Another reason I love Chicago. Local, organic restaurants abound. I’m so proud to call Chicago my hometown (except for the dreaded winters).

We had a recruit in Oxford today and it got me on the road to Chicago a little later than anticipated. I decided to stay out near the airport to save the budget (I didn’t stay with family as they retired to the south and we can only bother friends to stay with them so many times) and looked up new local and organic restaurants in the area. I found on Yelp a place about 20 minutes away. I typically wouldn’t rave about a restaurant, especially on my volleyball blog, but it’s Chicago and this place to eat was perfect.

When on the road, it’s easy to eat poorly. I’ll be in a convention center all day tomorrow (although looking forward to this tournament in Navy Pier) and that usually means overpriced trash food. So I make an extra effort to seek out healthy restaurant options when I have the opportunity.

Ameila’s is in Forest Park, IL. A typical mom and pop Chicagoland restaurant about 20 minutes from the airport just off the interstate. It’s not in the best part of town, but not a terrible part of town either. They had grass fed beef on the menu (my once a week red meat fix) with a sour cream smashed potato and glazed carrots. I asked to substitute some rice and asparagus and was pleasantly surprised to find it was a brown rice and the asparagus perfectly cooked. The steak too was perfectly cooked and delicious. All this for $18.00. This meal could have easily cost double at other restaurants.

Maybe a bit heavy for a late night meal, but well worth it. I’m sure it’s good fuel for the pre-tournament morning workout.

P.S. Chicago friends – I’m here to work, not play on this quick trip to Chicago.

If you’ve ever coached a volleyball team, you just might have had a few players cry. Hopefully, they are tears of joy after a tremendous victory, but most of the time the tears seem trivial to a coach. Some cry while playing on the court (even during a point!), some on the bench, a few in practice, on the bus, at a team meal, in your office, etc. It happens at times least expected, and often times it seems when things are going well for the team. How can a player be crying when we are on this winning streak?!?!

Post match, do you point out the obvious? “So and so” had an excellent match hitting .400 tonight! Cheers, applause, etc., but did the bench player competing for the position feel a bit dejected hearing this about “so and so”? Yes, coaches know that bench players should think team first, but that’s not always an easy concept for a ‘generation me’ 15 year old. If that top player had consecutive great matches and there are compliments after each of those matches, those tears might come from that bench player at a celebration dessert (while they are eating mint chocolate chip ice cream, nonetheless!). You are feeling great as a coach at this time of victories, so everyone else should be feeling great too, but that bench player is miserable. Unfortunately, coaches have to always be on point with the team, all the time. Always balancing the emotions of everyone on the team and remembering each player is equal. No one ever said coaching was easy.

Following is a piece I found on Harvard Business Review about employees crying at work. It has some relevant information that can transfer to coaching:

What to Do When an Employee Cries at Work

Harvard Business Review, by Amy Gallo   |  June 3, 2013

There are lots of reasons someone might be upset at work, from the personal (divorce, illness, kid troubles) to the professional (a failed project, bad review, or nasty colleague). Given how much time we spend in the office, it seems inevitable that people will occasionally get emotional. But how should you handle tears as a manager? What should you do with a distraught employee?

What the Experts Say
Many managers are uncomfortable with emotional behavior — whether it’s positive or negative. “People think to be professional, you need to ignore your emotions and those of the people around you,” says Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks, an associate professor of management and organization at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, whose research shows this to be the norm in most American workplaces. But few people can live up to this standard. “We don’t leave our humanity at the office door,” he says. Anne Kreamer, author of It’s Always Personal: Emotion in the New Workplace, agrees: “You can’t decide what to wear to work, let alone close a deal, or make an important presentation without emotions being involved,” she says. Crying is a biological reaction to stress, “an emotional reset valve” (and one that is more easily triggered in women for physiological reasons). So instead of ignoring your employees’ tears, respond to them. Here are some practical steps.

Act like yourself
When you’re faced with a weeping employee, your first instinct should be to help. Sanchez-Burks advises approaching the person as if he’s someone in your social network outside of work. “We already have the script and the capability, but we need to get over how to do it inside the office,” he says. What specifically you do — offer a tissue, ask what’s wrong, give a hug, suggest a walk outside — will depend on your relationship, how long you’ve worked together, and the office culture. The key is to engage, and let the tears flow, instead of ignoring or judging the person.

