For me, this has meant:

• My county adopted a new scripted curriculum with new standardized assessments.
• I have more teacher professional development that’s required.
• We have a new screener for literacy. If students show increased risk on the screener, we develop reading plans for students which are visible to parents. These students require 2.5 hours/week of intervention which includes biweekly progress monitoring.

As you can imagine, this is an increase in workload for everyone, but it weighs more heavily on some than others. For instance, there are significant differences in the number of students who require this intensive intervention across grade levels.

I have already completed LETRS, a common professional development program related to the science of reading, so I got a few hours cut off of my professional development required for this year. My reading specialist is handling most of my data entry for progress monitoring since she has the availability in her schedule to support me, but I know other reading specialists at other schools, especially Title I schools, that could not possibly monitor all the students.

I know I am not the only educator dealing with my particular changes. Different schools and districts across states all had different starting points. There are so many pieces that are affecting different states, districts, schools, classrooms, and teachers differently. These multiple factors could make changes more or less exciting, nerve wracking, anxiety producing, and so on.

I know for my situation personally, the biggest change this year was a new language arts curriculum. Next year, there will be a new math curriculum, too! These shifts happen on cycles all around the country, but I’m sharing some of these strategies with the knowledge that these may be bigger shifts than ever due to changes in legislation and more parental input on what we should or should not be teaching.

I am not going to delve into the pros and cons of particular curriculums or my personal understanding of the science of reading. My hope is that some of these ideas help you regardless of your frustrations, belief systems, or situation. Most of the country is undergoing some kind of curriculum upheaval, so we need to cope with these changes moving forward.

4 strategies I’m using to adjust to the curriculum changes I’ve faced this year

1. Focus on radical acceptance

Angela Watson has talked frequently on the idea of radical acceptance. Notably, she shares in episode 176 of Truth for Teachers how radical acceptance is tied into her book, Awakened: Change Your Mindset to Transform Your Teaching.

She also shared recently how radical acceptance and the phrase “we’ll see” can help us move forward into 2025 in episode 316 of Truth for Teachers.

When faced with these massive (and honestly, every change I’ve encountered even when it’s small has a cascading effect that feels massive) changes, the first reaction is likely not radical acceptance. The first reaction might be disbelief and wonder if it’s actually happening!

Then, we might think about what’s actually changing vs. what is not. We might be given vastly different information at different times. School leadership may be in the dark about certain changes and what’s actually coming, so there is only so much to know.

The reaction of radical acceptance is not going to come naturally. It is going to require our intentional focus. A few phrases I’ve told myself throughout the process include the following. Many are questions because I’ve needed to allow myself to ask questions in order to stay open to possibilities.

For example, I ask myself, “Why am I upset right now? What’s the real issue here?” When we looked at the first unit assessment, I was so annoyed by so many things, but it helped to dive deeper into what was bothering me the MOST. What could I ask for that would make me feel better vs. just saying this sucks?

Other helpful framings:

• I have the background knowledge to tackle this new curriculum.
• I will look for the positive and focus on the parts I like.
• I will allow myself to try the parts I don’t like so I know for sure what I need to change/advocate for.
• I can do hard things.
• I will make the time for fun even when it looks like I can’t.
• What CAN I do? (vs. What am I being told I CAN’T?).
• What will be the most similar to what I’ve already been doing?
• How does this align with my belief systems? (It was very easy to know what didn’t align!)
• Things might change. (and they have! We cut entire units and were given more buffer days, they added audio for student assessments, etc.)
• This is happening. It’s here.

2. Find the flexibility

The biggest shift for me personally has been moving from creating a lot of my own writing projects, selecting books to read aloud, creating my own book clubs, and having quite a bit of autonomy in my classroom, to having these projects and books all dictated for me. I am told which day I’m teaching what in this program. Everyone on a grade-level team is expected to be very tightly in sync.

It could not be more opposite from my first year of teaching. When I started, I had standards which were printed out in a binder, and I created everything myself. I designed entire units around standards. I was the only one who taught my particular content area, so I designed it, taught it, and assessed it all myself. I loved it! I loved the creative aspect of teaching. I love lesson planning – or even better, unit and project planning.

