There are hundreds, maybe even thousands of books that cover different parts of teaching: classroom management, providing student feedback, reading strategies, scaffolding, teaching writing , creating rubrics, social emotional learning, and this is just in the area of ELA and the basics. There are many different ways to outline your lesson plans, implement vocabulary, create your groupings, and grow in your engagement of students. There are hundreds of meetings out there to be had. (We all know it).

As I come to the end of my third year of teaching, however, my conviction is that there is one important tip for those passionate, driven teachers out there. (Teachers who don’t like kids, I’m sorry, but this one is not for you.) That tip is this: remember, teaching is not your life. If you remember this, I have faith that you will enjoy your career and your life more.

The Heroics of Being An Educator

We love kids.

That’s why we do what we do. We want them to be their best. We want their voices to be heard. We want them to know they are loved, valuable, and have great talents to bless the world with. We want the ones who misbehave to stop and channel that energy into something productive. And we want the ones who behave to develop some personality. We want them to learn AND enjoy what they’re learning. So we aim for it.

We plan the lessons, we consider their needs, we have the hard conversations. Day after Day. Year after Year. We’re tired and stressed and probably overworked, but the kids need us! (Now throw in 75+ meetings a year, with the grading, the reports, the assessments, the evaluations, and the other expectations). But we overcome because gosh darn it–we’re teachers for crying out loud. We’re here to save the doggone world and take down the oppressive systems we operate in…for the kids!

But for real, heroism is over-rated because we’re human. Teachers have limits and teachers can only do so much. My first year of teaching, I was waking up at 4am to finish lesson plans. I was sacrificing my relationships and my physical and spiritual and mental AND emotional health for my work. This was not good because this was not what God wanted for me. Teacher-friends, we are not super-heroes.

Stop acting like it.

Don’t believe me? Get sick for a week.

The kids’ll be fine and the school will find a way to operate without you. (Speaking from experience)

My most important tip for teachers…

Tell yourself, everyday, teaching is not my life.

It may sound bad to say because it may feel like you don’t care about teaching if you say that. But that’s not the case. I love being a teacher because I love interacting with my students and helping them learn. But this isn’t the only part of my job. It’s easy to get caught up in all the other ends and outs of teaching, so much to the point that you’re up for hours doing work outside of work. It all seems so important, I know.

But you’re important too.

And there are other parts of your life, DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, that require your attention too.

“Like what?!”

Your friends. Your family. Your house. Your physical health. Your mental health. Your emotional health. Your spiritual health. Your hobbies. Your talents.

Ask yourself: if one of my dear students was living my life, overwhelmed and consumed with work, would I want more for them?

I hope the answer is yes!

While teaching is an important career, remember that, it’s a career. It’s something that you do. Yes, our impact is huge!!! But it’s not the only way to make an impact in life.

I guarantee you, if you worked, let’s say 25% less harder at being a teacher and invested that 25% into, let’s say, another area of your life (like your emotional and mental health) your impact will not lessen. It would grow. And you’d be happier. You’d be a better friend, better mom, better daughter, better teacher, better wife, better neighbor, better roommate, better woman.

Education isn’t going anywhere. And yes, I know you have deadlines. But sometimes, a deadline or two can wait.

(Say what?!)

Yeah I said it–Yes, it can.

Your life doesn’t depend on that teacher report, that perfect lesson plan, or immaculate classroom management.

I promise.

(Now go take a nap).

Love and Light,

Kourtney Naomi