Rainbow Skies for Teachers

One kind note can change someone's whole day. And when your students see that for themselves, kindness stops being a poster on the wall and starts being something they actually do. In this episode, we're sharing our favourite ways to bring World Kindness Day into your classroom. The ideas are simple and meaningful, and you can use them all year, not just for one day.

We chat about where World Kindness Day came from and how to help students define kindness in their own words. We share role plays that get them practising kind choices, plus a stack of free resources to make it easy for you. 

In this episode, we cover:

• How World Kindness Day began 
• Explore what kindness looks like, sounds like and feels like
• Helping students think beyond school to kindness at home and in their community
• Role plays, scenarios and post-it note discussions to practise kind choices
• A paper jar compliments activity your students will love
• Our new kindness yo-yo craft 
• How social media has helped kindness movements spread

If you want a classroom that feels a little warmer, this one's for you!

Rainbows ahead,
Alisha and Ashleigh

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you're loving Rainbow Skies for Teachers, we'd be so grateful if you could subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a teacher friend. Your support helps us reach more educators and continue inspiring teachers around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

FREE Kindness Flyers

FREE Christmas Kindness Flyers

FREE Hey You cards

FREE "In a world where you can be anything, be kind" banner

FREE Bucket Filler lesson

Compliment Jar Lesson

World Kindness Day PowerPoint and Yo-Yo Craft

About Rainbow Sky Creations

Ashleigh Smith and Alisha Hughes are experienced primary educators and the co-founders of Rainbow Sky Creations. With more than 30 years of combined classroom experience teaching in Australia and internationally, they create practical, engaging resources that help primary teachers save time and make learning meaningful and fun. Together, they also host the Rainbow Skies for Teachers podcast, sharing classroom ideas, teacher tips and real-world strategies with educators around the world. Connect with us on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Let's hear from you! Text us!

You know the student who stares at a blank page and tells you they’ve got no ideas? Matt Stanton reckons that’s almost never a creativity problem. It’s a confidence problem.

Matt is a bestselling children’s author and illustrator, and in this chat he unpacks what actually gets kids writing. Time to think. Room to move. Permission to speak or draw the idea before writing a single word. If creative writing has become the hardest part of your week, you’ll walk away with a few things you can try on Monday. Have a listen.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why confidence, not talent, is what sits between most kids and their creativity
• Matt’s belief that everyone is creative, and that the job is finding each kid’s key
• Matt’s alternative to the introduction, complication, conclusion scaffold
• The trigger points that shut writers down before they’ve started, and how to take them away
• Why letting kids move their bodies and get outside first leads to better ideas
• Drawing as a real way to plan and generate ideas
• Putting joy back at the centre of creative writing

Tell us the truth, what trips your class up most in creative writing? Come and share it with us over on Instagram, we love hearing what’s really going on in your classrooms.

Rainbows ahead,
Alisha and Ashleigh

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you’re loving Rainbow Skies for Teachers, we’d be so grateful if you could subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a teacher friend. Your support helps us reach more educators and continue inspiring teachers around the world.

About Today’s Guest

Matt Stanton is a bestselling children’s author and illustrator who has sold more than one million books in Australia. His middle-grade series FUNNY KID debuted as the #1 Australian kids’ book and has fans all around the world. He has twenty picture books to his name, including the award-winning THIS IS A BALL series, and over twenty-five novels including the immensely popular graphic novel series, THE ODDS, BORED, DUCK and FLUFF. Matt lives on the south coast of NSW with his wife, bestselling author Beck Stanton, their four kids and a giant dog.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Episode 153: We Asked an 11-Year-Old What Teachers REALLY Need to Know

Connect with Matt on Instagram or TikTok

Find Matt’s Website here: mattstanton.net

Ash’s favourite Matt Stanton series: Fart Monster and Me

Matt’s favourite read aloud: Elephant and Piggie series

About the Podcaster: Ashleigh Smith

Ashleigh Smith is an experienced primary educator, former school leader and Co-Founder of Rainbow Sky Creations. With almost 20 years in education, Ashleigh has taught in Australia and internationally in Dubai, UAE. Today, she draws on her classroom and leadership experience to create practical, engaging resources that save teachers time and make learning meaningful and fun. A passionate cheerleader for teachers, Ashleigh is all about helping educators work smarter, not harder. She also co-hosts the Rainbow Skies for Teachers podcast, sharing practical ideas, strategies and encouragement with primary teachers around the world. Connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Let's hear from you! Text us!

