A GROWING ISSUE
I started to write this post on July 19, 2020. As I sit here on a quiet, dreary October evening, I realize that I have managed to hold it together through the 1st Quarter. I read a few posts by Angela Watson the other night that really struck a cord with me. She has been my “cornerstone” and go-to person since I found her website about 10 years ago. I was beginning my career as a teacher and was searching for quality information that fit my pedagogical style. A few of her blog titles caught my eye. I was feeling hopeless the other night endlessly perusing the internet for nothing in particular. I was shocked when I came across a post from Angela saying she was taking a sabbatical. She didn’t know when she would be back officially, but committed to appearing again in 2021. My initial thought was shock, but then I thought “Good for her! I wish I was strong enough to do that right now.”
Then I realized that if I am going to survive this school year and remain in the teaching profession, I have to actively decide to practice self-care as well. Mine is going to look different, but that’s okay. I have been fighting a dreading sense of loss of normalcy in teaching and was able to read comments from other teachers around the world who are experiencing the same thing as me. Our profession can be a lonely one to begin with, but the current state of our world has exacerbated the loneliness and despair of what teaching has become.
Time has dredged on. Now I find myself sitting back down to write with two weeks to go until Thanksgiving. Where did the time go? Now, we are hearing word that we need to brace ourselves for the possibility of returning to remote teaching. Even though I’ve lost my excitement for the job at this time, I find myself enjoying those small moments of joy being with my students in the classroom. Knowing that I might not be able to help them in person soon makes my time with them now more important than ever. With all of the uncertainty happening around us, it is so important that we choose to live our days in a certain way. We must choose joy. We must choose what we can control and forget about what we cannot. We must choose to show up each day and give our students the best we can. This, my friends, is what grit is all about.
Our kids need us more than ever now. What will you do to help make that one child’s day a little better? What can you do better for your kids that requires grit from you?
CHOOSING TO CHANGE
Now that 2020 is behind us and as we are looking forward to a new year, new presidency, and a new way of doing things, I have to remind myself how lucky I am to work for a district that has allowed us grace while we figure it all out together. My to-do list still continues to be endless and I work to check off and cross off tasks, meetings, and responsibilities. I found myself needing something more – a balance that worked for me and my lifestyle. I’ve been teaching for 7 years and I feel like I have earned my right to have a better work/life balance. My mindset has to change because that should be something that everyone strives for instead of earning your right to it.
Our literacy coach/3rd grade teacher (she was put back into the classroom to support our need for an added 3rd grade section) offers book studies for those who are interested. The title of this month’s book – “Balance Like a Pirate: Going Beyond Work-Life Balance to Ignite Passion and Thrive as an Educator” by Jessica Cabeen, Jessica Johnson, and Sarah Johnson. I didn’t hesitate to sign up for this group, knowing that this is probably exactly what I needed right now. We are two weeks into discovering our four quadrants in life and what fuels us as educators. I’m excited to see what action plans we can come up with to help balance our lives professionally and personally. I have realized that this is part of the grit that I need to keep me going forward. I have to work on myself and really devote time to self-care instead of just talking about it. I NEED the balance, but I have to choose it and make changes to get there. It is a work in progress.
I feel that enough time has passed for us to be able to look at 2020 in hindsight, take stock and reflect upon what we learned during that time, and forge a path for moving forward that gives us balance in our lives as teachers while nurturing our personal lives as well. So, when we are facing the unknown, let’s find grit in these uncertain times for our students, our families, and ourselves. Find one thing you can do to persevere through these times and make it a habit or part of your daily routine.
