The end of summer only means one thing, backpacks, and school supplies with overstocked store shelves with school supplies; wow! Back to School signs are everywhere. I can’t help but think back to all the days I taught in public and private schools.
There was an energy that abounds in the excitement of getting the classroom ready, making plans for the first week of school, and the hectic schedules of the months ahead. Meeting new teachers (you know the new ones because the look on their faces tells you they are thrilled, excited, and frightened all at the same time!) and reconnecting with friends, etc., all add to the excitement, yet, there is a lot to do.
Of course, there is a joy knowing “little & bigger minds” will be entering the door to your classroom in the coming days, and you will be their mom/dad, counselor, teacher, (and so much more in the days ahead). What you never will know in advance is how much you will impact those students. For me, still to this day, students will call me out of the blue decades after I taught them to catch me up on their lives or send me an invitation to their wedding, graduation, etc.
So, on the days when you want to throw the towel in and call it quits (and yes, we all know those days exist or they will exist), just remember,
the seeds you plant every day will be watered, nurtured, and will grow depending on the love and care you provide. We may never see the full extension of what we do, but just knowing we made a little difference in their lives should be the focus that keeps us moving forward.
Sometimes, we are blessed to witness firsthand the fruits of our labor.
This past Sunday was one of those days. Our guest preacher was one of my former students. When I taught him in high school, he was a top-performing athlete, well respected, fun-loving kid, and he walked into my classroom along with his buddies, and they said they wanted to sing. “Ha!” I said, “you’ve got to be kidding! You guys are all athletes,” and they said, “we need a fine arts credit.”
That led to forming a boys’ choir for our athletes and other boys who wanted to join in.
That was one of the most fun and surprising classes I have ever taught. You never knew what would come from those boys’ minds and mouths! Additionally, they were the hit on stage at our fine arts concert. Dancing and singing to the Blues Brothers! Fast forward to last Sunday, he was preaching on stage with his little 4-year-old standing next to him, and his son read scripture to us all. Talk about melting your heart!
I thank God that He smiled on me by allowing me to have a tiny little part in his life and now see my small part continue to multiply and grow to a great harvest.
What a great blessing, and your efforts will be rewarded as well. So, keep up the great work! Here is a picture of the Sunday service!
Now, back to school and especially the first week of school.
Just imagine, who will be taking up the seats in YOUR classroom? Future teachers in every subject, lawyers, technicians, computer programmers, stay-at-home moms and dads, coaches, nurses, accountants, speech pathologists, physical therapists, artists, surgeons, dentists, software developers, choir directors, and entrepreneurs, to name a few.
The children in your classroom relate to you; therefore, you must be at your best in the classroom each day, bringing your best to them. Looking back, I can now see that every day, I was allowed to mold a life, course correct one that is struggling or lift the spirits of a child with a home life unknown to everyone else.
As you head back to school, here are some tips (I wish someone would have shared with me in my classroom career) to help you stay healthy and fit so you can be the best teacher possible.
One of my biggest struggles was taking care of myself because we all know moms tend to take care of everyone else first. Now, I think you will agree that this picture is wrong. Wishing I had learned this much earlier in my life, I chose to share what I learned over the years with you. Above all, I want to help you stay healthy in the classroom.
Whether this is your first year or you are a veteran, these suggestions will help you start this year off with great ideas to help you have your best year ever.
- Adequate Sleep
- Nutritious Meals
- Take Time For You
Tip #1 – Adequate Sleep
Getting enough sleep is not easy, but you must perform at your best in the year ahead and take steps to make this happen. Deep REM sleep is when your body repairs and rebuilds itself. Select a time of day that you want to be in bed, set a timer on your phone for an hour ahead of this, and then start taking steps to wind down.
Make a list and empty your head on paper of the things that need to get done the next day. It helps the mind clear and helps you rest. Turn off cell phones and all electronics at least one hour before bed and take a hot bath or read a book. Yes, an actual book. Studies show that electronics in bed are harmful to the brain.
Tip #2 – Nutritious Meals
Meal prep ahead of time can be a big help here. Do you pre-plan your meals for the week? If not, take a few minutes on Sunday to plan and prepare in advance the meals of the week based on the schedule of the week. You will often have late meetings or a concert, games to attend, etc. Taking 15 minutes on Sunday to plan out your week helps you not be rushed figuring out meals at the last minute. This saves a lot of time!
I did say nutritious, and I know that is easier said than done. Fast food places are all the go; believe me, some days you just don’t have a choice. Imagine how much better it is for everyone to arrive home to have the ingredients ready to pop in the oven, steamer, or grill. If your children are old enough, have them help or sit at the kitchen table doing homework so that you can have that one-on-one time. Keep that connection going to prevent them from being isolated and be available to answer questions. With busy schedules, there just doesn’t seem to be enough of that these days.
Tip #3 – Make Time For You
How often have you taken your work home, even in your head, and can’t seem to turn it off?
Here is a trick I learned which helped me, and maybe it will help you. When I was a single mom raising my two little ones, I designated a specific spot on the way home (mine was a railroad track I had to cross over on my way home.) Using this landmark, I turned off the school mode. Leaving school, I would think and plan all the things I needed to do for the next day ahead, process the events of the day and what I could do to help my students the next day, etc. Then, after crossing the railroad tracks, I switched off the school mode and turned on the mom mode!
Simple yet, Brilliant! It forced me to switch gears so that I could give attention to my own children when I arrived home. Subsequently, I would think of ways to help them, what projects they had going on, whether I needed to stop for supplies on the way home, and what little things we could do together. Also, I thought of activities to connect with them, such as cooking, heading to the park, reading a new book together, etc.
Lastly, we all know life is not easy, and some days seem to bring on more challenges than others, but when we have done “all we can do” to make it the best day possible, that’s all we can do!
Until our next time together, may you make each day your best as you head back to school.
Make this school year YOUR best, and prepare for your positive impact on your students, family, and life! And Remember…Make time for you!
HAVE A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR!
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