Figure out what’s really going on
Sometimes even when the reasons for the tears seem clear, they might not be. An employee might start sobbing in a review conversation but she’s really upset about her mother being sick. Once they’ve let the emotions out, “it’s your job to tease out what’s going on and how you can help,” Kreamer says. Managers should be able to gently ask questions that get at the underlying issue. Try saying, “What’s going on?” or “Is there anything else you want to tell me?” “You don’t need to be a therapist,” says Sanchez-Burks, “you just need to be available.” At the same time, respect your employees’ boundaries. She might not want to confide in the boss. Don’t take it personally. Instead, try to monitor the situation from a distance, or ask another employee who’s close with her to check in and make sure she’s all right.

Keep it simple
If you’ve identified that the problem is a personal one, stick to simple and comforting responses — “I’m sorry” or “This is a horrible situation.” Don’t tell him that everything’s going to be OK or imply that he should buck up. And resist the temptation to tell a story of your own. “The last thing in the world an anxious employee wants to hear about is how you handled your own or someone else’s illness,” says Kreamer.

Focus on work-related concerns
“The most helpful thing you can do is listen and try to help them solve their work-related concerns,” Kreamer advises. If you discover that an office issue prompted the crying, work with the employee, and colleagues if necessary, to address it. If it’s a personal problem, you can also help her make a plan. You might say something like, “This is rough, let me know what would be most helpful to you and we’ll see if we can make that happen.” Try to get specific. Can you temporarily reduce her workload? Can you set up regular check-ins to monitor the situation and how it’s affecting her work? “In the most extreme case, it could be necessary to suggest a leave of absence and bring in temporary help,” Kreamer says.

Don’t play psychiatrist
There may be some situations that you’re not equipped to handle: mental illness or substance abuse, for example. In these cases, or in any situation that you’re not comfortable addressing, refer the person to HR or an employee assistance program (EAP). This shouldn’t be your first reaction when you see tears, but you also shouldn’t take on something out of your comfort zone.

Pay attention
Don’t wait for a crisis to tune into people’s emotions. Provide opportunities for employees to talk with you about what’s going on in their lives. You might set aside a few minutes at the end of one-on-one meetings. Kreamer suggests asking questions like, “Are there any issues on the horizon that might affect you? Let’s put them on the table and see what we can do about them.” This gives employees permission to open up. “Often employees are frightened to ask for help because they feel they’re risking their value to the organization,” she says. Sanchez-Burks’ research shows that being attuned to your employees not only makes you more human; it makes you a better leader, too.

Principles to Remember

Do:

• Act like you would in a social situation — be comforting and solicitous
• Keep your responses simple and focused on the employee
• Make a specific plan for handling the situation going forward

Don’t:

• Judge people who bring emotions to work — it’s not unprofessional to cry, it’s human
• Try to get your employee to stop crying — offer a tissue and let the tears flow
• Push a person to tell you what’s happening if he doesn’t want to talk about it

Case study #1: Allow space for grief
Jessica Zinner* was the associate director of a small nonprofit in Boston when her 24-year-old colleague, Ellen*, became gravely ill. After three months in the hospital, Ellen passed away. “She was the keystone of our organization and we were a tight-knit group,” Jessica says. There were 15 people who worked in the organization. Ellen died right before the office closed for the Christmas holiday, and over the break, Jessica worked with the executive director to come up with a plan for the staff’s return. “We knew this was going to be devastating. We had a lot of conversations about what the right expectations were, how we should talk about the situation, and how we should support people.”

When people came back after the New Year, the atmosphere was “dark.” “Every single person — men and women — at some point came into my office sat in my chair and cried,” Jessica says. But she never tried to stem the tears. “People have to fall apart before they can pull themselves back together. Unless you give people space to grieve, it will leak out in other ways.”

She met with staff members individually to help them process their grief and to make a work plan going forward. “People were wondering what to do: ‘Do we work or not work?’” she says. Jessica and the executive director told people to do what they could. “We wanted people to come in and do their best.” In addition to the individual meetings, they also got together every morning to check in as a group. This gave people room to express what they were going through and to connect with others. They did this for two weeks and then moved the meeting to once a month. “Eventually it morphed into a general meeting where we checked in about things outside of work, not just about Ellen,” she says.

Jessica acknowledges that the organization’s work suffered. But she accepts that as part of the process. “It took the better part of a year to recover but we became a much more emotionally engaged organization,” she says.

