Call me an info geek. I love reading and watching the news to a fault. If I wake up at 2 am, I'll check every news app on my phone to find out the latest local, political, health, environmental, and entertainment news. In the summer, I relish a morning with a cup of coffee and The Today Show. But in the last year, my drive for news has changed.
I started to notice how my body reacted to the news, and it wasn't positive. Story after story included guns, lies, and fear-laced health scares. My thoughts hung onto the alarming words and images. I knew this wasn't a healthy way to live, surrounded by negativity and fear. I shut it off and limited my exposure, and my life changed. Now, I spend my energy on text and stories that fuel my growth and my passions. I may not know the latest developments on JLo's engagement to ARod, but I'm willing to sacrifice that for my well-being. How do you balance learning the news of the day while respecting your body and mind's reactions to it? Are you still wondering what happened to August? With all the preparations for school, it's no surprise that last month flew by. What makes time go fast or slow? How can we slow things down so that we are genuinely enjoying each day? Here are some ideas I am going to try:
What do you do to slow time down? What are your favorite activities to do this time of year? I'm determined to savor September! When I stumbled on this quote by Hannah Brencher online, it gave me pause. When was the last time I stopped and looked at what I was carrying with me? The answer - probably never. I'm a packrat at heart with teaching resources that span age 3 through high school. I haven't been able to get rid of them since I subscribe to the attitude "you never know when you might need that." You can imagine that this hoarding of teaching materials most likely extends to the hoarding of memories, experiences, feelings, and beliefs.
I love the imagery of the bag and thinking through what I might take out. I feel lighter just thinking about pulling out worry of the unknown, negative self-talk, and the belief that I am not enough. Why do I let old wounds stick around and influence me today? It's time to sit down with this bag and do some re-packing. I'm ready to move forward with a lighter weight on my shoulders. What about you? What are you ready to leave behind? What is critical for you to keep in your bag? Where do you draw the line? You probably have your classroom management plan all figured out, but have you taken an equal amount of time to figure out your time management plan? Do you have boundaries set for what you are willing/not willing to do? If you haven't taken this step for yourself, please consider tackling this before the school year gets rolling. By setting boundaries for yourself, you will be able to quickly respond to requests, re-capture some of your precious time, and be more in control of your life. Here are some topics to consider when setting boundaries:
Toni Morrison, Nobel Prize-winning novelist, passed away this past Monday. If there is one quote of hers that sticks with me, it is the one in the above picture: "If there is a book you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." This is how I feel about life in general. If you don't like your situation, you have the power to change it.
When I look at our education system in the United States, I see elements that are working and those that clearly are not. We have the power to create change by asking questions, sharing insights, and advocating for a better way. Tuned in Teachers is a vehicle for change by putting teacher well-being at the top of the priority list. Teachers cannot be effective if they are struggling. We need to advocate for better systems that support the whole teacher at every stage of their career. Here are some questions you may consider asking the next time you are in a decision-making meeting at school:
"What we know is that the impact of a team can often be more profound than just the impact of one person. This, of course, is not to minimize individual improvement, but when a group improves together, so does the climate and ... maybe even the culture ... of a school building. " Dr. Peter DeWitt's recent Education Week blog post "Do Principals and Their Leadership Teams Need Coaching Too?" reminds us that one-on-one coaching is not our only option when working to improve our schools. Team-coaching can make an impact on the entire building - clarifying vision and setting action steps to achieve goals.
What would happen if a school focused on teacher well-being as a building goal? What if a leadership team was open to coaching around this topic and took steps to make well-being a part of the culture? This is my dream for education. While teachers can take their own steps for self-care, schools and districts have the ability to change the environment for teachers and students. Imagine teaching in a building that was structured in a way to support the WHOLE teacher - person, really. When decisions are made, teachers and administrative leaders would collaborate in order to understand all aspects of a decision while maintaining focus on how this impacts the well-being of the teacher. What if NOT doing-it-all was encouraged and instead administrative leaders coached teachers on prioritizing initiatives while helping teachers feel good about coming to work everyday? Is this dream possible? Do you work at school that considers the "whole" teacher when making decisions and taking action? If so, please tell us about your school in the comments! I'm all about trying new ways to relax, so when I heard about a sound bath event in my area, I signed up hoping to be transported to a tranquil place in my mind. Little did I know that this experience would be jarring, but powerful just the same.
