Self-Care During the Holiday Season

We are entering into one of the most draining times of the year:  holiday season.  We’re coming off of the opening of the school year with it’s long stretch of no breaks and entering into a time period that not only requires our focus at work but a considerable number of family and personal obligations.  It can be stressful.

I liken moving into November to the whitewater rafting trip we take with our eighth graders at the end of the school year.  On one of our legs we enter what’s known as the gorge which is where all the Class III rapids begin.  There’s no turning back, no way out but through the intense paddling and maneuvering ahead, and while it’s fun, at the end of it all we want nothing more than to collapse in a heap and take a long nap.

I finally accepted I couldn’t be a superhero, that there was no way I could survive if I didn’t take care of myself.  Therefore I make an extra effort to take care of myself.  I take long baths with a good book, make sure I drink enough water, and try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.  When I can I schedule a service like a hair cut or a massage; my husband already knows that a spa gift certificate is high on my list for the holidays.  Finally, I don’t participate in anything that feels like a “have to.”  If I am tired and cranky, I am no good to anyone, so I have learned to say no when I need to take a time out.

What is your plan to take care of yourself this holiday season?  Write it down and post it somewhere you see every day, then put it into action.  I promise the next three months will be more pleasant if you do so!

 

What’s In Our Control?

Once in my life I used to get my knickers in a knot about all the issues plaguing education.  I could wax on for hours about standardized testing, the inability of my last district’s central office to stick with a new program longer than a year, the public’s belief that teachers were to blame for all of society’s ills, the ridiculous amounts of paperwork I had to complete (including a 30-page lesson plan I had to turn in bi-weekly), and every other complaint we hear teachers or pundits make.  It used to tire me out and suck all of my energy from me, and meanwhile nothing changed.

Ultimately I decided to let go of everything not in my control and focus on what I had the power to change.  I changed where I lived and worked, I changed how I taught, and I changed the extra duties and activities I took on to ones that fed my spirit.  Once I let go, it was amazing to see how much power I had to make changes.  And my small changes are rippling out to the kids and teachers I work with, effecting wider change than when I was campaigning against all the injustices of the world.

It starts here, with me.  In the end I am more effective if I stay positive and focus on what is right in front of me.  It also allows me to continue to have the energy to teach with the passion that brought me to the profession in the first place.

Give Thanks!

Finally, finally, finally . . .the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards released scores today.  Praise God . . . I am now, and for the next 10 years, a National Board Certified Teacher.  And, although this phase of the journey is complete, I don’t feel at all that the journey is over.  Achieving this certification is just the beginning.  I feel, now that my teaching has proven to meet such rigorous standards, that I have the responsibility to share what I have learned over the years, and through the certification process, with others!

 

First, reflection of our teaching is the key to continued success in the classroom.  The National Board Process hinges on the continuous reflection and revision of our attitudes, assignments, rules, procedures, etc.  Society does not remain constant, and neither can our teaching.  Even after completing the certification process (and subsequent retake) I still find myself continuously reviewing my choices in class—was the lesson successful, were my students engaged, could I have raised my expectations or were my expectations out of reach?  Sometimes I reflect so much that I find myself running out of time to prepare the next lesson; needing to always find balance in what is required of me.

 

That takes me to my second lesson . . . balance.  So many times as educators, we allow one part of our life (usually the classroom) to take over.  How many of us work in schools where teachers are out ill (it seems) at least once a week, or suffer from chronic illnesses that hinder their energy in the classroom?  To be successful in the classroom, we must have life experiences beyond the classroom!  I find the best way to balance life is from God’s perspective . . .God comes first, family comes next, and career comes third!  If my faith and worship are in the right place, then my family and all its issues and concerns will fall into place and be taken care of, which leaves more than enough time and energy for school.  When this order gets reversed, everything falls apart and nothing gets taken care of appropriately!

 

Finally, to quote an old cliché, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!  This was true in my quest to obtain National Board Certification, and it is true in my classroom everyday.  I have students who are not motivated and I must try a new strategy everyday until I find one that works . . .then, just because it worked one day, does not mean it will work the next, so I just keep trying new ideas!  I have lessons that, as well thought out as they may be, do not yield the desired results from my students, so I just keep trying to improve the lessons!  I have classroom arrangements, student incentives, extracurricular activities that fall flat and fail, yet I have to get back up and try, try, try, try again!

 

So, for others out there who also celebrate being National Board Certified, congratulations . . .what an amazing feeling for an amazing accomplishment, give thanks for your education and perseverance!  For those who have tried but fall a few points (or many points) short of certification, don’t give up . . .try, try again, and give thanks for the opportunity!  And for everyone . . .we live in the most unique nation, and have chosen the most dynamic of careers with the potential to change the lives of people from around the globe, and for generations far beyond our existence . . .so give thanks for your freedom, family, friends.  Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.  1 Chronicles 29:13 (NIV)