If the end of the school year feels like everything is speeding up while your energy is running low, you are absolutely not alone in that. I’m in it right now with state testing, post–spring break exhaustion, musical rehearsals ramping up, and students just trying to make it to summer. Instead of pushing through at full speed, I’m leaning into a very intentional mindset for these final eight weeks: make it through, on purpose.

That means being honest about what’s realistic so both my students and I have space to do meaningful work without constant overwhelm. In my English classes, that looks like state testing, a tutorial-style presentation project, a Great Gatsby unit tied to the American Dream, and an adjusted pacing plan that moves presentations earlier so students can actually succeed. For finals, I’m ending with a prepared Socratic seminar instead of a heavy exam, closing the year with conversation and thinking instead of chaos!

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Spring break has us finally catching our breath, and in this episode we’re leaning into what it looks like to bring more ease and joy back into our classrooms when everything feels heavy. Instead of trying to do more, we’re sharing a simple shift: bringing “grandma hobbies” into the classroom! These are low-prep, hands-on activities that get students creating, talking, and using their hands again.

From playing cards and coffee bean “currency” to Legos, Magna-Tiles, friendship bracelets, simple sewing, and even using figurines for storytelling and blocking, we walk through practical ideas that can completely shift student engagement and behavior. At the heart of it all is the reminder that students thrive when their hands are busy, their brains are engaged, and the pressure to be perfect is lowered.

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Related Episodes:

• Episode 279, 2026 Will Bring Uncomfortable Shifts, and That's a Really Good Thing - BNT Team Meeting
• Episode 289, Warm Demander Strategies and Our Latest Book Obsessions - BNT Team Meeting
• Episode 290, The World is on Fire! What Can We Actually Control Right Now? - BNT Team Meeting
• Episode 291, The 7 Stages of Grief When You Hear “Robot Teachers Are Coming” (Because WHAT?!)

✨ SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode292

"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"

Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!

Support the show

📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

• Join Happy Hour!
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Okay but… are we really talking about robot teachers right now?! Because when I first saw that headline, I laughed, fully assuming it was an early April Fool’s joke. And then I realized… oh, we’re being serious. In this episode, I walk through my very real 7 stages of grief after hearing robots might be stepping into education, from laughing it off to spiraling to getting genuinely fired up, and what comes after all of that. Because at the end of the day, no robot is replacing the human side of this job! I’m sharing what’s still in our control as we keep showing up for our students in a world that feels a little chaotic right now.

Resources:

• Watch BNT episodes on YouTube!
• Shop Our Faves.

Related Episodes:

• Episode 279, 2026 Will Bring Uncomfortable Shifts, and That's a Really Good Thing - BNT Team Meeting
• Episode 289, Warm Demander Strategies and Our Latest Book Obsessions - BNT Team Meeting
• Episode 290, The World is on Fire! What Can We Actually Control Right Now? - BNT Team Meeting

SHOW NOTES: https://www.bravenewteaching.com/home/episode291

"Send us a message - please include your contact information so we can chat soon!"

Head to bravenewteaching.com/waitlist to become a beta tester for BNT University!

Support the show

📚 BNT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESOURCES 👩‍💻

• Join Happy Hour!
• Curriculum Rehab
• Down with the Reading Quiz
• Shop the BNT Resource Library
• Connect with us on Instagram @bravenewteaching
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel