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!

A man may be a pessimistic determinist before lunch and an optimistic believer in the will's freedom after it.  ~Aldous Huxley

How true!  What you eat and when you eat it can have a tremendous effect on how you feel and how you are able to manage stress.  As teachers our time that we can eat is often dictated by our schedule, but that should not stop you from putting some very simple steps into place to maintain energy and patience throughout the school day.

Here are some simple tips you can put into place in order to eat healthier and feel better offered by friend and Registered Dietitian,  Nicole Cormier, RD, LDN:

1.  Have less than 12 grams of added sugar per day.

2. Drink more than 64 oz. of water per day.

3. Eat more than 5 full cups of vegetables and fruits per day.

4.  Eat a lean protein at most of your meals.

5.  Move at least 30 minutes per day.

6.  Keep a food journal.

7.  Portion out your proteins at least once a week.

For more information about these "Resolutions"  and some great workshops offered by Nicole please check out her site at www.deliciouslivingnutrition.com

There are many ways our students help us to keep our passion.  Their passion and perserveranceare often what keep us working on inspiring them to be excited about their learning.  The following website is an example of how they often do this with humor.

The answers to the questions on essays, tests, and quizes may not always be correct, but they are quite often humorous!

Check out http://www.adprima.com/humor.htm for some histerical student responses. 

I am sure many of you could add to the list. 

What’s your funniest student story or response? 

In  October’s Whole Teacher Tidbots I suggested you spend more time with people who lift your spirits.  One of the characteristics that is often associated  with burnout is negative talk.

We all know someone who is challenging to be around because they are constantly complaining about how bad things are.  Sometimes it feels as though they could suck the life out of the room.  There is a very fine line between venting and just out right complaining.

Complaining can become a bad habit and seems to breed more negativity, as we seek proof to validate how bad we says thing are.  Remember we spoke of 100% responsibility in the last blog?  Complainers play a very real part in creating their own reality.

Next time you’re met with a difficult or frustrating situation, instead of complaining, try putting on your "suit of armor".  Finding humor in a situation will quickly shift your energy, and often improve the outcome.  It will also attract others who are looking for the positive.

Be the change you are looking for!

Preparing for back to school means a fresh start with organizing the mountain of paperwork we know is inevitable.  There are a variety of systems we can use to help tame the paperwork we are inundated with at school. 

One system to explore is a binder system.  Keep your three-hole punch close at hand and organize your paperwork into known categories.  Binders are great for papers you will need to keep for a while, want on your finger tips, prefer to keep in chronological order, or keep by student or topic.  A benefit of the binder system versus a regular file folder is this added protection, and consistent order.  They also can bee easily stored and look better on your shelf or desk than a file overflowing with mix-matched papers.

So, what are some areas of paperwork that would be best organized with a binder system?  Here are a few:

Student/Parent contact information and Log – Important phone numbers, etc together with contact log and pockets for notes.  One cover sheet with one pocket per student in alphabetical order for easy access.

Classroom procedures or sample lessons  for Substitutes

Homework binder – organize by subject if necessary, separate by date with post it or colored sheet.  As homework is passed out to students a student helper could put an extra copy in this binder for future reference and absent students.

Subject notebooks – a safe place to keep resources for specific lessons or subjects to alleviate researching the topic the next year.

Office notices and protocol – Keep important papers from administration and meetings in chronological order for quick reference.

Professional Development – Paper work on completed courses with a section for your plan.

What else could go in a binder?  Please comment below and share with others.  Best of luck preparing for a successful new year!

Your Wise One can help by listening to you, offering suggestions, or just supporting you.  In our guidance office we have 2 women who will be retiring at the end of this year.  They have been amazing mentor’s for myself and the other 2 counselors who also started the same year.  One thing I truly appreciate is that when things have gotten really tough and overwhelming and I feel like I can’t keep up, they often are feeling the same way and this validates the fact that sometimes the job is just tough and that I don’t need to be so self critical. 

A  mentor can help with learning the ropes of a specific subject or the social constructs of your school.  In addition to receiving help from your wise one you may also be offering the new perspective of the Fresh Colleague.  In a few days I’ll share about the importance of someone "fresher" than you.

In this month of building the Balance Reserve of Meaningful Connections, I suggest we reframe this and look for the variety of relationships we have at school.  Who are the 7 Colleagues Every Teacher Needs?  I’ve borrowed some of the titles, but let’s see how they fit in at school. Here’s the first:

1.  The in-the-trenches-with-you Colleague -

This person is usually right next door to your classroom.  They are extremely important when you can’t wait for your planning time to take a potty break, when you need a time-out for a student or yourself or just an ear to listen to your story at the end of the day. 

Teaching can be isolating, but strong bonds are formed by geography.  These are the colleagues who best know your daily routines.  They  witness your good days, and are the most likely to hear through the walls on your rough days and vice versa.  They tend to teach the same grade level as you and are an amazing resource to help alleviate re-inventing the wheel.

Do you need more crayons?  Have you run out of glue, or staples?  Need a great lesson for teaching Egypt?  These are the colleagues we turn to the most during our school day. 

My last year in the classroom I developed a very close relationship with the woman who taught next to me.  Every morning we shared a routine of relaxing music while we both checked emails.  We each sipped our coffee and reflected on the previous day, while getting ready for the present.  I made sure I was prepared for the next day the night before, so I could enjoy the morning "socializing".  I felt that "adult" time helped me set the stage for a day full of "children". 

Who are your in-the trenches-colleagues?  What do they add to your day?  Post a comment below.  Tune in in a few days for "The Wise One".