My imagination prepared me for a light dinging of bells and perhaps a gentle gong. My fellow bathers had come prepared with blow-up mattresses, fuzzy blankets, and silk eye masks, for heaven's sake. What I experienced, instead, was being trapped in sound so loud that I felt like I was on the verge of a panic attack. The reverb was so loud that I could not sustain a thought. In the first five minutes, I was convinced that I would have to leave. I almost reached out to my friend nearby to feel more grounded but decided instead to surrender. Isn't that what meditators tell us to do? As a teacher and mother, I pride myself in the decisions I make and the actions I take but don't do so well when I'm in situations out of my control. I was being bathed in inescapable sound that forced me to go on the journey of the healer - not in my own direction. Instead of fighting the noise inside and outside of my head, I let go of the tension that had built up and allowed myself to follow the path of sound. It painted the walls with joys, fears, sorrows, and hope and when it was over, I felt as if I had just experienced a lifetime of emotion- evoking my own memories of life. I did not leave relaxed, but contemplative. It was the perfect exercise for me in letting go. We often deal with changes at school and in our home lives that require us to follow a path that feels out of our control. How do you cope in these situations? Another year has come and gone and while many teachers are collapsing into a heap on the floor, there are many emotions to deal with at year's end. There is the joy that summer is *finally* here along with pure exhaustion from the "do-what-it-takes-to-get-to-the-end" push. This time is always tough - a combination of grin-and-bear-it with a sudden realization that it is time to say goodbye.
I saw a recent social media post for the "Parade of Graduates," a tradition of high school seniors proudly walking the elementary school hallways high-fiving the little ones. The last school I worked in had this tradition as well. It was always heart-warming to watch the seniors enthusiastically reunite with their favorite teachers from long ago with frantic waving and hugs. On the hard days, it can be easy to forget why we do what we do. These kinds of reunions with our past students bring a renewed sense of dedication and purpose. These students, no matter their age, will go on to become fellow citizens and neighbors. We are shaping them - even on the hard days. I can't help but think that if we had more of these reminders of how impactful we really are, it may help us get through those difficult times. How do you think schools could incorporate these meaningful moments throughout the year? I recently returned home after an eleven day trip to Spain after not having traveled internationally for 19 years (not counting my honeymoon in Mexico.) My fear had gotten the best of me. After giving birth to my daughter, I found myself fearing separation from her and my family. I wanted to avoid any situation that could put me at risk of dying and I saw flying as a death trap. I knew the only way I was going to beat my fear was to travel. Luckily, the trip to Spain came at the right time and I hesitantly said "yes." For months, I anticipated every aspect of the plane ride and freaked myself out. But I continued to work on acknowledging my feelings and sticking with my plan to travel.
And I'm pleased to report that the whole trip went without any issue! I was shockingly relaxed and enjoyed the process of traveling. I'm sad for my pre-trip self and how I spent so much energy worrying. My challenge to you is to take stock of your fears. How might you face one of your fears this coming week? Maybe it is trying a new technology tool with your students or presenting your classroom lesson to your staff. Maybe it is signing up for a leadership position at your school or saying "no" to free up your personal life. What is your plan for facing your fear? My daughter is a kindergartener and, with that, comes an eternally optimistic attitude. This week, she taught me an awesome lesson in attitude. On Thursday night as I was tucking her into bed, she reflected that the last five days have been the "best day ever." She added, "And tomorrow is going to be the best day ever! You know what, Mommy? Every day is the best day ever!" My heart melted. My little philosopher just gave me the best gift - modeling the attitude that I should have every day. Shouldn't every day we are alive be the best day ever?
Since our talk, I have adopted the "best day ever" mentality - seeing the gifts in the routine tasks, errand-running, and surprises of the day. I know I won't be perfect at applying this every day, but having her little voice in the back of my head sure helps to push me more toward gratitude. May you see your day of meetings, commutes, and challenging students with new eyes. Perhaps it is the best day ever. |
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