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As educators, there are enormous pressures on us daily:
- keeping up with the children in your classrooms or small groups
- managing relationships with families
- managing relationships with peers and administrators
- staying current in your field
- managing your space and all that comes with 18–30 youngsters tearing it apart on a daily basis
- taking time to reflect and grow
With all of these pressures, it is easy to say “I can do more.”
I can stay up later. I can get to school earlier and stay later. I can push aside time for myself and make sure that I am caught up.
Or, you can use the momentum from your day and understand that what you did today was enough.
Imagine that: what you did was enough.
Throw out the old-fashioned idea about a teacher who logs their 9–3 job, has weekends and summers off, and assigns worksheets. There’s a good chance that if you are reading this, you aren’t that person.
But understand that you must make time for yourself. Time to reflect and pause. Time to think about what you need to get through the day.
It is noble to put your students and families first- but you are no help to any child when you are burned out.
So tomorrow, take a moment from the break neck pace you feel you need to take through the curriculum. Take a moment and know that your effort has propelled you far enough. Take time to get to know your kids in a different way. Listen more, appreciate more, instead of squeezing one more teachable moment into the day.
Believe me, you will gain more from it than you ever thought possible.
