Mindful Monday: Simplicity is the Goal

 

For 16 years, I have gladly and joyfully made other people's children a priority. For 10 of those years, I have made it my personal mission to make sure each and every staff member I have had the pleasure of working with feels seen and valued. It is in my nature to pour into others. However, I have not done a great job of taking my own advice over the years, as I currently find my "bucket" nearly empty. So next year, I am taking a step back and will be putting my own family and children first. I will still be at Brushy Creek, only in a new role. I will be taking the half time TAG position. 

As we close out this school year, I am acutely aware of the weight, the worries, and the traumas each of you are taking home with you from this year. Some of the burdens we carry are our own, but many worries that weigh heavily on us are from our students. When we become invested in our students, it's hard not to feel their pains and struggles. This empathy can easily turn into secondary trauma, also known as compassion fatigue. It's all very real, and you are not alone. Compassion fatigue is defined as the physical, emotional, and psychological impact of helping others through their experiences of stress or trauma. 

What we do is hard! Teaching is hard! It's not sustainable to continuously give. As we go into summer, I beg of you to take care of yourself. Please be intentional to pour into yourself. Be intentional how you choose to spend your time. Spend these next few months doing what you love with those you love. 

So for once, I am taking my own advice and allowing myself the time and space to heal from the traumas I carry, the time and space to refill my bucket, and the time and space to really be present for my family. Simplicity will be my goal. 

I found this amazing TedTalk. I highly recommend finding 11 mins to watch Supporting Teachers’ Well Being.

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Mindful Monday: Not Our First Rodeo

For a profession that thrives on routines and procedures, that can't operate without a set schedule, we are also a profession that is constantly adapting. It's hard not to notice the irony in that statement. Just as soon as you get used to one system, there is a new one to be learned. Just as soon as your classroom runs like clockwork, the year is nearly over and new students are around the corner. Just as soon as you have figured out what motivates your students, surprise- it no longer works.

To say teaching is hard is an understatement. To say what we do isn't easy is putting it lightly. 16 years in this profession and no two years have been the same for me. I'm sure this year was challenging in new and unexpected ways for you, as well. And to no surprise, we all rose to the challenge, and for most of us- this wasn't our first rodeo. No matter how hard it was, no matter the challenges that came our way, our students are leaving this year knowing they are loved, and that they, too, can do hard things.

To our first year teachers: Thank you for joining the most important profession there is. Know that you have absolutely made a difference this year. I'm sure you have learned just as much as your students have this year. With a year under your belt, just imagine how ready you will be for next year. 

To my veteran teachers: Thank you for showing up each and every day. Thank you for leading the way. Thank you for digging deep on the hard days. Thank you for knowing that the hard work is worth it- because it absolutely is! Thank you for your tireless dedication to the best job there is! 

To our retiring teachers: For decades of your life, you have invested in children. You have quite literally invested in your community and the future. As we speak, students that have passed through your classroom have graduated, are working, and have started families of their own. The lessons your students have learned from you are already being passed down to the next generation. Your impact is far reaching! THANK YOU!!! 

Mindful Monday: By May

In August, you were handed a list of 20+ students. You looked to see if you recognized any names, but I'd imagine that most names on your list were unknown. They were new books, so to speak, eager to be opened and explored. 

As the year progressed, the pages came to life. You learned the likes and dislikes of each of your students. You learned what motivated them. You learned how to best cheer them on. As you read each of their stories, they, too, were reading yours. They learned how to make you proud. They learned how to be challenged and the importance of not giving up. 

Now, here we are in May, and that same list of students is no longer unknown. Just like they have all forever left a mark on your heart, you, too, have left a mark on them. They will forever carry a piece of you with them. They are ending this year better for having YOU as their teacher. They are leaving this year kinder and more resilient because of YOU. 

As tired as you may be ending this year, as ready for summer as we all are, know, I mean know with certainty, that you have absolutely, unquestionably made a difference this year! And that difference will live on impacting generations to come. 

If you can find 6 mins at some point this week, I implore you to watch A Letter to My Teacher.

Mindful Monday: Questions v Answers

We've officially hit the month of May, and the end of the school year is around the corner. As you begin to reflect on our 2022-2023 school year, know that no one in education has it all figured out. No. One. 

No matter how long you have been in the business of educating children, each and every year is different. Each presents its own unique challenges. No one, regardless of the number of years of experience, has ever had a "perfect" year. I actually think that's one of my favorite things about teaching; you are constantly learning, adjusting, and trying new things - striving for better. 

There will be years that somehow seem easier, while others you will wonder how you even made it. Please know that even during the hard years, you are making a difference. Zora Neale Hurston said it best, "There are years that ask questions and years that answer." Maybe this year challenged you in new ways. Maybe, like me, you're ending the year with more questions than answers. And maybe, just maybe the answers are around the corner. Either way, thank you for striving for better. Thank you for not giving up. And thank you for investing in our students.