In This Episode: 🎧 Grace shares 8 powerful habits that can transform your teaching experience and help you become that "offensively cheerful" teacher who stays calm even when chaos strikes.
The 8 Happy Habits: 🌟
- Set Healthy Boundaries 🚧
- Protect your energy like it's $24,000 a day
- It's okay to disappoint people sometimes
- Prioritize Relationships Over Perfection 💝
- Use the "2-10 Rule" (2 minutes for 10 days with struggling students)
- Create student shoutout circles
- Build inside jokes and laugh with your students
- Practice Micro Moments of Calm 🧘♀️
- Try "Starfish Breathing" (trace your hand while breathing)
- Use hallway resets (pause at doors, one mindful breath)
- Create calm classroom environments with soft music/lighting
- Stay Organized with Simple Systems 📚
- Remember: "You don't rise to your goals, you fall to your systems"
- Delegate routines to students (they're more capable than you think!)
- Have daily reset routines before leaving
- Reframe Your Challenges 🔄
- Apply growth mindset to yourself, not just students
- See behavior issues as opportunities to reteach
- Model mistakes and problem-solving
- Celebrate the Small Wins 🎉
- Write down 3 best parts of your day before leaving
- Use a "joy jar" in your classroom
- Tune your radar to good stuff, not annoyances
- Separate Your Worth from Your Work 👤
- Be a complete person beyond just "teacher"
- Schedule non-negotiable time for YOUR interests
- Run Your Own Race 🏃♀️
- Stop comparing yourself to Pinterest perfection
- Stay out of staff room drama that doesn't concern you
- Protect your peace at all costs
Key Takeaway: 💡 Don't try all 8 habits at once! Pick one, make it routine, then add another. Happiness can be synthesized - it's a skill you can learn!
Resources Mentioned: 🔗
Want to truly thrive in teaching without sacrificing your personal life?
Check out my signature on-demand self-study course, Balance Your Teacher Life. Complete details here: www.gracestevens.com/balance
📘 My latest (and greatest!) book:
The Empowered Teacher Toolkit
Check out the best-selling Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers book here
Beat Teacher Burnout with Better Boundaries book here
My TPT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/grace-stevens-happy-classrooms
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Old school: Website : www.GraceStevens.com (courses, blog & freebies!)
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