Hooray For Monday

What would it take for every child — and teacher — to be excited for school on Monday mornings?

Hooray for Monday is an award-winning weekly publication and podcast for educators, parents, and all adults committed to creating a better learning experience for students and teachers. Hooray for Monday challenges educators to hone their skills as Instigators of Thought©; includes instructional ideas from our Inspired2Learn collection; and provides links to other useful tools and FREE Inspired Teaching programming. Each week, Hooray For Monday offers transformative and sustainable methods for shifting education away from compliance toward authentic engagement.

Actionable insights for creating classrooms in which everyone thrives

Inspiring advice from teachers, school leaders, and education changemakers

Transformative activities and strategies for authentically engaging learning

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The Latest: Read and Listen

Polarization. And How to Beat It | Hooray For Monday

Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2024 is Polarization; what would it take to make Curiosity the choice in 2025?

Meet Esther Wojcicki | Hooray For Monday

Aleta shares her conversation with inspiring educator and author, “Godmother of Silicon Valley,” Esther Wojcicki.

Sharing Our Gratitude | Hooray For Monday

Research shows that when we share our gratitude with others, we boost our own feelings of wellbeing and inspire those around us to be more generous, kind, and helpful, as well.

Inspired Teaching in Kyiv Classrooms | Hooray For Monday

Olena, a Teaching with Improv Fellow and English teacher in Ukraine, shares how she’s bringing Inspired Teaching to her students and colleagues.

InspiredTeaching · Hooray For Monday

Sharing Expert Advice and Insights

The educators and changemakers featured in Hooray For Monday have so many inspiring perspectives and experiences to share — sometimes we can’t fit them all into one issue! Check out our video collection for a peek into these conversations and additional resources for educators, parents, and all adults committed to creating a better learning experience.

What's in Hooray For Monday?

Find past issues that answer questions, provide insights, offer resources for educators and parents, and more — based on the topic area of your choosing.

