So, we are still in the thick of Winter and I am doing everything I can to prevent getting sick again! It's so hard though as germs just seem to be lurking around every corner in school. We can disinfect our desks all day long but that still doesn't do enough to prevent germs from spreading in the air of our classrooms.

I recently have been getting into Essential Oils, and have enjoyed their positive effect on my mood and my health so far - so much so, I decided to do some further research into bringing the benefits of them into my classroom, namely for preventing the spreading of germs to start with.

Essential Oils are known for their healing properties and providing complete body / mental wellness. Some essential oils are particularly effective at disinfecting the air too - this is desperately needed in a classroom full of sneezes and coughs by hundreds of people all day long!

They are so easy to use. All you need to do is get a diffuser for your classroom which dispenses these essential oils into the atmosphere for hours, killing off any germs and bacteria lingering in the air. I prefer to get ones that do not use heat as that can damage the oils. Here are some great cool mist ones from Amazon that also have optional mood lighting which can create a lovely ambiance in your classroom too!
Click to see these on Amazon.com

Here are some of the benefits of using a diffuser in your classroom:

• Reduces bacteria, fungus, mould and bad odours
• Increases oxygen 
• Relaxes, relieves tension, and clears the mind
• Improves concentration, alertness and mental clarity
• Stimulates secretion of endorphins
• Relieves tension and headaches

Here are some of the best essential oils for killing germs and bacteria in the classroom (be sure to get 100% pure essential oils):

Click the names below to find them on Amazon.com and learn more about each one:

• Tea Tree - antifungal, antiviral, antimicrobial and antibacterial. It’s great for cold and flu viruses, respiratory conditions and boosting the immune system.
• Lemon Oil - stimulating, calming, anti-infectious, astringent, detoxifying, antiseptic, disinfectant, and antifungal.
• Eucalyptus -sterilises the air with a fresh, crisp clean scent that also lifts the spirits.
• Ravensara - antiseptic, antimicrobial, and antiviral qualities that disinfect the air and helps those dealing with the flu recover faster.
• Cinnamon bark - anti-infectious, anti-bacterial, antiparasitic, antiviral and antifungal. It can also maintain a healthy immune system.
• Thyme - anti-bacterial, antiseptic, antiviral, and antifungal. It is great for chest infections and coughs and is a great memory booster and antidepressant.
• Rosemary - antiseptic and antimicrobial. It increases concentration and is a good remedy for depression, mental fatigue and forgetfulness.
• Lavender - anti-bacterial, antiseptic, antiviral, and antifungal. It can eliminate nervous tension, relieve pain and and treat respiratory problems.

Simply pop a few drops of any of the oils above into the water in a diffuser (or mix some oils together if you like!) and let the essential oils fill the room, oxygenating the air and killing those germs! If your classroom is quite large, you can even have 2 on the go. You'll also be pleased to know that many of these will increase focus, mental clarity, relieve stress and headaches and so much more. I wish I had known about this years ago when I started teaching, I bet I could have dodged so many illnesses...!

Have you ever tried essential oils in your classroom? How did you like it? Let me know in the comments below!

Taking a day out of the classroom, whether it is because you're sick, on a trip or a course, is always a double edged sword: on one hand you may desperately need the day off, but on the other there is the stress of having to set cover work for your classes (which is always 100 times worse when you're ill!).

I am often on both sides of the teacher's desk: a teacher who needs to leave work for subs every now and then and a teacher who sometimes covers lessons for colleagues. In fact, I recently covered a Spanish lesson which was a last minute emergency and so no work had been left. When I got to the classroom I let the students in, they unpacked their equipment and looked up at me expectantly. I looked back at them and said "hola!", they smiled openly and greeted me back the same way. There was a pause before I blurted out, "That's all I've got, guys - that's the only word I know!". Their little confused faces were hilarious - but I'm very open with my students and they actually found it really funny! A Spanish lesson wasn't even something I could even attempt to teach as I know NOTHING! Fortunately, after years of experience in these kinds of predicaments, I created my own kit of emergency sub plans that are handy activities that can be used for any subject - it saved my bacon that day!

So if you're taking a day out of the classroom for whatever reason, here are my top tips for easily and effectively preparing for a substitute teacher:

1) If you know you are going to be away in advance, ensure the cover work is taped to the desk or board so it's easy for the sub to find. I have had many experiences of having to fumble around someone's desk wading through piles of paper and books trying to find the work. It's not very appreciated, I have to say - the work should be easy to find and simple to understand.
If you're calling in absent, you could email the work to a reliable colleague so it can be printed for you and left on your desk or if you can get access to the school network from home, you could also upload work there too.

