Teacher of the New Year 2022 Edition

So distance learning ended, your students are back in the school building, and the normal we all hoped to have back is anything but reality.  We anticipated a return to normal for the 2021 -2022 school year and what greeted us was anything but normal, and none of us anticipate that what we are walking through is the new normal either.  We will get back to a place where students have the skills to engage in academics and interact in appropriate social ways, teachers are not buried with finding the gaps in behavioral and academic skills from the 2 years prior, and support staff is supporting and not running triage with mental health supports.

Knowing that we are walking through one of the most challenging situations we have ever seen in education, the question is, how do we ensure we can be our best so that we can bridge the gap and make it out on the other side.  My proposal is that you must take care of yourself so that you can take care of your students.

We have all heard the oh so commonly used phrase in education, it takes a village to raise a child.  It is true, however, the village has to be healthy to raise a healthy child.  We have also heard the statement that a student is a product of their environment, and we need to work for a healthy village to help students move forward too.

Coming off of Winter Break, I have heard from more colleagues than ever that they disconnected more than ever before this break and it felt good.  My challenge to you is to find ways to care for yourself in the midst of this year.  Below are 3 practical ways that I have been doing this so far this year, and some great resources for self care.

The first suggestion is to set work boundaries.  Most in education are guilty of giving more than we have, try to leave work at work.  I have taken the email app off my phone this year, although I must admit I do check it through the browser once and a while.  I have also tried to do my prep for the next day at the building.  I have stayed a little later some nights, but when I go home it is off my plate.  I am able to dedicate time to my family and hobbies, which is recharging.

The second thing that is necessary is community and culture.  Encourage your colleagues to find time, even once a month to connect in a way that is not focused on the school day.  Go to a happy hour and learn about each other's lives outside of school.  A healthy village knows each other on a deeper level.

My third suggestion is to find a resource that will walk you through some self care.  Some of my favorite resources are below, in fact I have been going through a study of Onward with colleagues, and the connection has been great.

Take care of yourself friends.  You are the future of education and the new normal will be better than the old.  Stay strong.