Teaching without Losing It

The rough years are the ones, in my opinion, that help us become better teachers. This past year was very hard for me, which admittedly came as a surprise in year 27. How can we process a rough year and not become despondent at the thought of coming back in the fall? I share my own thoughts on that process. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teacherforlife/support

I am an Adult Child of an Alcoholic, so needless to say I had a traumatic childhood. Little did I know how this would affect my early years of teaching. For some of us, it may be ruining a job we might otherwise enjoy. (Side note: my apologies for the 2 interruptions in this episode…kids, am I right?) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teacherforlife/support

How do teachers hang in there? What determines who stays and who leaves the field? I decided to interview some teachers to find out what helps them stay in teaching, without losing it. Each episode will feature one teacher who has found a way to find balance. Let's hear their secrets. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teacherforlife/support

How do teachers hang in there? What determines who stays and who leaves the field? I decided to interview some teachers to find out what helps them stay in teaching, without losing it. Each episode will feature one teacher who has found a way to find balance. Let's hear their secrets. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teacherforlife/support

Our time at work is precious. Sometimes others at work take advantage of our kindness and flexibility. We need to reclaim our time for our own well-being and balance. Credit to U.S. Representative Maxine Waters (California) for this life-changing phrase. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teacherforlife/support

We are not meant to function in this world without help. Humans are social animals who have always lived in communities. We do better that way. Trying to solve our problems in isolation can be maddening. We don't always have the help we need from the people around us at work, or even in our personal relationships. So, where should we go for help when we feel stuck and unsupported? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/teacherforlife/support

I don't know a single teacher who hasn't been tempted to leave the profession. So why do some leave, and why do some stay? I think it comes down to a lot of factors, but one thing we all need, regardless of our profession, is self-care. Teaching is incredibly stressful if we don't give ourselves the care we need off the clock. In addition to ample sleep and good nutrition & hydration, how else can we manage to take care of ourselves amidst our busy lives? Self-care doesn't have to be a long vacation to a quiet island. Sometimes just a few minutes a day is enough to make a difference. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Online tools for teachers have exploded since internet connectivity in schools became available. Long gone are the days of pencil and paper only! Today we have access to myriad websites to help our students learn. One such type of site is interactive games. I discuss how I use blooket.com and gimkit.com to make my job easier and to engage the students. However, overuse of these tools, I have found, can have the opposite effect. It all comes down to balance. Please email me with any comments or questions to teachingwithoutlosingit@yahoo.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

The final episode in the 4-part series on responses to conflict. Fawning comprises people-pleasing, over apologizing, even groveling. Teachers generally have no behavior issues with students who do this, but it is still a set of behaviors to keep an eye out for. Additionally, in this episode, we take a look at how the 4 responses to conflict manifest in teachers. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn are the 4 responses to conflict. What is freeze? It has some evident characteristics and some that had me scratching my head, but it is still a worthy examination. I give an example of a student I have right now who, I believe, is exhibiting some freeze behaviors. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn…the 4 trauma responses. What is flight? When we see a student exhibiting a flight response, it can look like a classic ADHD set of behaviors, or, more confusingly, it can look like a straight-A student. How can a student who makes fabulous grades and one who is barely passing be exhibiting the same response to conflict? We'll examine. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

There are 4 responses to conflict: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn. Fight is the one that drives most teachers crazy. “Why won't they just comply??” Unfortunately, human beings don't make it that easy for us. Let's take a look at both the negative and positive (!?) characteristics of a fight response to conflict within our students, and how we can use this knowledge to our advantage as teachers. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Returning to work after a long break can feel overwhelming! There is so much to do as is, then we learn from administration of all these additional tasks to be completed within a certain timeline. This used to really trigger me until I came up with a strategy, which I share here. Please reach out at teachingwithoutlosingit@yahoo.com to share some of your own! I'd love to hear them! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

"Teachers are held to a higher standard than the clergy".  I used to say this all the time.  Is it fair?  No.  Will people just accept us as messy humans doing the best we can?  No.  Like it or not, teachers are held to a ridiculously high moral standard, which can really come back to bite us if we get too free and easy with sharing our opinions on social media and in emails.  So, how do we protect ourselves from blowback if it were to happen?  I share some of my thoughts in this episode.  I also share our new email address:  teachingwithoutlosingit@yahoo.com.  I would love to hear from you!  Comments, questions, suggestions, constructive criticism....you name it!   --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

