There have been several studies that show how beneficial it can be to practice mindfulness daily. The American Physiological Association lists some benefits as reduced stress levels, improving working memory, improved focus,  less emotional reactivity to situations, and more cognitive flexibility . HELLO? Isn’t that like everything we try to improve in a classroom? 

When it comes to the Common Core Standards, one of the areas we find that the most growth is needed is in the speaking and listening strand. One strategy that we have introduced into our curriculum over the past few years to help build those skills is adding podcasts into our classroom instruction. There are many benefits to adding podcasts into your classroom instruction. If you’ve ever wondered about how podcasts could benefit your instruction, read on dear TTD followers, we have got some ideas for you! 

Have you checked out the website Master Class (https://www.masterclass.com)? If not, you should! For a $15 a month subscription, you can have access to online classes taught by top experts in the field. They are adding new classes all the time. As an added side bonus, they are also beautifully filmed and curated.

Not all essential oils are created equal. When shopping for essential oils, try to steer clear of the ones found in aisles of big box stores or Amazon. Instead, look for oils with real concentrated plant extracts in them and very little else. If they are organic, even better. If you don’t want to go on a deep dive through the Google rabbit hole of essential oil shopping, we have done the leg work for you. Below is a list of some of our favorite essential oils, essential oil blends, and brands.

Read on to learn about our healthy, go-to snacks, that get us through the work day.