*not their real names

Case study #2: Bring in help when you need it
Steve Easley, the owner of Breakrock Consultants, is familiar with employee tears. “Over my career I have had employees that have cried in my office for everything from a bad evaluation to a personal tragedy,” he says. A few years back, he was working on a contract to provide accounting services to a government agency. His team of ten accountants worked in a single large room so that everyone was within earshot of each other. One day, one of his employees, Jane*, came into work upset. “I could tell she was choking back tears,” he says. When he asked if she was OK, she said yes but didn’t look him in the eye. He knew something was going on so he asked another employee — a young woman that he suspected Jane might open up to — if she would check in with her. This woman found out that Jane’s son was in legal trouble. Steve asked the young woman to convey to Jane that she could take time off to deal with the situation but Jane refused. She continued to come in visibly upset. “I was beside myself,” he says, “For the first time ever her work began to suffer and I knew this added to her emotions.”

He called a meeting with the team (without Jane there) and explained that she was having a hard time, without divulging what he knew. He subtly asked that they give her space and empathy. Soon after, he left for a lunch meeting. While he was gone (he later found out), Jane broke down and explained the situation to her colleagues, who consoled her. “When I returned the whole mood of the room had changed,” he recalls. “Jane looked less distraught and the team seemed happy and productive.” Steve believes the crying was a good thing — one employee got the support she needed and the rest of the team got a boost from helping her.

These were too cute not to share!

What I enjoy most about my blog are the people I have met from around the world. A great example is Jodie Allen, the owner/photographer of Fresh Art Photography that took these “VolleyBaby” pics. I was searching for a ”sleeping baby volleyball” image online for my most recent post on TheArtofCoachingVolleyball.com and ran across one of the following pics. I looked up the photographer to ask for permission to use the picture and learned of a little story behind the pics.

The father is Head Coach, Tom Ackerman, of  Greenville College in Greenville, IL. The picture was shot in Greenville’s gym and  Molten, at one point was interested, in the image, but nothing ever came of it. So Jodie provided more pics from the session and is allowing me to post them. Too adorable! Enjoy!

The now philanthropic Bill Gates starts this TED talk by saying, “Everyone needs a coach.” In Bill’s riveting speech about teachers, he provides information on why the United States is performing so poorly in all education subjects in comparison with the rest of the world. Shanghai, China ranks #1 in the world in Reading, Science and Math. Part of the reason Shanghai is #1 is because younger teachers get the opportunity to watch master teachers.

Volleyball is an incredible sport in it’s openness and willingness to share through it’s community. The AVCA is at the forefront of this benevolent community as it continually taps into the resources of master coaches throughout the year to provide insight on their coaching ways and success. The AVCA offers articles, videos, webinars, seminars,  committees and networking opportunities each month, capped off with the AVCA Convention at the end of the year. The AVCA Convention is the pinnacle of volleyball learning opportunities with master coaches gathered in one place that selflessly present their experiences and expertise to better the sport. These master coaches volunteer their time, in fact pay the same AVCA dues and AVCA Convention fees to generously help younger coaches. How awesome is that?   The success of the AVCA Convention that surrounds the NCAA Women’s Final Four has been expanded to a Spring Convention that surrounds the NCAA Men’s Final Four.

Bill Gates says we need to learn from Master Coaches and the AVCA Convention already has this model in place. Bravo to the visionaries of our sport in developing the AVCA some 30+ years ago as a way to better and strengthen our community.

I would be remiss if I did not include USA Volleyball as another leader in this volleyball community of sharing and educating for our sport. John Kessel’s Growing the Game blog is one of the world’s best volleyball blogs. USA Volleyball continues to share videos, free webinars and provides learning opportunities through seminars at the US Olympic Center and CAP Education courses.  And people complain about their measly USA Volleyball Membership dues?!?! Seriously?!?! Don’t forget, USA Volleyball is also the leading authority for Volleyball Officials and provides extreme amounts of education for the betterment of our sport. No other organization comes close to what USA Volleyball does for volleyball referees.

Volleyball in the United States is in a great place with tremendous leaders like Kathy DeBoer of the AVCA and Doug Beal of USA Volleyball. Unfortunately, I didn’t win this past Powerball to develop a real professional league in the United States, so it looks like we’ll have to keep spreading the love of our game through this tremendous volleyball community.

P.S.  Don’t miss out on the other incredibly valuable lesson in Bills talk is the utilization of video in practice and games. Many coaches now use video for matches, some for practice, but I believe 99% of coaches us this video to evaluate player and team performance, not their own. I love how the Iowa high school teacher uses video for self-feedback.

Saw this great post by Vernon Gambetta, a coach of elite athletes of almost 40 years:

We talk a lot about having our athletes get out of their comfort zones to move forward and progress. How about us? As coaches we all have our comfort zones. Some of us are good in certain areas. Some of us can prepare an athlete for a league or a district meet and then are out of our element when we have to prepare for a state of national competition. In short we all have our comfort zones. Step back and do an honest evaluation of where you are as a coach. What are you comfortable with? Where are you uncomfortable? Is where you are comfortable holding you and most importantly your athletes back? I know I am pushing myself to get out of my comfort zone in certain areas. After 44 years of coaching it is tougher to do but I know it must be done. It may mean little things, but a succession of little things could make a big difference. What are you going to do today to get out of your comfort zone to help make your athletes better?

