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The Classroom Newsletter
🤖 Teach What Counts: Cultural Expression, Expected Behaviors, College Readiness... AND MORE!
Mitch Fairchild
October 03, 2025
In This Issue:
• Lesson Planning: Cultural Awareness Activities
• Classroom Management: Teaching and Reinforcing Expected Behaviors
• Parent Communication: College Readiness
• Burnout Busters: Evening Digital Detox
• Health & Wellness: Practice Gratitude Daily
• Bonus Prompts: Differentiation Prompt & New Teacher Prompt
• Homeroom Swag: Colorful Robots Bulletin Board Letters and Numbers
• Laughter Lounge: It’s Friday Y’all!
• Poll Position: Which Smart Home Device Is The Most Useful?
Happy Friday Y’all,
Bob Talbert once said, “Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.” As educators, we’re entrusted with much more than academics… we’re shaping the values, habits, and perspectives that will stay with students for life.
This week’s prompts remind us that what counts isn’t just the knowledge in a textbook. It’s the culturally expressive activities that foster knowledge, the behavioral expectations that promote respect, and the life skills that prepare students for their next chapter. Every moment we choose to teach what truly matters, we’re investing in character as much as in content.
And let’s not forget ourselves. Practicing gratitude, unplugging from the digital noise, and taking care of our well-being remind us that we matter too. A teacher’s heart has limits, and it thrives when we protect and nourish it.
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:
Ms. Nguyen wants her high school English students to go beyond analyzing literature and connect with cultural perspectives. She uses ChatGPT to design activities like cultural interviews, artifact studies, and global discussion prompts.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I am a [class subject] teacher and I teach [grade level] students. Create a lesson plan for [subject/topic] that utilizes cultural awareness activities to deepen students' understanding of diverse perspectives.
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Promotes empathy: Students appreciate and respect different cultures.
• Deepens learning: Literature, history, and art become more relevant.
• Encourages global citizenship: Learners connect beyond their classroom walls.
Scenario:
Mr. Harris notices that his elementary students often forget classroom rules. Instead of constant redirection, he uses ChatGPT to create structured mini-lessons and role-playing activities to reinforce positive expectations.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I am a [class subject] teacher and I teach [grade level] students. Assist me in developing lessons and activities that teach and reinforce expected behaviors in my classroom, ensuring that students understand and follow the classroom rules.
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Creates clarity: Students know exactly what’s expected.
• Builds consistency: Rules are taught, practiced, and reinforced.
• Reduces disruptions: Prevents misbehavior before it escalates.
Scenario:
Mrs. Patel wants to support her 10th graders’ parents in preparing for college admissions. She drafts a ChatGPT-assisted letter with tips on course planning, extracurricular balance, and local scholarship opportunities.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Draft a letter to [student's name]’s parents, [parent or guardian name(s)], discussing college preparation. Provide guidance on steps they can take now to help their child prepare for college, and suggest resources or programs to support this process.
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Prepares families early: Parents understand the road ahead.
• Encourages collaboration: Schools and families work toward a shared goal.
• Empowers students: Support systems motivate learners to aim higher.
Scenario:
Coach Simmons feels overwhelmed by the constant pings of emails and school apps. Using ChatGPT, he builds a plan to silence notifications after 7 p.m. and create a calming routine for his evenings.
ChatGPT Prompt:
Help me build a plan to unplug from work emails and school notifications after 7 p.m. to protect my mental health.
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Improves rest: Evening downtime becomes distraction-free.
• Protects mental health: Less stress and better focus.
• Boosts productivity: A rested teacher shows up stronger tomorrow.
Scenario:
Scenario:
Mrs. Flores wants to shift her mindset after tough days at school. With ChatGPT, she creates a gratitude practice that includes a daily journal, reflection questions, and gratitude prompts.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I want to practice gratitude daily. Create a routine or habit that encourages me to focus on the positives in my [life, daily experiences, relationships, etc.].
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Strengthens resilience: Gratitude reframes challenges into opportunities.
• Boosts positivity: Daily thankfulness uplifts mood and perspective.
• Models well-being: Teachers show students the power of appreciation.
Differentiation Prompt: Balancing Whole-Group & Small-Group
Scenario:
Ms. Clark wants to ensure all of her 5th graders are challenged and supported during science lessons. With ChatGPT, she develops strategies to balance whole-class discussions with small-group differentiated activities.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I am a [class subject] teacher and I teach [grade level] students. Suggest strategies for balancing whole-group instruction with small-group differentiated activities, ensuring that all students receive the appropriate level of support and challenge during lessons on [topic].
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Addresses diverse needs: Students get support where they need it.
• Maximizes engagement: No student gets left behind or held back.
• Strengthens teaching: Lessons become more inclusive and impactful.
New Teacher Prompt: Start with the End in Mind
Scenario:
Mr. Bennett, a first-year teacher, wants to be more intentional in lesson design. With ChatGPT, he creates lesson plans that focus on outcomes and clear objectives.
ChatGPT Prompt:
I am a [class subject] teacher and I teach [grade level] students. Help me design a lesson plan that starts with the end goal in mind, focusing on [list specific learning objectives] and ensuring that my students achieve [list desired outcomes, e.g., mastering key concepts].
The Benefits of This Prompt:
• Provides clarity: Lessons align with specific learning goals.
• Improves outcomes: Students achieve mastery through targeted instruction.
• Supports new teachers: Simplifies lesson planning for long-term success.
This week’s bulletin board set is the Colorful Robots Bulletin Board Letters and Numbers Clip Art Set 🤖. Each letter, number, and special character features bold, colorful robot designs that add a fun, futuristic touch to any classroom.
Perfect for:
• 🤖 STEM classrooms
• 🏫 Hallway and library displays
• 🎉 Robotics club events
• 📚 Tech-themed bulletin boards
Add some robot-powered excitement to your space this week!
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Happy Friday Y’all!
What? Y’all Know You’re Doing The Happy Friday Dance (if only in your head) As We Speak!
Which Smart Home Device Is The Most Useful? |
Bottom Line Y’all…
Talbert’s words remind us that teaching isn’t just about academics… it’s about shaping hearts and minds to understand what really matters. When we bring cultural integration, behavioral clarity, and college readiness into our work, we are teaching our students to value themselves and others.
This week’s prompts encourage us to look at the bigger picture… to see beyond counting grades or assignments, and instead focus on the lessons that matter most. Add in gratitude and self-care, and you’re not just surviving teaching… you’re thriving in it.
Keep teaching what counts, and the rest will follow.
Teach Forward! Improve Daily! Inspire Always!
Warm regards,
Mitch Fairchild
Founder, The Classroom Newsletter
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