Inspiration and resources for balance before burnout
Posts Tagged ‘teacher’
Free Technology Resources
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009Wanted to pass along a link to a great downloadable resource and it’s free. If your like me you are constantly looking for how to use technology to enhance your teaching. Most of our students are way ahead of us, but edutopia.org offers some great advice on how to use it more effectively.
Here’s what they have to say about it:
"Full of succinct and practical ways to prepare our students for 21st-century success, this guide will educate and inspire
you to embrace the new-media frontier and embark on a new learning adventure. From “Breaking the Digital Ice” to
“Working Better, Together” each tip provides succinct and practical ways to turn your classroom into an environment
for learning with new media. And each tip includes a wealth of Web sites and additional resources to help you deliver
the relevant and meaningful education all students deserve."
7 resolutions for healthier eating to manage teacher stress
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
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
7 Colleagues Every Teacher Needs
Thursday, February 5th, 2009There’s a great article written by Lisa Earle McCLeod entitled 7 Friends Every Woman Needs. In it she address the 7 types of friends that are a must in every woman’s repetoire of gal pals. I love this article and everytime I read it I can go back through every one of my adult friendships and see the meaning and pupose in them.
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".
Those who think they have not time
Monday, January 19th, 2009Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.-Edward Stanly U.S. Congressman
These past few weeks have been terrible for illnesses here in New England. I made it through the holidays in one piece and then succumbed to an awful stomach bug just after returning from vacation. It was pathetic. I had important meetings at school and tried to push through it, but finally caved in and stayed home.
I know that when I get sick, it is when I have pushed myself to do too much. I stayed up too late, worried too much, and tried to pack too much in to one day. When I am well I can do this and be clear and strong, but I now know that living on adrenaline wears me down fast. But it’s the nature of the job, right?
I suppose, but it wasn’t ending at work. So now I am looking at what I can control and fitting in ways to process that adrenaline before the inevitable crash. The answers are not exciting or new, but basics that help me sustain myself so I can be there for myself and those who need me.
Action Steps:
Exercise - I’m building in a routine at least 3 days a week on the treadmill to start amping up the chemicals that help process the "fight or flight". Now a day when we feel threatened, are bodies get ready to go, but the stress comes and we no longer "run away". The chemicals for flight just build up and leave us feeling anxious. Best way to get through it is to walk or run.
Breathe – Yoga, singing, and meditation all are great ways to get the air flowing. Deep breathing helps get more oxygen through your body and to your brain, which also helps with stress. There is a great deal of research on breathing techniques. My first week back to school I was so busy that I noticed I was holding in my stomach and taking short breaths. Taking time for deep breathing when I feel myself holding it all in has helped to calm my thoughts.
Just say no – Before I take on something new, I check with how I am with adrenaline. If it’s going to get me too crazy I try to say no.
Time Management - Giving myself plenty of time to get things done, or to get to where I need to go, means I can do things without added stress. I used to say I worked better under pressure, but I realize the price I pay in the end isn’t worth the push of procrastination.
Limit the caffeine – I love my coffee in the morning and am not ready to give it up all the way, but I can listen to my body signals and stay away from sugary sodas for lunch. Protein and complex carbohydrates and plenty of fluids also help.
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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