Staying up to date on the best resources out there can be challenging. Figuring out which resources are a good fit for your needs can be hard, too. Teach 4 the Heart has gathered our team's favorite resources to share so you can grow as a Christian and as a teacher!
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FAVORITE TEACHING/SCHOOL TOOLs
- First Days of School by Harry and Rosemary Wong- This book is a must-read for new teachers and any teacher who needs help with classroom management! We didn't get enough practical classroom management training in college and this book helps fill in the gaps.
- Pray & Plan- We created the Pray & Plan for Christian teachers who want to prioritize what matters most- at school, at home, & in their spiritual walk. It has unique features to make your life run more smoothly and efficiently, such as Scripture coloring pages, habit trackers, a spot for prayer requests, a place to plan work start and stop hours, and more!
- Fillable dice- These dice have clear pockets on each side where you can put cards, which means anything can become a game!
- Stay Fit Mom- Stay Fit Mom has healthy meal prep recipes that use everyday ingredients and are quick to prep and cook. This is a game changer for packing lunches!
FAVORITE SPIRITUAL ENCOURAGEMENT
- The Pour Over- This is a politically neutral news site that pairs the news with a Christian perspective. It's important to stay up-to-date while also protecting our mental health.
- Prayer for Life Cards- These short prayers paired with beautiful art can help you pray through any of life's circumstances--morning to evening and the challenges in between.
- Books for Reading to Kids-
- Little Pilgrim's Big Journey by Tyler Van Halteren- This story is an allegory for the Christian walk of faith through life for children ages 2-10.
- Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson- This 4-book series was written by a Christian author and includes themes such as faith, hope, sacrifice, redemption, and courage.
- Trapped in a Video Game series by Dustin Brady- This is a great book series full of humor and action for kids ages 7-12 who love video games.
- World's Worst Time Machine series by Dustin Brady- This is Brady's newest series that combines hilarious twists with real-life history.
- The Bible Project- This app is perfect for going deeper into the Bible with good teaching, thoughtful videos, free classes, and a weekly playlist. Their videos are visually beautiful and really support and deepen understanding.
Bonus Resource:
- The Chosen- This is a show based on the Gospels about Jesus and His disciples. It really brings the Bible to life!
FAVORITE PLANNER RESOURCES
Did you order your Pray & Plan yet? Whatever planner you choose to use, you'll want to check out the best planner resources our team shared.
- FriXion erasable pens- "Expensive? Yes, but I only splurge to use them for my planner and it’s so worth it to be able to have a quick visual of different colors and be able to adjust when inevitable changes occur."
- Sharpie retractable highlighters- "This pack of chisel tip highlighters is SO much better than your regular run-of-the mill kind of highlighters. They are bright & bold and make anything you are highlighting (or like me- crossing off my to-do list) more vibrant and exciting!"
- Sparkly tabs- "I use these pretty tabs to mark the week I am on, my notes page that has all my passwords written on it, and any other pages I have taken important notes on. I limit myself to no more than 6 of them on the top of my planner so I don’t get overwhelmed or confused---but they are so sparkly and pretty and they make my pretty planner even better!"
- Roller stamps- "I keep these in my pencil case with my highlighters & pens so if I need to make a separation of a page, I have a fun way to do it. Each stamper has 3 different patterns, each in a different color. They are just fun---and practical. You can not beat that!"
- Moveable tabs- "I like my planner monthly tabs but I keep these to rotate week over week so I can easily & quickly turn to the next week or 2 weeks later in my planner. They’re moveable and re-sticky so just 8 tabs last the whole year."
Links Mentioned
heRZOG FOUNDATIoN
The Herzog foundation believes that teachers are heartbeat of schools and the role models to our future leaders. In June, they will host the Making A Leap: Teacher Symposium at Wheaton College, Illinois to explore questions, concerns, and myths around Christian education. During the two-day symposium teachers, administrators, and graduates looking to go into Christian education will explore topics like Reclaiming Faith and Freedom in the Classroom, launching your own Christian school, and more. If you are thinking about making the leap into Christian education, this two day event is for you! Find out more at teach4theheart.com/leap.
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