You know the moment… you ask 6 x 7 and half the class starts counting on their fingers while the other half either guesses or just looks at you with a blank stare. We've been there too, which is exactly why we spent months building something to fix it. 

In this episode, we're unpacking our brand new Fact Fluency Pathway for multiplication and division. It's a simple 10 minute daily routine that helps your students recall their facts accurately, quickly and flexibly, without eating into the rest of your math block.

We walk you through the “FACTS” routine day by day, share why we built it from our own classroom experience, and explain how it keeps every student working at the right level. If you teach Grade 3 and up and you're tired of the finger counting, this one's for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• What fact fluency actually means
• The three skills we want students to build when it comes to fluency
• The FACTS routine: Focus, Apply, Connect, Target and Show Your Speed
• How target cards give students ownership of their own tricky facts
• Built-in differentiation so every student works at their level
• How the pathway runs for 32 weeks at 10 minutes or less a day, with a pre-test to find each student's starting point

Which times table do your students find the trickiest? After trying our new fact fluency pathway this question will be a lot harder to answer! 

Rainbows ahead,
Alisha and Ashleigh

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you're loving Rainbow Skies for Teachers, we'd be so grateful if you could subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a teacher friend. Your support helps us reach more educators and continue inspiring teachers around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:
Fact Fluency Pathway for Multiplication and Division ([LINK NEEDED])

About Rainbow Sky Creations

Ashleigh Smith and Alisha Hughes are experienced primary educators and the co-founders of Rainbow Sky Creations. With more than 30 years of combined classroom experience teaching in Australia and internationally, they create practical, engaging resources that help primary teachers save time and make learning meaningful and fun. Together, they also host the Rainbow Skies for Teachers podcast, sharing classroom ideas, teacher tips and real-world strategies with educators around the world. Connect with us on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Let's hear from you! Text us!

Most of us were taught that play is what kids get once the real work is done. Liz reckons that's backwards. Play can be the learning itself, and for kids aged 7 to 11 it's often the quickest way in.

Liz is the founder of Playful Learning Games, and in this chat she walks us through games you can run tomorrow with a deck of cards, a handful of dice and a stack of post-it notes. No laminating, no budget, no prep. She also takes on every pushback we've all made. No time. No space. It'll be chaos… it actually turns out play tends to settle a class rather than wind it up!

In this episode, we cover:

• Why play works best as the learning itself, not a reward at the end of the lesson
• The honest answer to "I don't have the time, the space or the resources"
• How play-based math sits alongside curriculum pressure and test prep
• Games using only a deck of cards or dice 
• Fun Place Value games you can try with your class
• Teaching fractions with paper plates and Play-Doh
• Why running the same game all week is what makes your expectations stick

What's the topic your class switches off for every single year? Tell us over on Instagram and we'll see if we can dig up a game for it.

Rainbows ahead,
Alisha and Ashleigh

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you're loving Rainbow Skies for Teachers, we'd be so grateful if you could subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a teacher friend. Your support helps us reach more educators and continue inspiring teachers around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Connect with Liz on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok

Playful Learning Games website: www.playfullearninggames.co.uk

2 Weeks 2 Learn website and Instagram

Rainbow Sky’s UNO Math Games.

About Today's Guest

Liz is the founder of Playful Learning Games, which provides printable games and resources to support the teaching of English and math for 6 to 11 year olds, through play. She believes we should all learn through play, no matter our age.

About the Podcaster: Ashleigh Smith

Ashleigh Smith is an experienced primary educator, former school leader and Co-Founder of Rainbow Sky Creations. With almost 20 years in education, Ashleigh has taught in Australia and internationally in Dubai, UAE. Today, she draws on her classroom and leadership experience to create practical, engaging resources that save teachers time and make learning meaningful and fun. A passionate cheerleader for teachers, Ashleigh is all about helping educators work smarter, not harder. She also co-hosts the Rainbow Skies for Teachers podcast, sharing practical ideas, strategies and encouragement with primary teachers around the world. Connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Let's hear from you! Text us!

In a world of screens and devices, handwriting can feel a bit old-school. But the research keeps landing on the same thing: when students physically write, they process, organise and remember more. In this episode we’re making the case for keeping the pencil in your math lessons, and showing you exactly how.

