Inspiration and resources for balance before burnout

Let’s get started adding space!

Posted By Melissa

In my last blog entry I chose a Balance Reserve I wanted to build up and examined my "why".  I chose space and looked at some personal reasons it was so important.  I hope you had time to do this for yourself.  If not, please take a look at the last entry before we continue.

The next step to building my Balance Reserve of "Space" is to brainstorm  ways I will build this reserve?

Ways to build my reserves of space:

At school:

• Weed out file drawer of reference files
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• Organize student files and file student paperwork
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• Clean out desk drawers and toss broken pens, pencils, etc.
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• Organize bookshelf
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• Clear out "working file" holder on desk and file those no longer of timely use in file drawer
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At Home:

• Clean out bathroom cabinets and toss expired and old shampoos and toiletries
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• Organize cleaning materials in closet
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• Remove everything from home office that does not belong there
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• Bring all office materials, books, files etc down stairs
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• Weed out (Recycle, donate or toss) all unwanted materials from home office
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• Make a plan for where things belong in office
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• Only put back wanted materials
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• Invite someone to help. (will make it less overwhelming and fun.  Exchange for a room in their home)
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• Donate children's table and chair set
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• Weed out toy boxes

Now its your turn:

So, what was the Balance Reserve you chose.  What will you do to build up this reserve?

Next step is to move these to a planner page and set a date to complete them.  

I will be sharing this process as I go along so please stay tuned and keep reading.  

Let’s begin the journey to “Balance Before Burnout” by adding “Space”

Posted By Melissa

Step One:  Choose your Balance Reserve for the month

One of the biggest energy zappers at home and at school is clutter.

Therefore, my first Balance Reserve for the year is "space".  This month I will be focusing not only on creating physical space, but also adding space into my schedule.  I truly believe it is important to let go of the old in order to attract the new.  We need to remove what is not supporting our values and goals in order to create positive results in our life.

Step two:  What's your "WHY"?

As I re-energize and refocus myself, I know that I first need to find my "why" for making the changes.  It is helpful to clarify what's important ahead of time, so I can decide what to let go of and what to keep, based on my priorities.  Without a clear "why" I will have a difficult time saying "no" or "yes.  Without a "why" it is much easier to give up when things get difficult. I have chosen to focus on 3 that are important to me as I weed out my "stuff" and my "time".

The first priority for me is family, second is my business and school life, and finally my inner peace and spirituality.  Space is very important for me to be able to flourish in all three of these areas.  

As far as my family, I know that clean open spaces and free time together is important. This gives us the opportunity and space to use our time together in meaningful and memorable ways.  

In my business, organized and open physical space is important in fostering my creativity and the organization of materials and paperwork.  The open space in my calendar is also imperative for creating and communicating with my clients.  

And finally, in regards to my inner peace and spirituality I have found that quiet time in prayer or meditation is very powerful, especially after a very full week running on adrenalin as a mom and counselor of teenagers.  I also feel rejuvenated spending time in clear open spaces.

Take time now to complete these first two steps for yourself.

1.  Choose you Balance Reserve.

2.   Find your "WHY".

Join me next time as I brainstorm ways that I can build reserves of "Space" into my daily life.  This is the next step to building "Balance Before Burnout" using The Whole Teacher Planer & Workbook.

Brockton Public Schools Succeed

Posted By Melissa

The NY Times publish a fantastic article highlighting the success of Brockton High School.  Check it out here. 

The time couldn't have been better, considering the release of  "Waiting for Superman", to show an educational success story.

I have been working in The Brockton Public schools for the last ten years and am well aware how much each teacher, all the way down to kindergarten, has influenced the success of our students.

When people hear I work at Brockton High School, they often look at me and respond with some variation of "Oh, Brockton … that must be tough."  In some ways it is, but not for the reasons they think.  It is challenging, because not a moment goes by in our day when we are not focusing on the success of our students and proving all the doubters wrong.

If I were to share some secrets to our success I would say the same things that were shared in the article … everyone, no matter their subject matter or grade level, has focused on academic success.  Our school-wide initiatives have meant that each of us, including guidance counselors and physical education teachers, are utilizing the same literacy and problem solving strategies and lessons as the rest of the school.  We are all on the same page and showing our students, not only that the strategies are relevant to all areas of their life and learning, but also that we all have an interest in their success and learning.

I was so proud to read this article and look at the pictures of our students, and  in my heart I know that I am very lucky to be a part of something very special!

October’s Expert Call – Danny Koefke author of “How to Survive (& perhaps thrive) on a Teacher’s Salary

Posted By Melissa

The Whole Teacher Institute of Balance & Wellness is launching on September first and part of your membership includes 2 calls a month and their recordings posted in our membership forum.

I am so excited to announce the first "Expert", Danny Koefke.

Danny Kofke is currently a special education teacher in Georgia.  He has also taught kindergarten and first grade before moving into special education.  Danny's love of teaching others and finances led him to write the book "How To Survive (and perhaps thrive) On A Teacher's Salary." 

Danny has been been featured in a number of publications including USA Weekend, PARADE, Yahoo Finance, Instructor Magazine, AOL.com, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, CBS MoneyWatch.com, FoxBusiness.com, The Wall Street Journal, ABCNews.com, Consumer's Digest, Bottom Line Personal, Your Family Today and The Huffington Post.  He has also been interviewed on over 100 radio shows and on numerous televisionshows including The 700 Club, Fox & Friends, CNN, The Clark Howard Show, MSNBC, Good Day Atlanta andThe Daily Buzz.
 

