5/13/25: The “Because, But, So” Hack That Builds Real Analysis, Mel Robbins’ Trick for Motivation, & more!

Another week of helping students find their voice, their spark, and their confidence.

Because what we do doesn’t just matter—it multiplies!

But First, A Chuckle!

Helpful Stuff

Ever feel like students don’t know how to move beyond basic summary when analyzing literature? Try the “Because, But, So” Strategy.

It’s a simple sentence-expanding hack to deepen their thinking:

• Because = Cause and effect
• But = Contrast or complication
• So = Result or consequence

After reading a chapter or poem, challenge students to write one sentence using all three:

Example for Of Mice and Men:
"George looks after Lennie because he feels responsible for him, but Lennie’s behavior keeps causing trouble, so George starts to question their future together."

This tiny structure forces them to:

• Make a claim
• Add complexity
• Show critical thinking

You can use it as a warm-up, quickwrite, or even a discussion starter. It’s low-prep but seriously powerful for growing student analysis skills!

Recommendations

This week, we’re taking a page from Mel Robbins who reminds us: “You don’t wait for motivation—you create it by taking action.”

As teachers, we know how easy it is for us—and our students—to feel overwhelmed by big tasks. But we can shift the energy in small, powerful ways.

Here’s how we can make it happen this week:

1. For us: Let’s set a 5-minute timer before grading, planning, or organizing. Just starting (even for a few minutes) helps us beat that heavy “I don’t wanna” feeling.
   
   
2. For our students: Let’s kick off writing time with a “one-sentence challenge.” If they can write one solid sentence in two minutes, it’s easier for them to keep going—and feel successful right away.
   
   
3. For our classroom flow: We can frame work as "tiny starts" instead of giant projects. Instead of saying, “Write the essay,” we can say, “Let's just write the first paragraph.” It feels less intimidating for all of us.
   
   
4. For our mindset: Let’s remind each other—and our students—that action builds motivation, not the other way around. Small moves lead to big wins.

When we model this for our students, we don’t just teach them English—we teach them how to move forward even when things feel hard.

And honestly, we could all use that reminder some days. 👌
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Go try these out and let us know how it goes! Don’t forget to tag us in your posts on Instagram and Facebook!

PS: Don’t forget to leave reviews on TPT products you buy because you get credits that count towards your next purchase while helping a fellow teacher out —it’s a WIN-WIN! 🙌
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This Week’s Most Helpful Resources! 
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The Educational Meme Game High School Edition (“Be a Meme Teacher!”)
Perfect for when you just want to have fun with your students at the end of the year! This hilarious meme game lets high schoolers create and caption their own memes—no standards, no stress, just creative laughter and classroom bonding.

End-of-Year Games and Reflection Activities
Looking for something light, meaningful, and fun to wrap up the year? These games and reflections are designed to help students laugh, connect, and look back on the year in a feel-good way—no heavy grading required.

The Educational Meme Game Middle School Edition (“Be a Meme Teacher!”)
Middle schoolers will absolutely love this end-of-year meme game. It’s goofy, creative, and gives them the freedom to express themselves through humor. Great for that final week when you just want to keep the good vibes going.

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A Little Inspiration

We feel like this work is an art, science, and a beautiful craft! And because of that, our headspace really matters when we are trying to show up as our best selves for our students, our loved ones, and ourselves!

We’d like to think of this as a little bit like life coaching for teachers. 🙌

"It’s not the chaos around us that sinks us—it’s what we let seep into our mindset. Stay steady, protect your peace, and keep showing up with heart."

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​Sharing is caring—so please forward this to any teacher that could benefit from this message and help spread the love!

The goal of these messages is to help ourselves improve—for our students, for our loved ones, and for ourselves. 

You can always reply to this message or message us on Facebook here!

Keep touching hearts and changing lives!
Charlie with Shining Scholar Education
Our podcast is back—check it out!
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