Build That Shelf! Build That Shelf! Build That Shelf! Overwhelmed. Overworked. Help? Over the last few weeks, I’ve been completely overwhelmed. My new school district is way more demanding than any other district I’ve taught in, stateside and abroad. Not only are they more demanding, they also check, check, and double-check to make sure you’re […]
Teacher Self Care
Posted inTeacher Self Care
Why Teachers Need A Summer Break
We hear it all the time. “Teaching is easy. You get the whole summer off! What are you complaining about?” Did you roll your eyes too? At this point, it should be obvious as to why teachers need a summer break. This summer, I began to see my summer vacation in a whole new light. […]
Posted inTeacher Self Care
Teachers Modeling Friendship
I teach in the same building as my cooperating teacher from my student teaching placement in college. Mrs. Burcham taught me everything I know and apply today working as a Special Education teacher. Since I graduated, Mrs. Burcham and I have become colleagues by chance, friends by choice. We check in on each other during […]
Posted inTeacher Self Care
The Teacher Triangle: Mindful Balance
It was Welcome Week my first year of college. The student orientation leader shared the “College Triangle” with the group of bug-eyed freshmen before leading us to a campus-sponsored comedy event. The “College Triangle” is a popular analogy used to prepare students for the sacrifices and decisions they will face when working to balance college […]
Posted inBack to School
How to Prepare for Your Best Year Yet (Self-Care Edition)
As I walk in Target (for no reason at all) to mindlessly scroll the candles, I am stopped in my tracks. I can’t believe what I’m seeing! The colorful, seasonal display for Back to school is set up. All I can do is shake my head at the reality that summer is ending (particularly here […]
Posted inConfessions of a Teacher
The State of the Demoralized Teacher
Teacher burnout is not a new concept. If you’re connected to education in any way, you know that teachers are burning out more than ever. Educators are losing the spark they once had for the profession. Teachers are struggling with PTSD and resigning as a result of the declining state of education and the increased […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
Thanks For The Compliment, But I’m Not A Superhero
Until I became an educator, I never imagined superheroism influencing my professional life. Thus far, my teaching career has been marked by the release of several Avengers, Fantastic Four, and Justice League films. I have taught many a super superhero fan and acquired my own taste for the superhero genre through my fourth graders’ enthusiasm […]
Posted inFrom the Front Lines
5 Things Teachers Don’t Want to Hear During Summer
The school year is exhausting. Teachers put so much effort into their day to day interactions with students, but also into their PLCs, curriculum, and interactions with administration and parents. When summer break finally rolls around, there are some things we simply do not want to hear until August. “You’re so lucky to ______” This […]