Checking In With Yourself

 As September winds down, it feels like we are into the rhythm of school and routine again. I have been reflecting on my fall so far and this school year has started very differently for me. In the classroom, it may look similar, but internally there is a change. 

I am noticing that as I have set up boundaries for myself, it is changing a lot. I used to struggle with insomnia and would wake up at 2:30 or 3:00 am and start working on lesson plans. I always felt busy and like I had a million things to do. Internally I felt frenetic. I now have more space to breath, to think about what I am doing, and to be more intentional about how I spend my time and effort. 

Deciding not to take work home with me has changed a lot. If I am not working on school at home, I don't have an urgency to get up and get things done. I am taking time to walk with my husband. I am reading. I am able to enjoy downtime. 

I used to fear that I would never get things done if I paused or took a break. The reality is I am more productive when I do work after taking a break. I still have To Do lists and I love my post-its, but I am finding that I am approaching the work differently, more calmly and intentionally. As I do that, there is peace. I can think more clearly.

September is always busy with adjusting to a new schedule, having school obligations for myself and my family, and getting back into the swing of routines. This September has been different and I like the difference. I am proud of the growth I have found and am committing to continuing to grow in this area.

How has your September gone? Do you need a rest for October or are you working to continue what you've started?

Tolerating Differences is a way to show Respect

 It's that time of the school year when we are settling into routines. The kids know what to do, we are finishing up beginning of the year benchmark testing, and small groups start this week. I love this time of year! Everything starts to click.

As my students are starting to get into working independently, I have noticed that they are starting to show some annoyance towards others who work differently than they do. Humming is distracting. Moving around is hard to take. Or even, how someone does their work is annoying. 

Each and every student is different, just like every human begin is different. They have their interests, their preferences and their own unique learning style. As a teacher, my goal is to discover each unique style and try to support my students. One area I am seeing a need is to tolerate different learning styles and even interests in the classroom. We are different and we want to honor that difference. This really is a form of respect. 

I developed a lesson to specifically address this issue in my classroom and support my students as we look at ways to respond to differences in a respectful way. If you are interested, check it out on TPT here.

I have an amazing class. They are great, really. I believe that children, and frankly many adults, need to be taught how to show respect. It is hard when others are different. It can be annoying. My lesson focuses specifically on different interests and independent learning styles because that is what my students need developmentally and what is relevant in my classroom right now. This is a smaller lesson that we will build on and refer back to throughout the year. 

Some life skills need to be drawn out and taught directly. Often with the age group I work with, they do not realize that they are being disrespectful. They also need to be shown coping strategies and given opportunities to practice using them. That will be our focus this week. Tolerating differences is so important in the classroom. We all deserve respect. 

How Are You Doing? Really?

 Last night was Open House at my school. It is a busy time where parents can get information about what we will be learning, sign up for conferences and kids can show their families around the classroom and the school. It is a whirlwind, but is a great time to see parents and connect briefly.

I had a great turnout last night. All of my students came with family. A few parents had other engagements so they sent another family member. This is great to see the commitment and I believe strongly in the home-school connection.

As I was chatting with a parent last night, he asked me how everything was going for his son. Then he asked, "How are you doing? Really?" This was such a thoughtful question and a question that I have never been asked by a parent before. I could honestly say I am doing great. I'm enjoying the kids and am falling in love with teaching again after a very trying year last year.

After the evening was over, that question really struck me. I reflected on how often teachers are not asked that question. There are many messages about self-care and checking in with yourself. Sometimes people do say it, "How are you doing?" "How is everything going?" "Do you need anything?" But, there is a marked difference in someone saying the words and someone truly wanting to know the answer. I could tell this parent was interested in how I was doing. That was really powerful.

How are you doing? Really? 

Making Adjustments Each Time

I am a seasoned teacher. I've been doing this for a while. Though I have taught the same curriculum for years, each time I teach a lesson, it is different. Even if I am using the exact same plan or the same materials. The reason I change things is that the students I have in front of me today are different than the students I had before. Each student, each class, has a different set of strengths, interests, needs and as educators we must adapt to them. 

Sometimes adaptations may be providing a rephrasing or additional support. Sometimes it looks like changing things by providing supportive lessons leading up to the lesson. It could also be adjusting the examples, groupings, or timing. The reality is the students I am teaching now are very different than the students I taught when I first started teaching. The world has changed, technology and access to technology is different. We must adjust or we won't be able to meet the needs of our students.

