Sometimes it is good to shake things up a bit to help get you out of your normal routine. Last fall, Rushton Hurley built The 5-Day Teacher Challenge to show that we can all get better at teaching by making just a few small changes. 
Each day of the challenge, you are asked to change one thing – you are even provided with a pair of options for each day! Try something new. Learn a new tool. Have some fun! You and your students will appreciate the change!
I encourage you to explore and embark on the full challenge but for now, here is a summary. (The quotes below come directly from Rushton Hurley’s challenge.)
Day 1: Build Rapport With Your Students! “When students trust that you are someone who is genuinely interested in them, and not someone paid simply to be in the classroom, they are notably more likely to put forth effort when you ask it of them.”
Day 2: Assign More Interesting Student Work: “I’m guessing that if we had meaningful data about such things, we would see that not nearly enough assignments generate truly creative and fun responses from our students.”
Day 3: Improve How You Communicate: “While the students’ willingness is obviously significant, your creativity and patience with how you present material are arguably the most important factors in whether they will give your lesson a chance.”
Day 4: Tap Into the Insights of Your Peers: “In most parts of the world, teaching until very recently has been a highly isolated profession. However, with all the connections that are possible now, the potential for saving time and having fun building off the ideas of colleagues near and far has increased exponentially.”
Day 5: Connect With Those Who Have (and Can) Help You: “The people that make a school work well are driving buses, delivering food in the cafeteria, answering phones, sweeping floors after hours, etc. Connect with these folks and appreciate how large the team is that wants the best for the community’s children!”
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