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- 💖 Prioritizing you: Simple teacher self-care & word magic in K-2
💖 Prioritizing you: Simple teacher self-care & word magic in K-2
Inside: Teacher Self-Care Tips, The Word Collector Video, and a Heartwarming Giggle
Karly Moura & Christina Sciarrotto
September 08, 2026
Sustaining Your Spark
Teaching K-2 requires endless energy, but remember that you can’t pour from an empty cup. In this week’s edition of What’s New in K-2, we focus on YOU! Whether it is trying to schedule just ten minutes of uninterrupted downtime into your day, quiet time while drinking your cup of coffee before the bell or a quick walk at lunch. Taking care of yourself isn’t a luxury—it’s an essential part of being the best educator you can be for your students. As International Dot Day approaches, we will feature one of Peter Reynolds’ book titled The Word Collector. Our Giggle of the Week makes all the hard word and endless energy we put into our day priceless.
Inside:
💡 Tips, Tools and Templates: Teacher Self-Care Strategies
📺 Teaching with Teachflix Junior: The Word Collector
😄 Giggle of the Week: My Favorite Teacher
❤️ Share your ideas with us!
💡 Tips, Tools and Templates
The Teacher’s A to Z Self-Care Guide
Image Generated with Google Gemini
As we kick off a fresh school year, it’s easy to get swept up in setting up classrooms and building routines, but don't forget to establish your own self-care systems early. Here are simple, actionable ideas to care for yourself while fostering a supportive community:
🎲 Self-Care BINGO: Play with your co-teachers to motivate each other, build community, and manage everyday school stress.
🎵 Pump-It-Up Playlist: Boost your mood with songs like Eye of the Tiger, Don’t Worry, Be Happy, and Survivor to keep you moving and grooving.
📁 Joy Folder: Keep a dedicated folder of student artwork, comics, and sweet notes from past and present students to look through when you need a lift.
🎧 Teacher Podcasts: Tune in to specialized shows like The Resilient Teacher or The Teacher Self-Care Podcast. Check out The Best Education Podcasts for more audio inspiration.
📺 Teaching with Teachflix Junior
❤️ The Word Collector
🎥 Video Link: The Word Collector
As we get ready to celebrate International Dot Day around September 15ish, check out this link for more information on how to sign up and download these posters too. Finally, check out last year’s What’s New In K-2’s Celebrate Creativity on International Dot Day for more ideas.
Key Learning Points:
Words hold diverse power, value, and emotional weight.
Unexpected word combinations spark creative joy and narrative thinking.
Sharing your voice and vocabulary can transform the world around you.
Classroom Extension Activities & Resources:
✏️ Official Resource Hub: Explore activities on The Word Collector Official Site.
✏️ 5-Senses Airplane Activity: Download the Word Collector Airplane Template to combine sensory adjectives with crafts.
✏️ KidLit TV Creativity Corner: Access additional lesson ideas via KidLit TV with Terry Shay.
✏️ Dot Day Registration: Sign up and download free posters at International Dot Day.
🤭 Giggle of the Week
❤️ Makes it all worth it.
