's still going to
December. You're going to haveto adjust to some extra
chattiness and some extrawiggles, but if in September,
you wouldn't accept studentscalling out during a lesson,
don't accept it now just becauseDecember's feeling crazy
already.
Emily (04:37):
And this is so simple to implement, all you need is a
daily check in. Start by findinga spot for this in your day. You
can add it to your morningmeeting if you have one, just
take a minute at the end toreview an expectation for the
day. Today let's review our listof recess rules.
Heidi (04:51):
Or you could use transitions for this. Before you
head to the library, pause andsay, Okay, let's talk about what
respectful hallway behaviorlooks like. What should we be
doing?
Emily (04:59):
Now if things have gotten really off track, or if you've
skipped this in September, youmight need to do some co
creating of expectations withyour students. This works really
well for those times of day thatare causing the biggest
headaches right now. So pick oneof those trouble spots and you
gather everyone for a quickdiscussion.
Heidi (05:18):
And really, this can be quick. So let's say enrichment
rotations have become adisaster. Students are getting
loud in the hallway, touchingstuff that isn't theirs, taking
forever to rotate the nextbathroom. Ugh, I can feel it. So
you make a T chart, or you pullup a blank slide and title it
enrichment rotations, and thenask students, if everyone is
being respectful and responsibleduring rotations, what will it
(05:41):
look like?
Emily (05:42):
So easy, the kids will just share their ideas and you
write them down, and then youask what it should sound like,
probably silence or whispervoices in the hallway.
Heidi (05:51):
This type of T chart discussion works really well
with younger kids. If you teachthe older ones, they might roll
their eyes a bit, but you canjust make this more of a simple
discussion. Just ask what'sworking well during math centers
and what could be smoother, andthen list their responses.
Emily (06:06):
And then, once you've made your list of expectations,
keep reviewing them. Before yougo to the library tomorrow, grab
that chart and spend 60 secondsgoing over it. Remember, in the
library we use walking feet andwhisper voices. Look at our list
and pick one thing to focus onextra hard today.
Heidi (06:22):
Then you have your students turn and tell a
neighbor which expectationthey're going to focus extra
hard on. Of course you want themto do all of them, but what are
they really going to focus on?That way, they've made a little
commitment to themselves, andtheir buddy can help remind
them.
Emily (06:35):
In our December teacher survival kit, there are pages
you can edit to include yourbehavior expectations and blank
T charts to fill out with yourstudents. If you use the
survival kit in the past, makesure to download the updated
version so that you get allthese new pages.
Heidi (06:54):
Yeah, that's problem with us and digital products, because
we can just tweak them foreverand ever, and we probably will.
Emily (06:54):
Yep.
Heidi (06:54):
You can find a link to the survival kit in the show
notes, and that will help youget started with your December
behavior management plan. Keepthose expectations alive through
quick daily check ins andvisible posted guidelines.
Emily (07:07):
And this whole process doesn't have to take a ton of
time, but doing it consistentlywill make a big difference in
your students' behavior.
Heidi (07:14):
Okay, now that you're keeping expectations alive,
let's talk about maintainingyour regular routines. This is
such a powerful way to disperseall that excess spark, but it
does take extra work this timeof year.
Emily (07:26):
Yeah, that's because we're in those swiss cheese
weeks that we always talk about,and that's when the calendar is
full of holes. Maybe you've gotan assembly on Monday, a concert
on Wednesday, early dismissal onFriday, and half your class is
out sick or traveling.
Heidi (07:40):
Oh, yeah, December is no joke. You technically have five
days of school, but it's morelike a hodgepodge of lessons
between festive interruptions,and that's where the swiss
cheese strategy comes in.Instead of fighting the chaos,
we are going to work with it.
Emily (07:57):
Right. So here's the framework we're going to use.
First, protect your mornings.Even if the rest of your day is
as mixed up as laundry tumblingin the dryer, do everything in
your power to keep your morningsas normal as possible. The more
disrupted your schedule, themore your students need the
predictability of your routines.
Heidi (08:14):
We really cannot overstate the importance of
this. Guard this time fiercely.If your morning is off balance,
the rest of the day is going tobe much harder to manage, but if
you can maintain a calm,predictable morning, it's much
easier to keep everyone ontrack, even if there are
disruptions later on.
Emily (08:31):
When kids start the day calm and grounded, that
foundation carries them throughwhatever weirdness is going to
come later.
Heidi (08:38):
Yeah, but you know when your morning is off balance?
Good luck.
Emily (08:41):
So look at whatever disruption is coming and decide,
how can I protect my morning? Ifthere's an afternoon assembly,
great, keep your morning routineexactly as it normally is.
Heidi (08:50):
Now, on those days when there's a morning interruption,
it gets trickier. Keep things asnormal as you can but remember,
you can always reset later. Youcan come back from an assembly
at 10:30 and do morning meetingthen if that is what it takes to
channel that energy in yourroom.
Emily (09:07):
The second part of the swiss cheese strategy is to keep
your routines consistent, evenif the content changes. So you
still do math during math time.You still do writing during
writing time, but maybe insteadof teaching a new concept,
you're doing review.
Heidi (09:21):
Or, you know, instead of your regular writing lesson,
everyone does a seasonal writingcraft. The consistency of, we do
writing at 11:15, helps studentsfeel safe and grounded. Even
though the activity might bedifferent, the rhythm of the day
is staying the same.
Emily (09:37):
So do your best to keep the when and how consistent,
even if the what changes. Thisconsistency gives students the
support they need to makepositive choices. It signals to
their nervous systems that todayis still a normal day, even if
there's a lot going on.
Heidi (09:51):
Now, an important part of surviving December is having the
right mindset. Remind yourselfthat these swiss cheese weeks
are not going to be your mostproductive weeks.
Emily (10:01):
Unfortunately, no, and that is okay. Go back to last
week's episode where we talkedabout must do's. Make sure you
know exactly what content youneed to cover before winter
break, and prioritize gettingthose lessons in, even if you
have to get a little creative tomake it work.
Heidi (10:16):
Now, outside of your must do's anything else you manage to
get done is a bonus. Your goalright now is not to power
through your curriculum. It's tokeep everyone calm and engaged
through a busy, spark filledseason.
Emily (10:28):
And hopefully not get behind so you can start back in
January without having to playcatch up.
Heidi (10:32):
Now, when the frustration starts to mount, and it will,
take a deep breath and remindyourself that this is normal.
Given all of the chaos, thingsare actually probably going
better than you think.
Emily (10:44):
So to sum this up, when your week turns into swiss
cheese, structure is yourstabilizer. Protect those
mornings, keep the rhythm of theday, even if the song changes.
Heidi (10:54):
Alright. Now, you know what might actually save
December? Adding more novelty towhat's already going on.
Emily (11:02):
And you may be thinking, we've lost our minds, but truly,
sometimes the best way to fightfire is with fire, and sometimes
the best way to manage classroomspark is with more spark.
Heidi (11:12):
Okay, but the key to all of this is to use the motivation
of novelty to increasestructure, and that's where
festive breaks come in. We lovethese.
Emily (11:22):
Festive breaks are short, low prep, seasonal activities
that you control. We're talking5 to 10 minutes of fun that give
kids something to look forwardto and gives you leverage.
Heidi (11:32):
So you might say something like, if everyone
works quietly on this assignmentfor 15 minutes, we will do a
festive break. But if talkingstarts, I will have to reset the
timer.
Emily (11:42):
That one sentence gives instant structure. Kids know
exactly what's expected, andthey're motivated to do it.
Heidi (11:48):
Plus, this takes all the emotion out of your management.
You aren't nagging, you're notreminding. The system is
managing the behavior for you.
Emily (11:57):
And the great thing is, festive breaks can be so simple.
It can be flashlight reading, ashort video, directed drawings,
a favorite game, or a quickcraft. Honestly, anything quick
and seasonal feels like afestive break.
Heidi (12:08):
Now, you know we're looking out for you, so if you
want this already done for you,we have a whole system waiting
for you in our shop. It includescute holiday themed cards that
you can display to increaseinterest, and on the back of
each card, you can just writedown a fun activity.
Emily (12:22):
Our festive break pack includes a bunch of Print and Go
no prep activities like Tic TacToe, unfoldable joke tellers,
things that are fun but they'renot going to spike anyone's
adrenaline.
Heidi (12:34):
Yeah, we worked really hard to come up with chill fun.
Chill fun is kind of our zone,isn't it? Once kids have met
your goal, maybe they came backfrom library with a good report
from the librarian, then astudent gets to choose one of
the cards. The surprise factorkeeps kids interested in earning
the reward.
Emily (12:51):
And then in the teacher's guide, we've included several
suggestions for how to displaythe cards. You can hang the
cards on a string, tape them tothe board, or draw them out of a
hat, whatever fits your vibe.
Heidi (13:02):
And one thing we love is combining festive breaks with a
work packet. Remember last weekwhen we talked about those?
They're just basically a stackof review worksheets organized
around a theme, with a few justfor fun pages mixed in.
Emily (13:15):
So you give your students the packet to work on, calm,
structured focus, and then youadd the festive breaks as little
bursts of excitement, work,break, work, break. That rhythm
keeps engagement high and chaoslow.
Heidi (13:28):
And bonus, when students are working on their packets,
you get a little pocket of preptime. You can tackle some
teacher tasks or start gettingready for January.
Emily (13:37):
We talked a lot more about maximizing those pockets
of prep In last week's episode.So definitely check that out if
you haven't already.
Heidi (13:44):
Alright, so far you are working hard to keep your
expectations alive. You areprotecting your calm mornings,
and you're sprinkling in funwith festive breaks. But what if
that is not enough?
Emily (13:56):
This is where a reward system might be helpful. Now,
normally, we are not huge fansof reward systems, at least not
for day to day classroommanagement.
Heidi (14:05):
No, but that's not because rewards are bad. It's
because rewards don't work inthe long term. Students get used
to them, the novelty wears off,and then you are stuck in the
cycle of having to constantly upthe ante. And if your whole
management plan relies onrewards, you're going to be
burned out well before April.
Emily (14:24):
Right. But in high energy times like December, a short
term, that's key here, a shortterm reward system can be
exactly what you need to booststructure and motivation. It
gives students a reason to pushthrough all the distractions and
stay focused. And actually,Heidi, didn't you use a reward
system one December when thingswere really chaotic?
Heidi (14:46):
Oh yeah, this is one of my clearest teacher memories. It
was a Friday afternoon in midDecember, and we had everything
go wrong that day—you know, anassembly, the snowstorm rolling
in, I'm pretty sure it was afull moon. I was standing in my
classroom feeling completelyhelpless, surrounded by Lord of
the Flies. But after school,instead of collapsing on my
(15:08):
couch like I wanted to, Idragged myself to the craft
store.
Emily (15:11):
I'm impressed that you made it to the store after that
kind of day, especially becauseI know the craft store was not
that close in those days.
Heidi (15:17):
It was not. I was desperate, Emily. I grabbed a
cardboard reindeer banner, Idisassembled it, and then I
stuck a red pom pom on one ofthe noses. And as I'm thinking
about it, I don't know if I wentto the craft store with that in
mind, I think I was just like, Ineed something that's going to
get the kids engaged, somethingI could use to make a reward
system out of. And thosereindeer fit the bill. So on
(15:41):
Monday, I introduced the newsystem. If my students made
helpful choices, they would earnone of those reindeer cutouts.