We get into why writing by hand builds stronger brain connections (there’s a fascinating Norwegian study on this), why explaining your thinking matters far more than just landing the right answer, and how short bursts of writing beat long, draining sessions. Then we hand you five simple strategies you can bring into your classroom this week, no fancy prep required.

In this episode, we cover:

• The research behind why handwriting boosts learning and recall
• Getting students to explain their reasoning, not just write the answer
• Low-key ways to build the written-explanation habit
• Swapping multiple choice for written responses through investigations and problem-solving
• Speedy number booklets for quick, ten-minute written practice that builds stamina and confidence
• The “My favourite No” and “Second-Chance Strategy” for spotting and fixing mistakes 
• Hands-on games with a recording element, yes, even your favourite UNO activities

Are you team pencil or team screen in your math lessons? Come share how you balance the two, we love hearing what actually works in your classroom.

Rainbows ahead,

Alisha and Ashleigh

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you’re loving Rainbow Skies for Teachers, we’d be so grateful if you could subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a teacher friend. Your support helps us reach more educators and continue inspiring teachers around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The handwriting and math blog post 

Speedy Number booklets 

UNO card game math activities 

About Rainbow Sky Creations
Ashleigh Smith and Alisha Hughes are experienced primary educators and the co-founders of Rainbow Sky Creations. With more than 30 years of combined classroom experience teaching in Australia and internationally, they create practical, engaging resources that help primary teachers save time and make learning meaningful and fun. Together, they also host the Rainbow Skies for Teachers podcast, sharing classroom ideas, teacher tips and real-world strategies with educators around the world. Connect with us on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Let's hear from you! Text us!

Ask a room full of grade 3 and 4 teachers what their students are stuck on, and times tables come up every single time. It’s one of the most requested topics from our listener surveys, so we knew it was time to sit down and talk about it (again!).

In this episode we’re sharing the simple, low-prep games we actually love for building multiplication fact fluency, the kind you can slot into ten minutes a day without piling more onto your plate. We also get honest about our own tricky facts (sevens were Ash’s nemesis, and eight times eight still trips Alisha up), because fluency was never about being perfect. It’s about practice that sticks. If your students freeze the second they have to recall a fact, this one’s for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why ten minutes of daily practice beats the occasional big push, and how habit stacking makes it stick
• Flip It and Times It, our card game for targeting specific times tables
• Spin and Multiply, a game that differentiates in seconds so every student practises at their own level
• Dots and Boxes, a strategy favourite that builds mathematical thinking, sportsmanship and social skills
• Chatterbox / fortune tellers that are self-correcting, fun to make, and easy to send home
• Speedy Numbers, a timed activity for building automaticity and tracking personal progress
• A little sneak peek at what’s coming next (hello, division)

Don't forget this is just the beginning… We are working on our multiplication and division fluency pathway. Join the waitlist if you want a hassle-free, done-for-you programme that will get your students automatic in their multiplication and division recall.

Rainbows ahead,

Alisha and Ashleigh

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you’re loving Rainbow Skies for Teachers, we’d be so grateful if you could subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a teacher friend. Your support helps us reach more educators and continue inspiring teachers around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Flip It and Times It, free version is linked here 

Spin and Multiply 

Dots and Boxes 

Multiplication Chatterboxes

Speedy Numbers - Multiplication

Our new multiplication fluency program - JOIN THE WAITLIST HERE

About Rainbow Sky Creations
Ashleigh Smith and Alisha Hughes are experienced primary educators and the co-founders of Rainbow Sky Creations. With more than 30 years of combined classroom experience teaching in Australia and internationally, they create practical, engaging resources that help primary teachers save time and make learning meaningful and fun. Together, they also host the Rainbow Skies for Teachers podcast, sharing classroom ideas, teacher tips and real-world strategies with educators around the world. Connect with us on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Let's hear from you! Text us!

What do our students really think about the way we teach?

We spend so much time planning lessons, building relationships and trying to create classrooms where every child can thrive. But sometimes, the best thing we can do is simply ask a kid what they think. So, that’s exactly what we did!

In this episode, we’re handing the mic to 11-year-old Monte to get his completely unfiltered take on what makes a great teacher, what makes learning actually fun and what teachers might not realise about the students sitting in front of them each day.

And let’s just say… he has thoughts!

Monte shares why trust matters so much, why some kids won’t ask for help even when they’re completely stuck, and the simple things teachers can do from day one to help students feel safe, liked and believed in.