I am halfway through my summer break.  What about you?  If so, what are you doing with your time?  Are you lapping up the decadence of the free time or are you fretting about going back?  Summer can be lovely but also worrisome for some teachers.  Here, I share my thoughts on that.   --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Wouldn't it be nice to feel like we are loved and appreciated as teachers? That the work we do is celebrated and rewarded? For many of us, this is just not the reality and it is not attainable. So, how do we stay in a "thankless" job and keep ourselves from going into a downward spiral? Reevaluating our sources of validation can make a massive difference. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Most of us were raised in a world where adults shaming us was normal. As teachers, are we carrying on this tradition to the detriment of the students, and to ourselves as well? When was the last time being shamed motivated you to do something? (Note: I realize that shaming is still a tool in many cultures and may seem effective. This episode addresses shaming in cultures similar to the American one, where students are more apt to fight back or shut down in the face of shaming.) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Children and teenagers love to talk about themselves! They are their own favorite subject! Getting kids to engage with our material can be challenging, particularly toward the end of the school year. If we can create some personal "buy in", their motivation to engage can increase and we can get the type of engagement we hope for. Here I share my personal techniques for creating buy in, and I believe we can all find ways to do this no matter what we teach. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Life in the United States always includes the possibility of a school shooting. This is a sad reality that we must reckon with to stay in the job. How do YOU handle that? I have my own way, good or bad. I thought I'd share. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Have you ever felt this way about a relationship you were in: it feels out of control? It feels one-sided? It sucks you dry emotionally? It doesn't meet your expectations? Do those thoughts apply to your teaching job as well? They did mine, for a long time, until I began to take control and stop feeling like a victim in my own career. But how do we reframe this job in a way that feels healthy? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

"They're so lazy! They want something for nothing! They have no ambition!" Sound familiar? We teachers spend an enormous amount of time telling ourselves stories about our students. Why do we do this? What is our payoff? And most importantly, how does it leave us feeling? When we put people in a "one size fits all" category, we step onto the road to burnout. How do we deal with our frustrations in a way that motivates us to become more effective teachers? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

How do you handle a failed lesson?  People teaching people is a messy, inaccurate business.   So why would we expect ourselves to nail it on a daily basis?  Embracing our failures and learning from them instead of becoming despondent is key to becoming a great teacher. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you often feel like a failure as a teacher because you could be doing more? Or, on the flip side, do you become incensed when administrators pressure you to reject your own standards in order to get a student to pass? If you feel like you will never be good enough, or you can't believe that no one is putting proper responsibility on the students, how do you reckon with these feelings to stay in the job? We can learn how to rise above the gaslighting that everyone in the field of education experiences. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you get bogged down with grading? Do you get frustrated because you take the time to write helpful comments that the students simply ignore? Let's think about alternative ways to grade that don't take loads of time to complete. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you sometimes feel like your lesson plans aren't great because you are doing them last minute? Or rather, do you try to "be good" and work on planning ahead of time but don't feel the spark when you do? We all have different comfort zones when it comes to how far ahead we like to plan. One size does not fit all when it comes to writing effective plans. Honor your own way of doing your best work. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you dread making phone calls home because you never really know quite what to say, or you worry that they won't receive your feedback well? Do you find yourself saying things to your colleagues like, "Well, if their parents were more involved or disciplined them more, they would be a better student"? Getting parents on our side is a key component of helping our students. Sometimes the best approach isn't intuitive. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you feel like you spend too much time doling out detentions or referrals for tardies, bad behavior, etc? Do you spend too much time calling home for just one or two assignments missed but for many, many students? Do you get frustrated when a school rule is set by administration or your district, but other teachers in your building won't enforce that rule? Maybe it is time to take a look at your priorities and stop fighting every battle. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you avoid taking time off because you dread not only writing a sub plan, but also grading "the stack" when you return? Do you struggle to write a sub plan that has enough work to keep the students busy? Sub plans can be both engaging for the students, easy to follow, and easy to grade, believe it or not. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you decide not to take time off work because "it's just easier if I'm there than if I'm absent" ? Do you feel incredible guilt at the thought of taking a couple of personal days just for yourself? Do you feel pressured by your colleagues and bosses to ALWAYS be at work unless you are sick? If so, it might be time to get some perspective on the matter. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you feel obligated to get "the boring stuff" out of the way on the first day of school? Going over rules? Procedures? Room organization? Well, maybe it's time to rethink that strategy in order to reel them in and set yourself up for positive interactions for the rest of the year! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you find it hard to keep up with all the "seismic shifts" in educational trends, and the new expectations put upon us teachers seemingly every couple of years? Do your perfectionist tendencies give you anxiety about learning how to do things differently when you just felt like you got a handle on the previous "trend"? You may be doing a lot of worrying for nothing. When it comes to expectations at work, one size does NOT fit all. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Are you able to "leave work at work" mentally? As teachers, we usually have to bring home work to finish, but are you doing it to your detriment? Even if you don't have actual work to grade, are you still spending too much time thinking about the day? Shifting mental gears from work to home can help....but how? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you have a hard time letting go of a day that didn't go well? Do you turn the events over and over in your mind well after work is finished? Do you question your skill as a teacher when your expectations for the lesson don't match the outcome? We all make mistakes in this profession. How we deal with them is crucial. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Does the idea of really being yourself with your students make you nervous? Would you like to develop closer relationships with your students but you fear their rejection if you open up more? Do you feel that the priority of "taking care of business" dominates how you relate to your students? Opening ourselves up and being authentic can pay off in big ways, not just for you but for your students. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you often think that if you just had another job, your stress would plummet? Do you sometimes dread going to work? Do you struggle with the idea that you spent your college years training for this job only to discover that it is killing you most days? There are ways to continue to teach and minimize your stress if you are struggling with the idea of sticking with the job. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you sometimes feel like you're beating your head against a wall when it comes to getting your students to do homework? Do you find yourself saying things like, "when we had homework as kids, we just did it!"? Do you feel that your kids are lazy and they just need to "suck it up"? There are reasons why our students don't always achieve to our standards even though they seem intelligent enough to do so. Looks can be deceiving. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you or your students dread projects? Do you struggle to come up with ideas for projects that the students will enjoy? Did you personally hate doing projects when you were a student? Projects don't have to be tedious or frustrating. Giving your students choices and appealing to their personal modalites can go a long way. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you sometimes (or often!) feel like you aren't doing enough? Do you fantasize about winning awards for your teaching and wonder if you'll ever get there? Do you compare yourself to teachers you know who are just on fire professionally? It's one thing to strive to be better. It's another thing to sabotage your own success by unrealistically comparing yourself to others. Just because you aren't lighting up the world of education doesn't mean you aren't a great teacher. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you have a group of colleague friends at work? Have you tried mingling with different colleagues only to come away feeling awkward or uncomfortable? Maybe you just haven't found your "tribe" yet. Getting to know a variety of people at work can lead to strong connections that help us manage this demanding job. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

