Today's guest blog is brought to you by Bethany Petty. She is a high school social studies teacher, edtech author, and professional learning leader. She shares classroom strategies at Teaching with Technology and has written two books with Dave Burgess Consulting: Create: Illuminate Student Voice Through Student Choice and Illuminate: Technology Enhanced Learning.
Take it away, friend!
Guest Blog
Happy New Year, friends! I’m sure everyone is getting back into the swing of things now that the new year has begun. When I say “back into the swing of things” as a high school Social Studies teacher, professor, wife, and mom of two teenage daughters, I actually mean back to the grind of practices everyday after school, dance classes four nights a week, games, packing lunches, charging Chromebooks, finishing homework, filling water bottles, grabbing breakfast as we fly out of the house, and enjoying the rare weeknight dinner around the table. My husband and I often say that one day, when our girls are older, we will be bored and wealthy - ha! For now, though, we are embracing this busy season of life!
Are your days jam-packed like mine? Check out my 3 “hacks” to help you find joy in your day as you teach during life’s busy seasons!
HACK 1: WAKE UP EARLIER
While this might seem like the exact opposite of what exhausted teachers actually need, waking up 45 minutes to an hour before I HAVE to start my day has been a game-changer for me! I find that when I spend time on myself before work, I’m a better version of myself for my students. I’m recovering from an injury right now, so my usual running routine is on hold (boo, shin splints!), but my mornings typically consist of a few minutes on the front porch with my coffee WITHOUT my phone, a few minutes in my daily devotion, a chapter of personal development reading, and then some type of exercise. When I start my day with this routine, I feel more accomplished when I start my day, which helps me feel more productive throughout the day.
HACK 2: PLANT TREATS INTO YOUR DAY
Confession: When I have something to look forward to during the school day, I’m a happier person! This could be spending time with our resource dog in the hallway, dipping into my secret chocolate stash after a busy class period, taking my mid-day mile walk during my planning period, or cracking open a nice, cold Poppi when the last hour of the day rolls around. What’s a treat that you could plant into your day to bring a smile to your face?
HACK 3: WRITE IT DOWN!
I’ve always been a sucker for a good planning system! I have a Harry Potter-themed planner (something that brings joy to my busy days!), a digital calendar, and a shared calendar I created on a Google Doc that includes practice and rehearsal schedules (WITH coordinating emojis, of course ), appointments, reminders, and who picks up and drives each of our daughters to their plethora of activities. However, I also find that when I’m feeling stressed or overwhelmed, especially during the school day, it’s extremely helpful to flush out my to-do list on a sticky note or a page in my planner. When I write down what’s on my mind, I find that I can actually take a deep breath because everything I need to accomplish is written down! I can physically check off items from my to-do list, organize my list by what HAS to be done NOW and what can wait until later. This helps me take a deep breath! Often, writing down my to-do list makes it feel more manageable!
I hope your new year is off to a FANTASTIC start!
You’re amazing!
