by admin | Oct 16, 2026 | Planning
October brings plenty of things students want to talk about—pumpkins, costumes, changing leaves, and their favorite Halloween characters. Those interests can be a starting point for seasonal writing and classroom activities.
I created this Fall and Halloween Activity Pack to give teachers a collection of activities they can pull from throughout the month. It includes picture-and-word matching cards, journal writing, a monster drawing activity, and detailed fall coloring pages.
Here are a few ways to use the activities in your classroom.
Start with a picture-and-word matching game
The Halloween matching cards pair seasonal illustrations with printed words. Students can match pictures and words while playing with a partner or working in a small group.
Before playing, spend a few minutes looking at the cards together. Invite students to name familiar pictures and introduce words they haven’t seen before.
You can also add a speaking step. When students find a match, have them name the picture or use the word in a sentence:
“I found a pumpkin.”
“The owl has big eyes.”
This gives students another opportunity to say the vocabulary as they play.
Talk before journal writing
A prompt such as “What does fall mean to you?” gives students room to connect the season to their own experiences. Some may think about cooler weather and colorful leaves. Others may write about family traditions, favorite foods, or time outside.
Give students a minute to share their ideas with a partner before writing. For students who need language support, offer a few starting points:
“In the fall, I see _____.”
“Fall makes me think of _____.”
“My favorite thing about fall is _____.”
Students can sketch an idea first and then use their drawing to help them write.
Add a little imagination
The “Draw Your Favorite Monster” page gives students a chance to create their own character.
After drawing, invite students to describe their monster to a partner. What does it look like? Does it have a name? Is it friendly, silly, or spooky?
To extend the activity, ask students to label their drawing or write a short description. A simple drawing can become a starting point for speaking and writing.
Offer a quiet coloring choice
The fall coloring pages feature pumpkins, woodland paths, and cozy cabins. Their detailed designs give students plenty to notice and color.
Use them as an early-finisher option or during a quiet classroom activity. You can also connect a page to language practice by asking students to name objects, describe the setting, or write a sentence about the scene.
Choose what works for your classroom
You don’t need to use every activity in one lesson. Set out matching cards at a center, choose a journal prompt for writing time, or save the drawing and coloring pages for an October classroom celebration.
Preview the Halloween themes and the level of detail on the coloring pages to decide which activities fit your students.
If you’re looking for a seasonal collection with several ways for students to participate, take a look at my Fall and Halloween Activity Pack in my TPT store.
Choose a page, gather your supplies, and make a little room for fall creativity!
by admin | Jun 17, 2026 | ESL Speaking Activities, Teaching Practice
If you’ve ever asked your English learners to “turn and talk” only to be met with silence, one-word answers, or nervous smiles, you’re not alone.
Many multilingual learners know more English than they feel confident using. The challenge isn’t always vocabulary or grammar, but often having a structured and supportive opportunity to practice speaking.
That’s why conversation mazes have become one of my favorite speaking activities for the ESL classroom.
Conversation mazes transform traditional speaking practice into an engaging, game-like experience that encourages every student to participate. As students move through the maze, they follow a path of carefully designed questions and prompts that guide meaningful conversations with their classmates.
Instead of struggling to think of what to say next, students receive built-in language support that helps them stay engaged in the conversation. This structured approach reduces speaking anxiety, increases participation, and helps learners build confidence one conversation at a time.
WHAT IS A CONVERSATION MAZE?
A conversation maze is an interactive speaking activity where students move through a maze by asking and answering questions as they arrive to each room.
As students travel through the maze, they stop at different conversation prompts and practice speaking with a partner. Each speech bubble or checkpoint contains a question designed to encourage oral language development.
Questions may focus on:
- Personal experiences
- Opinions
- Favorites
- Descriptions
- Future plans
- Classroom topics
- Seasonal themes
The goal isn’t to find the fastest route. The goal is to create multiple opportunities for students to speak, listen, and interact using English.
HOW TO USE IT
Step 1: Introduce the Conversation Questions
Before beginning, review the conversation prompts and any new vocabulary with students.
For beginner learners, model answers and discuss unfamiliar vocabulary.
Step 2: Pair Students
Assign students a speaking partner.
Encourage students to take turns asking and answering each question they encounter.
Step 3: Follow the Maze Path
Students trace their way through the maze.
Each time they reach a speech bubble, they stop and discuss the question before continuing.