Chronological

Meet Esther Wojcicki December 9, 2024
Sharing Our Gratitude December 2, 2024
Inspired Teaching in Kyiv Classrooms November 25, 2024
Play More to Learn More November 18, 2024
It’s Time to DIVE In November 11, 2024
Vote November 4, 2024
What Does Engagement Look Like? October 28, 2024
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Master Teacher October 21, 2024
What’s in a Name? October 14, 2024
Practicing Curiosity October 7, 2024
Make Learning Meaningful September 30, 2024
Being in Community September 23, 2024
Empathy, Humility, and Self-Advocacy September 16, 2024
Physical Space Matters September 9, 2024
Humanizing Each Other September 2, 2024
Teaching in a Democracy August 26, 2024
Discipline August 19, 2024
Operating Instructions August 12, 2024
Take It Outside August 5, 2024
Make School More Like Children July 29, 2024
Uncharted Territory July 22, 2024
The Engine of Change July 15, 2024
Pure Gold July 8, 2024
Hooray for Improvisation! July 1, 2024
Do We Have to Choose? June 24, 2024
Reengaging with the Past June 17, 2024
Making the Unique, Universal June 10, 2024
Being a Noticer June 3, 2024
Inspired Summer Playlist May 27, 2024
Realizing I’m Human May 20, 2024
Planning for Joy May 13, 2024
Inviting Conflict into the Classroom May 6, 2024
A Bouquet of Appreciation April 29, 2024
It’s National Volunteer Week April 22, 2024
Hospitality April 15, 2024
Speaking of Adversarial Collaboration April 8, 2024
Speaking of Joy April 1, 2024
Speaking of Purpose, Persistence, and Action March 25, 2024
Speaking of Students as Experts March 18, 2024
Big Questions Inspired by SXSWEDU March 11, 2024
Speaking of Mutual Respect March 4, 2024
An Interview with Jonathan Kozol February 26, 2024
Doers and Makers of History February 19, 2024
Time for a Checkup! February 12, 2024
What Makes a School “Good?” February 5, 2024
Don’t Be Afraid of Kids January 29, 2024
Perfection vs. Accuracy January 22, 2024
Complicate Stories January 15, 2024
Small Steps Matter January 8, 2024
Reset the Room January 1, 2024
The Best of 2023 December 25, 2023
I Already Know How to Breathe December 18, 2023
The Candle Question December 11, 2023
Trusting Students with the Truth December 4, 2023
I Don’t Need a Root Canal! November 27, 2023
Is Gratitude Contagious? November 20, 2023
Awesome Ways to Help Students November 13, 2023
Embrace Mistakes November 6, 2023
Play Big October 30, 2023
Stay Curious October 23, 2023
If Not Now, When October 16, 2023
The Freedom to Wonder October 9, 2023
Know Your Goal October 2, 2023
Say “Yes! And…” September 25, 2023
Respect What Others Create September 18, 2023
Learning is Vulnerable September 11, 2023
Recognizing Your Contributions September 4, 2023
Words That Connect Us August 28, 2023
Prime the Brain August 21, 2023
Why We Go Back to School August 14, 2023
The ABCDE of Learner Needs Guidebook August 7, 2023
Do it Afraid July 31, 2023
What Makes a Yogi Curious? July 24, 2023
Fireflies and Mathematical Models July 17, 2023
You Can’t Be Joyful Yesterday July 10, 2023
Rules of Inspired Teaching Improv June 26, 2023
Learning History from Those Who Lived it June 19, 2023
Proud to Belong June 12, 2023
Summer Resources June 5, 2023
Blow it up a Little Bit May 29, 2023
Disrupt the Egg Carton May 22, 2023
Taking it to the Next Level May 15, 2023
Reflections from a First-Year Inspired Teacher May 8, 2023
Hooray For PD! May 1, 2023
Safe and Happy and Healthy April 24, 2023
Can AI Bring Us Together? April 17, 2023
To, Not, For, WITH April 10, 2023
You Are Not Alone April 3, 2023
We Find Connection in the Process March 27, 2023
Don’t Know How? Your Students Might! March 20, 2023
Create Connection by Sharing Student Expertise March 13, 2023
Curiosity and School Connectedness March 6, 2023
The Urgent Need to Increase School Connectedness February 27, 2023
When the Helicopter is Going Down February 20, 2023
Moral Beauty February 13, 2023
Learning from the Masters February 6, 2023
The Opposite of Curiosity January 30, 2023
Talking Across Dividing Lines January 23, 2023
Gratitude January 16, 2023
Action as Antidote to Worrying January 9, 2023
New Year’s Re-Solutions January 2, 2023
Feeling Stirred December 26, 2022
Vacation and Brain Incubation December 19, 2022
Makeup, Space Exploration, & Politics December 12, 2022
Stirring Up Curiosity December 5, 2022
Hooray For Helping November 28, 2022
Accessing Our Strength November 21, 2022
Teaching vs. Telling November 14, 2022
Vote, Then Share Your Voice November 7, 2022
Grades Don’t Provide Much Feedback October 31, 2022
Colorful Language October 17, 2022
Head or Heart October 10, 2022
Channeling Curiosity October 3, 2022
How Far They Can Go! September 26, 2022
Children Are Not Mailboxes September 19, 2022
Shifting Gears September 12, 2022
Making Good Mistakes September 5, 2022
We Learn Better When We Are Known August 29, 2022
Consuming vs Savoring August 22, 2022
Beyond Box-Checking August 15, 2022
The Power of Might August 8, 2022
What Inspired You to Teach? August 1,2022
100 Wonder-ful Weeks July 25, 2022
Prioritizing Fun July 18,2022
Listening to Our Students July 4,2022
Being Intentional June 27,2022
What Are You Taking With You? June 20,2022
Essential Community Members June 13, 2022
Teaching Parents Our Secrets June 6,2022
Walk at Their Pace May 30, 2022
Resilient Children May 23, 2022
The Desk is a Barrier May 16, 2022
A is for Autonomy May 9, 2022
To Recognize the Full Worth Of May 2, 2022
Who’s Doing the Talking? April 25, 2022
Clearing the Fog: Reflections on Joy April 18, 2022
Nobody Learns Quite Like You: Reflections on Purpose, Persistence, and Action April 11, 2022
Engaging Parents as Allies April 4, 2022
You’ve Got This!: Reflections on Student As Expert March 28, 2022
Not Ready for Sorry: Reflections on Mutual Respect March 21, 2022
Aspirations and Contributions March 14, 2022
What Else Might Be Possible? March 7, 2022
We Won a Webby! February 28, 2022
Have Fun! February 21. 2022
Get Engaged February 14, 2022
The Right Kind of Challenge February 6, 2022
Competence January 31, 2022
We All Need Belonging January 24, 2022
You Need Autonomy January 17, 2022
Happy That You’re Here January 10, 2022
“Reach Toward What Is Next” January 3, 2022
What Supports You? December 27, 2021
Teaching “Sound Self-Love” December 20, 2021
What Makes You Smile? December 13, 2021
Students As Teachers December 6, 2021
Children will Listen November 29, 2021
Thank You November 22, 2021
What’s Your Story November 15, 2021
May I Sit Here? November 8, 2021
Happy-Scared November 1, 2021
Good Company October 25, 2021
Building Stamina October 18, 2021
Professional Learning As Self Care October 11, 2021
Curiosity = Respect October 4, 2021
Dealing with Devious Licks? Be Curious September 27, 2021
Inquiry or Inquisition? September 20, 2021
Zooming Out September 13, 2021
Why We Love Paint By NumbersSeptember 6, 2021
It’s Here! Our Toolkit for Teachers August 30, 2021
Where Does Your Confidence Come From? August 23, 2021
Is It Okay to Hope? August 16, 2021
Time Traveling August 9, 2021
When the Opposite is Also True August 1, 2021
Changing the Conversation July 26, 2021
Collective Effervescence July 19, 2021
Who do you teach? July 12, 2021
In the flesh! July 5, 2021
Feeling Young June 28, 2021
Teaching the Truth June 21, 2021
Building Community June 14, 2021
Trusting Our Ability to Make Change June 7, 2021
Preserving Memories May 31, 2021
What is Excellence May 24, 2021
Be Quiet May 17, 2021
Embracing an Improvisational Mindset May 10, 2021
How Matters – The 4 I’s May 3, 2021
Integrity – the 4th I April 26, 2021
Imagination – the 3rd I April 19, 2021
Be Curious. Inquiry – the 2nd I April 12, 2021
Intellect – the 1st I April 5, 2021
Questions to Ask our Students Right Now March 29. 2021
Mine the Data March 22, 2021
Making School Worth It March 15, 2021
The Beholder’s Share March 8, 2021
Students as Owners March 1, 2021
Stay within Reach February 22, 2021
Learning to Love February 15, 2021
Chaos as Curriculum February 8, 2021
The Healing Power of Laughter February 1, 2021
Recommendations to the Biden-Harris Administration January 25, 2021
Honoring Changemakers January 18, 2021
School as Sanctuary January 11, 2021
Finding Newness in Repetition January 4, 2021
Change more than the Calendar December 28, 2020
The Importance of Rest December 21, 2020
Making Music Together December 14, 2020
Why We Sing December 7, 2020
Bring on the Challenge November 30, 2020
Motivated by Joy November 23, 2020
We’ve Got Enough Fear November 16, 2020
Trust Teachers November 9, 2020
Our Capacity for Kindness November 2, 2020
Radical Creativity October 26, 2020
ABCDE of Human Needs October 19, 2020
Hitting the November Slump Early October 11, 2020
Why Do I Need to Know This? October 5, 2020
Thank You September 28, 2020
Motivation from RBG September 21, 2020
Relationship Building September 14, 2020
Divine Dissatisfaction September 7, 2020
Changed by Learning August 31, 2020
Hooray for Monday August 24, 2020

