Do Something, Teach

Morale boosts for teachers can be hard to come by.  Hopefully this message will help you avoid teacher burnout, re-discover the passion of teaching, and remember that teachers like you are important.  Every something an educator does is important. Don't quit on teaching.  Don't give up on teaching.  YOU ARE IMPORTANT!

One of the most significant challenges of teaching is that we are given an impossible task. We can't get every kid to reach every benchmark every time.  We can't wave a magic wand and change students' home lives.  We can't teach kids to read overnight.  We can't please every colleague and every parent and every student.  We can't make learning exciting and meaningful and simultaneously prepare students for high stakes tests. . .We simply can't do everything--yet we are expected to--and that's one reason it's often frustrating to be an educator.  It's kind of like being a police officer; police officers are given an impossible task--to take every criminal off the street--but in reality, we all know that's impossible. Similarly, us educators are asked to do the impossible.

This thought about teachers being like police brings me to my main quote for this post.  I enjoy watching police shows, and a little while back I was watching a favorite TV show of mine—Blue Bloods.  The fictional police commissioner of New York City is one of the main characters, and he was giving a speech after a major disappointment.  In this fictitious speech, he quoted a real author from the 1800s, Edward Everett Hale.  Hale stated in part, "I cannot do everything, but still I can do something, and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."

I absolutely love this concept!  Like the police commissioner, you can't do everything as a teacher. It may even feel hopeless to teach at times.  But don't despair!  You can do something.  Do not let the fact that you can't do everything stop you from doing what you can. Be a good influence on somebody.  Teach one standard perfectly.  Make one student love a topic.  Encourage a positive friendship.  Help one student learn to read a little better.  Teach one kid to say one nice thing. Show one kid there's hope for his future.  Focus on the something you can do--not the fact that you can't do everything perfectly.  Most importantly. . .

NEVER REFUSE TO DO THE LITTLE SOMETHINGS THAT YOU CAN DO!

I'm convinced that you can offer education many somethings that no one else has to offer.  In other words, never compromise your ability to do something good in the world just because you can't change the entire world.


On a side note, if you are looking for a great show to enjoy watching (or even "binging" on), I highly recommend Blue Bloods.  It's clean and entertaining--a combination hard to find in these days.  Check it out here:

 

If you are looking for more encouragment for teaching, you might enjoy my blog post about teacher dedication. (Click here to view it.) You might also enjoy just browsing my blog archive to read all the uplifting messages

As always, hang in there, Teach!
Happy Teaching,
Frank

P.S. If you enjoyed this content, you can receive each post I publish by filling in the "follow by email" box at the top right (on the desktop version of the site)

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Notice the Happiness, Teach!

How can I be happy as a teacher?  What a loaded question!  It can be hard to keep up the passion and energy as an educator.  The constant demands from admin, parents, and so many others can be overwhelming.  To help you rediscover your motivation for teaching, here is today's tip for finding that elusive happiness as an educator: Notice the happiness.

It sounds obvious, but it's far too easy to overlook.  Even in the worst circumstances, there's something good to be found if we pause to notice it. As abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher observed "The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things." Do you notice when a student does something cute or hilarious or when some other good thing happens at school?  Do you take time to pause in gratitude or laughter in those little moments?

For example, today we practiced a school music program.  I gave the kids a pep talk about working hard for the music leader.  I told them that it's important to do what the music leader says--even if you don't particularly love dancing. When we arrived for school-wide practice, the music leader asked the teachers to join in the dance!  I am a terrible dancer, but I had to "man up" and set the example for the kids by diving in and trying.  After my terrible dancing...and I mean TERRIBLE...I found the note below on my desk after school.

I took a moment in laughter and gratitude after reading this note.  As educators, we constantly need to remind ourselves to pause and enjoy.  It helps significantly in avoiding teacher burnout.

If you are looking for more encouragment for teaching, you might enjoy my blog post about how the earth's fate rests in your hands.  (Click here to view it.)  You might also enjoy just browsing my blog archive to read all the uplifting messages.

Below I've posted links to two amazing products that have helped me be happy in teaching.  One is a decoration of Henry Ward Beecher's insightful quote, and the other is a journaling book for teachers.  I highly recommend each, but I can especially vouch for the power of that little book.  It really helped me "extract happiness" from the common situations in my classroom.  If you decide to order either, please do so from the link below since I get a small commission from each order.

As always, hang in there, Teach!
Happy Teaching,
Frank

P.S. If you enjoyed this content, you can receive each post I publish by filling in the "follow by email" box at the top right (on the desktop version of the site)

(Click to see the resources I've created)

Laugh, Teach!

How to avoid teacher burnout. . .LAUGH!  An important part of teacher morale is staying healthy emotionally, and an important part of staying healthy emotionally is laughing.  Everyone needs to laugh--especially us educators.  Education is a stressful occupation, and teachers need a way to relieve the stress of teaching.  The video below is from a former high school teacher who became a comedian, and I find it hilarious!  He demonstrates some of the comedy about our daily dramas in the classroom.  I hope you enjoy it.

If you're looking for a reminder to laugh daily about the hazards of teaching, please check out the amazon link below for an inexpensive desk calendar of daily comic relief for teachers.  Your sanity is well worth a few dollars!  If you do purchase a cartoon teaching calendar, I'd appreciate it if you get it from the link below--as I get a very small commission off of each sale.  Thanks.

If you're looking for more great tips on avoiding teacher burnout, check out my blog post on connecting with students by clicking here--or simply browse the archive of my blog for more educator inspiration as well as tips to avoid teacher burnout.

Be sure to laugh today about our amazing--yet crazy--teaching occupation!

As always, hang in there, Teach!
Happy Teaching,
Frank

P.S. If you enjoyed this content, you can receive each post I publish by putting your email in the "follow by email" box at the right (if you're viewing this on a computer screen).

(Click to see the resources I've created)

The Earth's Fate is in Your Hands, Teach!

2. Helen Caldicott is a famous Australian scientist, author, doctor, and peace activist.  She said, “Teachers, I believe, are the most responsible and important members of society because their professional efforts affect the fate of the earth.”  (Quote from http://www.helencaldicott.com/fate-of-the-earth/)   
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4. In a way, the fate of the world rests in the hands of us educators, as she states.  Teachers, your work is not meanial, and you can do it! Carry on impacting the fate of the earth! 
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6. As always, hang in there, Teach!
   Happy Teaching,
   Frank

(Click to see the resources I've created)