🚀 Reset. Routines. Results.

The STEM Start That Changes Everything

By Jenn Hunter | The Learning Project Podcast
🎧 Based on Episode #22 of the podcast – Listen now or read on!

The first few weeks of school can feel like controlled chaos.
You’ve labeled all the things, prepped your welcome letter, hung up the affirmations… and then the real challenge begins: setting the tone for the year.

But what if we did more than survive those first few weeks?

What if we reset?

In Episode #22 of The Learning Project Podcast, I share how to move beyond traditional rule-setting and behavior charts and into something more powerful: a STEM Start that helps students think, collaborate, and lead—from day one. 💥

🧭 Why We Need a Reset

Let’s be honest—back-to-school routines are usually built around control:

• Rules on the board
  
  
• Clip charts on the wall
  
  
• A checklist of “dos and don’ts” that leave students checking out
  
  

But here's the truth:

Kids don’t need tighter rules—they need thinking routines.
They don’t need behavior charts—they need purpose.
And the best classroom management? Is a student who’s engaged.

That’s where the STEM Reset comes in.
It’s more than professional development—it’s a mindset shift that helps you reimagine routines through the lens of inquiry, ownership, and wonder.

🔁 The 3 Shifts That Transform Your Classroom

✨ Shift 1: From Rules to Thinking Routines

Start your year with inquiry kickoffs, observation stations, and thinking tasks that invite curiosity instead of compliance.

Use tools like Habits of Mind to help students reflect, make connections, and build the mental flexibility they need to grow.

Students don’t just feel managed—they feel seen, safe, and ready to explore.

✨ Shift 2: From Behavior Charts to Camp Character

What if we actually taught the traits we want students to show?

In the STEM Reset, we introduce Camp Character—a system that helps students set personal goals, reflect on actions, and grow into confident, empathetic leaders.

No more charts. No more “good vs. bad.”
Just real conversations and real ownership.

✨ Shift 3: From Themes to Real-World Relevance

Forget random classroom themes—start with real-world science phenomena that students actually care about.

We help you design units that blend:

• Reading 📖
  
  
• Writing ✍️
  
  
• Math ➗
  
  
• Art 🎨
  
  
• Science 🔬
  
  

...into powerful, purpose-driven challenges that stretch student thinking.

Because when kids connect learning to the real world—they don’t just remember it. They own it.

💬 From Chaos to Curiosity: A Real Reset Story

One teacher I worked with had all the behavior systems:
Dojo points. Reward menus. Clip charts.

And every day still felt like a battle.

When we reset her classroom with this approach, everything changed.
She swapped morning packets for observation stations.
Replaced clip charts with Camp Character check-ins.
And she started science with a question, not a worksheet.

Her feedback?

“For the first time in years, my students aren’t waiting to be told what to do. They’re leading.”

That’s what a STEM Start can do. 💡

🎁 Ready to Reset?

We’ve bundled all of this into the STEM Reset PD—a training experience that gives you the tools and mindset to start the year strong.

✅ Overview of the full Camp Character framework
✅ Planning tools for your first 3–4 week unit
✅ Ready-to-use thinking routines, stations, and inquiry starters
✅ Options to join in person, virtually, or on demand

👉 Grab your spot at: learning-project.com/stemreset

💛 Don’t Just Start the Year—Spark It

Here’s your reminder, friend:

✨ You don’t have to start in survival mode.
✨ You don’t need more rules—you need more wonder.
✨ And your students don’t need to be managed—they need to be empowered.

Let’s build a classroom where thinking leads, routines inspire, and curiosity wins—every time.

🎙️ The Learning Project Podcast | Hosted by Jenn Hunter
💻 learning-project.com/stemreset