Finding Balance in the Busyness
by Alma Pettenger, SPS Professional Learning Specialist

   Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions, but at the same time it is one of the most demanding.  If we do not find balance, we run the risk of burning out.  Establishing and adhering to some work management guidelines can help us as we wrap up the semester and head into spring.

Do not reinvent the wheel. See what already exists and tweak it to fit your goals. When people ask me about where I get my ideas, many times I honestly don’t remember.  But, what I do know is that more than likely, I didn’t create it from scratch.

Create a file management system that works for you.  How can you find those amazing lessons or activities for next semester or next year?  For some it will be an electronic file, for others it will be a 3-ring binder or filing cabinet.  Choose an organization method that works for you. 

Collaborate.  We might think we just don’t have time to get together with other teachers to bounce ideas off each other, but it is time well spent! It is front loading today that will save us time tomorrow.  By collaborating, teachers can divide and conquer those upcoming projects, units, or lessons.

Keep yourself healthy.  According to a 2012 study by Careerbuilder.com., teaching is one of the careers among those most likely to report gaining weight, and the holidays certainly don’t help! Allow time to exercise and eat right. 

Start a Smile File.  Create a file folder of “pick-me-uppers.”  These are meaningful gestures students, parents, administrators, and colleagues give you that demonstrate appreciation.  They may be pictures, cards, notes, etc. 

Learn the power of no.  Often, we are guilty of biting off more than we can chew because we want to be helpful and be perceived as team players.  Kindly decline when you know you are over-extending yourself.  This allows you to focus on what you have already committed to and still have time for you.

Don't sweat the small stuff.  No matter how prepared you are, things sometimes don't go as planned. Learn from it and move on. 

Steer clear of negative attitudes.  Our job is challenging enough; don't allow the negative attitude of others to bog you down. A negative attitude is like a virus that can spread quickly.

Budget your time.  Time is like cash.  We have to make plans for how to spend it, or it vanishes into thin air and we have nothing to show for it! Minimize interruptions and plan ahead for what you will accomplish and when.  How you manage your time can make the difference between taking work home and going home work-free.

Keep your focus.  Perhaps this is the most important tip I can give you.  Remember why you became a teacher in the first place.  Maintaining that sense of purpose is highly motivating and it helps us realize that our work is worthwhile.

Tis the Season for Stress!
by Marcia Hansen, SPS Professional Learning Specialist

   The weeks before the winter break can be very challenging for teachers.  Students sometimes experience a slump. Their focus may be off.  There seems to be more talking, less working.  Blame it on extra sugar, heightened excitement, or less sleep due to attending all the festivities that come with this season, but whatever the reason… it drives teachers’ stress level up!
   Rick Smith, author of Conscious Classroom Management, writes about the power of procedures.  He equates procedures to a train track that moves a train -- the content that you teach.  His advice is to determine which procedures are needed, teach them, practice them, reinforce them and periodically review them. 
   This is a good time of the year to think about classroom procedures again.  Do your procedures still meet your instructional needs; are more needed or should you drop some?  Are your students following your procedures or do they need to be reinforced?  Are you being consistent in using procedures?  This review of procedures could produce the gift of “normal” before and after the Holiday Break.

The Gift of TIME
by Sarah Logan, SPS Professional Learning Specialist

      If you find yourself in a place where your to-do list seems to be getting longer and longer by the second, take heart. You are in good company! Between responsibilities in wrapping up the 1^st semester of the school year and the busyness of the holiday season, you just might be feeling like you hardly have time to catch your breath. Yet, pausing to reflect may be exactly the gift you most need to give yourself.
     It’s been said that we learn from experience, but that’s not entirely true. We learn from processing our experience. As you reflect on your school year to this point, allow yourself the gift of TIME:

T: Take a fresh look.
Consider your year from other perspectives.
How might the students describe their semester? What might a visitor to your classroom notice?

I:  Interview yourself.
Explore the thinking behind decisions you’ve made and the impact they’ve had.
How have you chosen strategies and approaches for working with this group of students? What patterns or trends are emerging?

M: Move forward.
Apply what you’ve discovered to planning for the future.
What are you noticing that will guide your work next semester? When specifically might you have an opportunity to put it into action?

E: Enlist support.
Identify available options for assisting you in applying your learning.
What resources might you need? How will you know you’re successful in implementing your learning?

The gift of TIME is truly is a gift for all seasons—one that honors you for all the time you spend giving to others! Take the time to treat yourself soon!