Do you ever enter a moment of mental paralysis the moment you realize that your summer break has come to an end? Do you enter panic mode when trading in your days at the beach for the classroom? Well for anyone in the teaching profession, it can be quite daunting to shift course and prepare for a new school year. However, there are steps you can take to ease your transition.
Step 1: Keep a positive outlook.
I know what you’re thinking…easier said than done. However, in order to move forward it’s imperative to put your best foot forward. Think about those things that bring about joy this time of year. Whether it’s seeing your co-workers again, decorating your classroom, or developing exciting lesson plans – it’s the small things that can adjust our mood. Therefore, be mindful every single day. Those “little wins” go a long way in bringing happiness and excitement to the job.
Step 2: Get your To Do list ready.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed with all the tasks that need to be done before students enter the classroom. It seems like educators are tasked with learning and doing so much that it makes it difficult to stay focused. Therefore, keeping a calendar, checklist, or good old notebook to jot down all your to-dos, is essential and will prove handy in keeping you organized. It will allow for you to also prioritize those tasks that are most important and keep manageable deadlines.
Step 3: Respect your time.
Being a great educator means not only having a plan for success but making the best use of your time in the process. It’s not necessary to “reinvent the wheel” year in and year out. If you’re teaching the same grade level and or courses, reuse those lessons that worked well in the past. Or tweak those activities that had great potential and when possible, work with your fellow teachers and slit up tasks. Gather resources from professional development classes or attended conferences. And yes, look for free or low-cost lessons on marketplaces like teacher blogs, TeachersPayTeachers (Tpt), or Etsy to name a few. In order to have a proper work/life balance its of great importance that you respect your time and demand others do the same.
Step 4: Take it one day at a time.
As they say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and thus hitting the pinnacle of the teaching profession will not happen overnight and that is okay! It’s easy to fall in the trap of thinking you’re not doing enough or pushing yourself hard enough. But the truth is that you have to take things one day at a time or the inevitable burn out will happen. Whether this is year 2 or 32 under your belt, take time for yourself and recognize when you’ve reached your daily limit. And lastly, don’t forget to simply enjoy the act of teaching others!