When we had all nine reindeer,including the one with the pom
pom nose, of course, we got toinclude Rudolph, they earned a
fun surprise.
Emily (15:53):
And how did it work?
Heidi (15:55):
Oh, gosh, it was like magic. Suddenly, I had my
September class back. They werefocused, making good choices,
and reminding each other to stayon track.
Emily (16:03):
And the thing to keep in mind with that story is that it
wasn't the reindeer that madethe difference. It was the
increased structure that thereindeer provided.
Heidi (16:13):
Yeah, exactly. The novelty of December was so high
that my students needed thatboost of extra structure to
counteract the overflowingenergy.
Emily (16:23):
So if you're thinking about adding a reward system,
there are a few things to keepin mind. First, we recommend
making it class wide. Wheneveryone is working toward the
same goal, students will helpkeep each other on track because
they want that reward.
Heidi (16:35):
That might not seem important, but it's the key to
all of this. It means that youdon't have to be the enforcer.
You just calmly walk toward thereward board, and your students
will self correct immediately,and they will help each other
get back on track.
Emily (16:50):
Oh yes, they will. Now an effective reward system also
needs to be visible. So maybeyou are adding letters to spell
out movie day, or you're addingpieces to a puzzle or marbles to
a jar.
Heidi (17:03):
When kids can see their progress, that's what keeps them
motivated to keep working towardtheir goal.
Emily (17:08):
And then, this might be controversial, but we think it
helps. The system needs to allowfor progress to be lost as well
as earned. So if behavior goesoff the rails, you can remove a
letter or take out a marble,because this is going to help
with that peer accountability.
Heidi (17:26):
So when you're choosing rewards, pick something that
will actually be motivating foryour students. Since it's
December, you might need to gobigger than you would in
October—a glow in the darkparty, hot chocolate and a
movie, extra recess, whateveryour kids would work for, makes
a great reward.
Emily (17:40):
And the nice thing about doing this before a break is
there's an automatic end datebuilt into it. You don't have to
worry about how you're going totransition out of this reward
system. The kids will come backin January, and then you can
just start fresh. They probablywon't even remember that you
ever did that.
Heidi (17:54):
That'll be old news by then.
Emily (17:56):
Yep.
Heidi (17:57):
In our teacher approved tip in this episode, we're
diving deeper into how to choosethe right kind of reward system
for your specific class, but fornow, just know that rewards can
be a helpful tool wheneverything else feels chaotic
and you need extra structure.
Emily (18:10):
And if you want the reindeer reward system for your
own class, you're in luck,because we have that available.
It includes pictures and prizecards and a complete Teacher's
Guide with all the importantdetails to walk you through it.
You can find a link to that inthe show notes.
Heidi (18:23):
And that reindeer reward system comes as part of a larger
December behavior help set. Sowe've got lots of different
systems if you want somethingfor individual students or teams
or multiple whole class rewards.So you can change things up mid
month, because after youreindeer rewards for a little
bit, the motivation to keepgoing tanks. You know how it
goes.
Emily (18:43):
Yeah, for sure, that's exactly what happens. So we gave
you all the options, and you canfind a link to that in our show
notes.
Heidi (18:50):
Show notes are hopping today.
Okay, so let's recap our fourstrategies for keeping the calm
in December. First, keep yourexpectations alive with daily
check ins, visible postedguidelines and quick reviews
before tricky transitions.
Emily (19:05):
Second, maintain your routines. Be sure to protect
your mornings and keep the whenand how of your schedule
consistent, even if the what hasto change.
Heidi (19:15):
Third, use structured fun. Festive breaks give you
leverage for behavior whilechanneling that December
excitement into focus,
Emily (19:22):
And fourth, add rewards when you need a boost, a class
wide visible system can provideexactly the structure you need
to get through the chaos.
Heidi (19:30):
December doesn't have to be survival mode. With the right
balance of structure and spark,you can keep your class focused
and maybe even enjoy thisseason.
Emily (19:39):
We'd love to hear your tips for managing December
behavior. Come join theconversation in our teacher
approved Facebook group. Now forour Teacher Approved Tip of the
Week, where we share anactionable tip to help you
elevate what matters andsimplify the rest. This week's
teacher approved tip is reflecton what you need before starting
a new reward system. Tell usmore about it, Heidi.
Heidi (19:59):
Well, if you are thinking of launching a reward system
this month, just be aware thatnot all reward systems are
created equal. For a reward tobe effective at shaping
behavior, it has to target thecorrect behaviors. So don't jump
in without at least a fewminutes of reflection.
Emily (20:16):
But we've got you covered, of course. The December
teacher survival kit has ajournal page that walks you
through this decision makingprocess. There are 12 questions
that help you figure out exactlywhat kind of system would make
sense for your students.
Heidi (20:30):
Now we don't have time to go through all 12 right now, but
we can hit the big ones. Sofirst, you need to think about
what behaviors you're hopingyour reward system will increase
and what behaviors you're hopingto decrease.
Emily (20:41):
Once you're clear on your goals, then you can decide, will
a whole group system work best?A small group system, individual
or some combination?
Heidi (20:49):
We've mostly been talking about whole group rewards this
episode, where everyone isworking toward one shared
reward. This works really wellwhen you have a general on task
behavior goal that you'reworking toward.
Emily (21:01):
And we prefer whole group rewards because they can help
build your classroom community.But small group rewards are a
great way to increasecompetition, and they may boost
student buy in.
