[00:00:00] Welcome to the final introductory episode. On the triple T podcast. And today I'm going to be sharing probably one of the biggest transitions in my career. And that was my move from out of a school setting to full-time curriculum creation. So it was a big change and I was very fortunate to have my former teaching partner and my good friend, Callie, Danielle, by my side, as I launched my curriculum business. So Callie had recently left the classroom also, and she was gracious enough to come help me.

As I got started with this new venture to get it off the ground and to get. All the work that I had in my mind done in a reasonable amount of time. So during that year we worked together. I quickly realized that her true passion. Really was lifting up others people. It started as her creating inspirational quotes and [00:01:00] dueling, these cute little pictures that she would put on Pinterest and they were all just going viral.

So I thought, Hey, maybe we should jump into the TPT decor scene, but Callie had even bigger dreams. Right from the very start she named it. She said, one day, I'm going to get my art into target. Today Callie's messages of positivity and joy and kindness. Self-confidence. All of those things are displayed in classrooms. All around the world.

It's been amazing to see just how much he's grown. And how much impact she's had on so many different lives. Just last week, my daughter dropped her baby off at daycare and there was a Cali Danielle banner in the daycare hanging right above the front desk. I was like, oh my gosh. So while I do miss our days of creating math lessons together, while we binged the bachelor on my couch, I really can't imagine Callie doing anything other than what she's doing now.

She [00:02:00] just has a gift for connecting with people for. Bringing pop culture into the classroom and into teachers' lives and celebrating students in the most creative ways. So in this episode, we're going to talk about Callie's journey from teacher to full-time creator, the power of positivity and how she's making a difference in classrooms across the globe. And this conversation's just packed with inspiration and insight and you are not going to want to miss it.

So welcome Callie. I'm so excited to have you on the podcast. so why don't we start by you just telling the listeners a little bit about yourself? So, hi, I'm Callie, uh, aka Callie Danielle. So, long story short, I am a former teacher. I taught math and science in fourth grade. I am now a full time artist and a small business owner.

I love what I do. And I'm thankful for teaching because it led me to where I am now. Honestly, I am not surprised at all where [00:03:00] you are now. Just because when I first met you, it was because we were teaching partners. And, one of the things that always stood out was your classroom and just, how cute your classroom was.

So how would you describe your style? my style kind of just me. I don't know how to explain it. I'm very, just go with the flow, but also I, I like trends, but also I've always been somebody that just stays true to who I am. I love things that are happy and joyful and just reflecting that, in the classroom.

It just makes a difference for kids and you want something inviting. I just think your classroom honestly displays how you are as a person too, or I personally think it should, because there's a lot of trendy, cute things and all of that. But if it doesn't reflect who you are as a teacher. I think it really shows in the classroom too.

And like reflects onto the students. Does that make any sense? Yeah, I think that's so true. There [00:04:00] was, a couple of years where I had a lot of owls, which I mean, everybody's really rolling their eyes. Cause the owl craze was pretty, pretty big for a couple of years there. but I loved it so much because I just felt like an owl represented wisdom and here we are in a school and.

But, now I'm like, get rid of the owls. I never really had a theme. Like, if you think about it, I mean, you walked into my classroom, I never really had a theme. Like, it just kind of was just , happy, I guess? And that, it's weird thinking now, I sell products that are for classrooms and they're, I wouldn't say that there's like a theme to them except for they're just happy.

There's smiley faces and bright colors and I even have little daisies if people want daisy things, but there's like smiley faces on them and everything. I don't know. I just feel like thinking back, walking in my classroom, I always thought, I'm like, what would a student want to see walking in here?

And I mean, maybe they would want to see owls. You never know. And also that's how kids, kids really, they walk [00:05:00] into your classroom and they think of the teacher too. Like they, you know what I mean? So maybe they thought you were like super cool and full of wisdom because you were actually, you still are.

I do agree with you that they see what you like and they like it because you like it. And for all those years, anytime I got a gift from a student or anything like that, it was an owl. Like whether it was a necklace or a little picture frame with an owl on it. So they see that you like it and kind of get it, get engaged.

If you could go back to when you were a kid, if you could have decorated your classroom, what do you think you would have wanted your classroom to look like? as a kid, definitely like Lisa Frank, I mean, I just, I loved how bright and happy all of her things were and Oh my gosh, I was obsessed with the dolphins and the golden retrievers and the cats.

there were just things that just, I mean, looking back, I'm like, gosh, that reminds me of my childhood and it was just happy. It was [00:06:00] happy and joyful. And it just was, I mean, to me, it was welcoming to see. But it's funny because in my house, it's like total opposite. I'm a very, I'm a beach loving girl, but I love calm things in my house.

Like I love the beach, like calming beach vibes, which also a lot of teachers do like calm classrooms too, and that's what they give off and that there's nothing wrong with that either. so whenever you are thinking about how you're going to, do a bulletin board or maybe do something for the season.

