How to Bring More Joy Into Your Classroom

When fifth-grade teacher Sharri Conklin first invited her students to lead a daily mindfulness moment, she didn’t expect it to spark a quiet revolution. What began as a single child asking to read a meditation script grew into a classroom tradition of student-led calm and joyful clapping after lessons—not because it was required, but because […]

Can We Have Better Classroom Conversations in…

When Shira Hofer arrived at Harvard in 2021, she was full of hope, not just about academics or independence, but about connection. As a graduate of a pluralistic Jewish day school, she had grown up in an environment that valued both shared identity and respectful disagreement. “I was super excited, because I thought that it […]

How Classroom Rituals Help Create Community

As a fifth-grade public school teacher, April Archer is constantly looking for ways to bring warmth and intentionality into her classroom. Student-led conferences were coming up, and she wanted something to brighten the room—not just visually, but emotionally. With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, she invited her students to reflect on what they felt […]