Heidi (21:11):
Small group rewards could be something like table points
or team challenges. If a wholegroup reward system isn't
motivating enough, you can upthe stakes by awarding table
points. That competition can getkids to buy in very quickly.
Emily (21:25):
Individual reward systems are for when you need to target
very specific behaviors forspecific students. Use them when
they're needed, but theyprobably won't help much with
general classroom behavior inDecember.
Heidi (21:36):
Once you've decided what reward system you need, then you
need to think about the format.Are you doing tickets, marbles
in a jar, puzzle pieces, or, youknow, letters on the board?
Emily (21:46):
Younger kids often do well with something very visual
and concrete, like puzzle piecesthat they can see filling in a
picture. Older kids might prefersomething quicker and less
babyish, like tally marks on theboard.
Heidi (21:57):
And then, of course, you have to think through all of the
physical logistics that comewith starting a new reward
system. How will you organizeit? If you're doing tickets,
where are students going to keepthem? If you're adding puzzle
pieces to a board, where's thatboard going to go?
Emily (22:11):
And this might sound silly, but this is where your
systems fall apart. Youintroduce something that sounds
great in theory, but then yourealize you don't have a good
place to store the materials, orit's too complicated to manage,
and if the system iscomplicated, you won't stick
with it.
Heidi (22:24):
Now, you got enough to do in December. Don't make this
harder than it has to be. Sothink through those big
questions, and in the Decemberteacher survival kit, we have
that whole worksheet that willwalk you through all of this,
plus a few more considerations.Because you know, the last thing
you need right now is tointroduce a reward system that
adds more stress to your life,instead of making it easier.
To wrap up the show, we aresharing what we're giving extra
credit to this week. Emily, whatgets your extra credit?
Emily (22:50):
I'm giving extra credit to solar powered fairy lights. I
got some to add to my littlefree library, and it's so cute.
So now I'm wondering what else Ican add fairy lights to outside.
Heidi (23:03):
I love that. And then you could put them in places where
stretching an extension cord isjust not practical. Gosh, now I
Emily (23:09):
You need some. I don't know where you what for, but I
want some.
think you need them. They'resuper cute.
Heidi (23:12):
I could put them on my porch railing. That's why I
haven't decorated my porch,really, because I don't have a
good place to plug things in outthere. But maybe?
Emily (23:20):
That could work. You could probably put them in your
trees too, because your treesaren't too tall.
Heidi (23:26):
That would be pretty.
Emily (23:27):
Yeah. Do it.
Heidi (23:28):
Okay, good ideas.
Emily (23:29):
What are you giving extra credit to, Heidi?
Heidi (23:32):
Well, I'm giving extra credit to season two of A Man on
the Inside, now that it is outon Netflix. So in season one,
Ted Danson's character goesundercover in a retirement home
to find a jewel thief. It's sosweet. This is from Mike Schur,
who, if you're not familiarwith, he was a writer on The
Emily (23:49):
yet.
Office and was a creator forParks and Rec and The Good
Place. So if you like any of theshows, I am sure you would love
Man on the Inside too. It's gotbig heart, but it's not cheesy,
really, and it's not afraid toask some big questions. It's,
it's very sweet. And my onlysadness is he's not at the same
retirement home this year.
Heidi (24:12):
That is it for today's episode. December behavior does
not have to unravel. Remember tokeep expectations alive,
maintain routines, use festivefun strategically, and add
rewards when you need them.
(24:32):
We hope you enjoyed this episodeof Teacher Approved. I'm Heidi.
Emily (24:36):
And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
or subscribe in your podcast appso that you never miss an
episode.
Heidi (24:42):
You can connect with us and other teachers in the
Teacher Approved Facebook group.We'll see you here next week.
Bye, for now.
Emily (24:49):
Bye.
This is episode 235 of Teacher Approved.
You're listening to TeacherApproved, the podcast helping
educators elevate what mattersand simplify the rest. I'm
Heidi.
Emily (00:14):
And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
Window, where we give researchbased and teacher approved
strategies that make teachingless stressful and more
effective. You can check out theshow notes and resources from
each episode atsecondstorywindow.net.
Heidi (00:29):
We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to
the show.
Emily (00:36):
Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's
episode, we're discussing fourstrategies to help maintain the
calm despite all of December'schaos, and we have a teacher
approved tip for designing theperfect reward system for your
class.
Heidi (00:52):
Let's start with a try it tomorrow, where we share a quick
win that you can try in yourclassroom right away. Emily,
what is our suggestion for thisweek?
Emily (00:59):
This is a fun one. It's called a procedure mystery
photo. So you just take photosof your classroom procedures,
maybe snap a picture of howbooks should look in the book
bin, or what a properlyorganized desk looks like, or
how students should line up atthe door. Then you show these
photos to your class and havethem guess which procedure is
being modeled. You can even turnit into a little game, like zoom
(01:22):
way in on the photo so it onlyshows part of the whole picture.
Take a screenshot, and then zoomout a bit and repeat the
process. Then you have a seriesof photos that get progressively
easier. So you start by showingthe grainy, zoomed in photo, and
challenge students to guess itbefore you reveal the full
photo.
Heidi (01:41):
I feel like this is like a game show game like, you get
more points the more zoomed inthe photo is.
Emily (01:47):
For sure.
Heidi (01:48):
And this is kind of sneaky brilliant because you're
reviewing expectations, but itreally does feel like
entertainment. And if you dothis in November or December,
you are setting yourself up tohit the ground running in
January, because five minutes ofreviewing procedures today can
save you 30 minutes of having toredirect everyone in January.
Emily (02:07):
Oh, yeah. So grab your phone, take a few pictures and
try it out. Super simple.