What kind of things do you think are most important to think of? You've mentioned a couple of times how it's important that it's something that your students will like or feel comfortable in or can maybe relate to.

So, why is that I guess important to consider? Your students and what they might like because that's where they are every single day and that's the learning environment that they're in and they want to feel welcome and they want to feel a part of the classroom and [00:07:00] they want to set examples for others and share their kindness and their joy I had a whole bulletin board in my classroom that was Filled with students work on it because they wanted to contribute and they even had happy notes for other kids and I even have a whole board full of post it notes that they would write.

just having them be included, it matters and they remember stuff like that. I can remember your bulletin board. One of my favorite ones was the one you did. Oh, snap. I know my math facts. Snapchat. in that one, you let the students put a filter on and take a picture with a Snapchat filter once they mastered their math facts.

Yes. And that was my favorite ever because at that time, I don't even think Tiktok was even around, it was like musically. But, yeah, the Snapchat filters, they loved it. I do it from my phone, obviously, and then print out the picture and put it on. And they just thought it was the coolest thing.

It was like out for [00:08:00] everyone to see. And it wasn't just my class. It was all of the fourth grade that was involved. And that to me is another big thing. I think not just getting your own classroom involved, but getting the whole grade level involved. It just, I felt like whenever we talked together, our kids all just felt like a big family and a big community.

I remember being young and like walking into another teacher's class and feeling like I didn't belong sometimes. Cause I was like, Oh my gosh, this is weird. Like you look around and you're like, Oh wow, this is different. But like, you knew your friends in that class, but you also didn't feel welcome.

But I feel like whenever we taught like nobody felt. Uncomfortable going into another classroom. And then there were days that even like on Fridays, I feel like I had half of your kids in my classroom for some reason. I don't know if it was like indoor recess or what, but just, they felt welcome to come in my classroom and my kids wanted to go to your classroom.

And it just, I don't know, it makes a difference. And I still get messages around back to school time from parents that have kids that I taught. And they just [00:09:00] constantly say how. and I think it's really important to remember how fortunate they were to have us as teachers, because they felt like their kids just will always remember how welcome they were.

Yeah, I totally agree. I think we did a lot of things that were, maybe not everyone's ideas. I think the fun ideas, always came from you, Yes. we were a great team. you had the fun ideas and I was happy to help. Make those ideas come to life in whatever small way I could I remember when we did March Madness for the test prep and we made all the jerseys for every student and we let them choose what school they wanted, what college and some of them obviously like fourth graders, a lot of them didn't even know what college.

what colleges were. Some of them had older siblings or parents that went to places, but it was really cool. I remember the kids, I was like, well, if you don't know what school you want to choose, let's look up some, Think about things that you like, look up a school that has, [00:10:00] veterinarian, class or, whatever.

And the kids, I had kids coming up with college colleges. I've never even heard of, but they were like, look at this. I like the mascot here. I'm like, oh, that's awesome. So it was cool because it got them. you know, higher education into their brain. And that was like, I feel like that was one of our teaks that we had to incorporate, but it was really fun to see them getting excited for.

The future too. and then some kids, it was even awesome because some kids, they didn't even want to go to college and they were like, well, what do I do if I don't want to go to college? I'm like, well, let's choose, you know, I don't even remember. I think there were some kids that chose even the local community college or some of them, Maybe chose colors that they liked,

But, and a lot of kids just chose what their friends chose too. Cause you know, that's how kids are, but it was, Oh yeah, of course. We had a lot of Aggies in the room, and they got to choose the number that they wanted on their Jersey. And that was fun too. They just felt in their last names were on the Jersey.

They just seen, they were [00:11:00] just all about it. Even the kids that weren't even into sports. They were all about having their own little jersey. I still know kids that have those jerseys. Like they were just laminated little jerseys that we made on the computer, but that's where it was cool too, because you and I, we both had our creativity, but we were creative in different ways, but we meshed them together and it was, it worked so well.

I feel like your magic has, has been being able to infuse. Whatever is going on, like pop culture into your classroom. And I think that's what makes the kids so excited about it because it's real to them. It's something they're interested in their life outside of school. and you had the ability to think of those things.

Like I would have never thought about using a phone. a filter to take a, you know, a funny dog filter to take a picture, or I would have never thought to do anything with March Madness or all of the things that you did like that. So, [00:12:00] I think that's one of the reasons that your classroom was the classroom that everybody wanted to be, because when they went in there, they felt like I'm in, you know, my, Own space, like the space that I belong versus, a lot of times my classroom was just decorated with cute cartoon owls.

It's not really something that, they resonate with in the same kind of way. So how would you suggest, like, if somebody wanted to infuse something that's popular outside of school into their classroom, how can they even think? about finding ways to do that. Getting on TikTok. No, I'm just kidding.