I hear the same things from Karch Kiraly in a Q&A session:

“Learning is an uncomfortable process and we have to take some time everyday being uncomfortable and pushing ourselves at the edge of our ability level.”

Miami University Head Coach, Carolyn Condit, and I often joke about the “honeymoon” period ending, the time when she and I will no longer enjoy working with each other. It is a running joke because we have such a great working relationship.

When we start a new job, we often put our best foot forward, act our best, and none of our bad habits or weaknesses are immediately exposed.

I have a friend of mine in the business world that jokes about dating. He tells me, “You realize when you date someone, you aren’t actually dating the ‘real’ person, but you are dating their ‘representative’, who they want you to believe they are, not who they really are. It’s not until a few months into the relationship when you have your emotions all tied into it, when the ‘real’ person reveals themselves. Then you’re stuck!” Poor Carolyn seems to be stuck with me now…well at least until she’s ready to get rid of me

Point being, through the hiring process, we have References to provide a basis of who we are, during the interview process we don’t mean to show our “representative” side, but we do, and in the first couple months at a new job, we are intentionally, unintentionally on our best behavior.

It is always my goal to be the best, be consistent in my actions, and represent myself and the program with the utmost of professionalism. But I have started to notice within myself, little bad habits, weaknesses of mine, starting to show to myself. We all continually work on our weaknesses and certainly try to minimize them, just as we try to do with our teams on the court, but we can’t hide them all the time.

For example, I don’t think there is anyone in the world that enjoys completing an expense report. Collect your receipts, fill in the spreadsheet, cut and tape receipts to a pieces of paper (arts and crafts we called this at Winthrop), and do this within the month. Of course my first 12 expense reports (every recruiting trip needs an expense report), received an A+ on them. I turned them in way before time, a ‘wide-eyed’ thank you from the accountant, and a big self-pat-on-my back. I met my new goal to turn things before being prompted.

Then spring season sprung upon us. 20 hour weeks with the players started (practice, weights, video, meetings, etc.), spring tournaments every weekend and squeezing recruiting trips in between. I received the dreaded email notification that receipts are due by midnight on the 3rd of the month. That dreaded notification was a realization that my honeymoon phase may be over. How many more nights can I spend at the office past 10 pm? The night of the 3rd was no different.

The expense report issue gave me an opportunity of self-reflection and a good reminder of self-discipline. Discipline can be one of the most challenging parts of everyday life. As Mike Hebert wrote to his team in his Championship Manual, “Discipline is like a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets.” If I cannot be disciplined on a little issue like this, how can I expect my players to be disciplined when we ask them to be? Lesson learned by me.

I still very much enjoy working at Miami and know how fortunate I am to not only be at a great school, but a program with a storied tradition and a legendary coach. I relish the stories she tells of fighting for court time with men’s basketball when Title IX was just put in place. I told her she needs to write a book, but she said, “Who would want to hear my stories?” She doesn’t realize, everyone would, but yet I’m the one telling bland stories of expense reports. Yawn. Maybe next month I’ll have something more exciting to talk about, like a real honeymoon

The following is an excerpt from USA Volleyball’s, State of the Game Report. I believe USA Volleyball too often gets vilified for roles others believe USA Volleyball plays or doesn’t play, money  directed to certain areas within USA Volleyball, and the delicate balancing act USA Volleyball has to play. I think this excerpt provides some insight into how well USA Volleyball performs it’s roles.

What is USA Volleyball? What exactly are the priorities, and what is our role? The answers to these questions can vary greatly depending on your role and function, both from within or from outside the sport.

USA Volleyball constantly needs to remember and evaluate who we are, what we do, who we represent and how we are evaluated by various entities and constituent populations. In reality, USA Volleyball may actually be considered three distinct and somewhat separate organizations. Those identifications are 1) a National Governing Body (NGB); 2) a National Federation (NF); and 3) a National Sport Association.

As a NGB, USA Volleyball is responsible to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Ted Stevens Amateur Sport Act bylaws. In this role, our priorities center on Elite Athletes in all disciplines and assisting them in performing at the highest level of international competitions as successfully as possible. Simply put, we are focused on winning medals at the Olympic Games and other top international competitions to meet the “High Performance Plan” markers established in cooperation with the USOC.