Heidi (02:12):
If you like this idea or anything else we share here on
the podcast, would you take asecond and give a five star
rating? Ratings and reviews areone way that new listeners find
us, so it really is a huge helpto us.
Emily (02:23):
If you're listening the day this episode comes out,
welcome to December. Can youbelieve it? We're here.
Heidi (02:29):
It doesn't feel possible. And you know how December goes.
Winter Break feels so close, andyet it is still so far away.
You're probably counting downthe days while simultaneously
trying to keep your studentsfrom bouncing off the walls.
Emily (02:43):
And you are not alone. So let's just acknowledge that at
some point this month, almostevery teacher looks around the
room and thinks, I give up. Mykids are off the rails.
Heidi (02:52):
Yeah, there comes a day where the normal management
strategies that carried youthrough September and October
and most of November are justnot cutting it anymore.
Emily (03:01):
But it really doesn't have to be like this. You can
keep the calm even in December.
Heidi (03:08):
Okay, but like, let's manage expectations up front. We
are not promising perfection.There's only so much you can do
when there's an assembly everyother day and your students are
just zipping around the roomlike cartoon characters, but
with the right strategies, youcan prevent total chaos.
Emily (03:27):
Behavior management in December really comes down to
finding that balance betweenstructure and spark. Of course,
in December, spark is basicallypouring through the doorway, so
we gotta balance that flood, andour students need us to provide
structure, to keep the energybalanced.
Heidi (03:44):
So today we're going to walk you through four ways to
increase the structure in yourroom, and these don't require
you to turn into the Grinch.We're talking about keeping your
expectations alive, maintainingyour routines, using structured,
festive fun and adding shortterm rewards when you need a
boost.
Emily (04:01):
Alright, so let's jump in with the most important thing
you can do to manage behavior inDecember, and that is to keep
your expectations alive. Whenthose kids are extra chatty and
you're running on caffeine andChristmas cookies, this might
not seem like much of asolution, but it really is a
powerful way to keep structurestrong despite all of that extra
(04:21):
spark.
Heidi (04:21):
Now, again, you know December's still going to
December. You're going to haveto adjust to some extra
chattiness and some extrawiggles, but if in September,
you wouldn't accept studentscalling out during a lesson,
don't accept it now just becauseDecember's feeling crazy
already.
Emily (04:37):
And this is so simple to implement, all you need is a
daily check in. Start by findinga spot for this in your day. You
can add it to your morningmeeting if you have one, just
take a minute at the end toreview an expectation for the
day. Today let's review our listof recess rules.
Heidi (04:51):
Or you could use transitions for this. Before you
head to the library, pause andsay, Okay, let's talk about what
respectful hallway behaviorlooks like. What should we be
doing?
Emily (04:59):
Now if things have gotten really off track, or if you've
skipped this in September, youmight need to do some co
creating of expectations withyour students. This works really
well for those times of day thatare causing the biggest
headaches right now. So pick oneof those trouble spots and you
gather everyone for a quickdiscussion.
Heidi (05:18):
And really, this can be quick. So let's say enrichment
rotations have become adisaster. Students are getting
loud in the hallway, touchingstuff that isn't theirs, taking
forever to rotate the nextbathroom. Ugh, I can feel it. So
you make a T chart, or you pullup a blank slide and title it
enrichment rotations, and thenask students, if everyone is
being respectful and responsibleduring rotations, what will it
(05:41):
look like?
Emily (05:42):
So easy, the kids will just share their ideas and you
write them down, and then youask what it should sound like,
probably silence or whispervoices in the hallway.
Heidi (05:51):
This type of T chart discussion works really well
with younger kids. If you teachthe older ones, they might roll
their eyes a bit, but you canjust make this more of a simple
discussion. Just ask what'sworking well during math centers
and what could be smoother, andthen list their responses.
Emily (06:06):
And then, once you've made your list of expectations,
keep reviewing them. Before yougo to the library tomorrow, grab
that chart and spend 60 secondsgoing over it. Remember, in the
library we use walking feet andwhisper voices. Look at our list
and pick one thing to focus onextra hard today.
Heidi (06:22):
Then you have your students turn and tell a
neighbor which expectationthey're going to focus extra
hard on. Of course you want themto do all of them, but what are
they really going to focus on?That way, they've made a little
commitment to themselves, andtheir buddy can help remind
them.
Emily (06:35):
In our December teacher survival kit, there are pages
you can edit to include yourbehavior expectations and blank
T charts to fill out with yourstudents. If you use the
survival kit in the past, makesure to download the updated
version so that you get allthese new pages.
Heidi (06:54):
Yeah, that's problem with us and digital products, because
we can just tweak them foreverand ever, and we probably will.
Emily (06:54):
Yep.
Heidi (06:54):
You can find a link to the survival kit in the show
notes, and that will help youget started with your December
behavior management plan. Keepthose expectations alive through
quick daily check ins andvisible posted guidelines.
Emily (07:07):
And this whole process doesn't have to take a ton of
time, but doing it consistentlywill make a big difference in
your students' behavior.
Heidi (07:14):
Okay, now that you're keeping expectations alive,
let's talk about maintainingyour regular routines. This is
such a powerful way to disperseall that excess spark, but it
does take extra work this timeof year.
Emily (07:26):
Yeah, that's because we're in those swiss cheese
weeks that we always talk about,and that's when the calendar is
full of holes. Maybe you've gotan assembly on Monday, a concert
on Wednesday, early dismissal onFriday, and half your class is
out sick or traveling.
Heidi (07:40):
Oh, yeah, December is no joke. You technically have five
days of school, but it's morelike a hodgepodge of lessons
between festive interruptions,and that's where the swiss
cheese strategy comes in.Instead of fighting the chaos,
we are going to work with it.