TikTok is so addicting. I actually, I had to like separate myself from it because I just found myself so addicted. I think, I don't know. I feel like I've been out of the classroom for so long now where it's hard to think about that. But at the same time, I'm like, Oh, friendship bracelets because of Taylor Swift, things like that are just [00:13:00] so, I feel like I could think of so many fun things.

Right now, like with friendship bracelets. And I do see teachers doing cute things in their classroom, but I think the most important part is just, seeing what your kid, observing your kids, like look, see what they come at, what backpacks are they using? What are they talking about? And obviously you want it to be school appropriate for one.

And then two, you don't want to be their best friends. If you want. To still be in control, but there's a way to do it. And I think just letting them know that you care and then having them help you create things for the classroom or asking them, like surveying them and just, letting them know that you're interested in what they're interested in.

I remember I had a student in my class, Dylan, I don't know if you remember him, but, he was really into gaming. And, I remember that he just. Fell in love with you once he learned, oh gosh. That you also like to, to game . So you know, just like little things like that can build a connection with

[00:14:00] I mean, yeah. I don't know it, like I said, I feel like I've been so far out of it now where I'm like, I don't know what I would do. But then at the same time, I really think it just comes down to seeing what your students are. Into like what they're involved in like asking what they do outside of school.

What sports are they into? I mean I the boys were easy because it was football, you know, and then at recess They would all just want to play football So even throwing the ball with them at football sometimes or at recess sometimes it made the biggest difference and then girls are even easier because they just I feel like, I don't know, I was always a teacher's pet growing up and I just wanted to please my teacher all the time.

And I think girls are just like the helpful ones and just seeing what colors they're using on things and things like that. , if you take note of what they're into and then you kind of incorporate it in little pieces, even on a PowerPoint slide or like a welcome slide, having like, there might be one kid in the class or maybe three that love a golden retriever.

And you just put a little picture of a golden retriever [00:15:00] holding a football, like kids think it's the coolest thing. Cause they're like, Oh my gosh, there's a football. there's the golden retriever. it's not just like a plain PowerPoint. I think a lot of teachers nowadays are really good about staying on trends.

I feel like they're trendier than I am for sure. I honestly think it has a lot to do with, life stage. The longer a person's been teaching or the older they get, I think it is harder to stay on top of what's cool or trending, especially if your own kids have grown up. when you have your own kids at home that are around the same age, I think that's the prime time to really know what, is going on but I do think that it's such an important thing that regardless of where you're at in your teaching, whether you've been teaching 30 years or two, that you take the time to think about it and to, go look on Tik TOK, go find where things are trending and remember those things so that you can do your best in an authentic way.

I'm in yourself, like, [00:16:00] yeah, yeah, authentic. Definitely, because there's so many trends out there now where some of it's like, should you put that in your office room? I don't know. You know, sometimes I see stuff where I'm like, I don't know if I would have put that in there, but you know, to each their own, but, and I also think , just making sure.

You incorporate kind words in the classroom. I had a poster in my classroom that was so bold. I don't even remember what it said now, but my students always kept it in mind and I just think having positive words all across the classroom are really important. I even had kids create posters and I would put them in the classroom and they love that kind of stuff.

So I just think really getting the kids involved. Makes the biggest difference because that's what they're going to remember most. that's whenever they're going to want to contribute the most and they feel welcome. I wouldn't want to go, if I were a kid, I wouldn't want to go into a classroom and just not feel welcome.

Or, you know, I want the teacher to ask me things about like what I'm interested in or, you know, but [00:17:00] also spreading kindness at the same time. My mind's going all these different ways. Now I'm like, how would I decorate a classroom? It feels like something that's not important, how you decorate your classroom.

It does. Like I said, I never had a theme. it doesn't have to be something that is hard or that you spend thousands of dollars on or any dollars on, but it is important because that is the space that the kids are going to be living in. It reminds me of whenever I rent an Airbnb and I go to a place that is decorated, nothing like my own house, but it's something that I would have loved if it was my own house.

just the way that you feel being there, being in a space that you love or you wish was yours. And that's what a classroom can be. for students. You want it to be a safe space too. You want them to feel loved and you want them to want to be in there. I didn't have anything special.

I just had their work in there. And then I would have, [00:18:00] obviously here's where the art comes in, but I would draw things on the board, and just have them engaged in it. I think I even put questions each week, There was a time where I would put questions on the board where they could go get the marker and put their answer.

They didn't have to put their name, but it was like, what's your favorite color or something. And they would all just go in and start the day, write their favorite color. Cause a lot of kids would be like, Oh my gosh, I like that color. Like, you know, it just, it got the kids connected more too.

Well, I love that. And I love talking to you about. The teaching days, because the last year that I was teaching was the year that I was teaching so closely with you. So, So many great memories. I loved it. It's like the first year I feel like Chromebooks really started and everything too.

