Every Summer, I write one thing on a sticky note as a reflection of the year behind me. This year it says, “More Teaching. Less Managing.” As I reflect on last year, I’m realizing behavior is only part of the story. Underneath behavior lies a foundation of skills that make learning possible.

One day we’re standing in front of our students going over an assignment, quietly waking up a sleeping child, expertly using our “teacher stare” to stop a student who is dangerously close to falling back in his teetering chair. The next day we’re standing in Target wondering if we actually need those cute bins for a reading corner. Then we stop ourselves because we promised we weren’t buying anything for school this summer. (Or is that just me?) We tell ourselves we’re going to relax this summer. Recharge. Rest. Practice self-care. You know, all the trendy buzzwords. Then we find ourselves taking pictures of bulletin board ideas, saving teaching reels, and mentally rearranging our classroom library while floating in a pool. Welcome to summer break!