Emily (07:57):
Right. So here's the framework we're going to use.
First, protect your mornings.Even if the rest of your day is
as mixed up as laundry tumblingin the dryer, do everything in
your power to keep your morningsas normal as possible. The more
disrupted your schedule, themore your students need the
predictability of your routines.
Heidi (08:14):
We really cannot overstate the importance of
this. Guard this time fiercely.If your morning is off balance,
the rest of the day is going tobe much harder to manage, but if
you can maintain a calm,predictable morning, it's much
easier to keep everyone ontrack, even if there are
disruptions later on.
Emily (08:31):
When kids start the day calm and grounded, that
foundation carries them throughwhatever weirdness is going to
come later.
Heidi (08:38):
Yeah, but you know when your morning is off balance?
Good luck.
Emily (08:41):
So look at whatever disruption is coming and decide,
how can I protect my morning? Ifthere's an afternoon assembly,
great, keep your morning routineexactly as it normally is.
Heidi (08:50):
Now, on those days when there's a morning interruption,
it gets trickier. Keep things asnormal as you can but remember,
you can always reset later. Youcan come back from an assembly
at 10:30 and do morning meetingthen if that is what it takes to
channel that energy in yourroom.
Emily (09:07):
The second part of the swiss cheese strategy is to keep
your routines consistent, evenif the content changes. So you
still do math during math time.You still do writing during
writing time, but maybe insteadof teaching a new concept,
you're doing review.
Heidi (09:21):
Or, you know, instead of your regular writing lesson,
everyone does a seasonal writingcraft. The consistency of, we do
writing at 11:15, helps studentsfeel safe and grounded. Even
though the activity might bedifferent, the rhythm of the day
is staying the same.
Emily (09:37):
So do your best to keep the when and how consistent,
even if the what changes. Thisconsistency gives students the
support they need to makepositive choices. It signals to
their nervous systems that todayis still a normal day, even if
there's a lot going on.
Heidi (09:51):
Now, an important part of surviving December is having the
right mindset. Remind yourselfthat these swiss cheese weeks
are not going to be your mostproductive weeks.
Emily (10:01):
Unfortunately, no, and that is okay. Go back to last
week's episode where we talkedabout must do's. Make sure you
know exactly what content youneed to cover before winter
break, and prioritize gettingthose lessons in, even if you
have to get a little creative tomake it work.
Heidi (10:16):
Now, outside of your must do's anything else you manage to
get done is a bonus. Your goalright now is not to power
through your curriculum. It's tokeep everyone calm and engaged
through a busy, spark filledseason.
Emily (10:28):
And hopefully not get behind so you can start back in
January without having to playcatch up.
Heidi (10:32):
Now, when the frustration starts to mount, and it will,
take a deep breath and remindyourself that this is normal.
Given all of the chaos, thingsare actually probably going
better than you think.
Emily (10:44):
So to sum this up, when your week turns into swiss
cheese, structure is yourstabilizer. Protect those
mornings, keep the rhythm of theday, even if the song changes.
Heidi (10:54):
Alright. Now, you know what might actually save
December? Adding more novelty towhat's already going on.
Emily (11:02):
And you may be thinking, we've lost our minds, but truly,
sometimes the best way to fightfire is with fire, and sometimes
the best way to manage classroomspark is with more spark.
Heidi (11:12):
Okay, but the key to all of this is to use the motivation
of novelty to increasestructure, and that's where
festive breaks come in. We lovethese.
Emily (11:22):
Festive breaks are short, low prep, seasonal activities
that you control. We're talking5 to 10 minutes of fun that give
kids something to look forwardto and gives you leverage.
Heidi (11:32):
So you might say something like, if everyone
works quietly on this assignmentfor 15 minutes, we will do a
festive break. But if talkingstarts, I will have to reset the
timer.
Emily (11:42):
That one sentence gives instant structure. Kids know
exactly what's expected, andthey're motivated to do it.
Heidi (11:48):
Plus, this takes all the emotion out of your management.
You aren't nagging, you're notreminding. The system is
managing the behavior for you.
Emily (11:57):
And the great thing is, festive breaks can be so simple.
It can be flashlight reading, ashort video, directed drawings,
a favorite game, or a quickcraft. Honestly, anything quick
and seasonal feels like afestive break.
Heidi (12:08):
Now, you know we're looking out for you, so if you
want this already done for you,we have a whole system waiting
for you in our shop. It includescute holiday themed cards that
you can display to increaseinterest, and on the back of
each card, you can just writedown a fun activity.
Emily (12:22):
Our festive break pack includes a bunch of Print and Go
no prep activities like Tic TacToe, unfoldable joke tellers,
things that are fun but they'renot going to spike anyone's
adrenaline.
Heidi (12:34):
Yeah, we worked really hard to come up with chill fun.
Chill fun is kind of our zone,isn't it? Once kids have met
your goal, maybe they came backfrom library with a good report
from the librarian, then astudent gets to choose one of
the cards. The surprise factorkeeps kids interested in earning
the reward.
Emily (12:51):
And then in the teacher's guide, we've included several
suggestions for how to displaythe cards. You can hang the
cards on a string, tape them tothe board, or draw them out of a
hat, whatever fits your vibe.
Heidi (13:02):
And one thing we love is combining festive breaks with a
work packet. Remember last weekwhen we talked about those?
They're just basically a stackof review worksheets organized
around a theme, with a few justfor fun pages mixed in.
Emily (13:15):
So you give your students the packet to work on, calm,
structured focus, and then youadd the festive breaks as little
bursts of excitement, work,break, work, break. That rhythm
keeps engagement high and chaoslow.