I know there are some teachers who have been doing the exact same thing for years upon years. While it may sound easy, it isn't effective. I have experienced this as a parent and know how frustrating it can be for students. We need to be reflective of what we are teaching, why we are teaching it and how we can make it most applicable for students. Do we need to completely overhaul everything we do? Sometimes yes, but in many cases no. We do need to approach our work with curiosity and a willingness to make adjustments. Not only is this part of learning for everyone, but also I believe it is a loving approach to our students. 

Social Emotional Learning

 SEL, or Social and emotional learning, is widely spoken about in education. CASEL defines it as “SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.” (https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/)

There are many SEL programs and initiatives in schools because it is so important. In fact, I think it might be the most important aspect of education and the greatest gift I can give my students. SEL transcends a program. I believe it is an approach and is infused in everything we do. How I respond to a student, providing feedback and coaching as they work through problems or interact with peers, what the environment feels like, and what is expected in the classroom are all aspects of SEL. 

These skills and strategies are both in the fabric of the classroom and also need to be explicitly taught. Everyone picks up on skills differently and each child comes with different background knowledge and experiences. Specific skills should be taught directly and then reinforced throughout the day and school year. Programs help give a framework of what is developmentally appropriate and what to teach students. I also think looking at the needs of your class and responding accordingly is crucial to be effective.

Last year, I really felt the effects of the pandemic with my class. They were in kindergarten in 2020 when we went remote and then in 1st grade they were in small cohorts that did not interact with other cohorts. Therefore some social skills and even knowing how to play with other children was lacking. I had to develop discussions, lessons and reinforce skills that I hadn’t in prior years. This was pretty intense last fall, but I saw significant growth in the class over time. 

I am passionate about SEL. Prior to the shutdown with the pandemic, I had been working with a friend to develop an after school SEL club. I also love learning more and trying new strategies with my students. One daily portion of our day is the Morning Meeting. We take about 10-15 minutes to sit on the carpet together to greet each other (every child’s name is said and has a chance to speak). We discuss whatever concept we are focusing on based on our school’s SEL program 2nd Step. I also like to incorporate movement and we have a poll of the day where kids get to share their preferences for the given questions. This time each morning is a way to connect and build community. It is also a time to discuss social skills or strategies. I have been consistently doing Morning Meeting for the last 2 years and have seen how important 10 minutes a day can be.

In addition to Morning Meeting, I also take time to explicitly teach SEL skills. These lessons I’ve developed based on what I’ve learned from my own mental health, self-care journey and what I have seen students need over my time teaching. 

SEL is not a phase. It’s not an initiative that will go away. As I said, I believe it is the most important aspect of education as we are truly teaching life skills. An added bonus is as we teach our own students these skills and apply them ourselves, it is a way to foster our own growth.

Sharing Positive Feedback

In education, it is very important to provide students with feedback. It helps students course correct. It guides and shapes learning. I would say, almost  all students I encounter respond very well to positive feedback. It can be difficult to receive correction, but hearing they are doing a great job or being praised for demonstrating what I am looking for is very motivating for students. Especially 2nd graders!

Let’s be honest, it’s very motivating for adults as well, and this isn’t just in education. Sometimes we are working hard, trying to do our very best, yet we wonder if it is enough. Or if anyone notices. I spend a lot of time and energy trying to build my students up and give positive feedback throughout the day, every day. I don’t often think about the impact of positive feedback on myself. 

Yet at the end of last week, I received a very positive message from a parent on Class Dojo. This is the communication platform I use to share news, pictures and message with parents and guardians. It was a quick note saying thank you. Yet this brief interaction was so encouraging to me. It was a great way to end my first week of school. It also was a reminder that I too can communicate to others when I notice them making an impact. I want to be more mindful of this and express my gratitude to coworkers, my children’s teachers, family and friends. It’s amazing the impact one small note or kind word can make.

All About Me Bags

Every school year, I love to get to know students using a little project called Me Bags. I used to use a box, but regardless, students are given the task of finding 6-8 items that tell about themselves. They fill the bag and we take time for each student to share more about what they like, who is important to them, and some of their favorite things.

On the first day of school, I share my bag. I tell about my family, I talk about my interests, and some of my favorite things. As we establish relationships, I feel it is important to model being open and sharing with my students. I have learned how much students enjoy learning about their teachers. My students know my favorite animal is the giraffe and I love the color turquoise. Little things shared can start to build connections.

As each student shares, we as a class get to know them a little bit. What is their favorite game? Who is in their family? I have had students in the past who struggled not to bring their entire collection of toys because they were so excited to share. That is why I give them a small bag. :) They can include pictures or small objects and they have to be selective. 

