Weekly Inspo Vids - Week Nineteen
Hey friends,
Welcome to 2026, everyone! I hope you navigated the holidays comfortably and were able to enjoy family, friends, and food. We managed to make it through with minimal sickness and maximal toy assembly (in terms of complexity … not necessarily quantity). Good times had by all!
While on the break, I dropped by my building briefly. To be honest, it felt so eerie. At different times in my career, I’ve really enjoyed a quiet hallway. The first week after teachers were gone for the summer was always one of my favorites. Things were calm, and I could really focus and get some work done … and go out to lunch! In the bleak of winter, however, an empty building feels rather lifeless. And while I’ve enjoyed my time at home over the break, I’m excited to get back and see colleagues and kids. I hope you feel similarly!
We’ve got a longer, but high-quality video to kick off the new year. It’s a snippet of a conversation that Simon Sinek had with an astronaut (while in space!) about what motivates public servants. The answer? You might be surprised, but it’s very encouraging.
And we’re bringing back a special series of Emailable PDs that we started last year, with a focus on the best educational research published over the last 12 months. It’ll be a ten-part series focused on the most implementable and clear-cut strategies that were confirmed as effective by research in 2025. It was quite popular last year, and I hope to have similar feedback. Please do let me know what you think!
Much love,
Mike
Weekly Video
Use in staff newsletters, encouraging emails, etc.
Possible Caption: Public service is based on love.
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Weekly Quote
“Remember, no man is a failure who has friends.”
Clarence Odbody in “It’s a Wonderful Life”
Weekly Emailable PD
Use in staff newsletters, emailable PD messages, etc.
Suggested Email Body:
This week is a reminder to pause—on purpose.
In classrooms full of movement and momentum, it can feel counterintuitive to slow down. But the research is clear: brief, intentional breaks don’t interrupt learning—they supercharge it.
This week’s resource highlights why student attention fades (it’s not a discipline issue) and what we can do about it. The best part? The fixes are simple, practical, and ready to use tomorrow. Because when we build in moments to reset, we give students a better shot at staying present—and coming back ready to learn.
