Better Days: 180 Creative Practices and Daily Connections for Teachers and Students

by Lisa J. Lucas

Overview

Better Days presents 180 inspirational readings and creative activities to help teachers and students stay present and optimistic while integrating healthy habits into their lives.

Classroom teaching has many challenges, and these are compounded when you're also preparing students to navigate the world in a way that is healthy and forward-looking. But what if you could take a few minutes every day to not only help your students develop social-emotional skills, but also take stock, recenter, and reset yourself?

This engaging and accessible book by professor and therapeutic coach Lisa J. Lucas is designed to help educators and children cultivate presence, kindness, curiosity, and calm in the face of daily obstacles. The 180 sets of teacher practices and student connections in Better Days are grouped into 10 themes—for example, Attention and Intention, Mind Management, and Self-Care—so you can easily find a practice that resonates with you when you need it. Each set includes

▪ Teacher- and student-centered exercises for personal growth and reflection.
▪ Hands-on, screen-free ideas for cultivating a warm and inviting environment that encourages students to learn.
▪ Research- and experience-based advice and affirmations for nurturing your "wise inner self."

The school day is packed, and it can be hard to find time to develop students' essential life skills or to pause and reflect on your own personal growth, but the strategies in this book will help everyone in the classroom become their best possible selves—one better day at a time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781416633501
Publisher:	ASCD
Publication date:	01/28/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	209
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Dr. Lisa J. Lucas has more than 35 years of experience in education as a teacher, an instructional coach, an administrator, and a consultant. She is currently a professor at West Chester University of Pennsylvania and a therapeutic coach specializing in stress reduction for professionals. She is the author of Practicing Presence: Simple Self-Care Strategies for Teachers. Her vision is to provide professional development to educators worldwide, challenging mental models and inspiring educators and students to navigate a world full of distractions and lost connections by integrating healthy habits into their lives.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Better Days offers practical wisdom for busy educators navigating life's challenges. Whether readers are looking to cultivate inner peace, manage change, or foster a classroom culture of mindfulness and presence, this timely guide offers short, digestible readings that inspire reflection and action in just a few minutes each day. Lisa Lucas's approach is compassionate, warm, and deeply personal, encouraging readers to embrace authenticity, vulnerability, and the simple joys of life. This book isn't just about self-improvement; it's about creating a ripple effect of kindness and positive change. Highly recommended for educators, caregivers, and anyone committed to improving their well-being and making the world around them a better place—one day at a time.
—Dr. Marc Bertrando, superintendent, Garnet Valley School District

Better Days is the perfect nightstand book, offering a short reading for every day of the school year. Each day's reading includes a quote (the sources of which range from the usual great minds to the less expected); a powerful reflection on the quote; and a suggestion for application in school. A great way to start or end the school day.
—Dr. John Collins, creator of Collins Writing Program

Better Days is a gift from an author who knows her field and her audience well. Dr. Lisa Lucas combines powerful research, poetic insights, and practical guidance in a collection that is sure to be off your shelf more than on it.
—Stephen Hurley, founder and chief catalyst, voicEd Radio

At a time when students' social-emotional health is in crisis, teachers need support—both to help their students and to prevent their own burnout. Seasoned teacher, coach, and consultant Lisa Lucas knows that teacher well-being is essential for student well-being, and in Better Days she offers research-based practices to help educators and learners form those small daily habits that increase attention, presence, and contentment in their daily lives. This book is a must-read.
—Dr. Vicki A. McGinley, author of Parents and Family of Students with Special Needs

In Better Days, Lisa Lucas provides practical and time-honored approaches to declutter and enrich our lives from the inside out. This is the best possible time to read this important book.
—Dr. Bonnie Botel-Sheppard, cofounder, Penn Literacy Network