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The Classroom Newsletter
🦇 Good Teaching Means Good Questions: Collaborative Tools, SEL & Testing Anxiety... AND A WHOLE LOT MORE!
Mitch Fairchild
October 10, 2025
In This Issue:
• Lesson Planning: Collaborative Online Tools
• Classroom Management: Developing Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Skills
• Parent Communication: Testing Anxiety
• Teacher Health & Wellness: Keep Track of Your Health Metrics
• Bonus Prompts: Special Education Prompt & Differentiation Prompt
• Homeroom Swag: Halloween Bats Bulletin Board Letters and Numbers
• Laughter Lounge: Donuts In The Lounge!
• Poll Position: Which Streaming Service Do You Use The Most?
Happy Friday Y’all,
Josef Albers once said, “Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than a giving of right answers.” Ain’t that the truth? The most powerful teaching moments often come not when we hand students the solution, but when we guide them to ask better, deeper questions. The right question can spark curiosity, challenge assumptions, and open doors to new possibilities.
This week’s prompts are all about creating classrooms where questions drive the learning. Whether it’s using collaborative online tools to explore together, embedding SEL skills so students can ask themselves the hard questions about who they are, or helping parents navigate their child’s testing anxiety… it’s the right questions that lead to growth.
And let’s not forget about us. As teachers, asking questions about our health, our balance, and our boundaries is just as important. This week’s health and wellness focus on tracking your health metrics reminds us that growth isn’t just for students… it’s for us, too.
Now, let’s look at how we can leverage ChatGPT (or your favorite generative AI platform) to help turn your classroom into an optimal learning environment…
Scenario:
Mr. Lopez teaches 8th grade social studies and wants his students to collaborate on a digital history timeline. Using ChatGPT, he designs a project where each group researches a decade and contributes to a class-wide interactive presentation.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I am a [class subject] teacher and I teach [grade level] students. Design a lesson plan for [subject/topic] that uses collaborative online tools to create a class-wide digital project or presentation.
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Encourages teamwork: Students learn how to collaborate effectively online.
• Strengthens digital literacy: Students use tools they’ll need in college and careers.
• Showcases collective learning: Projects highlight the power of shared contributions.
Scenario:
Ms. Johnson notices her middle schoolers struggle with empathy and managing frustration. She turns to ChatGPT to help integrate SEL strategies like self-reflection journals and group discussions into her weekly routine.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I am a [class subject] teacher and I teach [grade level] students. Suggest ways to integrate social-emotional learning (SEL) into my classroom to help students develop skills like self-awareness, self-management, and empathy.
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Improves classroom culture: Students treat each other with respect and empathy.
• Supports mental health: SEL gives students tools to manage stress and emotions.
• Strengthens learning: Emotional regulation helps students stay focused.
Scenario:
Mr. Thompson notices that one of his students shuts down during every exam. With help from ChatGPT, he drafts a letter to the student’s parents explaining the signs of testing anxiety and offering strategies to build confidence and reduce stress.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Draft a letter to [student's name]’s parents, [parent or guardian name(s)], addressing [list observations and concerns about test anxiety]. Provide details about how the testing anxiety can affect their child’s performance, and suggest strategies to manage anxiety and improve test-taking skills.
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Builds awareness: Parents understand what testing anxiety looks like.
• Encourages support: Families can reinforce coping strategies at home.
• Improves outcomes: Students feel more confident and prepared.
Scenario:
Mrs. Davis wants to prioritize her health after feeling constantly run down. With assistance from ChatGPT, she builds a system to track her blood pressure, steps, and sleep so she can take proactive steps toward better well-being.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I want to track my health metrics more regularly. Help me set up a system for monitoring [blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, etc.] that aligns with my [list health goals, medical needs, etc.].
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Promotes accountability: Teachers monitor their own health progress.
• Prevents burnout: Health checks catch issues before they escalate.
• Models self-care: Students see teachers prioritizing well-being.
Special Education Prompt: Regular Feedback & Check-ins
Scenario:
Mr. Reed teaches 4th grade and has a student with a learning disability who thrives with constant feedback. Using ChatGPT, he creates a plan for regular, structured check-ins to keep the student on track.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I am a [class subject] teacher and I teach [grade level] students. Create a system for providing regular feedback and check-ins to guide the progress of students with [specific learning disability].
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Improves progress: Frequent feedback ensures steady growth.
• Strengthens relationships: Students feel supported and encouraged.
• Builds consistency: Parents and teachers stay aligned on progress.
Differentiation Prompt: Instruction for Advanced Learners
Scenario:
Mrs. Allen has several students who are far ahead in math. She uses ChatGPT to create enrichment activities and independent challenges that keep them engaged without leaving others behind.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I am a [class subject] teacher and I teach [grade level] students. Suggest enrichment activities and advanced learning opportunities for students who excel in [topic], ensuring that they remain challenged and engaged in the classroom.
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Keeps students engaged: Advanced learners stay motivated.
• Encourages critical thinking: Students tackle deeper, more complex problems.
• Supports classroom balance: Every student gets what they need.
This week’s bulletin board set is the Halloween Bats Bulletin Board Letters and Numbers Clip Art Set 🦇. Each letter, number, and symbol is decorated with fun, fluttering bats that bring a cute spooky cheer to your learning environment.
Perfect for:
• 🎃 Halloween parties
• 🏫 Classroom doors and hallways
• 📚 Library and office displays
• 🍂 Seasonal fall décor
Bring a little spooky fun to your bulletin boards this month! I mean… it is October afterall.
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Bottom Line Y’all…
Albers’ words remind us that our role isn’t to deliver all the answers, but to inspire curiosity through the right questions. Whether it’s SEL, testing support, or collaborative learning, this week’s prompts equip us to help students ask — and answer — the questions that matter most.
And just as we encourage our students, we also need to question ourselves: Am I caring for my health? Am I creating balance? Am I focusing on what counts? Those questions guide us to become not only better teachers but healthier, stronger people.
Here’s to a week of asking the right questions and finding joy in the answers that follow.
Teach Forward! Improve Daily! Inspire Always!
Warm regards,
Mitch Fairchild
Founder, The Classroom Newsletter
What Did You Think Of This Week's Issue?Be honest! Your feedback is crucial to us making this newsletter the best teacher resource on the planet! |