This is a great opportunity to not only get to know each other, but also to practice speaking clearly and being active listeners. After a student shares, there is an opportunity for classmates to ask questions about what was shared. This is always a learning experience as we practice the skill of asking questions versus making statements. For example, “I have that same toy.” can be adjusted to “Who gave you that toy?” or “Why is that your favorite toy?” It is a way that I also like to establish a community of respect as we listen and respond to each other. This is one of my favorite things to do at the beginning of the school year! If you are interested in doing this with your class, check out my product here at TPT. This is a great activity to do at any point, not just the beginning of the year. It can also be used with clubs or groups as a way to learn about each other. 

Building Relationships in the Classroom

As a brand new school year begins this week, I am reminded of the importance of building relationships in the classroom. It is the bedrock of a classroom and I cannot say enough about how important it is. I believe that students cannot learn until they feel safe.There are a variety of things that play into how someone feels safe. Some aspects, we as teachers cannot control. Yet, in our classrooms, we truly set the stage for this. We can open doors to build relationships and establish trust.

Building relationships takes time. I feel that as a new school year begins, it is so important to spend the time establishing the routines and getting to know each other. This investment of time and energy will be crucial throughout the school year. Relationships are also unique and reciprocal. No one student is exactly like another, so it takes time to get to know individuals and to learn about each student. One of the aspects of elementary education that I love the most is that I have my students with me all day, so I do have the opportunity to really get to know them.

It is important to establish a climate of respect and security at the beginning of the year in order for relationships to grow and flourish. This is modeled by the teacher and then is transferred to students. Each member of the classroom community is important and plays a role. 

Relationships, like plants, take time to grow and need to be nurtured. My desire as a teacher is to establish an environment where each student can grow and flourish. Having strong, supportive relationships with my students is the fertile soil that gives students the opportunity to learn and grow. This week, as I meet my students and we kick off another school year, my main focus is to create a welcoming, safe environment and begin to build relationships with each student.

Personal Commitments this School Year

 Self-Care for teachers is no joke. In my experience, it is extremely easy to get fully invested in teaching. Thoughts about school interrupt other parts of your life. It’s hard to set things down and come back to them the next day. We are dealing with children’s lives.

But, when we are always working, always planning, creating, thinking about our students, worrying about things related to work, it can steal our joy. The joy of living our lives and even the joy of teaching. When I first started teaching, I was all in. I woke up early to plan and create lessons. I did things on nights and weekends. I am still all in, but it looks different now. 

What I have learned is that finding balance with work makes me a better teacher, a better mom and wife and frankly a better human being. Taking care of myself, having time to rest, and having fun all allow me to be a richer human being. I have learned that I function better and probably my teaching is more effective.

Finding balance and setting boundaries is extremely difficult for me. I always want to say yes. I want to be part of solutions. BUT always saying yes has a cost. This school year, I have made some agreements with myself. I am committed to keeping them, so I put together a visual reminder that I will post in my classroom and keep in my planner. There are some things I am committing to do. I will show up for my students and I will do my job to the best of my ability. I will take care of myself and also schedule my work so I can use my time wisely. There are other things I am committing to that I will not do. For example, I will not do anyone else’s job. Sadly, I have been an over-functioner and have found myself doing things other people should. No longer. I will not pretend I am okay when I am not. I am committing to myself to keep these boundaries this school year. 

If you are interested in doing the same, check out My Personal Agreements on TPT for free. I shared my own and a few different blank templates. I found the most powerful aspect of these agreements was to begin with my purpose. What am I made to do and what is my overall goal? This came out of years of work and reading through. If you want to know more, check out his book. You don’t have to have a huge purpose statement or be 100% sure of what you want for the rest of your life. Deciding what your goal or purpose is for the school year is a great starting point. Then find things that will help you focus on that goal. Knowing for you what will help you be successful and what will take away from your goal is a great starting point. 

If you are a brand new teacher or brand new to setting boundaries, it can be a bit overwhelming. I’ve been teaching for 20 years and I continue to grow and learn about how to do this. Don’t beat yourself up if you aren’t successful right out of the gate. We are all works in progress. I know I sure struggled with this last year, which is why I’m making my commitments more visual for myself. I also will check in with myself around the new year and see if there is anything I need to adjust. What I will say is that you deserve to decide for yourself what is important for you. Everyone, not just teachers, can benefit from setting boundaries and making personal commitments. I’d love to know what some of your commitments are for this year.