As a National Federation, USA Volleyball is a member of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) as part of that organization’s structure as an International Sport Federation sanctioned and recognized by the IOC. In turn, USA Volleyball is also a member of and responsible to the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA), which is one of five international confederations under the structure established by the FIVB. We must remain in good standing with our International Federation (IF) and follow the constitutions of the FIVB and NORCECA to maintain our status as the NF for volleyball in the United States.

Our priorities as a National Federation start with full participation in the range of international and regional events in all the volleyball disciplines. USA Volleyball is also counted on to host our share of international competitions at the world and regional levels, as well as providing leadership to the governance at both the FIVB and NORCECA levels. As part of our National Federation status, we are committed to contributing to the growth of the sport on a global basis, not just in the United States.

As a National Sport Association, USA Volleyball is accountable to our membership (approaching 300,000), our 40 Regional Volleyball Associations (RVAs) and more than 35 national affiliate organizations. In this role, USA Volleyball’s priorities revolve around opportunities to participate at all levels from youth to adult in all disciplines, seasons and genders. We are judged as a National Sport Association by our customer service skills, quality and quantity of programs we produce, competence we exhibit and demonstrate across a broad range of sport specific technical areas and the demonstrative value gained by collating the entire country under a single organization’s banner.

The overriding issue for USA Volleyball is how these three, sometimes conflicting, roles and responsibilities can be effectively blended and balanced. As I see it, the heart of the USA Volleyball Board of Director’s role in our new governance model is to partner with staff to find a balance where all three can co-exist in harmony. We could easily devote 100 percent of our resources to any one area and be very effective at it, if we elected to do so. However, this scenario is not possible under the organizational circumstances outlined above.

Our self-evident and overriding goal is to “Grow the Game” through all three major responsibilities of our organization. The balancing act to meet our duties, mission and obligations under three separate governing entities is the on-going challenge.

Further, USA Volleyball is certainly in a highly competitive and increasingly crowded sports/business world. We are competing with other NGBs, sports associations, professional leagues and even the USOC on occasion for the discretionary dollars, sponsors and broadcast opportunities we need and want to help us grow as an organization and to “grow the game.” We are also competing in an ever expanding and increasingly saturated sport and entertainment marketplace, one that is morphing ever faster with new media, social media and ever-changing communication methods and technology.

USAV has proven to be very competent at event creation, production and management (particularly with respect to our large national championships); producing successful elite teams both indoor and beach, at the youth through senior levels; at operating in a fiscally responsible manner; and at dramatically expanding program offerings across the nation – from grassroots to elite levels across all of our disciplines.

USAV has been more challenged in achieving a position of prominence for our sport in the mainstream media (both print and broadcast); connecting to a wide range of national retail brands for sponsor partnerships; establishing viable professional leagues; and helping make volleyball an attractive and widespread spectator sport, or commercially successful enterprise. Taking into account all of our considerable strengths and acknowledged areas where improvement needs to occur, the following Strategic Plan represents the operational framework as well as the
staff vision of where we should direct our energies as we enter into the 2013-2016 quadrennial and beyond.

We welcome you to you join us in “Growing the Game” and sharing your knowledge and expertise for the overall advancement of USA Volleyball and the sport.

Coaches are Teachers too. “Profound responsibilities come with teaching and coaching. You can do so much good–or harm. It’s why I believe that next to parenting, teaching and coaching are the two most important professions in the world.” ~ John Wooden

Teachers do so much for us, even spending their own time and money on classroom supplies. Many retailers recognize this selfless giving and want to help make things just a bit easier on teachers. Whether they’re offering discount travel, school supplies, clothes, or food, these stores get extra credit with teachers. Many will require membership to your local teachers’ union, NEA, or special clubs, so be sure to read the fine print and keep your ID handy. And don’t stop with just our list — remember to ask for a teacher discount wherever you go, and you just might get one! Plus, pass on our list of 100+ Stores That Give a Student Discount to your classroom.

Crafts, Teacher Supply & Organization

Get school supplies, organization resources, and much more, all at a steal with these schools that give teachers a discount.

