“This is the not the teacher I wanted to be.” From time to time, I stand in front of my students, eyes filled with tears, while this thought repeats itself over and over again. I’m not sure when I first realized it, but once I did, there was no going back. I wake up every […]
Teacher Self Care
Survival Mode on Auto Pilot
We’ve all been there. Survival Mode on Auto-Pilot. At some point in every teacher’s career, they experience a school district, school, or classroom that they realize isn’t going to change. They’ve made complaints, documented, changed classroom management systems, altered and differentiated the curriculum, and scheduled meeting after meeting, after meeting… yet nothing changes. It’s at […]
The Intention Form: Tell The Truth…Shame The Devil
Now that we’re in the second part of the school year, we already know what’s coming… The Intention Form Intention Form… Commitment Form… “Are You Staying Or Leaving Us” Form Whatever your school district calls them, they’re on the way to your teacher mailbox within the next few weeks as administrative staff go over the […]
“Why Didn’t Anyone Help Me?” The Truth Behind Abused Teachers Who Took Matters Into Their Own Hands
When the articles pop up on my timeline, I’m quick to click the link to each and every article that looks or sounds like this: “Teacher assaults student” “Educator and student fights” “Teacher fired after brawl with student” What I find to be interesting is that many, if not all of the teachers involved in […]
Self Care Won’t Solve Teacher Burnout. Organizing Will.
The Self Care Trap There was a time (I suppose we’re still in it) when an endless stream of “trauma-informed” initiatives passed through my Facebook feed, e-mail inbox, and classroom. A lot of these offered some variation of mindfulness training for teachers or students. Whether it was through yoga or meditation, numerous programs promised safer, […]
#TeacherGuilt
We hear about #momguilt all the time and how it kicks when you even THINK about putting yourself first for 5 seconds. I can admit that I deal with this on a daily basis. It’s one of those things that never goes away. I’ve also realized that as a teacher, #teacherguilt exists as well and […]
It’s Time to Build A Shelf
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 […]
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. […]