Focusing on Positivity

Maggie Schumacher contributed this thinking.

We’re about a month back into the school year and into the grind, and now that I have the September testing window behind me, I can look forward to truly diving into literacy work, coaching, and initiatives at the middle school. As always, I’m excited for the year ahead and the amazing work that will be done alongside my fabulous colleagues. I could easily get overwhelmed by my ever-expanding to-do list, but today I’m choosing optimism and reflection.

This time of year I like to refresh and remind myself why I got into the field of education. It wasn’t for the money, it wasn’t for the glory, and it definitely wasn’t for assessment and data analysis. I got into this field, as did many others, because I wanted to make a difference in the lives of my students. I wanted to inspire them the way so many of my former teachers inspired me. I love teaching. I love getting students excited about reading and hooked on good books. There’s nothing more exciting to me than hearing a middle school student tell me about their enjoyment of a book they’re reading. I love hearing the groans echo throughout the room when I say it’s time to stop reading and the begging for me to keep reading during a class read-aloud. It’s music to my ears.

Sometimes we get bogged down by the pressure of deadlines and assessments and the Common Core and Educator Effectiveness. Is what I’m teaching rigorous enough? Do we have our interventions in place? How will I move these students and differentiate to meet the needs of all learners? When will I fit a bathroom break into my day? Amidst these pressures and stresses of our day-to-day work, it’s important to keep our priorities in line. We need to keep the joy alive in the classroom and embrace the teachable moments. We need to take time to get to know our students as people and not just another test score. We need to take time to stop and laugh throughout our day - when things go right and when things go wrong. In the end, these are the moments our students will remember. When our students see that we care about them, the rest will fall in place.

Finally, and most importantly, we need to remember to take care of ourselves. Without this piece, we won’t be able to give our best to our students and our colleagues. Take the time to rest. When the day gets too long, set aside the grading or lesson planning and do something for yourself. Read a good book, take a walk, eat a piece of chocolate, laugh with friends. Remember the special moments from each day and leave the negativity behind… and enjoy a fabulous school year!