We also chat about what makes a lesson memorable (spoiler: worksheets aren’t high on Monte’s list), why kids need opportunities to move, play and learn outside, and how the timing of different types of lessons can make a difference to how students engage.

Then, we put Monte through a rapid-fire round covering everything from partner work and reading aloud to maths games, choosing seats, hard questions and what teachers should STOP and START doing in their classrooms.

This episode is a fun reminder that while we’re busy thinking about curriculum, assessment and everything else on our never-ending teacher to-do lists, our students are experiencing school from a completely different perspective.

And sometimes, their insights are exactly what we need to hear.

In this episode, we chat about:

• What an 11-year-old thinks makes a truly great teacher
• Why feeling liked, trusted and believed in matters to students
• What makes lessons genuinely fun and engaging
• Why some students don’t ask for help when they’re struggling
• The classroom activities kids would choose over worksheets
• Monte’s rapid-fire classroom likes, dislikes and teacher recommendations

If there’s one takeaway from this conversation, it’s that relationships matter. When our students know we like them, believe in them and are there to support them when things get hard, we’re creating the conditions they need to take risks and learn.

And perhaps we can throw in a few more maths games while we’re at it!

Rainbows ahead,

Alisha and Ashleigh

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you’re loving Rainbow Skies for Teachers, we’d be so grateful if you could subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a teacher friend. Your support helps us reach more educators and continue inspiring teachers around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Check out Monte’s favourite UNO Math Games

Find Halloween Inspired Math Resources here

Listen to our Episode about Outdoor Learning here

About Today’s Guest

Monte is a Grade 5 student, sports lover and maths fan who, like many kids his age, has his ups and downs when it comes to loving school!

As the eldest of three children and the only boy in the family, Monte loves surfing, bike riding, sport and pretty much anything that gets him outdoors. He also has a special connection to Rainbow Sky Creations because it all began when his mum was on maternity leave with him, making Monte the little inspiration behind where it all started.

Over the years, Monte has been an unofficial Rainbow Sky product tester, trying out countless games, sharing his ideas and suggesting clever tweaks to maths activities to make them even better for students in classrooms around the world.

About the Podcaster: Ashleigh Smith

Ashleigh Smith is an experienced primary educator, former school leader and Co-Founder of Rainbow Sky Creations. With almost 20 years in education, Ashleigh has taught in Australia and internationally in Dubai, UAE. Today, she draws on her classroom and leadership experience to create practical, engaging resources that save teachers time and make learning meaningful and fun. A passionate cheerleader for teachers, Ashleigh is all about helping educators work smarter, not harder. She also co-hosts the Rainbow Skies for Teachers podcast, sharing practical ideas, strategies and encouragement with primary teachers around the world. Connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.

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Ever handed out a “math game” that was really just a worksheet with a dice on top? You’re not alone, and this episode will change how you choose games from now on.

This week Ashleigh sits down with James Russo, a maths education researcher from Monash who spends his days in real primary classrooms testing what actually works. James unpacks the difference between a genuine math game and a gamified worksheet, why the maths has to be baked into the game rather than bolted on top, and the small teacher moves that turn a bit of fun into real mathematical thinking. If you love a good classroom game but sometimes wonder whether your students are actually learning from it, this one’s for you. 

In this episode, we cover:

• What separates a real math game from a gamified worksheet, and why it matters
• 3 things every good math game needs
• How to pause a game for a quick mathematical investigation
• Using “beat the teacher” and pair play to harness competition without the chaos
• Why your energy as the teacher is the secret ingredient to engagement

What’s the one math game your class begs to play? Come tell us over on Instagram, we’re always hunting for new favourites to try.

Rainbows ahead,

Alisha and Ashleigh

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you’re loving Rainbow Skies for Teachers, we’d be so grateful if you could subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a teacher friend. Your support helps us reach more educators and continue inspiring teachers around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

James’s free math games: surfmaths.com/games

Email James: [email protected]

Rainbow Sky Creations UNO Math games

About Today’s Guest

James Russo is a mathematics education researcher and teacher educator with a strong interest in how mathematical games support meaningful learning in classrooms. He’s a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education at Monash University and spends a lot of time in primary classrooms working alongside teachers, trying out ideas, tinkering with tasks and games, and exploring how small design choices shape students’ mathematical thinking. James has written extensively for teacher audiences and is a former editor of Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom and Prime Number. He’s known for hands-on, classroom-focused presentations drawn straight from everyday teaching practice.

