Catholic Teachers' Lounge

We trained to meet and greet new students, but how do we lean in to new staff members to help them feel welcome, connected and engaged in the community?

Staff retreats can be game changers for motivation and inspiration. Whether on campus or off, finding different environments and natural spaces bring new perspectives.

Books change lives — for our students, parents and ourselves. It helps us see beyond ourselves and our immediate challenges while opening our hearts and minds to new ideas.

Kick off the new year with the universal themes of love and forgiveness in mind as exemplified by the devotional, Forgive Everyone Everything.

Jill and Colleen toss a topic out to facebook friends for feedback and insights on the issue of summer reading, summer homework and summer challenges.

Parent-teacher communication is more important than ever, but one-way digital communication like newsletters to parents can be way too easy to ignore or miss. How to create a more consistent and effective two way communication method that is relevent and effective.

Going beyond the norm for anxiety challenged students to ease the transition to a new year. How to remove the barriers with storytelling, one on one support, and extra tours and introductions to ensure every student is ready to learn.

As you prep for the start of school, explore the intersection of classroom set-up and lesson planning. What comes first? How can one serve the other? What resources are available to maximize the space and opportunities for engagement?

As seen in the classic movie, bonding and personal growth will happen no matter the extent of challenges and chaos experienced during class trips. Whether it is a nature trip, a pilgrimmage, a service trip or even a weekend adventure, there is a real benefit for young people when they are literally removed from their comfort zone.

Preventing summer learning loss is an annual challenge, made more critical coming off COVID learning loss. What’s doable, helpful, and impactful.

Running into students and school families while out and about during summer activities can be a surprise for all involved. Bringing a dose of humility and humanity can open everyone’s eyes to life on the other side of the teacher’s desk!

As our adrenaline subsides with the end of the school year, embrace the exhaustion as a sign of satisfaction and completion of a job well done. Now we can start the personal renewal process with rest and reflection.

Graduation is in the air and there is no better time to embrace the results of our hard work than to help the graduating class celebrate their accomplishment and leap into the next stage of their life.

The annual ritual of what to purge and what to keep as you wrap up for the summer doesn’t have to be driven by your personality. There are many great ways to share, remember and archive all the hard work compiled over the school year.

Great culture is the best recruitment tool for Catholic schools. Share the joy and extend the fun as God prepares the person being called to fill open teacher slots at your school.

Seventeen minutes is the average amount of time where most students can stay focused. How does your instruction reflect this reality with something interactive or engaging along the way no matter the age?

Student communication and behavior has changed so much a new term has evolved. How are we adapting as we continuosly model and teach effective communication skills across grade levels and topics?

Pre-school teachers bring a special creativity that every grade level can learn from in regard to engaging classrooms with multi-sensory approaches. Give yourself permission to be playful!

Year 1 is memorable for all sorts of reasons for new teachers. Parent engagement, lesson plans, classroom management, and everything in between creates both good and bad memories for the ages!

Embracing the unique and fun aspects of the time tested opportunity to celebrate school year progress!

Many teachers are intuitive by nature, but sometimes our greatest skill can be our biggest blindspot. Leaning into data can be the perfect compliment to help our students excel.

When done well, sharing tips and hints about students from teacher to teacher as they move from grade to grade can be a game changer for helping students succeed and thrive.

There is a new openness to animals engaging and expanding the learning experience with their general presence as an interventionist or as an actual part of the lesson.

80’s, 90’s and now. How relationships and culture changed as seen through school dances and social events.

Teachers don’t get days off, but emergencies still happen and it pays to be prepared with timeless tools and exercises. Specific to Language Arts class, hear more about writing prompts, journaling and fun, Mad Lib type grammar exercises.