Inspiration and resources for balance before burnout
Posts Tagged ‘balance’
MTA Summer Conference 2010
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010Just 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!
Monday, August 9th, 2010
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
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
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
The Whole Teacher TV – What are Balance Reserves
Tuesday, July 13th, 2010
Whole Teacher TV
Tuesday, July 13th, 2010
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!
5 ways to build Balance Reserves into your daily life
Monday, January 11th, 2010
The Whole Teacher Daily Planner & Workbook is here!
Monday, December 28th, 2009I am so thrilled to announce the arrival of The Whole Teacher Daily Planner & Workbook!
I have had a vision of a tool to help teachers build balance and into their daily lives and it has finally come true. It is a culmination of the best tools I have been using with teachers to help them beat teacher stress and puts it all into one neat package.
Check out the video I created below, and don’t hesitate to let me know what you think. Please feel free to share with all the teachers you know.
The planner itself is on sale at http://wholeteacher.com/store. Check it out!
The Simplest Balance Reserves
Monday, August 10th, 2009
The best six doctors anywhere
And no one can deny it
Are sunshine, water, rest, and air
Exercise and diet.
These six will gladly you attend
If only you are willing
Your mind they'll ease
Your will they'll mend
And charge you not a shilling.
I had an amazing time sharing The Whole Teacher with some truly special educators at the MTA Summer Conference at Williams College in Williamstown, MA. I am so grateful to each of those who chose to attend the first session of the final day of the conference ... especially considering the weather was perfect and it was, after all, the morning after "The Bash".
Thank you to each of you for sharing, brainstorming and offering such heartfelt support to your fellow teachers. I came across this poem this morning. It seems to embody the true meaning of the Balance Before Burnout Reserves and simplifies them beautifully!
Enjoy the final weeks of summer! This is when the "sunshine, water, rest and air; exercise and diet," are most easily found. Keep checking in The Whole Teacher for help finding them throughout your school year when it's a bit more of a challenge!
The Rewards of Harmony
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009A choice that rewards you with a sense of harmony between yourself and what surrounds you reveals something you value. A choice that leaves you feeling empty, or worse — annoyed, resentful, sorrowlful — indicates you’re under the influence of something other than what truly matters. – from A Woman’s Guide to a Simpler Life by Andrea Van Steenhouse.
Wow! Why does this seem so simple yet so challenging? This month as I have been practicing simplifying and organizing my life, I have found that the first step for me has been rest and quiet. Last month after the hub-bub of the holidays I stepped out of the lime light of my business and withdrew to my comfy homelife.
In this quiet, I have been thinking about what is important to me. What I want to keep and what I must let go of. I have been able to begin little projects weeding and pruning by asking myself if they fit in harmony with my life.
This past month the landscape of my life changed drastically. My husband left his position at a bank to finally start his own business. It has been a wonderful and exciting time, yet shifted many family routines.
As I go through each day and make decisions on how to spend my time. I try to take the time to pause to ask myself if it fits in harmony with my new life. Our values are the same, yet the routines have changed, so I can’t take the outcomes of my decisions for granted. It is a whole new playing field.
This was terrifying at first, but now I am enjoying the change that was made to fit our values. He’s closer to home, doing what he loves, and even though he works most weekends, the times we are together as a couple or a family are more precious, because we appreciate them. I believe because he is following his own calling he has more love and energy to give us.
Silent Night, Holy @%&*! The Oven Is On Fire
Sunday, November 30th, 2008Tonight I have been working on the December issue of The Whole Teacher e-newsletter and writing about the Balance Before Burnout Reserve for this month – Silence. The articles are written but there is editing and loose ends that must be completed before the Tuesday publish date. My husband is gone for the night and I set aside some time to spend the quiet evening on my writing.
The irony is that at this moment my reality is anything but silent. The fan on the stove is now set to hyper boost as I bake cupcakes for my youngest who turned 9 today to bring to school tomorrow. I am trying to clear out a house full of smoke from the fire caused from drippings of the flan I baked earlier with my older son for his Spanish class . "La comida esta en fuego!"
The dishwasher is humming with it’s second load of dishes from the family party we had last night. And in the midst of this, I am attempting to write about the importance of finding a "piece of quiet" when the post I am working on disappears into thin air. It is at this point when the little voice of my inner critic begins asking me "Who do you think you are?" as I attempt to finish the work I had planned for my own business this"quiet" evening (and check the oven once more for flames). It’s funny how I have no problem hearing him over the roar of kitchen appliances.
I could listen to this voice. I am tired and beat from a weekend of "busyness", but I know exactly why I am the person to do this job. I know why I have worked so hard to make The Whole Teacher a reality. I know how much time teachers put into their work. I know how hard it is to do it all. I know first hand how our best laid plans often fall to the wayside (or up in flames). I know how we often put ourselves last on our list, and I know how much we crave a group of like-minded people to support us as we try to be the best for our students.
Therefore I choose to look at the lesson and try to find the humor in the situation. There are many parts of life we can’t control, but it’s only what we make of it. We all have this inner critic’s voice inside of us. The stressors are inevitable, but we must build our resilience by taking care of ourselves and building reserves of what we need most. Right now I need to finish my baking, close up the windows, and head upstairs to a quiet candle-lit bedroom (better yet let’s forget the candle) and follow my own advice for silence. Who knows what inspiration will come when I take the time to listen?
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