Yeah, we were ahead of the times when it came to, you know, online learning type things. Yes, but also it helped because you were really into technology. I was really into technology and kids love technology. So it like, it was [00:19:00] fun. we could probably have a whole like, series of things for the classroom.

I feel like with the things that we've created together. I just from punch list to classroom decor to, I don't even know. We've done a lot together. And also I have to tell everyone on the podcast that if it weren't for Cassi, I wouldn't be where I am today. So it makes me emotional, obviously. And I'm not going to get emotional on your podcast.

I'm not going to try it or I don't want to, but, you know, after teaching, we both were done with teaching and we lived in the same neighborhood. We no longer do, which I wish we did. Cassi took me under her wing because I didn't know what I was going to do after teaching and Cassi went full time doing her TPT and all this, she's amazing and it's crazy to see how much she's grown, but she took me under her wing.

I was helping her until I figured out what I was going to do. And, I was helping her with math and science stuff, but I was doing some clip art things. and I remember you honestly, I, I, I [00:20:00] can still remember we were sit, I can't talk where we were sitting in your office and everything.

you were like, you should put this on a shirt. And I'm like, I have no idea how to do that. And she was like, well, let's figure it out. So we literally, she helped me so much figure out how to start an Etsy shop. And we researched, Companies that would print and ship t shirts and things like that.

And that's literally how I started. And I owe so much of it to you. Cause you like, not only helps me with helped me with that, but you were encouraged me and you were always there for me. So that is so sweet of you to say, I don't want to take any credit for where you're at now, but that is so sweet. Here I have one of the most original. Oh my gosh. Yeah. That's so old. This was, I think the first thing we, we ordered as a practice to see what the quality was like. So I have a Boston Terrier. So she sketched me this little, Boston Terrier. I didn't have an iPad or anything. I was drawing it. I first was drawing it on paper and then scanning it into the [00:21:00] computer or my old laptop.

And then I. My dad got me a laptop, where you could ride on it. So I got that. And then I eventually got an iPad and that. Honestly, it's a huge step up. But yeah, the first shirt that I sold was the love for teaching shirt. So for the listeners who don't know, Callie, she, has the most beautiful art, that is so positive.

So happy you can find her stuff. At Target, which was a dream come true. And I remember right from the very beginning when, we were kind of working together that you set your mind to like, I want to be in Target. And when the day you actually got your step into Target, I was just in awe that you had this major goal and you made it happen.

But one thing about Callie fam is there are a lot of teachers in the CD fam. why do you think so many teachers resonate with your brand? Because teachers are there to [00:22:00] spread, love, kindness, and they're there to encourage so many students and beyond.

Honestly, they represent our future, I feel like, in a way, because we're setting an example and teaching all of the youth to grow up and hopefully be great, people not only is it about education, but I feel like students go to school not only for an education, but also they learn how they're growing.

They're learning how to be themselves and, learning who they want to be and how they want to be. And I think teachers really set the standard for that. Teachers make the biggest difference in the world. And I can remember every single teacher that I had and every single impact that they had on me.

I never thought I would be a teacher, honestly, but you know what? I'm just so glad God used me in that way. I just see students now that I've taught and seeing them just being such a great influence to other students. And I'm just so proud of them.

[00:23:00] And it just makes me so proud that I was their teacher. And I just hope teachers know that they are making a difference. And I know it's so hard nowadays, but they truly are. Even if it's one kid, there's one kid out there that is just so thankful for that teacher. I love that. I'm so happy that you came on to talk to us.

I know you're busy with your new baby and all the things that are sleeping right now, I think. And you're supposed to be on maternity leave still. So I don't know if I really get one.

Yeah, but this is good. I'm excited to See where your podcasts go. And I'm excited to listen and watch them. And I'm just so proud of you. Well, thank you. And you are the last episode of my introduction to myself. so I'm excited that people get to know me a little bit through my friends and through the influences that I've had on my life, which you're one of those [00:24:00] big ones.

So I'm so glad that you took the time to come on. So, um, before we close, what if people want to find you? Where can they find you at? So my website is Callie Danielle shop. com. And you can find me on Instagram at shop. callie. daniel. and I would say TikTok, but I don't really get on it. It's it's Callie Danielle, but yeah, if you just search Callie Danielle, I'm sure you'll find me somewhere, but I am on Instagram all the time.

And obviously my website, and you can find some things on Target's website right now. I know the back school section had my things, but now it's all Halloween stuff and it's transitioning over. So, but I'm may or may not have something else coming out in there. You never know. So, yeah, but yeah, I'm always on Instagram.

If you want to follow me on there, I love to share doodles and reels and things like that. And I just, I love people. So yeah. Well, thank you so much. Yeah. This was fun. [00:25:00] Bye.