Step 4: Encourage Complete Sentences
Provide sentence stems when needed.
Examples:
- My favorite ______ is ______.
- I like ______ because ______.
- This summer I want to ______.
Step 5: Reflect and Share
After completing the maze, invite students to share something they learned about their partner.
This adds an additional layer of listening and speaking practice.
If you’re curious about what a conversation maze looks like – check it out 👇
WHY IT WORKS
Conversation mazes combine several research-based language supports into one simple activity. Students always know what to talk about next, reducing anxiety and hesitation. Students practice speaking multiple times throughout the activity instead of answering only one question. It helps to create a low stress environment for speaking in a small group. It encourages authentic communication between peers, and it feels more like a game rather than a traditional speaking assignment.
BENEFITS
Conversation mazes help students:
✓ Build speaking confidence
✓ Practice listening skills
✓ Develop conversational language
✓ Strengthen peer relationships
✓ Increase classroom participation
✓ Use academic and social language
✓ Improve fluency through repetition
✓ Stay engaged through movement and interaction
✓ Practice complete sentence responses
✓ Reduce speaking anxiety
WHEN TO USE IT
Conversation mazes work well throughout the school year.
Try using them during:
- Back-to-school activities
- Morning meetings
- Speaking centers
- Small-group instruction
- Fast finisher activities
- End-of-year celebrations
- Holiday-themed lessons
- Community-building activities
- ESL pull-out groups
- Summer school programs
They are especially effective when students need structured opportunities to practice oral language.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Differentiate Question Levels
I always include a mix of simple and open-ended questions to support learners at different proficiency levels. I try to avoid yes – no questions as best as I can. This way students can practice using target vocabulary they have learned during the lesson.
Provide Sentence Stems
I offer simple language supports such as sentence stems to help the student with starting their conversations. However, I am careful to also not provide all sentence stems or language frames needed for the activity. I want to make sure the students are able to use “their own English” during the lesson.
Other Tips for Getting Started
Demonstrate a sample conversation before students begin.
Challenge students to ask one additional question after answering.
Focus on participation and effort rather than perfect grammar.
The goal is confidence and communication.
COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID
Asking Questions That Are Too Difficult
Questions should match students’ language proficiency levels. Pre-teaching important vocabulary helps students participate more successfully. Give students enough time to actually talk. The conversations are more important than finishing the maze. We all know the difficulty of uncomfortable silence in the classroom, but remember, that doesn’t mean students are not thinking or processing the language.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Speaking confidence develops through practice, not perfection.
Conversation mazes provide students with a structured, engaging, and low-pressure way to use English while building meaningful connections with classmates.
Whether you’re teaching newcomers or developing multilingual learners, this simple activity can transform speaking practice from something students avoid into something they genuinely enjoy.
Sometimes the best language growth happens when students are simply having a conversation.
Are you looking to try an engaging way for your Multilingual Learners to practice Speaking in a fun and engaging way?
My ESL Conversation Maze Activities are designed specifically for beginner and intermediate multilingual learners and include engaging speaking prompts, student-friendly layouts, and low-prep activities that make oral language practice fun and meaningful.
Click the Link Here to try it for your class
👉 ESL Conversation Maze
by admin | Jan 28, 2026 | Mindset and Motivation, Planning
This week, I’m starting something a little different.
Instead of focusing on everything at once, we’re slowing the lens and aiming it deliberately at Specific Goals for Growth!
These goals might live in different areas of your life:
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Growth as a teacher
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Growth within your school or leadership role
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Growth in a side-hustle, creative project, or business
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Growth in how you manage your time, energy, or focus
There’s no “right” category here. The right goal is the one that keeps tugging at your heart. It is that Goal that leaves you with the What If kind of feeling.
Today’s Focus: Awareness
Before strategizing a new plan or task
Before planning HOW you are going to complete that Goal or Task
Before you Execute it
Awareness comes first.
And here’s why.
Why Goals Don’t Come to Life (It’s Not What You Think)
Most goals don’t fall apart because of a lack of motivation.
They fall apart because our time gets claimed before we notice.
The day fills up with lesson planning, our children and other responsibilities.
Urgent tasks take over.
Requests pile on from our job or admin.
And YOUR Energy gets pulled in a dozen directions.
Suddenly, the goal that mattered this morning has quietly disappeared by lunchtime.
Not because you didn’t care.
Not because you weren’t capable.
But because YOUR attention drifted without awareness.
