Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher

Hello Reader, Happy back to school for some of you. Whatever time of year it is, I hope you’ll work hard to notice kids doing great things. My goal has always been to make the first contact home a positive one. I mentioned this on X and Teach Up Education said, Agreed. I had a new student one year who just transferred in. And when I called home to tell his mom how great it was to have him in group, she paused and then, with a lot of relief in her voice said, "I've been waiting years to get...

Happy almost back-to-school, teacher! This is a summer catch-up newsletter. Whether you're planning, want some new ideas, or want to get up to speed over the conversations this summer, you'll find quick ideas for you. Find one or two, use them and good luck getting started. First, the free thing you should grab before school starts. 🎁 Claude and ChatGPT Are Free for US K-12 Teachers Anthropic made Claude free for verified US K-12 educators for a full year (sign up by June 30, 2027). The...

Friday, May 22, 2026 Connect with Vicki: 🎙️ 10MT Podcast · 📺 CCT Talk · YouTube · Instagram · Pinterest · Facebook · LinkedIn · X The AP test is done. And as my students walked out of the exam, one of them turned to me and said, "We felt so prepared. Do you know that you started preparing us for the test on the first day?" I smiled. It didn't happen by accident. We teachers — we are architects of awesome. We are planners of performance. We know that when we have goals, we are intentional, and...

Saturday, May 9, 2026 I don't usually email on Saturdays and sorry to those who don't read school stuff on the weekends. Just save this for Monday. I'm barely hanging on, y'all, but there's lots of important stuff I need to send out. Hello Reader, It is nearing the end of school here. Teacher Appreciation Week. Lots of tests. Quite a few situations where students are in a last-minute panic because of forgetting to do this or that. But there are ways to find beautiful moments your last weeks...

Hello Reader, April is here and it is exciting! Artemis II launched on April 1st - the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apoolo 17 in 1972! Four astronauts are circling the moon RIGHT NOW as I write this. It is so exciting! During the routine livestream, a jar of Nutella floated right through the cabin on camera. NASA and Nutella said it was just a happy accident but for me -- a true Nutella fan -- it was hilarious and magnificent At Spring Break my family went to NASA's...

Hello Reader, My husband says "May comes earlier and earlier every year" and he's right. Sports here in North America (as well as some illnesses) have taken so many kids out of the classroom. (And we have test prep!) So, today I'll give some ideas for solid resources, events for April, and a personal note on something Mom taught me that helped me better handled this busy season! And 5 ideas for teachers of all ages! This newsletter is sponsored by Van Andel Institute for Education. Want to...

Hello, remarkable educator, Happy Friday! This week I decided to be intentional about joy — in my classroom, in my home, and in the way I think about teaching. Research says fun isn't frivolous. It's neurochemistry. And when I dug into what the science actually says about playfulness, humor, and learning, it changed how I planned my entire week. This week I decided to bring back something I have often done over the years -- 5 Idea Friday! This 5 Idea Friday is packed — a massive new STEAM...

Hello, remarkable educator, I hope you're staying well, warm, and rested. In reality, I know what February is like in many schools in the northern hemisphere. Spring sports have started where I am. That means kids are in class less, the pressure is more, and a bit of a desire to go outside has hit! It's madness and it isn't even March! But we can do this! Today I want to share some encouragement, a new smart productivity "secret" that may surprise you and some notes on how I'm using Claude...

Hello Reader, Happy February! This month I'm making kindness the focus in my classroom, and I've got some great episodes and resources to share with you — plus a brand new section at the bottom with planning-ahead ideas for February and March. Let's dig in! Class Composer is sponsoring this newsletter. Listen to award winning principal Carrie Hetzel talk about how she creates effective, balanced classes in her elementary school using Class Composer. Sign up now for your free trial of Class...