Free Resources for Educators
Please, come back to this page for new tools, links, and ideas to increase your access to education for free. I love learning, and I make use of a variety of programs throughout my life to increase my professional development and personal growth.
Stay tuned for some AMAZING resources with reviews and recommendations!
Sign-Up on Coursera
I’ve used Coursera on and off since about 2013 when I wanted to explore professional development resources. When I used to work in education on a full-time basis, professional development was my absolute favorite thing! I know, I know, weird, but learning for FREE about any subject matter or skill you fancy is truly FANTASTIC! It’s even cooler that you can take courses from international institutions. You can use my referral link to sign-up for any of their paid programs with a 50% off deal! And yes, that gives me points, too, but I’ll be 100% honest, I’ve only ever used the free programs since I don’t have a need for certifications or formal college credits anymore.
Shop from Grove
During the Covid pandemic, I came to value some of the slightly overpriced conveniences I had developed for myself in recent years. I’ve used Grove for my household items to use more sustainable brands for almost three years now. At first, I was simply trying to avoid hunting certain brands at my local grocer. Aside from having a normal amount of access to toilet paper during the pandemic shortage in spring 2020, I learned so much about sustainable items and made small adjustments in my home. It’s all about the simple annd calming changes for me, from glass cleaning bottles, smart packaging, and more, and while I have always been environmentally conscious, it’s hard to keep up with the latest trends. Grove makes it super easy by keeping an ongoing list and making suggestions for your cart. I am now a VIP member, which costs me $19.99 for the year and I get free shipping on my monthly orders, plus a variety of perks and freebies. Here’s another referral code to get a FREE basket from them! I don’t have enough good things to say about Grove’s inventory and selection.
Learn How to Breathe!
I love saying that to people and seeing their reaction. ”Learn how to breathe? What do you mean?” Yes, we all breathe quite well without anyone teaching us how to do so. That’s not the same thing as learning how to breathe, as in control your breathing. Since childhood, I took up pranayama breathing during meditation. Most outings by the sea or in the mountains involved my mother encouraging us to breathe and do controlled breathing. The easiest way to do this is by studying some short yoga videos about pranayama only. It’s hard to focus on more than one thing at a time if you approach yogic breathing exercises as a fitness goal. Learning how to breathe impacts your mental health, ability to focus, and overall lung health. While I follow many social media accounts from yoga creators all over the world, I really appreciate the information from The Yoga Institute. In particular, I enjoy the videos featuring Dr. Hansaji Yogendra. I think it’s important to learn the background benefits for the basics of yoga practice, and pranayama is the most important (in my opinion). The Yoga Institute provides FREE videos on their website, YouTube, and social media accounts, including full yoga flows and step-by-step breakdowns of more focused practices. Enjoy!
Make Space for Mistakes
I posted this video on my musicbyprin TikTok account. As an educator, I have made tons of mistakes, but I’ve also learned great ideas from that same trial and error process. Over 20 years, I have developed wonderful relationships with students, and while nothing is ever perfect 24/7, I do believe we all need to slow down as teachers. Make space for mistakes for everyone involved, and we can engage anyone in a group or one on one. You can find other great teachers giving advice for free by following the #teachersoftiktok hashtag.
The Calm Principles 