Donkey Time: Classroom Edition
A weird little ritual for weird little kids. And the teacher who still believes school can feel like magic.
"Okay, but what is it?"
It's five minutes of connection.
Every school day.
Delivered straight to your inbox.
You'll get:
- One illustrated poem all week
- One student-facing prompt (new each day)
- An audio version (so if you're tired, I'll read it for you)
- 3 tiers of prompts so you're ready for any age-group
- A Donkey Time Tracker your kids can color
- 4 mini-posters each month so the fun doesn't end when the poem changes
That's it.
You don't need a plan.
You don't need supplies.
You don't need to be "good at reading poems."
You just open the email, hit play (or read it yourself), and let your kids take it from there.
This isn't curriculum.
It's a moment.
The moment a kid who never raises their hand blurts out the ending to the poem.
The moment two desk partners debate whether the bird in the poem meant to poop in the police station.
The moment a quiet kid draws the whole thing in comic panels.
It's five minutes.
It's zero prep.
And it's a connection you didn't have to scrape together from fumes and guilt.
Your classroom doesn't need more content.
It needs more you.
Not the "pinterest board" version of you.
Just the real one.
The one who laughs when a kid says "booger."
The one who still hopes school might be a place where the weird kids feel like they belong.
The one who got into this job to make someone's day - not just deliver data.
This isn't something you do for your students.
It's something you share with them.
"Wait, same poem all week?"
Yes. On purpose.
Kids don't master something in one pass.
By Friday, they've memorized it.
They act it out.
They quote it in the hallway.
They shout the ending in sync.
You're not just giving them a poem.
You're giving them ownership.
And that's what they'll remember.
"But what if my class is chaos?"
Perfect. Donkey Time thrives in chaos.
It works as a bell-ringer.
Or a midday reset.
Or that final five minutes when you're out of energy and they're out of chairs.
Each prompt includes three tiers, so whether your kids are finger-painters, eye-rollers, or future slam poets - you're covered.
No glitter. No laminator. No lesson plan binder.
Just one quick hit of joy, ready when you are.
You care about your kids.
And you're tired.
Both can be true.
Donkey Time is for the teacher who wants to give more without burning out.
The one who still believes in classroom magic - even on days when the coffee runs out.
The one who loves the weird ones but hasn't had time to write a new poem this month.
You don't need to work harder.
You just need five weird little minutes that your students will remember forever.
"Why now?"
Because if you wait, you miss today.
The poem in today's email? Gone. Tomorrow's is different.
You can try next week - but you'll miss today's moment.
One kid. One day. One laugh.
That's the window.
This isn't about FOMO.
It's about the moments you don't get to try again.
Start today.
You don't have to be ready.
You don't have to be rested.
You just have to click.
What makes this different?
There are other things out there. Sweet poems. Polished resources.
But if you've got a kid who makes fart jokes and secretly loves poetry?
This is the one they'll remember.
The poems are weird. The prompts are smart.
And your class becomes the one with the inside jokes.
The catchphrases. The Friday performances.
The culture.
What You Get (in Normal Human Words):
- A new poem every week (same poem M–F = mastery)
- A new prompt each day (drawing, discussion, writing, weirdness)
- An audio version (I'll do the dramatic reading for you)
- A Donkey Time Tracker (color a donkey every day)
- 4 mini-posters each month so kids can reread whenever they like
- 3 age tiers for every prompt (K–3, 4–7, 8–12)
- Zero prep. Zero stress. Just show up.
This is for you if:
- You're stretched too thin to be "creative" on command
- You care deeply about your kids, especially the weird ones
- You miss laughing with your class
- You're trying to protect your energy and still make memories
- You want to be the teacher they remember
This is not for you if:
- You only read poems that rhyme with "spot"
- You hate joy
- You think connection should come with a rubric
Final FAQ (aka: "The part where you try to talk yourself out of it")
What if I forget to do it one day?
No problem. Try again tomorrow.
What if I'm not good at reading poems?
You don't have to be. That's what the audio's for.
What if my kids are too old/young?
Every prompt includes 3 age levels. Just pick the one that fits.
What if my admin walks in while we're doing this?
Cool. They'll think your class is full of poetry-loving geniuses. (Or they'll ask where you got it. Either way: win.)
Can I cancel if it's not for me?
Yes. There's no contract, no catch. Try it for a week. You'll know.
So what's the cost?
$7/month. That's it. Less than a pack of flair pens. (And you already bought those. Twice.)
Ready?
This isn't just about a poem.
It's about how your students feel when they realize school has room for them.
The 'them' with wild ideas and funny voices and pencil-top erasers in their ears.
They'll remember you.
They'll remember Donkey Time.
Five minutes a day. A memory for life.