1. Lakeshore Learning: Teacher’s Club members at Lakeshore Learning can save 15% off on hundreds of classroom items daily.
2. The Container Store: Teachers who register for the Organized Teacher Program with The Container Store are eligible for 15% off in store and online, as well as special discounts throughout the year.
3. Naked Binder: Sustainable binder maker Naked Binder gives educators a 25% discount on materials.
4. Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts: Sign up for a Teacher Rewards discount card with Joann’s to get 20% back on your purchases.
5. Scholastic: A staple of many classrooms, Scholastic offers a Teacher Store filled with products and discounts for educators only.
6. BJ’s Wholesale Club: Although BJ’s doesn’t offer a discount for just any teacher, they do have partnerships with many school districts and teachers’ unions. Contact your teacher group to find out if you can get a discounted membership to this wholesale club.
7. Michael’s: At Michael’s craft stores, teachers with a valid educator ID can take 15% off all regularly priced items in store.
8. Blick: Get art materials at a discount by registering your school with Blick.
9. National Geographic: Purchase a Geno 2.0 kit for your classroom, and you can get a discount just for being a teacher.
10. Office Depot: Office Depot offers a Star Teacher program, giving registered teachers 10% back on ink, toner, paper, and most classroom supplies, plus 15% instant discounts on copy and print services.
11. FedEx Office: Offering a National Educators Discount Program, FedEx Office gives teachers 15% on most of the products and services they offer nationwide with no limit on the savings, plus special offers for educators.
12. Discount Dance Supply: Teachers enjoy a 10% discount on purchases with Discount Dance Supply, plus cash back and special pricing on certain items.
13. Big Lots: Although Big Lots does not offer year-round savings for teachers, they do have a Teacher Appreciation Day each fall, giving teachers 10% off their total purchase for an entire day.
14. Simply Stamps: NAE members can take 20% off purchases with Simply Stamps.
15. Ben Franklin Crafts: This craft store offers 10% for educators each Tuesday. Just don’t forget to bring your school ID!
16. Party City: Throwing a classroom party or using party supplies for a lesson? Just mention it at Party City to get a teacher discount.
17. A.C. Moore: Teachers who sign up for an A.C. Moore Rewards Card and present their teacher ID can enjoy discounts in store, and earn savings certificates to use later.
18. Hancock Fabrics: Teachers and homeschooling parents can receive 10% off their in store purchases with a Red Apple Card from Hancock Fabrics.
19. Texas Instruments: Teachers in math and science can receive discounts on qualifying Texas Instruments technology products, including graphing calculators and software.
20. Staples: Set up a Staples Rewards account, and you can earn rewards for your classroom purchases.
21. Dollar Tree: Although it’s not advertised, at most Dollar Trees, teachers can get 10% off with their school ID.

Books

Use these bookstore discounts to stock your classroom on the cheap.

22. Book Warehouse: Book Warehouse offers 15% off for teachers with an ID card. If you’re working on a large order, they can also offer additional discounts.
23. The New York Times: Teachers can get a special rate for a New York Times digital subscription. It’s just 99 cents for the first four weeks, and then 50% off the regular rate.
24. Schuler Books & Music: K-12 educators can get 20% off books for classroom use at Schuler Books.
25. Half Price Books: Half Price Books already offers great deals, but teachers with the Teacher & Librarian Discount Card can get 10% off year round, for school purchases and beyond. Ask about free books, too.
26. Barnes & Noble: Teachers, join the B&N Educator Program for 20% off the publisher’s list price on all purchases for classroom use, and even 25% off during Educator Appreciation Days.
27. Books-A-Million: Educators teaching students from Pre-K to the 12th grade can take advantage of a 20% discount program with Books-A-Million. They just have to sign up for the Books-A-Million Educator Discount Card.
28. NEA Magazine Service: Teachers who are members of the NEA can get up to 85% off cover price on a variety of magazines.

Clothes & General Merchandise

Get dressed up for the classroom and save money at the same time by taking advantage of these discounts just for teachers.

29. Coldwater Creek: Teachers can get 15% off in store purchases at Coldwater Creek.
30. The Walking Company: Get comfortable shoes for the classroom at 15% off from The Walking Company. All you need is your National Education Association membership.
31. Aerosoles: Standing in the classroom all day can be hard on your feet, but it’s a little easier with an Aerosoles discount. For items $39.99 or more, teachers can get 15% off with an ID or paystub.
32. Target: Using your International Teacher Identity Card, you can get $5 off $50 and free shipping on select items on Target.com.
33. Ann Taylor LOFT: Want some new duds for the classroom? Head to Ann Taylor LOFT, where you can get 15% off full-price purchases, as well as access to school grants, sweepstakes, style guides for teachers, and teacher appreciation nights.
34. J. Jill: With your valid teacher’s ID in stores, you can save 15% off full priced styles at J. Jill.
35. Banana Republic: With your teacher ID, you can get 15% off all full-priced purchases in stores.
36. Christopher & Banks: Although participation varies by store, Christopher & Banks typically offers 10% off any regular priced purchase for teachers with a valid school ID.
37. Macy’s: Use your International Teacher Identity Card for 10% off in store purchases at Macy’s.
38. The Limited: At The Limited, teachers can get 15% off every purchase when you flash your school ID.
39. Old Navy: Hit Old Navy at the right time, and teachers can score 10% to 20% off their total purchase. You’ll need to visit during Teacher Appreciation Week in May and show your teacher ID.
40. Cozy Orange: Get discounted yoga wear and gear with Cozy Orange’s Teacher Discount Program.
41. New York & Company: Through their Big Apple for the Teacher program, New York and Company offers 15% off any in-store purchase for teachers. You can also earn “extra credit,” which is 20% off your first purchase, plus special offers emailed throughout the year.
42. J.Crew: Show your valid school ID, and J. Crew will offer 15% off any full priced in store item for teachers.
43. Madewell: J. Crew’s sister store, Madewell, also offers teachers 15% off in stores.

