Teaching Profession

Morning Rituals Educators Swear By to Start the Day Right

By Marina Whiteleather — January 23, 2023 1 min read
Image of a clock on a spiral notebook.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A typical day in the life of a teacher or principal is anything but calm. So, how do educators make sure they start the day off right?

We asked Education Week’s social media followers to share the go-to morning rituals that help them mentally prepare for the school day.

Set the tone for the day with uplifting tunes, stories, or videos

A cup of coffee, morning yoga, and an awesome playlist!

- Miss G.

Cozy lights on in my classroom, some fun music on my SmartBoard, and helping my students (early morning office hours).

- Nicole G.

I listen to an audiobook while I get ready. Sometimes it’s the only reading I get to do all day.

- Sara R.

I start every class with a motivational video from YouTube or a similar site.

- John L.

Move your body

Lifting!!

- Coach G.

3:45 wake up. Gym by 4. Back home. At least a 2 mile run with my husky. Breakfast. Shower. Make lunch. Leave for school by 8.

- Blake C.

Morning grounding exercise, self-awareness check in and set an intention for the day.

- Ben K.

Yoga

- Ei M.

Stay grounded in your faith

Bible App and Podcast...🙏🏾🙏🏾

- Michael B.

Starting the day off with prayer prepares me emotionally and mentally to handle the challenges of the day. I find that I am calmer, less anxious, and I get more done when I start my day with Him.

- Queen M.

Prayer and music before I get to my school site!

- Ms. J.

Connect with your students

Being the hype man for students entering class. 🤷‍♂️

- Matt W.

Greeting students at the door, and Morning Meeting!👍🏾

- Lisa H.

💯Building rapport right away.

-Teacher Warrior

We start each day with a morning greeting. Simply saying good morning and naming the child builds connections.

- Mary W.

Related Tags:

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Well-Being Webinar
Attend to the Whole Child: Non-Academic Factors within MTSS
Learn strategies for proactively identifying and addressing non-academic barriers to student success within an MTSS framework.
Content provided by Renaissance
Classroom Technology K-12 Essentials Forum How to Teach Digital & Media Literacy in the Age of AI
Join this free event to dig into crucial questions about how to help students build a foundation of digital literacy.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Teaching Profession Opinion This Initiative Seeks to Redesign How We Staff Schools
A team-based approach to school staffing gives room for educators, school leaders, and system leaders to rethink their roles.
9 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
Teaching Profession Teachers' Favorite Reads This Summer
Teachers shared some of their summer book selections, with a wide variety of subject matter and genres.
2 min read
Woman reading book in hammock
Liz Yap/Education Week and iStock/Getty
Teaching Profession In Their Own Words How This 'Goofy Science Teacher' Made It to the U.S. Open in Golf
High school science teacher and golf coach Colin Prater just played in one of the world's most prestigious golf tournaments.
6 min read
Colin Prater hits his tee shot on the 10th hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament on June 12, 2024, in Pinehurst, N.C.
Colin Prater hits his tee shot on the 10th hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament on June 12, 2024, in Pinehurst, N.C.
Frank Franklin II/AP
Teaching Profession Teachers: Start Your School Supplies Shopping Now With These Discounts
As teachers start back-to-school shopping, Education Week compiled a list of educator discounts that can reduce costs.
3 min read
Photo of school supplies.
iStock