What do you do at school if your internet goes down? If that situation makes you freeze and panic, then maybe you need to incorporate more "old school" techniques into your weekly lessons. Just because it's new doesn't mean it's better. Your veteran teacher colleagues have decades of wisdom to impart about teaching without technology...it might be worth a conversation with them to learn how to pivot in a pinch. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed at the amount of suggestions for websites or teaching techniques that you hear about? Do you feel like you are doing your students a disservice if you aren't investigating all the "latest and greatest" ways to deliver and practice content? Are you a long-time teacher who sometimes wishes we could go back to the way things used to be when it was less complicated? Narrowing down your choices can be a huge help. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Have you ever become frustrated at the lack of knowledge that students bring to your classroom? How many times have you said to yourself "They should know this by now"? Do you wish they could just be where you need them to be so you can make quicker progress? You may have unreasonable expectations, but that can be remedied. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do you get frustrated when students tune out during your presentations? Do they sit through the whole presentation then say "I don't get it"? Do you always feel like you are rushing to get all the material down in the notes, only to find later that they haven't copied it all down anyway? Making your presentation a bit of a puzzle can help! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Classroom management is every teacher's biggest hurdle. Do you struggle with certain classes you have? Do you struggle with particular students who refuse to "get on board"? Have you tried the old adage "don't smile until Christmas" only to have it backfire? Classroom management doesn't have to be all about rules and consequences. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Do your students ever complain that class is boring?  Do they sometimes say "this is stupid!"?  Do you feel like they won't be happy unless you entertain them non-stop?  There is a way to write effective lessons without the requirement to please them.  We must appeal to their mindset which is far different from our own. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Are you constantly fretting over students who won't do work? Do you spend a lot of time having one-on-ones with kids who aren't motivated at all? Where do you draw the line for yourself and shift the responsibility over to them? --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

Students will never stop asking us to come to their extracurricular activities, to chaperone their proms, or to let them come "hang out" during their lunch or study hall....and the list goes on. Are you saying yes for the right reasons? Have you practiced saying no, and if so, how can you say no without hurting their feelings. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

To be a lifelong teacher, learning how to say no without feeling guilty is an important step in the process. It's not always easy, but it can be done. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support

--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teacherforlife/support