Improv & The Inspired Teaching Model

Speaking of Adversarial Collaboration April 8, 2024
Speaking of Joy April 1, 2024
Speaking of Purpose, Persistence, and Action March 25, 2024
Speaking of Students as Experts March 18, 2024
Embrace Mistakes November 6, 2023
Play Big October 30, 2023
Stay Curious October 23, 2023
Know Your Goal October 2, 2023
Say “Yes! And…” September 25, 2023
The ABCDE of Learner Needs Guidebook August 7, 2023
You Can’t Be Joyful Yesterday July 10, 2023
Rules of Inspired Teaching Improv June 26, 2023
Summer Resources June 5, 2023
Reflections from a First-Year Inspired Teacher May 8, 2023
Hooray for PD! May 1, 2023
To, Not, For, With April 10, 2023
We Find Connection in the Process March 27, 2023
Create Connection by Sharing Student Expertise March 13, 2023
Curiosity and School Connectedness March 6, 2023
The Urgent Need to Increase School Connectedness February 27, 2023
When the Helicopter is Going Down February 20, 2023
The Opposite of Curiosity January 30, 2023
Feeling Stirred December 26, 2022
Makeup, Space Exploration, & Politics December 12, 2022
Stirring Up Curiosity December 5, 2022
Accessing Our Strength November 21, 2022
Teaching vs. Telling November 14, 2022
Grades Don’t Provide Much Feedback October 31, 2022
Colorful Language October 17, 2022
Head or Heart October, 10, 2022
Channeling Curiosity October 3, 2022
How Far They Can Go! September 26, 202
Children Are Not Mailboxes September 19, 2022
Shifting Gears September 12, 2022
Making Good Mistakes September 5, 2022
We Learn Better When We Are Known August 29, 2022
Consuming vs. Savoring August 22, 2022
Beyond Box-Checking August 15, 2022
The Power of Might August 8, 2022
What Inspired You to Teach? August 1, 2022
100 Wonder-ful Weeks July 25, 2022
Prioritizing Fun July 18, 2022
Listening to Our Students July 4,2022
Being Intentional June 27,2022
Teaching Parents Our Secrets June 6, 2022
Resilient Children May 23, 2022
Who’s Doing the Talking? April 25, 2022
Clearing the Fog: Reflections on Joy April 18, 2022
Nobody Learns Quite Like You: Reflections on Purpose, Persistence, and Action April 11, 2022
You’ve Got This!: Reflections on Student As Expert March 28, 2022
Not Ready for Sorry: Reflections on Mutual Respect March 21, 2022
What Else Might Be Possible? March 7, 2022
Have Fun! February 21. 2022
Get Engaged February 14, 2022
The Right Kind of Challenge February 6, 2022
C ompetence January 31, 2022
We All Need Belonging January 24, 2022
You Need Autonomy January 17, 2022
What Supports You? December 27, 2021
What Makes You Smile? December 13, 2021
It’s Here! Our Toolkit for Teachers August 30, 2021
Collective Effervescence July 19, 2021
How Matters – The 4 I’s May 3, 2021
Integrity – the 4th I April 26, 2021
Imagination – the 3rd I April 19, 2021
Be Curious. Inquiry – the 2nd I April 12, 2021
Intellect – the 1st I April 5, 2021

