Building The STRONG Year in Public: February Module Nearly Done

Here's another STRONG Teacher update. February is almost complete in The STRONG Year.

Here's what's in it and why each piece matters.

The Four Modules

Monthly Overview

This frames February's unique reality: the shortest month that feels the longest (my opinion). Mid-winter slump. No built-in motivation. The paradox of visible spring (days getting longer) versus felt winter (still cold, still dark, still exhausted).

The philosophical frameworks for February are Memento Mori (this February won't come again—notice what matters) and Ichi-go Ichi-e (this moment is unrepeatable—be present anyway). Not because they make February easier, but because they make February bearable.

STRONG Framework Applications

Each of the six pillars gets applied to February specifically:

• Successes: Notice what's still working when everything feels hard
• Thoughts & Takeaways: What February reveals about what drains you versus what sustains you
• Recovery & Renewal: Protect rest more fiercely in February, not less
• Optimize: Simplify everything you possibly can
• No to Perfectionism: Release the pressure
• Gratitude & Growth: Find what's bearable, notice where you're developing

Each pillar includes a specific February practice, along with grade-level applications (Pre-K-2nd, 3rd-8th, 9th-12th) that show how the work looks different developmentally.

Teachers need frameworks, not just tips. This module provides structure.

Classroom Strategies & Resources

Six February-specific challenges with practical strategies:

1. The Mid-Winter Energy Crisis – The Energy Budget approach
2. The "Still Winter" Behavior Spike – Dysregulation vs. Defiance framework
3. The Motivation Void – Micro-Milestone method
4. The February Fade – One-routine-at-a-time reset
5. The Dark Days Disconnect – Two-Minute Connections
6. The "Is This Worth It?" Crisis – Evidence of Mattering practice

Each strategy is immediately implementable. Read it Monday morning, try it by lunch. Throughout the month of February, I'll also write blog posts based on each of these themes.

The February STRONG Challenge

120 practices across 10 categories. Teachers pick ONE to commit to for 20 days.

Not 10 practices. One.

Simplification, not addition. The challenge includes a downloadable tracker for recording progress, reflecting, and deciding whether to keep the practice, adjust it, or try something different in March.

Why Each Module Matters for Teachers (my thoughts)

The Overview gives teachers language for what they're experiencing. "It's not just me—February is genuinely different." That validation matters.

The Framework Applications provide sustainable practices grounded in philosophy (Stoicism, Kaizen, Ikigai). Not quick fixes. Practices that work in February and beyond.

The Strategies & Resources bridge philosophy to immediate classroom action. Teachers need both. Philosophy without practice is abstract. Practice without philosophy is unsustainable.

The Challenge gives teachers agency. They choose what serves them. They commit to one thing. They track it. They decide if it worked. That's Kaizen—small, continuous improvement.

Companion Blog Posts

Six blog posts expand the strategies for public consumption:

1. Teacher Energy Management: The Energy Budget Approach
2. February Behavior Management: Understanding Dysregulation vs. Defiance
3. Creating Engagement in February: The Micro-Milestone Method
4. Mid-Year Routine Reset: Fix February Fade Without Starting Over
5. Building Classroom Community in February: Two-Minute Connections
6. The February Crisis: Finding Evidence That Teaching Still Matters

These will provide more depth and detail for the February practices and challenge.

The Larger System

The STRONG Year follows the school year calendar (August-July). Each month addresses that month's specific challenges.

Teachers don't need generic "be a better teacher" advice. They need support for what they're experiencing right now, in this specific month, with these specific pressures.

I'm building this month-by-month, living each month as I create it, testing with my community, refining based on feedback.

January: complete.
February: almost complete.
March: next.

By summer 2026, all 12 months will be built and tested. Then I'll circle back through August-December with a full year of experience to refine them further.

What's Next

I'll publish the blog posts this week and post the February modules to Skool for STRONG Teacher's Lounge members.

Then gather feedback, refine what needs refining, and start building March.

March will address spring break anticipation, testing season stress, weather chaos, and the tension between renewed energy and lingering fatigue.

Different challenges. Different approaches. Same commitment to excellence without exhaustion.

If you're a teacher who's great at your job but exhausted by it, The STRONG Teacher's Lounge is where this lives. Month-by-month support for sustainable teaching.

We're figuring this out together.