Together Friends,
How are we all doing? This is your public service reminder that there are just three full weeks left between the return from Thanksgiving to the December break – and if you want to truly enjoy that time off for the holidays, now is the time to get ready for your first two weeks back in January! Include a bit of re-entry time, resetting priorities, and hey, if you need some quarterly planning, come join us at the start of February to prioritize.
Together Tour: Jazzmyne Townsend
This month’s Together Tour features Jazzmyne Townsend, the current District of Columbia Teacher of the Year! Jazzmyne has spent 17 years in the field of education, has a baking side hustle, and is incredibly active at her church. I’m always interested in how busy teachers pull it all off, so let’s dive in!
Let’s start with your planner, which, may I add, is ever so cute!
My planner is always with me, and it starts with my monthly view.
What kinds of things go into the monthly view of your planner?
I include all big events in both work and home life, such as birthdays, upcoming school assignments, baking deadlines and church commitments. It gives me a sense of satisfaction to see it all written down – and it helps me remember all the things! Even though I have some digital calendars in my life, it helps me not feel glued to my phone.
And then talk to us about how this breaks down into a day.
I’m a visual person, and I have a marketing background, so I love to use these stickers in my planner to indicate things like “urgent,” “reminders,” and “remember.” The act of setting this up for a day keeps me on track as I juggle all of my responsibilities. I can then add things as they come up during my day.
As we talk, I notice there is a thread of how you break big things down into smaller chunks.
It is like that old phrase, “How do you eat an elephant?” I have to break things down into smaller pieces to make progress. For example, grading can certainly feel overwhelming to any teacher. So, I think about it like:
- During my planning, I take 15 minutes to grade the highest-level students because they are the easiest to grade – and I get them completed quickly.
- For the mid-level kids, I may dedicate 30 minutes of a working lunch to grade their work.
- Finally, for the students who need the most support, I block time to grade their work outside of school so I can focus fully.
It’s sort of like how I assist my students in writing a multi-paragraph essay – small chunks!
How do you deal with the small pockets of time that teachers get stuck with? I always feel like it is hard to get anything big done!
If I have five minutes, I ask myself, what’s a quick short task? Since I handle social media for my church, I’m going to find time right after church and before I go to Target to post the content and get it done. If I have 15 minutes, I’ll create longer form social media work. There are a million things to get done, so if I don’t use little bits of time, I’ll never get enough sleep. (Editor’s Note: Jazzmyne is also working on her doctorate in education leadership, focusing on how neuroscience can help support people who experience poverty!)
What about exercise and food at school and all of that?
The gym is non-negotiable for me to ensure I’m feeling well and whole. I enjoy what I do, but some days are tough, and investing in myself refills my cup. I try to go three days per week. (Editor’s Note: Jazzmyne gave me her gym slot and got on the treadmill to fit in the call with me!)
I enjoy cooking for myself because it is cheaper and healthier. I have a microwave and fridge in my office and I often will grill salmon or chicken and bring it to school for lunch, so I don’t have to go out.
Your classroom looks so inviting. Can you share more about why you put so much work into what you describe as the “environment as a third teacher?”
While students are always learning from their families and from their teachers, the environment in which they learn is a “third teacher.” We want our students to be fully immersed in the experience of learning, and a large part of that experience is the physical space that students interact with. I have always enjoyed using bright themes and colors to create an inviting space, and now I am even more intentional about including academic content and visual displays that support student learning.
As a teacher, I have to maximize my instructional time to ensure every student gets what they need, which requires me to create independence in my students. When I am working with a small group, I need the other students to be able to access the tools, scaffolds and resources in the classroom. That way students can maximize ownership of their learning. My classroom environment is more than just crafty décor, it is intentional decision-making that supports student independence and learning.
How does this kind of structure play out for your students? I’m obsessed with student Togetherness.
When I was a kid, I loved school so much – I had my pencil pouch, I liked to stay organized – and I love teaching kids the value of this. When you are organized, your day is smoother, and you don’t have to spend recess inside completing work that got lost. Structure sets kids up for success.
My students have choice in what structure looks like for them. We create portfolios within their composition books. We take a photo of the student, paste it on, and then glue in assessments to show progress. The kids are so proud and they completely own their learning.
And how do you keep yourself grounded?
My faith and having good people around me makes me accountable. I need to keep my word to my students, and I need to show up for them in the ways I promise. I want my students to trust the adults in their lives, and my fifth graders know I’m a safe place.
Thank you, Jazzmyne, for giving us a full picture of how you juggle award-winning teaching, your church and doctoral program commitments – and oh, my goodness @justjazzycupcakes.
- Take some time to prepare for the holidays! The holiday season can often feel chaotic, but it doesn’t have to be. A little bit of planning makes things more manageable so you can sit back and enjoy rest and time with family. And if you missed our recent Together Your Holidays pop-up class, you can catch up here!
- Is your calendar ready for 2026? Not to alarm you, but the new year is right around the corner. What can you do now to prep your calendar for January and beyond? You can find more calendar hacks here, here, and here!
- Schedule some Tidy Time for yourself and your team. The Together Team loves our periodic Tidy Time, which we do each season to ensure we all make time to clean up from the past trimester and plan for the next one.