Electronics

Download classroom software, save on computers, and much more with these teacher discounts for electronics and digital services.

44. Bose: Famous for its music systems, Bose offers up to 15% off for teachers. You’ll need to call Bose directly and ask for their “Educators’ Program.”
45. Dell: K-12 teachers can enjoy special pricing from Dell, both for classroom technology and personal purchases.
46. AT&T: Many educational organizations offer a discount on wireless service through AT&T. To find out if you’re eligible, just enter your work email address on AT&T’s website.
47. JourneyEd: Get discounts on academic software through JourneyEd’s educator shop.
48. Lenovo: With the Lenovo Academic Purchase Program, teachers can receive exclusive offers and discounts for Lenovo products. You’ll just need to select your school.
49. Apple Store: Apple offers special education pricing on computers, software, and other products for teachers. These discounts are valid for school purchases, as well as personal ones.
50. Sony: Sony offers both discounts and rewards to teachers, with cut rates on projectors and flat-panel displays, plus “extra credit” points for your school that can be redeemed for Sony products.
51. Sprint: For members of the National Education Association, as well as members or state education associations, Sprint offers 18% off select plans for new accounts.
52. Adobe: Teachers can take advantage of discounted software through Adobe, just by purchasing Teacher editions of their most popular products.
53. HP: Register with HP Home Stores’ Academic Purchase Program, and teachers can purchase products with discounts of up to 15%.
54. Verizon Wireless: Contact your school district, teacher’s union, education association, or simply visit Verizon directly to find out if you’re eligible for a teacher discount at Verizon Wireless.

Food & Dining

Treat yourself with a discounted night out at these restaurants that love teachers.

55. Uno Chicago Grill: With your International Teacher Identity Card, you can get 10% off your meal at Uno Chicago Grill (not just in Chicago!).
56. Starbucks: Although Starbucks doesn’t have a formal teacher discount, if you ask nicely, many baristas will give you one.
57. Dunn Bros Coffee: Another coffee shop discount we can’t confirm. Many teachers report getting a discount at Dunn Bros Coffee, so it’s worth checking out!
58. Panera Bread: Planning a parent-teacher conference or school meeting? Hit Panera Bread, and they’ll give you their leftover baked goods for free.
59. Pizza Hut: Although it’s not advertised, Pizza Hut is said to offer discounts for teachers between 10% and 20%. Contact your local Hut to get the details.

Home & Hardware

Use these teacher discounts to save money on your next home purchase, repairs, paint, and more.

60. Homes for Heroes: This company contracts with realtors, lenders, and other service providers to offer substantial discounts to heroes, teachers included.
61. Home Depot: With exempt paperwork, you can skip sales tax when shopping at Home Depot.
62. Lowes: Just like Home Depot, Lowes offers a break on sales tax for teachers, plus they’ll cut wood and pipe for you.
63. Sherwin Williams: Ready to paint your home, or even your classroom? Hit Sherwin Williams and ask for a discount-you may get up to 50% off each gallon.
64. Angie’s List: TotallyTeacher.com brokered a discount deal for teachers, offering a 20% discount on membership.
65. Whirlpool: Get special NEA member pricing on appliances from Whirlpool Corporation, including brands like KitchenAid, Maytag, and Amana.
66. Cost Plus World Market: In certain markets Cost Plus World Market offers a discount card for teachers, which gives them 10% off for cultural arts education supplies.

Attractions, Travel, Transportation, and Entertainment

Enjoy your next vacation even more by taking advantage of these discounts for teachers at hotels, rental car companies, attractions, and even spas.

