Wisdom for people in the teaching profession...

Last week of school excitement!

So, I have been teaching for quite awhile, and it just never gets old. I am always trying new things, and this keeps me relevant and energized.

My fellow teachers, I must offer this piece of advice... If you want to stay in this profession for quite awhile.... Please, please, please use the time that you have at school wisely so that you can fully enjoy and be present in the other parts of your life.

I LOVE my life outside of school, and nothing brings me more joy than traveling, cycling, hanging out, being with people, working out, reading... So, I have learned to work at work, and leave work at work... I seldom talk about my job when I am not at work. It's part of my life, but it is definitely not the majority of my life.

Teaching is a very taxing job. I think that most teachers get use to the stress, and we handle it so well until, we oftentimes forget how stressful it is. However, it does come with its stresses, and that is why we must be able to compartmentalize it and not allow the job to take over our entire lives.

I am fortunate to be in a school that does not use my planning time for duties or meetings, and I can actually work during my plannings, and I do. Yea, it's ok to socialize a little at work, but remember that if you like the people whom you work with, you can consider socializing with them after school and use the time at school to work.

Summer! Yes, summers can be glorious if you are a teacher. However, I know that there are teachers who must teach summer school or do other jobs. However, if you can make the time to unplug from the job: no emails, no talking to teachers about the job etc., I promise your body will Thank You for it!

I have taught summer school before and have done other jobs during the summer, but now I make conscious decisions to do things that I know that I will enjoy, and I try and get paid to do those things.

For instance, this summer I am going to spend three weeks at Colgate University studying Abolitionism and The Underground Railroad, a topic that I just love. I applied to attend this seminar through The National Endowment for the Humanities, and I get paid to go. Yes, I get paid to go, and I do not get a grade or have to write papers or anything of the sort. I get to be with sixteen other teachers and talk about Abolitionism and The Underground Railroad, go on field trips, live in the dorm, eat in the cafeteria, and almost be like a college student again. (CAREFREE!!)

I have done several programs like the one that I am going to do this summer, and let me tell you, they are relaxing, and they always fire me up about teaching.

Because the program is only three weeks long, I will have about four weeks when I return home to do whatever I want: read, relax, swim, travel, visit my momma..... whatever my heart desires!

Teachers, I think that most of us love our jobs, but we need our breaks. If we allow teaching to consume our lives, it will take over, and our health and personal lives can and sometimes do suffer tremendously....

I love my job, but I love the other parts of my life just as much, and I make sure that I cultivate them. We NEED lives outside of school....

Happy Summer, My People!

My fellow teachers, Take Care of Yourselves...