About the Podcaster: Ashleigh Smith

Ashleigh Smith is an experienced primary educator, former school leader and Co-Founder of Rainbow Sky Creations. With almost 20 years in education, Ashleigh has taught in Australia and internationally in Dubai, UAE. Today, she draws on her classroom and leadership experience to create practical, engaging resources that save teachers time and make learning meaningful and fun. A passionate cheerleader for teachers, Ashleigh is all about helping educators work smarter, not harder. She also co-hosts the Rainbow Skies for Teachers podcast, sharing practical ideas, strategies and encouragement with primary teachers around the world. Connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn.

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A positive school culture doesn't happen by chance, it grows through the little moments we create every day.

In this episode, Ashleigh and Alisha share a simple but powerful five-day staff morale challenge designed to bring more connection, kindness and joy into your school. Whether you're a classroom teacher, team leader or school administrator, these easy-to-implement ideas will help create a workplace where everyone feels seen, valued and supported.

We'll also chat about why our brains naturally focus on the negatives, why intentionally creating positive moments matters, and how even the smallest gestures can have a ripple effect across your whole school community.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why staff morale matters more than ever.
• The science behind why we naturally notice the negatives.
• Our simple five-day staff morale challenge.
• How gratitude can strengthen workplace relationships.
• Fun whole-school activities that build connection.
• Extra ideas to keep positive school culture growing all year long.
• Free printable Staff Morale Challenge resources (linked below).
• Our popular Staff Morale blog post.
• Rainbow Sky Creations teaching resources.

Have you tried any of these staff morale ideas at your school? Come and share your favourite ways to spread kindness and build a positive school culture. We'd love to celebrate your ideas with our teaching community.

Rainbows ahead,

Alisha and Ashleigh

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you're loving Rainbow Skies for Teachers, we'd be so grateful if you could subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a teacher friend. Your support helps us reach more educators and continue inspiring teachers around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode: 

Free printable Staff Morale Challenge

Our popular Staff Morale blog post

Where’s Wally free printables

About Rainbow Sky Creations

Ashleigh Smith and Alisha Hughes are experienced primary educators and the co-founders of Rainbow Sky Creations. With more than 30 years of combined classroom experience teaching in Australia and internationally, they create practical, engaging resources that help primary teachers save time and make learning meaningful and fun. Together, they also host the Rainbow Skies for Teachers podcast, sharing classroom ideas, teacher tips and real-world strategies with educators around the world. Connect with us on Instagram or LinkedIn.

APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY  | AMAZON

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Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your students (and yourself) is press the reset button!

In this episode, we share their favourite classroom and teacher reset strategies to help you bring calm, focus and fun back into the school day. Whether your class is feeling restless or you're running on empty, these simple ideas will help everyone recharge and return ready to learn.

We'll explore why taking a reset isn't wasted time, it's actually one of the best ways to improve focus, wellbeing and productivity. From quick classroom activities to simple self-care ideas for teachers, you'll walk away with practical strategies you can use straight away.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why classroom and teacher resets are so important.
• Quick activities to help students refocus and re-engage.
• Creative reset ideas including drawing, origami and games.
• Fun ways to lift the mood when your class needs a fresh start.
• Simple self-care strategies teachers can use after a busy day.

Have a favourite classroom reset or self-care strategy? We'd love to hear it! Come and share your go-to ideas with our teaching community and help inspire other educators.

Rainbows ahead,

Alisha and Ashleigh

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you're loving Rainbow Skies for Teachers, we'd be so grateful if you could subscribe, leave a review and share this episode with a teacher friend. Your support helps us reach more educators and continue inspiring teachers around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Art for Kids Hub
• Origami resources
• Listen to previous episodes on brain breaks - Episode 147 and Episode 80

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About Rainbow Sky Creations

Ashleigh Smith and Alisha Hughes are experienced primary educators and the co-founders of Rainbow Sky Creations. With more than 30 years of combined classroom experience teaching in Australia and internationally, they create practical, engaging resources that help primary teachers save time and make learning meaningful and fun. Together, they also host the Rainbow Skies for Teachers podcast, sharing classroom ideas, teacher tips and real-world strategies with educators around the world. Connect with us on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Let's hear from you! Text us!