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There’s more in today’s email than just your First Five.

You won’t want to miss our tips, rewards, and more each morning! Let’s dive in.

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Set up a short, no-pressure conversation with your school or district leadership to learn more about our professional learning offerings.

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One of the best parts of this work is that I get to engage with and learn alongside some of the most important people on this planet, educators.

Recently, I spent a full day with the incredible educators at Hilton Head Island Elementary School, joining grade level PLCs and talking about The First Five. I left inspired by how strongly the staff leads with a relationships first approach.

I also heard a lot of positive feedback about The First Five and had the chance to meet some amazing students in between PLCs, which made a great day even better. But as I met with each group, one thing became clear. Many educators were not aware of some simple hacks that can make The First Five even easier and more engaging to use.

So here are four quick hacks worth knowing.

#1: Focus Mode
With the click of a button, you can make The First Five the star of your screen. No clutter. Just content.

If you have ever found yourself battling ads, sign up buttons, or reminders about our searchable database (more on that below) for your students’ attention, say no more. We’ve got you.

After opening your preferred edition of The First Five, look to the top right corner of the screen for the eye icon. Hover over it and you will see “Focus Mode.” Click the icon to turn Focus Mode on or off at any time.

Once it is on, the content of the day’s First Five is front and center, clean, and scrollable. Close out the ads for an ad free experience. The clutter disappears. What remains is the content you care about and the space to engage with your students without distraction.

#2: Searchable Database
This hack is for anyone who has ever thought, “I know there’s a First Five for this.”

Our searchable database houses every piece of First Five content ever created, past and present, all in one place. You can search, sort, save, and download your favorite components to use and reuse with your students.

It’s perfect for those moments when you need something specific to connect to your lesson, spark student interest, or make transitions more intentional and seamless.

To access the searchable database, simply scroll to the top of your daily First Five and click Searchable Database.

And my favorite part is, it’s free.

If you choose to register, you will be able to save your favorite components into one easy to access folder for future use. Simple. Ready. Always there when you need it.

#3: Tomorrow’s First Five, Today
This hack is for anyone who does not love surprises or prefers a little structure during the morning’s chaos.

Most educators aren’t aware, but you do not have to wait until Doug’s email arrives at 7:00 a.m. EST. Most nights, around 8:30 p.m. EST, the next day’s First Five has already been posted.

All you need to do is visit the same website you already use (www.edtomorrow.com/today) or open the most recent First Five email you received and click the Access Today’s First Five button during the same window of time.

This is a game changer for educators who like to plan the night before or simply want to know what they are walking into the next morning. Think of it as one small way to make your mornings feel a little more predictable.

#4: The Educator Corner
This one is for those of you who never scroll past the button to access today’s First Five.

The Educator Corner is our blog, and it is a must read.

Each day, a member of our team shares practical tips, classroom strategies, and simple ideas to help start your day or bring The First Five to life in your learning environment. Inside the daily email, you will find that day’s blog. But when you click the Visit Our Blog button, you will be taken to our blog archive page, where you can explore past posts that are searchable and easy to navigate.

Whether you are looking for quick activities to build fun and community, ideas for transitioning from The First Five into instruction, or want to learn more about the skills The First Five helps cultivate when practiced with students, the Educator Corner is a must read.

The First Five was never meant to be one more thing on your to do list. It was designed to support the work you are already doing. Showing up, building relationships, and setting the tone for the learning that follows.

If even one of these hacks makes your mornings smoother or your experience more enjoyable, that’s a win. Try what works for you. Leave the rest for another day.

Because tomorrow will come either way.

And you will handle it the same way you always do, by leading with connection.

-Alan Krenek

Check back each day for additional content, freebies, job openings, & more.

(And a few other good things too.) 👀

Most people earn their first reward just by sharing with their team.

Educators call our sessions the most impactful learning experiences of their careers!

Don’t forget to tag us and use #FirstFive and #Edtomorrow so we don’t miss it!

Keep showing up, keep cheering each other on, and as always, keep connecting! 💚

-The Edtomorrow Team