Anleeta Eaton-Buchanan Each day, I would get that dreaded, daily, routine question from a colleague, “How are you doing today?” And without hesitation, I would muster up a smile, say “fine,” and if I am really feeling myself, I’d add a clever anecdote or synopsis of my weekend. Boom. I have no issues or problems, […]
Teacher Self Care
10 Teacher Resolutions for 2019
Happy 2019! I know that for most teachers the “new year” begins on the first day of teaching in either August or September. However, the calendar does not lie–2018 is history–it’s January 2019, the midpoint of the teaching year, which offers an opportunity for reflection. In my school district the year 2020 is the focus year […]
Teacher Attendance Does Matter, but I Still Unapologetically Take Days Off at My School
Yesterday, my fellow Indy K12 writer David McGuire Wrote, “Teacher Attendance Matters.” As a school principal, I know he is under pressure to ensure his students receive the best education. The heart of his piece was to emphasize how teacher absences can bring challenges to schools including student achievement. Teaching is one of the professions […]
Are You A Ticking Time Bomb in the Classroom?
In 14 days, $185, 471 has been raised by 7,760 people through Go Fund Me for 64-year-old music teacher Marston Riley who was arrested after punching and fighting a 14-year-old boy during class in Maywood, California. You don’t have to look far to come across story after story of teachers who are stressed out, fed […]
911: How to Douse the Flames of Teacher Burnout with Self-care
By Colleen Schmit from Crisscrossapplesaucebook There were many igniters that fanned my flames of burnout while I was a classroom teacher, but if I were to pick the greatest source of fuel to my fire it would be my lack of self-care while I was teaching. Taking care of everyone else’s needs before my own […]
How Teaching is like Shopping at Aldi
If you’ve ever shopped at Aldi, you know that it is a one-of-a-kind experience. It’s something that can’t be explained without experiencing it for yourself. The same is true with teaching. There are just some things you can’t understand unless you’ve been in the classroom, like: Always come prepared. You can’t just show up at […]
PTSD in Teachers: Yes, It’s Real!
When you think about PTSD, what normally comes to mind? To most people, what comes to mind is war veterans because, of course, they go through some truly traumatic experiences that most of us can’t even imagine. Their experiences are real, and we should acknowledge them. At the same time, we also need to acknowledge […]
More than a Warm Body: You Are Not Replaceable
There have been many, very important, conversations about teacher self-care lately. I am so glad this is happening, because I know I am one who suffers from spreading myself too thin while burning the candle at both ends! However, there is a constant refrain I hear from teachers who are trying to help people who […]