Heidi (13:28):
And bonus, when students are working on their packets,
you get a little pocket of preptime. You can tackle some
teacher tasks or start gettingready for January.
Emily (13:37):
We talked a lot more about maximizing those pockets
of prep In last week's episode.So definitely check that out if
you haven't already.
Heidi (13:44):
Alright, so far you are working hard to keep your
expectations alive. You areprotecting your calm mornings,
and you're sprinkling in funwith festive breaks. But what if
that is not enough?
Emily (13:56):
This is where a reward system might be helpful. Now,
normally, we are not huge fansof reward systems, at least not
for day to day classroommanagement.
Heidi (14:05):
No, but that's not because rewards are bad. It's
because rewards don't work inthe long term. Students get used
to them, the novelty wears off,and then you are stuck in the
cycle of having to constantly upthe ante. And if your whole
management plan relies onrewards, you're going to be
burned out well before April.
Emily (14:24):
Right. But in high energy times like December, a short
term, that's key here, a shortterm reward system can be
exactly what you need to booststructure and motivation. It
gives students a reason to pushthrough all the distractions and
stay focused. And actually,Heidi, didn't you use a reward
system one December when thingswere really chaotic?
Heidi (14:46):
Oh yeah, this is one of my clearest teacher memories. It
was a Friday afternoon in midDecember, and we had everything
go wrong that day—you know, anassembly, the snowstorm rolling
in, I'm pretty sure it was afull moon. I was standing in my
classroom feeling completelyhelpless, surrounded by Lord of
the Flies. But after school,instead of collapsing on my
(15:08):
couch like I wanted to, Idragged myself to the craft
store.
Emily (15:11):
I'm impressed that you made it to the store after that
kind of day, especially becauseI know the craft store was not
that close in those days.
Heidi (15:17):
It was not. I was desperate, Emily. I grabbed a
cardboard reindeer banner, Idisassembled it, and then I
stuck a red pom pom on one ofthe noses. And as I'm thinking
about it, I don't know if I wentto the craft store with that in
mind, I think I was just like, Ineed something that's going to
get the kids engaged, somethingI could use to make a reward
system out of. And thosereindeer fit the bill. So on
(15:41):
Monday, I introduced the newsystem. If my students made
helpful choices, they would earnone of those reindeer cutouts.
When we had all nine reindeer,including the one with the pom
pom nose, of course, we got toinclude Rudolph, they earned a
fun surprise.
Emily (15:53):
And how did it work?
Heidi (15:55):
Oh, gosh, it was like magic. Suddenly, I had my
September class back. They werefocused, making good choices,
and reminding each other to stayon track.
Emily (16:03):
And the thing to keep in mind with that story is that it
wasn't the reindeer that madethe difference. It was the
increased structure that thereindeer provided.
Heidi (16:13):
Yeah, exactly. The novelty of December was so high
that my students needed thatboost of extra structure to
counteract the overflowingenergy.
Emily (16:23):
So if you're thinking about adding a reward system,
there are a few things to keepin mind. First, we recommend
making it class wide. Wheneveryone is working toward the
same goal, students will helpkeep each other on track because
they want that reward.
Heidi (16:35):
That might not seem important, but it's the key to
all of this. It means that youdon't have to be the enforcer.
You just calmly walk toward thereward board, and your students
will self correct immediately,and they will help each other
get back on track.
Emily (16:50):
Oh yes, they will. Now an effective reward system also
needs to be visible. So maybeyou are adding letters to spell
out movie day, or you're addingpieces to a puzzle or marbles to
a jar.
Heidi (17:03):
When kids can see their progress, that's what keeps them
motivated to keep working towardtheir goal.
Emily (17:08):
And then, this might be controversial, but we think it
helps. The system needs to allowfor progress to be lost as well
as earned. So if behavior goesoff the rails, you can remove a
letter or take out a marble,because this is going to help
with that peer accountability.
Heidi (17:26):
So when you're choosing rewards, pick something that
will actually be motivating foryour students. Since it's
December, you might need to gobigger than you would in
October—a glow in the darkparty, hot chocolate and a
movie, extra recess, whateveryour kids would work for, makes
a great reward.
Emily (17:40):
And the nice thing about doing this before a break is
there's an automatic end datebuilt into it. You don't have to
worry about how you're going totransition out of this reward
system. The kids will come backin January, and then you can
just start fresh. They probablywon't even remember that you
ever did that.
Heidi (17:54):
That'll be old news by then.
Emily (17:56):
Yep.
Heidi (17:57):
In our teacher approved tip in this episode, we're
diving deeper into how to choosethe right kind of reward system
for your specific class, but fornow, just know that rewards can
be a helpful tool wheneverything else feels chaotic
and you need extra structure.
Emily (18:10):
And if you want the reindeer reward system for your
own class, you're in luck,because we have that available.
It includes pictures and prizecards and a complete Teacher's
Guide with all the importantdetails to walk you through it.
You can find a link to that inthe show notes.
Heidi (18:23):
And that reindeer reward system comes as part of a larger
December behavior help set. Sowe've got lots of different
systems if you want somethingfor individual students or teams
or multiple whole class rewards.So you can change things up mid
month, because after youreindeer rewards for a little
bit, the motivation to keepgoing tanks. You know how it
goes.
Emily (18:43):
Yeah, for sure, that's exactly what happens. So we gave
you all the options, and you canfind a link to that in our show
notes.
Heidi (18:50):
Show notes are hopping today.
Okay, so let's recap our fourstrategies for keeping the calm
in December. First, keep yourexpectations alive with daily
check ins, visible postedguidelines and quick reviews
before tricky transitions.
Emily (19:05):
Second, maintain your routines. Be sure to protect
your mornings and keep the whenand how of your schedule
consistent, even if the what hasto change.
