Coach Thomas Tech

🦆 Duck, Duck… Done(ish)!!

We’re in that weird in-between time of year.

Some of you are already done—sitting on the back deck with your favorite beverage, soaking in the quiet.
Others (like me) are still deep in the trenches—test prepping, field tripping, field day-ing, and just trying to survive until the final bell.

Either way, your teacher brain is probably still buzzing with ideas, lessons, memories… and exhaustion. Even though we “get the summers off,” we never really turn it off.

So before you shut the classroom door or jump into your first PD session…

🧱 Build yourself a duck.

Yes. A duck.

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🐥 What’s With the Duck?

If you’ve ever done the LEGO duck activity, you know the magic.

If you haven’t—let me introduce you to something simple, silly, and surprisingly powerful.

The Duck Activity:

• Grab 6 random LEGO bricks (or any random objects)
• Take 30–60 seconds to build a duck
• Then name your duck based on your current vibe:

🦆 Still Standing Stan
🦆 Break Mode Brenda
🦆 Gradebook Gary
🦆 Retirement Rita

That’s it. That’s the activity.

“But Dan… you said this was amazing?”

Trust me—it’s not just about building a duck.

It’s about using your hands, engaging your creativity, and breaking out of autopilot. It’s low-stakes. It’s fast. It’s funny. And it gives your brain a moment to breathe.

I’ll break down the deep value of this activity more in the fall when back-to-school energy hits—but for now, just build the duck.

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🧠 Reflect Like a Duck

Now that you’ve got a duck, don’t stop there. Let’s take a moment to reflect.

Whether you’re sipping cold brew on a beach or sitting in a quiet, dark classroom, pause. Think about this school year—the good, the bad, the “aha”s, and the “what just happened”s.

Here are a few playful prompts to get you started:

• What did your duck survive this year?
• What’s one moment that made you laugh way too hard?
• What challenge did you overcome that deserves a celebratory QUACK?
• What’s one moment, lesson, or student that reminded you why you teach?
• What’s one thing your duck is leaving behind… and one thing it’s bringing into next year?

Reflection doesn’t have to be heavy. It can be playful. And it can help you find peace before you mentally shut the book on this year.

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🎈 Why This Goofy Stuff Matters

You know I’m all about the power of play, humor, and joy in learning.
This activity checks all three.

Taking time to play—especially at this time of year—can:

• Reduce stress
• Spark creativity
• Build stronger emotional connection to your teaching identity

And don’t just take my word for it:

“We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.”
— George Bernard Shaw

“Reflection turns experience into insight.”
— John C. Maxwell

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📊 The Research Backs It Up:

• A Stanford study found that students who experience joy in learning retain more and perform better.
• The LEGO Foundation says learning through play activates cognitive, social, and emotional development more effectively than passive instruction.
• The APA reports that humor improves engagement, reduces anxiety, and strengthens student-teacher relationships.
• A University of Texas study found a 23% increase in self-awareness and learning ownership when teachers used reflection activities.

Low-stakes, joyful decompression like this is a secret gateway to mental clarity and creativity.
Take the 5 minutes. Build the duck.

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🖨️ FREE Printable: “What the Duck Just Happened?”

Want to go deeper? I’ve created a one-pager you can print or share.

Includes:

• A space to sketch your duck
• 3 quick prompts:
  1. Best moment
  2. Hardest moment
  3. One thing I’m carrying into next year
• Perfect for journaling, PD kickoffs, or just some solo teacher peace

👉 Download the printable here

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📸 Let’s See Your Ducks!

When you’re ready, snap a pic of your duck and join the fun:

• Post on social using #WheresTheFunInThat
• Tag me: @coachthomastech

Let’s fill our feeds with reflection and ridiculous ducks. 😄

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🧱 P.S. – The Summer Rebuild is Coming… and It’s Gonna Be Quacktastic

Whether you’re coasting into break or crawling across the finish line, you’ve earned a reset.

Coming this July:

“The Summer Rebuild: Brick by Brick”

Rebuild your purpose, your practice, and your passion—one brick at a time.

Each week, I’ll drop a post with one small but powerful idea to help you refresh your mindset, rediscover your why, and build the classroom you want to return to.

Stay tuned.
First post drops early July.
Follow along here or on social @coachthomastech — and don’t forget to use #WheresTheFunInThat to join the movement.