That’s the real friction point.
Awareness Is the Gatekeeper of Progress
Awareness of your Time, Energy and Focus gives you POWER!
It helps you see:
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Where your time actually goes (not where you think it goes)
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When your energy is at its highest or lowest points
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Which moments are quietly available for progress
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Where goals tend to get pushed aside without intention
Without awareness, goals live in theory.
With awareness, goals have a fighting chance.
This Week’s Practice: Make Time Visible
Today’s work is simple — and deceptively powerful.
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Identify your top three goals for the day.
These should be realistic, meaningful, and aligned with what you actually want to move forward.
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Ask one critical question:
Where — and when — will this Goal happen?
Not “I’ll get to it later.”
Not “if I have time.”
But:
If time isn’t named, it usually disappears.
End-of-Day Reflection: What Did You Notice?
At the end of the day, pause and reflect:
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Did you intentionally set aside time for at least one of your top three goals?
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Where did your time and energy naturally flow today?
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What pulled your attention away?
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What surprised you?
This reflection isn’t about judgment.
It’s about data. And Information about where your time goes is a good thing to know.
Awareness turns your day into information — and information leads to better decisions you can make for tomorrow.
Your Growth Begins When you capture Awareness of your Day
You don’t need more pressure.
You don’t need a new system.
You don’t need to overhaul your life.
You need to see your time clearly. See where it goes. See who is serves.
Awareness is how growth begins.
Not someday.
Not “when things slow down.”
But Today.
by admin | Jul 20, 2025 | Planning
This summer, I’ve refined my prep routine to focus on three core areas: Clarity, Systems, and Space. Here’s what that looks like in real life:
✨ 1. Clarity First: Start With the Vision, Not the To-Do List
Before I touch a single label, desk, or planner, I give myself space to think clearly. I ask myself: What matters most this year? What do I want my students to feel when they walk into my classroom on the first day? What kind of teacher do I want to be—not just in September, but all year long?
This helps me tune into my purpose before I get swept up in tasks. I take out my journal or vision planner and write down the feeling I want this year to carry. For example, this year I’m focusing on ease, creativity, and connection. Those three words now shape every decision I make—from how I decorate the classroom to the tone I set with families. It’s not about perfection. It’s about starting with intention so I don’t burn out trying to do it all.
🔁 2. Systems Over Scrambling: Creating Flexible Foundations
Once my vision is clear, I move into setting up systems—not just checklists. I ask myself: What will support me when things get busy? Rather than planning every single detail up front, I focus on creating repeatable, flexible structures that keep me grounded.
This includes weekly time blocks for planning, routines for classroom management, behavior expectations, and simple communication templates for parent outreach. I’ve learned that these systems don’t need to be rigid—they just need to reduce decision fatigue. A good system gives me the freedom to teach and lead with heart, without feeling like I’m reinventing the wheel every week. It’s about designing my teacher life around what matters—not just what’s urgent.
Since I have been focused on this process for about two years, and I wanted to also create a resource to support the teachers in my ESL department, I decided to turn these planning resources into a checklist, and then later into a planner.
First, the checklist is my Back to School Teacher Checklist that is a few pages long, but also helps for teachers to consider the different areas they need to consider as they plan the school year.
🌿 3. Space to Breathe: Protecting My Energy
In the past, I used to cram every minute of August with prep tasks. I’d over-commit to PD, extra duties, and projects that didn’t actually bring me joy. And guess what? I’d start the year already exhausted.
By the way – does any of this sound familiar? Focusing on so many little and BIG tasks that none of them are done with 100% Efficiency!
Now, I build in intentional white space before the day. I take time to reset my morning rhythm, protect a few sacred days without obligations, and make time to do something for myself—reading, journaling, or even just enjoying coffee in silence. These little pauses matter. They remind me that my energy isn’t unlimited—and that I don’t have to earn my worth through hustle.
One way I am doing this for this summer and as I head into the school year is by reading and journaling. A few books on my list this year are:
The Empowered Teacher Toolkit by Grace Stevens
Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers by Grace Stevens
Marketing Playbook by Lisa Jacobs
Vlog Like a Boos by Amy Landino
Reading and journaling helps me to take some time for myself to learn, and grow. It also keeps my mind focused on learning about myself and in working with others. These days reading a good book in a cozy corner with some coffee can really provide some much needed quiet in the chaos of our world!
