🎓 End-of-Year Awards, AI Curriculum Builder, & Academic Snowballs 😂
⏰ TL;DR
🧩 Resource of the Week - End-of-Year Award Voting Form
💎 GEMs/GPTs of the Week - Curriculum Builder for Teachers ➡️ Gemini // Copy // ChatGPT
🤖 Tech Tip of the Week - Get Brisk FO FREE and try The Brisket Sandwich 😁
🔥 80% off ➡️ Teacher Appreciation Discount! - If you were on the fence about joining us at The Ai Educator Summit, join us in Central Arkansas or Northwest Arkansas for 80% off!! 🤜🏽💥🤛🏽 IMPORTANT: Use promo code: TEACHERSWIN
👋 REAL TALK
You know that really weird stretch after testing but before summer? It’s like the Chili’s waiting area Sunday at lunch. You can literally SMELL the eggrolls, but it ain’t ya time yet for da Triple Dipper (user tip: get the triple eggrolls).
Students are mentally scrolling TikTok.
Teachers are mentally sleeping past 6am and burning their khakis.
But somehow…we still got WEEKS left.
When I taught math, I was SUPER strict about binder organization. Binder checks every 9 weeks. Notes in order. Dividers on lock. The whole shebang. Ya boi has Level 1 OCD and this was how I coped.
But then after that last Binder Check, that came the fun part…
The students would rip out each individual paper, crumble them up, and on the count of three launch them mugs at me like lil academic snowballs!
Was it chaotic?
Absolutely.
Did students remember it years later?
Also, absolutely.
Cause here’s the thing:
Students will probably forget solving systems of linear inequalities, but they’ll remember how your classroom felt. They’ll remember pelting you with crumbled notes pages.
The gap after testing isn’t just filler time.
It’s memory-making time.
Time for the weird little things that make school feel human.
So don’t just limp to the finish line, long-jump that thing like Jackie Joyner-Kersee!
Never Stop Learning!
📥 THE DROP
🧩 Free Resource of the Week - End-of-Year Award Voting Form
One of my favorite end-of-year traditions was letting students vote on classroom awards for each other. Not just “highest grade” or “most improved,” which are great but allocated to the same 2 kids for every class.
Funniest.
Most likely to brighten your day.
Best teammate.
Most encouraging.
The kid who somehow kept everybody sane during group projects. 😂
This form helps students celebrate the people who made the classroom better all year long! Cause sometimes the biggest impact in class wasn’t being awful for 8 weeks then turning in 20 assignments at once (looking at you, Ricky), it was helping everyone not just learn but enjoy class!
👉 Get it (for free) here: End-of-Year Award Voting Form
P.S. Yes, that above screenshot is from 15 years ago when I gave out these awards, and yes you can FULLY judge me for my 4 likes (includes myself 😂)!
💎 Gem/GPTs of the Week
Curriculum Builder for Teachers ➡️ Gemini // Copy // ChatGPT 🙌
If you’re caught up on grading and your students are watching Bill Nye, you can go ahead and build any curriculum you need for next year (and show it off to your co-teachers just so they know who’s thinking “beach” and who’s a boss). 😂
This GEM/GPT lets you paste in: a YouTube transcript, your lesson plans, notes, worksheets, or basically just scattered thoughts…
…and it turns it into a full student-ready learning module with questions, discussion prompts, scaffolds, extensions, review questions, and even state-test style practice! ALL THE OFFICIAL BUZZWORDS! 🙌
This is clutch for building ahead for next year imo, just in case the curriculum company raises their prices and admin says “figure it out to save us money.”
Get it for free or make your own copy of the Curriculum Builder for Teachers ➡️ Gemini // Copy // ChatGPT 🙌
✈️ Places I’ll Be
Come hang with me if you’re nearby and/or want an excuse for a road trip! 😁
5.28.2016 Lubbock ISD
6.4.2026 Spark Summit
6.9.2026 Regional Office of Education #4
6.16.2026 InnovateEDU Tech Conference
6.23.2026 SE Missouri State University
7.16.2026 Sevier County Schools
7.23.2026 The AI Educator Summit
7.24.2026 The AI Educator Summit NWA
7.31.2026 Fentress County Schools
8.3.2026 First Assembly Christian School
8.4.2026 Pueblo County School District 70
8.7.2026 Pottsville Schools
8.13.2026 Callaway Chamber of Commerce
8.19.2026 Trenton R-IX
8.20.2026 Milan C-2 School District
3.1.2026 Middle Township
11.4.2026 GaETC
11.10.2026 Arch Ford ESC
12.2.2026 TETC
If you want me to speak/train at your school and/or conference, hit me up! 🙌
💌 Never Stop Learning!
