After this stressful, yet fantastic, first week of back to school with my students, I decided that it was time to slow it down. All week I felt rushed and stressed so I knew I needed some down time. I slept until 8, took a nap, and went driving around town with my husband. I didn’t feel any anxiety and it was wonderful! This school year I want to make sure that I don’t miss out on relaxing and taking time for me. 🙂
Well! I have to say, I am in the right profession because I LOVE back to school season! I have been putting binders together for my classes and Pinteresting up a storm! I think it is really going to be a fantastic year! 🙂
My anxiety is in check and I am feeling very healthy! I know that with this new position I am going to have a period of adjustment, but I am going to stay positive and remember that I am in a career that I love! Anxiety will NOT take this year!
Today is the big day! I take my social studies teacher test. I have been very stressed with all the studying and you all have been so supportive! I am feeling confident today! I will report back later and let you know how I did!
Tomorrow, my husband interviews for an assistant principal position, and he is in need of prayers! He has been doing the job already since Christmas but must now be interviewed to formally hold the position for next year. There are a few other applicants and interviews can be incredibly stressful.
Just send relaxing and calm thoughts and prayers his direction tomorrow afternoon!
Thank you for all your support!
Monday blues was kept at bay,
There were so many great things to say,
About this normally trying and frustrating day!
My students were good,
Lesson plans were followed,
And lots of information was swallowed!
I love when days that are positive
And filled excitement!
These are the days I love!
Image found on http://www.alan.com
Currently, my husband is getting his masters degree in educational leadership, and I am so proud of all the hard work he has invested into the program. He goes to work all day, as the Dean of Students at our middle school, and then comes home and works on his homework until he goes to bed. This has been going on for a year and a half.
To add to his stress and success, This past Monday, he began working as the Vice Principal! He is now filling the role of Vice Principal and the Dean of Students, all while he is balancing the final 16 weeks of his Masters. Talk about a crazy schedule!
Obviously with a schedule this jam packed and overloaded, we do not get a lot of quality time. Of course it is incredibly difficult for me, but I have been working on understanding the stress and strain he has been under. I noticed I had been arguing a lot with him about how he doesn’t have time for me, but I need to remember that he is doing all of this work to provide for me and support the dreams and aspirations I have for my future.
My question is, have any of you ever been in this situation? I feel out of my element and I do not know how best to support him. What are your thoughts?
Thank you!
There are times in our lives when we find ourselves at a crossroads. We either give up or we push onward. It is a difficult decision to make, and the stakes are high. When we pour ourselves into a career, relationship, hobby, or any dream we hold, we open our hearts in a way we never thought possible. Countless hours go into these pursuits, and in those moments of dedication and practice, frustration and roadblocks begin to work against us. In these moments we come face to face with our biggest fear. Failure.
It’s human nature to be afraid of failing. We all set out to be good, if not, great a something. We do not set out to try something new with the intention of failing. The idea that we will succeed drives us onward and ignites our passions. However, life is never easy. It is messy, and hard. It even seems that there are moments where there are more tears than smiles.
Personally, I am currently at this crossroad in my career. I love every moment that I spend in the classroom. My heart sings with joy when I am able to interact with my middle schoolers and show them that learning is fun. Learning is the reason for living! Each day we learn something we didn’t know and without learning we are stagnant. Teaching these lessons sets my soul on fire and I burn with passion! I love being a teacher. However, being a teacher comes with a plethora of outside interference. There are mounds of paper work, workplace politics, adult drama, and endless hoops to jump through. It seems that there are so many things thrown our way that we are distracted from the true reason why we became teachers in the first place. To teach. I find these extra add ons to be utterly frustrating and wearisome. I feel very beaten down by all that is going on and I am feeling low.
It is my crossroad. Do I continue to push onward to pursue my passion? Or do I give up because the distractions outside of the classroom are too much?
As I sit here and contemplate the choices, I find there is only one answer I can choose. And that is to carry on. My students need me, and I am fairly certain that I need them just as much as I need them. I cannot abandon them. They have taught me to push on when times get hard, and I want to do the same for them. I will not give up no matter how hard it becomes. They are my inspiration and I will be here for them no matter what.
Have you ever had one of the days when you feel like you can never catch up with all your responsibilities? No matter how hard you work, you are stuck two steps back. With each new moment, a new fire sparks to life and you alone must put it out. On top of all these challenges, you must have a smile on your face because EVERYONE is watching.
That was my day. From the moment I pulled out of my stone driveway and onto the bumpy, cemented main road, I felt behind. Far behind. I even woke up early, slept soundly, and had the entire week’s lesson plans written! (That never happens). I suppose today was just one of those days where I needed to learn how to cope with unexpected situations. Emphases on the pluralness (is that a word?) of situations.
Now that I am laying comfortably in my well cushioned bed, I am able to look back on the day and assess what I learned. How I handled various problems, and the attitude I displayed to my students while contemplating solutions. All my students knew things were going wrong, yet they stayed calm and quiet (whaaat? incredible!) while I tried to fix everything. They were wonderful and I am so proud of them!
I am also proud of myself because never once did I experience anxiety! Not even in the most stressful moment of the day did the crippling grip of anxiety wrap its cold fingers around my heart. I stayed positive, kept pushing onward, and most importantly, did not throw a pity party. I am learning that things rarely go as planned in a classroom, so I must learn to be flexible and stay calm when it all falls apart. I am finding that my best teaching moments are when something unexpected happens. I feel best about my teaching practices when I have to think quickly on my feet. I am so pleased that I did not have a bad day just because things were behind and broken. I am so happy that my mind is healing and I am back in control!
If you are in a dark place with your anxiety, just find one positive moment in each day and focus on it. Don’t loose hope because one day it WILL get better! You are strong and you will make it through!
Today I practiced the life skill of flexibility and helped model teacher for a teacher in my department. The class is one of the most challenging groups I have ever worked with but I am finding myself growing in ways I never thought I could. I am forced to teach outside my box and find alternative ways to present my lessons. I am very much looking forward to the lessons I have tomorrow and I am thankful for the chance to grow as an educator and be pushed outside of my comfort zone. I know that if something in life is uncomfortable it means I am growing! 🙂
The Persistent Platypus 