I’ve learned that when I protect my own peace, I’m able to show up as the calm, clear leader my teacher peers, school community, students and my family deserves!❤️
📝 Want to Plan with Me?
I created a Back-to-School Prep Checklist to help teachers like you plan intentionally and breathe more easily. It walks you through each area of setup—from classroom routines to mindset prep—without the pressure.
Click here to download your FREE Back to School Prep Checklist Today: 📥 [Back to School Prep Checklist]
Use it as your anchor during these final weeks of summer. Print it, customize it, and give yourself permission to move through your own prep with grace.
💛 Final Thoughts
You deserve a school year that starts with peace, not panic.
A classroom rooted in clarity, not clutter.
A routine that supports your energy—not drains it.
This is your reminder: You are the blueprint.
Let this be the year you prepare with purpose—and lead from within.
by admin | Jul 3, 2025 | Planning
My Summer Reset Routine as a Teacher: Reflect, Reclaim, Rebuild
Summer used to feel like one long exhale, a chance where I finally have a chance to sit, sleep, and pretty much not even think about work.
But somewhere along the way, that deep breath turned into a shallow gasp.
Instead of relaxing, I found myself recovering from the long school year, and then when it came back to going back into the classroom – I started to feel that same nagging stress.
Instead of restoring, I was just… shutting down.
This year, I decided to do things differently.
This year, I chose to reset and really work towards a system of healing❤️
And I want to walk you through what that looks like—not just as a teacher, but as a woman, creator, and human being reclaiming her rhythm.
Why Rest Isn’t Enough
For years, I thought resting over the summer would be enough to refuel me. I’d sleep in, cancel plans, and binge-watch shows – which I was doing the minute I ended the school year.
Gut when August came around, I still felt drained and tired. I felt like I was going through the motions, and couldn’t really get that same energy I had. I remember that I used to feel excited to start the year, but recently I just felt blah,
What I was missing wasn’t more rest.
What I needed was a reset—a chance to clear my head, reconnect with myself, and set the tone for who I want to be next school year and really who I want to be for the rest of my life!
The 3-Phase Summer Reset I Now Live By
This summer, I’ve leaned into a three-phase reset:
Reflect, Reclaim, Rebuild.
🪞 Reflect:
I ask: What worked this year? What didn’t?
What patterns am I ready to release?
I journal almost every morning—nothing fancy, just 10 quiet minutes of truth-telling. I sometimes even find the time to do some decorative junk journaling, which helps me to relax as well.
And I take walks, alone, with no agenda but to listen to what’s rising within my spirit as I take the time to write.
🔁 Reclaim:
This is where I take back what I lost in the grind of the year. I take time to think about my plans and goals for the year, along with all of the responsibilities and extra activities I said “YES” to. As a teacher – I am 100% sure you know the story. As I reflect upon these ideas, I take time to reclaim what worked well – and remove what did not work well for me this year. Below is my process and how I get that done👇
That means:
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Waking up slow (without guilt)
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Drinking coffee while the house is quiet
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Saying yes to what fills me up—and no to what doesn’t
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Rediscovering the joy of creativity and stillness
- Making decision that are necessary to my overall physical and mental health! I choose what worked well, and what did not.
Most importantly – I never have regrets or allow bitterness to take a hold of me. I view every experience as an opportunity that I learned a valuable lesson from. In this case, some lessons are the simple task of say NO and not allowing the feeling of guilt to take over.
🌱 Rebuild:
Once I’ve cleared the mental and emotional clutter, I ask:
What do I want to create?
Who do I want to become this year?
How do I want to show up for myself, my family, my friends and my students.
This part is sacred. I light a candle, open my Dream Life Vision Journal, and map out routines that make space for joy, not just productivity. I review my Dream Life Book and review my goals and passions for the year – not just the school year – but I look at all of my yearly goals and actions as a way to remind myself of the joy I have and the possibilities for my future.
Want to See It In Action?
🎥 In my latest vlog, I take you inside my real-life routine:
“What I Do During My Summer Reset: My Real Routine and Why It Matters”
Click the Link Below to check it out👇
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_7UxcyXH_8&t=1s
This isn’t a perfect aesthetic highlight reel—it’s a peek behind the scenes of how I actually live this reset in real time.
Free Gift for You: My Summer Self-Care Bingo
I created a fun Bingo Card that allows you to take some time this summer and support yourself, and your personal growth! Have fun and enjoy❤️
📥 [Click here to download it free]
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