Many people think that figuring out financial matters and investing are difficult and are intimidated by it.  Danny wants to show others that if this school teacher can figure it out then they can too.

To learn more about Danny visit www.dannykofke.blogspot.com. 

MTA Summer Conference 2010

Posted By Melissa

Just finished my presentation to 20 amazing educators at the MTA Summer Conference 2010 here in WIlliamstown, MA.  I wish I could put into words how energized and blessed I feel after working with such an amazing group of educators.  I love what I do!

We were able to use our time together to really get into examining what are our top teacher stressors and what do we need to do to set ourselves on a path to wellness and balance.  I was pleased by not only the quantity but also the quality of the actions steps that were created from this group in such a short time.

I love this venue because the group is always diverse, positive, and supportive of each other.  It reminds me of why I am doing what I do.  Thanks to each of the participants for sharing 3 hours of your busy schedule with me.  I love being able to hear your experiences and see the sparks as you join me on the journey to balance before burnout!

Williamstown here I come!

Posted By Melissa

Tomorrow morning I make the pilgrimage with many other Massachusetts teachers to WiIlliamstown, MA  for my second year at The Massachusetts Teachers Association Summer conference 2010 being held at Williams College.

I am excited to be presenting Balance Before Burnout:  Make a plan to beat stress which is the course that explains the basics in regards to teacher stress and the Balance Reserves that are truly the backbone of The Whole Teacher.

After attending last year I am looking forward to meeting more fellow educators that amaze me with their professionalism and passion.  I loved connecting with people from across the state.  I am also looking forward to the quality workshops which I know I will give me nuggets of information to help me start the school year off strong.  I also am anxious to walk around the perfectly "New England" town of WIlliamstown and poke my head into the variety of shops, theaters, and museums (of few of which are free).

But most of all I am looking forward to a piece of quiet alone in my dorm room where I will have some free time to continue working on some exciting changes coming to The Whole Teacher.  I have a big vision for The Whole Teacher and the pieces are definitely coming together.  I promise that when I return I will be sharing some more details on what's to come and what it means for you.

I will be blogging from the conference so keep an eye out tomorrow and see what tips I have picked up throughout the day.  Who knows?  Maybe I'll even film the next video edition of The Whole Teacher TV from the WIlliams College Campus.  Until then … adios.

The “weekend” we call summer vacation.

Posted By Melissa

The rhythm of the weekend, with its birth, its planned gaieties, and its announced end, followed the rhythm of life and was a substitute for it.  ~F. Scott Fitzgerald

I was out at the beach spending a few hours in the glorious sunshine with a friend from school today when she introduced me to a family friend who also is a teacher.  When asked about how her summer vacation was going she took that common deep breath, and replied with how summer was like the weekend.

She went on to explain how June is like Friday, July is like Saturday and August is so Sunday.  This was perfect!

In June we are finishing our school year and excited for the possibilities the "weekend" has to offer.  We are often exhausted from a long and tiring"work week", but feel we must start the "weekend"off with a bang.

This takes us into July, the Saturday of summer.  We have trouble getting anything done first thing.  We are happy to laze around and follow our own inner time clock.  Some of us are up with the sun, using every waking moment to get things done, while others like to sleep late, lounge around, and refresh.  Monday seems so far away until August sneaks up on us.

August is the Sunday of summer vacation.  We remember what we planned on getting done and make preparations for the coming "work week".  There is often a bit of sadness and often denial that comes as the "day" progresses,that is mixed with the excitement of the potential of a fresh start.

How do we use this "Sunday" to prepare for the coming school year?

• If you've been working or just very busy during your summer, be sure to use some time for a day of rest.  Our quiet time alone helps us to hear what our inner self needs.  It is also a great way to spark our creativity as we get ready to plan.

• Clear some space for the new.  If July was all about the fun, now is the time to do a little work on clearing out the old that wasn't serving your purpose.  This might mean physically clearing out the old papers, old books or junk.  It might also mean clearing out duties that consume your time, but don't match you values or vision.  And it also might mean taking care of the little things that have been bugging you, like a leaky faucet, a messy trunk, or a broken drawer.  Little things like these zap our energy.

• Sundays are the time to look at the week ahead and iron our clothes, pack our lunches, etc.  In August it's time to make sure we have what we need to begin the year successfully.  Stock up on supplies, write out new habits you'd like to start, and organize your supplies, clothing, and daily resources so the new routine runs smoothly.

• Breathe.  If the end of summer is a difficult transition for you, please try to remember that while we can't control everything, we can do a great deal to create the autumn of your dreams.  What can you do to add pleasure to your fall routine.  Where can you set boundaries and find more time for you?  Take control and be a life creator!  Don't let the rest of the world decide your life for you.

Whole Teacher TV – The “What” & “Who” of The Whole Teacher

Posted By Melissa

The Whole Teacher TV – What are Balance Reserves

Posted By Melissa

Whole Teacher TV

Posted By Melissa

Just shot first video to post on you tube for The Whole Teacher!  What a leap!  It was a bit challenging to put myself out there like this, but I truly believe in sharing my passion and helping as many teachers as possible keep theirs.

Just as our students have different learning styles, I recognize that so do we.  The videos are another format that you can access for support and resources to help you to build balance before burnout.

Look for them to be posted soon here on my blog and check them out on YouTube.  I have plans of weekly short bits that continue building on the subject matter of teacher wellness and working on helping "The Whole Teacher"  "the whole you", so that you are better able to help your students and school.

Enjoy!