Hello everyone! Educators DO A LOT to make sure kids get the content they need. They stay late to tutor. They craft lessons on the weekends and over breaks. They think and plan, and think and plan, and do it because it is all for the kids! One of my favorite educators modeling this right now is the wonderful CJ Reynolds, author of the fantastic book, Teach Your Class Off. In this episode we continue our talk about how CJ believes we should all be going the extra mile to build quality relationships with students, and meeting them where they are through their interests. We talk about why he loves pushing what is possible with students, and how doing something as simple as decorating your class to achieve a specific vibe might seem small, but could mean the world to your students. It's not enough to be good. We have to take the extra step to be great. It's for the kids!      This episode is sponsored by Heinemann—the leading publisher of professional books and resources for educators—and their new book Connecting with Students Online by Jennifer Serravallo. This book’s been getting a lot of buzz because finally someone is getting down to the nitty gritty details of effective online teaching during an unprecedented crisis. Jen Serravallo keeps the focus on what teachers do best: build relationships with students that drive learning and progress. And she shows how to do it remotely. She offers 55 streamlined instructional strategies we can use right away. Everything from conferring to small groups to communicating with a child’s parents or caregivers. Like everything Jen writes, Connecting with Students Online is accessible and respectful of teacher’s time. It’s filled with ready-to-use suggestions, and you don’t need a school technologist to implement them. You’ll find something here to help everyone in your classroom grow, even if you can’t be with them in person. Best of all, Jen will donate a portion of the proceeds from this book to organizations that help children directly impacted by COVID-19. If you don’t have Jennifer Serravallo’s Connecting with Students Online, head over to Heinemann.com to read a sample chapter and find out what you’re missing. Or order yourself a copy. You’ll help yourself, your kids, and children struggling because of this this pandemic.