2) Leave a register and a seating chart with the cover work or have them on display in your room at all times. Some cheeky students will often try it on with a sub and take advantage - it's important the teacher covering has all the information so they can't be played!

3) Set cover work that doesn't involve learning new material. When I first started teaching I remember I had to cover a French lesson (why all the languages?!) and the cover work actually requested I teach them French and get students at the front having conversations. In all honesty I wouldn't understand or know if they were even accurate, so I had to adapt the plans a bit - I didn't need that extra stress in a "foreign" subject (pun intended!). Personally, I like to set creative tasks that are enjoyable, calming and reinforce previous learning in fun ways that also won't involve a heavy marking load. 

4) Always have plenty of extension work available. There's nothing worse than students racing through the tasks and finishing early with nothing else to do for the next 30 minutes! Have more than you think they'll need to ensure they will be kept nice and busy.

5) Keep the number of resources required to a minimum. It can get quite stressful ensuring equipment and textbooks etc. are available, and even worse if it's a last minute cover and the sub arrives and can't find any resources or equipment. (Yep, this has also happened to me - a task required text books, except no one knew where the textbooks were...) Keep it simple - just grab paper and go.

You can just leave the "theme sheet" and your sub can choose the activities, or alternatively you can select what your students do, but at least there is plenty of extension work available. Also there are worksheets included which go with each theme if you choose, but all activities can just be done on plain paper or computer depending on what you have available. The idea is that they can be used in any circumstance and with limited resources - perfect for no prep emergencies!

I have a sample of one theme from this pack which you can use for free here to get you started, I hope it is helpful for you! Our job is hard enough as it is; we shouldn't be working even harder when we need to be off, especially if we are ill and need to relax!

I hope these tips help you out and I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences with subbing (preparing or doing!).

Check out these other sub plans for secondary school:

Happy New Year colleagues! I hope you have had a lovely, restful holiday and 2016 is treating you well so far! Today I am linking up with some fellow secondary teachers and we are reflecting on what we have learned in 2015.

1) 2015 was the year I discovered the wonder of Kahoot! This is a fantastic tool that allows you to create interactive online quizzes for your class. What makes it special, is that games are displayed on a main screen like a projector or whiteboard, while students answer the questions on their own devices (computers, smartphones etc). This is wonderful as it encourages students to look up to read the questions which help create unity in your classroom so everyone isn't just staring at their own screen all lesson.
It's really easy to use! Once you create a Kahoot quiz you get a unique code for it. Students simply go to the Kahoot website, type in your code and everyone can play online together! You then get to see the score at the end and gauge the success rate of your class. It makes a fantastic end of topic quiz or introductory quiz for a new unit! I have also asked students to create quizzes themselves on different topics that we can play as a class which really helps them take ownership (and saves you so much time as well!). Plus, the music is awesome!

2) This year in particular, I have been noticing students showing increased signs of stress and anxiety. I feel not only are they are far too young to be so stressed out, but what concerns me most is that they are not properly equipped to handle it. The increased percentage of teenagers self-harming themselves is utterly alarming. I got so distressed when I heard the figure in my school alone, that I went on a mission and made these "Stress Management Activities". I took a lot of time researching all about stress and the best management techniques, and created a resource to teach students all about it: what stress is, why we need it, how we respond to it in the modern world, causes and effects, what we can control and what we can't, and actions to help relieve it. 

I also created activities to give students the opportunity to role play and analyse different teen appropriate stressful scenarios, such as school life, family problems, friends, jobs, bullying, partners etc. I also included 3 different breathing exercises to help control the physical signs of stress that are very powerful in tense situations. It has been very useful for me as well!
I want students to have the tools to deal with the inevitable hard times in a healthy way. So far, it has been really well received by my students and I can only hope everyone who has downloaded this resource from my TpT store is noticing a positive change in their students as well. It is something I am very passionate about and will continue to fight for!

3) Finally, my personal teacher goal for 2016 is related to the above actually, and is about well-being and a keeping a positive mindset. I worked hard on my work/life balance in 2015, and so this year I am going to focus on keeping positive by doing a fun challenge I wrote about recently on how to keep your motivation as a teacher. I am hoping this will help me look out for and appreciate the golden moments as a teacher, as well as help keep me motivated during the harder times.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my 2015 reflections as a secondary teacher! I'd love to read your thoughts or your personal goals, in the comments below! ​I wish you a happy, successful and amazing 2016!