About Me
I am an author, speaker, & full-time classroom teacher in Los Angeles, California with a passion for social-emotional learning & whole child teaching.
Back in 2018, I was a burned-out public educator, constantly stressed & emotionally unavailable for my students & loved ones. My students were acting out, self-care went out the window, & I felt powerless to regain control in and out of the classroom. This ultimately motivated me to take some time off in order to reevaluate my path & priorities.
During this time, I discovered & practiced diverse wellness strategies, including journaling, deep breathing, & mindfulness. As I began to heal, I also began to reflect — about my students, their developmental needs, their anxieties & stressors, & how helpful it would have been if I had learned & understood the value of these life-changing strategies when I was their age.
I returned to teaching with the intention of incorporating these practices in my classroom through whole-child teaching strategies & direct instruction of social-emotional content. The effects were incredible — my students were calmer, my classroom became a safe and productive space, & my mental health greatly improved. It was harder to find age-appropriate resources on these topics at the time, so I created them. Craving community, conversation, & a place to share, I made an Instagram profile, & The Calm Classroom was born.
The Calm Classroom is dedicated to creating clear & actionable social-emotional learning & whole-child teaching tools so you & your little ones can learn & practice wellness strategies in the classroom & beyond. I hope our resources bring you peace & joy for years to come.
Katie Plunkett, M.A.T.
Founder & Owner