67. Marriott: Many hotels and resorts in the Marriott family offer a discount for teachers. Just ask to find out what they can offer.
68. Alamo Rent A Car: NEA members enjoy member discounts and special offers from Alamo Rent A Car, including free unlimited mileage and roadside assistance.
69. SpaFinder: Use your International Teacher Identity Card to get 10% off SpaFinder gift certificates.
70. Legoland: Florida teachers can get in to Legoland for free using a Standard Annual Pass, and California teachers can enjoy several free admission days for teachers at Legoland California Resort.
71. CityPASS: Explore cities on vacation, or enjoy your hometown with CityPASS, and get 10% off with an International Teacher Identity Card.
72. AMC Theaters: AMC Theaters regularly offers discount tickets for teachers. Check with your school district to find out if they have an agreement.
73. New England Aquarium: Massachusetts school teachers can be admitted to the New England Aquarium free of charge, and enjoy a 10% discount at the gift shop and on family memberships.
74. Madame Tussauds: Visit Madame Tussauds to get special rates with your International Teacher Identity Card.
75. National Park Service: With a school ID, all teachers enjoy a 15% discount on items from the National Park Service.
76. Medieval Times: Register for the International Teacher Identity Card, and you can get 30% off Medieval Times admission.
77. Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Use NEA’s member-only rates to save on trips with Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
78. Sea World: Teachers in Texas, Florida, and California can get a Teacher Study Pass to enjoy free admission for a full year.
79. Firestone: Teachers with an International Teacher Identity Card can get huge deals on tires with Firestone, plus 15% off on maintenance and car repair.
80. Vacations To Go: Often, cruise lines offer discounts for active and retired teachers. Check out the site to find out about current specials.
81. DOVE: Through the DOVE program in Arizona, Idaho, and Nevada, teachers can get a discounted vehicle from select dealerships.
82. Hertz Rent A Car: NEA members can get discounts and specials from Hertz Rent A Car, including $45 off a weekly rental or a $14.99 weekend day rental.
83. La Quinta: Teachers registered with the International Teacher Identity Card enjoy 10% off hotel stays with La Quinta.
84. Aston Hotels and Resorts: Thanks to a TotallyTeacher.com discount, teachers can get 10% off Aston hotels and resorts in Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, and Lake Las Vegas.
85. National Car Rental: With your HSLDA membership, homeschool teachers can get a 5% discount on everyday car rentals, or 20% for business.
86. The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum: Contact the Mark Twain museum to find out about their teacher discount.
87. Broadway: With your International Teacher Identity Card, you can get up to 40% off New York Broadway tickets.
88. STA Travel: Check out STA Travel to take advantage of their many negotiated teacher discounts with the world’s top airlines.
89. Red Roof Inn: Use your NEA membership to get a 20% discount on all of Red Roof Inn’s rooms.
90. Amtrak: You can save 15% on lowest available fares with your International Teacher Identity Card.
91. Graceland: If you’re a big fan of Elvis, you’re in luck. Teachers tour Graceland for free!
92. Chrysler: Teachers can get no-hassle pricing on Chrysler vehicles including Jeep, Dodge, and Ram. As an NEA member, you can get Preferred Price, which is 1% below factory invoice.
93. Warner Bros. V.I.P. Studio Tour: Use your International Teacher Identity Card for 20% off the ticket price of a Warner Bros. V.I.P. Studio Tour.
94. Park Ride Fly: You can save 10% on Park Ride Fly rates at the airport with your NEA membership.
95. Motel 6: Use your International Teacher Identity Card to get 10% off your stay with Motel 6.
96. Toyota: With the Toyota Loves Teachers Program, many dealerships offer special discounts like waiving your first payment or offering $250 gift certificates.
97. Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort: To show their appreciation for teachers, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort offers a special reduced room rate.
98. Choice Hotels: Homeschooling teachers can save 15% at Choice Hotels International with their HSLDA membership card.
99. Universal Studios Hollywood: Teachers can get buy one get one free days at Universal Studios Hollywood with the International Teacher Identity Card.

Services

Get these services at a discount with your teacher ID and save.

100. 1-800-FLOWERS.COM: Show you care and save money while doing it, enjoying 15% off at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM.
101. Jenny Craig: Jump start your weight loss with a free 30-day program from Jenny Craig for NEA members. If you decide to continue, you’ll get 25% off any Premium Program.
102. Farmers Insurance: Most local Farmers branches offer a discount for educators. Contact your local agent to find out for sure.
103. Nutrisystem Success: NEA members enjoy 40% off auto-delivery orders from Nutrisystem with a wide variety of foods to choose from.
104. Liberty Mutual: Homeschooling teachers can save up to $300 per year on auto insurance as an HSLDA member.