Heidi (19:15):
Third, use structured fun. Festive breaks give you
leverage for behavior whilechanneling that December
excitement into focus,
Emily (19:22):
And fourth, add rewards when you need a boost, a class
wide visible system can provideexactly the structure you need
to get through the chaos.
Heidi (19:30):
December doesn't have to be survival mode. With the right
balance of structure and spark,you can keep your class focused
and maybe even enjoy thisseason.
Emily (19:39):
We'd love to hear your tips for managing December
behavior. Come join theconversation in our teacher
approved Facebook group. Now forour Teacher Approved Tip of the
Week, where we share anactionable tip to help you
elevate what matters andsimplify the rest. This week's
teacher approved tip is reflecton what you need before starting
a new reward system. Tell usmore about it, Heidi.
Heidi (19:59):
Well, if you are thinking of launching a reward system
this month, just be aware thatnot all reward systems are
created equal. For a reward tobe effective at shaping
behavior, it has to target thecorrect behaviors. So don't jump
in without at least a fewminutes of reflection.
Emily (20:16):
But we've got you covered, of course. The December
teacher survival kit has ajournal page that walks you
through this decision makingprocess. There are 12 questions
that help you figure out exactlywhat kind of system would make
sense for your students.
Heidi (20:30):
Now we don't have time to go through all 12 right now, but
we can hit the big ones. Sofirst, you need to think about
what behaviors you're hopingyour reward system will increase
and what behaviors you're hopingto decrease.
Emily (20:41):
Once you're clear on your goals, then you can decide, will
a whole group system work best?A small group system, individual
or some combination?
Heidi (20:49):
We've mostly been talking about whole group rewards this
episode, where everyone isworking toward one shared
reward. This works really wellwhen you have a general on task
behavior goal that you'reworking toward.
Emily (21:01):
And we prefer whole group rewards because they can help
build your classroom community.But small group rewards are a
great way to increasecompetition, and they may boost
student buy in.
Heidi (21:11):
Small group rewards could be something like table points
or team challenges. If a wholegroup reward system isn't
motivating enough, you can upthe stakes by awarding table
points. That competition can getkids to buy in very quickly.
Emily (21:25):
Individual reward systems are for when you need to target
very specific behaviors forspecific students. Use them when
they're needed, but theyprobably won't help much with
general classroom behavior inDecember.
Heidi (21:36):
Once you've decided what reward system you need, then you
need to think about the format.Are you doing tickets, marbles
in a jar, puzzle pieces, or, youknow, letters on the board?
Emily (21:46):
Younger kids often do well with something very visual
and concrete, like puzzle piecesthat they can see filling in a
picture. Older kids might prefersomething quicker and less
babyish, like tally marks on theboard.
Heidi (21:57):
And then, of course, you have to think through all of the
physical logistics that comewith starting a new reward
system. How will you organizeit? If you're doing tickets,
where are students going to keepthem? If you're adding puzzle
pieces to a board, where's thatboard going to go?
Emily (22:11):
And this might sound silly, but this is where your
systems fall apart. Youintroduce something that sounds
great in theory, but then yourealize you don't have a good
place to store the materials, orit's too complicated to manage,
and if the system iscomplicated, you won't stick
with it.
Heidi (22:24):
Now, you got enough to do in December. Don't make this
harder than it has to be. Sothink through those big
questions, and in the Decemberteacher survival kit, we have
that whole worksheet that willwalk you through all of this,
plus a few more considerations.Because you know, the last thing
you need right now is tointroduce a reward system that
adds more stress to your life,instead of making it easier.
To wrap up the show, we aresharing what we're giving extra
credit to this week. Emily, whatgets your extra credit?
Emily (22:50):
I'm giving extra credit to solar powered fairy lights. I
got some to add to my littlefree library, and it's so cute.
So now I'm wondering what else Ican add fairy lights to outside.
Heidi (23:03):
I love that. And then you could put them in places where
stretching an extension cord isjust not practical. Gosh, now I
Emily (23:09):
You need some. I don't know where you what for, but I
want some.
think you need them. They'resuper cute.
Heidi (23:12):
I could put them on my porch railing. That's why I
haven't decorated my porch,really, because I don't have a
good place to plug things in outthere. But maybe?
Emily (23:20):
That could work. You could probably put them in your
trees too, because your treesaren't too tall.
Heidi (23:26):
That would be pretty.
Emily (23:27):
Yeah. Do it.
Heidi (23:28):
Okay, good ideas.
Emily (23:29):
What are you giving extra credit to, Heidi?
Heidi (23:32):
Well, I'm giving extra credit to season two of A Man on
the Inside, now that it is outon Netflix. So in season one,
Ted Danson's character goesundercover in a retirement home
to find a jewel thief. It's sosweet. This is from Mike Schur,
who, if you're not familiarwith, he was a writer on The
Emily (23:49):
yet.
Office and was a creator forParks and Rec and The Good
Place. So if you like any of theshows, I am sure you would love
Man on the Inside too. It's gotbig heart, but it's not cheesy,
really, and it's not afraid toask some big questions. It's,
it's very sweet. And my onlysadness is he's not at the same
retirement home this year.
Heidi (24:12):
That is it for today's episode. December behavior does
not have to unravel. Remember tokeep expectations alive,
maintain routines, use festivefun strategically, and add
rewards when you need them.
(24:32):
We hope you enjoyed this episodeof Teacher Approved. I'm Heidi.
Emily (24:36):
And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
or subscribe in your podcast appso that you never miss an
episode.
Heidi (24:42):
You can connect with us and other teachers in the
Teacher Approved Facebook group.We'll see you here next week.
Bye, for now.
Emily (24:49):
Bye.
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