Making Music Together December 14, 2020
Why We Sing December 7, 2020

Honest Conversations About Current Events

Inviting Conflict into the Classroom May 6, 2024
If Not Now, When October 16, 2023
Safe and Happy and Healthy April 24, 2023
Can AI Bring Us Together? April 17, 2023
Talking Across Dividing Lines January 23, 2023
Vote, Then Share Your Voice November 7, 2022
Walk at Their Pace May 30, 2022
A is for Autonomy May 9, 2022
To Recognize the Full Worth Of May 2, 2022
Engaging Parents as Allies April 4, 2022
We Won a Webby! February 28, 2022
“Reach Toward What Is Next” January 3, 2022
Teaching “Sound Self-Love” December 20, 2021
Children will Listen November 29, 2021
Thank You November 22, 2021
Happy-Scared November 1, 2021
Zooming Out September 13, 2021
Time Traveling August 9, 2021
Be Quiet May 17, 2021
Questions to Ask our Students Right Now March 29. 2021
Stay within Reach February 22, 2021
Chaos as Curriculum February 8, 2021
Recommendations to the Biden-Harris Administration January 25, 2021
Honoring Changemakers January 18, 2021
Bring on the Challenge November 30, 2020
Trust Teachers November 9, 2020
Why Do I Need to Know This? October 5, 2020
Motivation from RBG September 21, 2020

Parent Resources

What Makes a School “Good?” February 5, 2024
Teaching Parents Our Secrets June 6,2022
Resilient Children May 23, 2022
Not Ready for Sorry: Reflections on Mutual Respect March 21, 2022
Aspirations and Contributions March 14, 2022
Have Fun! February 21. 2022
Get Engaged February 14, 2022
The Right Kind of Challenge February 6, 2022
Competence January 31, 2022
We All Need Belonging January 24, 2022
You Need Autonomy January 17, 2022
Children will Listen November 29, 2021
May I Sit Here? November 8, 2021
Curiosity = Respect October 4, 2021
Why We Love Paint By NumbersSeptember 6, 2021
Making Music Together December 14, 2020
Why We Sing December 7, 2020
ABCDE of Human Needs October 19, 2020
Thank You September 28, 2020

Staying Inspired All Year Long

Reset the Room January 1, 2024

Why We Go Back to School August 14, 2023
Summer Resources June 5, 2023
Hooray for PD! May 1, 2023
New Year’s Re-Solutions January 2, 2023
Vacation and Brain Incubation December 19, 2022
Makeup, Space Exploration, & Politics December 12, 2022
Vote, Then Share Your Voice November 7, 2022
Shifting Gears September 12, 2022
Beyond Box-Checking August 15, 2022
What Are You Taking With You? June 20,2022
To Recognize the Full Worth Of May 2, 2022
Thank You November 22, 2021
Building Stamina October 18, 2021
Is It Okay to Hope? August 16, 2021
Time Traveling August 9, 2021
Preserving Memories May 31, 2021
Finding Newness in Repetition January 4, 2021
Change more than the Calendar December 28, 2020
The Importance of Rest December 21, 2020
Hitting the November Slump Early October 11, 2020

It will take work to make engagement the norm this year. It will take marshaling our knowledge of observing and listening to kids, giving and receiving feedback, finding the right words to push a learner forward, and applying creative energy to planning lessons that engage all our students’ senses.

— Aleta Margolis