Two Simple Strategies to Help You Remain an Energized and Reflective Educator
As the new school year approaches, our spirits are full, minds are open, and patience levels are set to ‘fully charged’.
This excitement and optimism is why we are educators. The idealism is what sets us apart from others.
We wear this mindset as a badge of courage. However, as the year moves on, the daily grind and stress can take its toll. Our heart is in the right place but some of the ideas we had didn’t pan out, our open minds have narrowed just a bit, and our patience levels are a lot lower than it should be by the middle of the school year. This is a natural occurrence after the daily grind of a school year sets in. So what do we do? The following are two easy to use strategies that an educator can do to help look at the ‘big picture’ and not get bogged down in the grind. Educator ‘Cheat Day’ It is not uncommon for me to go home, watch my child until he goes to bed, and then work until I fall asleep. This routine was the same as a teacher and administrator. At times, these work habits result into negative ways to deal with this type of stress. Poor eating habits being one of them. It is vital we find some balance in our work life. One strategy is to set aside a ‘cheat day’ in your week. This is a common strategy used in dieting. Have a day that your mind can focus on so you are able to get through the work week. On this ‘cheat day’, you can set aside one activity/hobby/leisure activity that you will do every week, on the same day. For me, my ‘cheat day’ is every Wednesday. After putting my son to bed, I sit down on the couch and binge-watch a show on TV. I do not do any work (including e-mails). This simple activity allows me to have something to look forward to at the beginning of the week and feel recharged to finish the week strong. Set a ‘cheat day’ and reward yourself for your hard work. One Word At the end of a school day, some educators often participate in daily reflection. Personal journals, talking to a colleague, and listening to music are examples of these activities. However, there is one strategy that is easy to use and involves our students. At dismissal time, your classroom can participate in a ‘one word’ reflection activity. Each student takes a slip of paper and writes down ‘one word’ that summarizes how they felt about the day. This can be any word that they feel about the question ‘how did it go today?’ Each day after school, empty this box and read these words. Think about what themes you can pull from them. How do these words affect you? Do these words encourage you to change your approach to tomorrow? An additional component is to talk to your students in the morning about how you felt about the words they shared. You can share your reflection and what your goals are for the upcoming school day. Collective reflection encourages collective growth. What Will You Do To Reflect? Simple reflective strategies and finding ways to keep your outlook fresh is vital on your ability to impact your kid. I encourage you to seek out what strategies work best for you and to maintain your perspective.
Adam Brown K-12 Principal 2016 @ASCD Emerging Leader/Influence Leader/EL Reader Advisory Board. 2014 AERA Emerging Scholar. W&M Doctoral Student. Twitter: @AdamBrownEDU