At my training for this curriculum, I was told I would not do lesson planning; I would only ever do lesson prep. This made me cringe! I felt my whole body shift because I was thinking, “You are going to destroy my creative spirit!” I believe the intention was to help teachers feel like they would have less to do and less to think about, but I didn’t want to be a mindless teacher!

This year, the manual told me to pick one read-aloud book on ONE day in the opening unit. I managed to pick a few more over the first several weeks of school, such as Halloween read-alouds and picture books about classroom community and kindness. It wasn’t easy to fit these into my day.

My curriculum started on day 1, as in the very first day of school. Absolutely nothing can interrupt my language arts block now. For example, speech IEP hours happen during math, and social emotional learning has to happen during science and social studies. I had to decide what parts of my lesson could be shortened or condensed in order to make time for these read alouds that I personally felt would add to my classroom community.

My teammate and I ended up searching for crossover between projects we loved doing before and projects that were part of this new curriculum. For instance, in the past, we had students research an animal and create a nonfiction book on a program called Wixie. This year, our first unit was all about habitats. Students were supposed to research one animal in one type of habitat. We opened up the requirements a little bit, shortened our list of expectations to align to the timeline of the unit, and still had students complete the project on Wixie.

The manual was expecting students to just write an essay on paper. We found more engagement and excitement for the writing project by having one paragraph per page in their online book. They were also able to add photos and images of the animal on the computer. We used the rubric from the manual to assess students, and we covered the same standards.

The overlap completely made sense. We as teachers were happy because it felt familiar to what we had done in years past. Students were happy because it gave them more creative freedom, and their finished projects looked fun and professional. No one criticized this choice because we met all the requirements of the curriculum.

This alignment between what we were doing before and what was required now really helped us. In future units, there might not have been an overlap, but we considered: what would make this feel like a final product? How might they illustrate this? How can we make it feel more fun? We found the flexibility where we could.

3. Search for engaging moments

Every morning, my first 1.5 hours are all whole-group language arts instruction. This is a long time to keep my 2nd graders engaged.

When I look at a lesson, one lens I put on is to specifically search for engaging moments. I want to look for the moments of turn and talk (some days more are built in than others) and consider when I might want to have students talk more.

• Instead of merely turn and talk, could I have them get up and find a quick partner? WIll there be a series of mini-conversations so they could find different partners and be up out of their seats?
• If they are writing several spelling words in a row, could I make it a game where they stand back to back with a partner and show one another their word to see if they spelled it the same way?
• Is there a manipulative we could use to mix it up?
• Could we stand for this activity?
• Could we move around the classroom to read with a buddy?

These are minor tweaks that do not require me to change the lesson plan or the standards taught or anything like that. I am just adding an element or swapping out a teaching tool or method.

When I am able to search for these engaging moments and adjust, students are so much happier! When I’ve tweaked a lesson to add more movement or turned something into a game, we have all had a better day for it. It has allowed me to find joy in lessons that otherwise could have been a source of anxiety or disappointment.

One concern that I and many other teachers I know had was that the anxiety of this new curriculum, the intense schedules, and the scripted structure would all get in the way of relationship building with students. At the start of the year, I (and others I know) felt that our classroom management suffered because we were so focused on figuring this all out that we couldn’t be as present in the room. These moments of fun engagement are what helped me feel present in the classroom.

4. Prioritize your time and set limits

Whenever there is a big shift in curriculum, pacing guides, standards, and so on, we as teachers want to become experts in it. The teachers I’ve seen struggle the most with this curriculum shift at my school were not new teachers but veteran teachers. Some of the most experienced teachers have had difficulty changing.

I do not believe this is because they are resistant to change. That would be an easy blame game. It’s not because they don’t want to do what’s best for students; it is the exact opposite. They are competent and caring and want to maintain excellent standards of their own instruction.

No one is going to give you the endless time you could spend perfecting the craft of this new curriculum. If you are a veteran teacher, take advantage of the fact that you have a lot of experience. You can jump in and probably do fine. It will not be up to your standards. It will not be the “best” you could do.

I have shared before about the trap of doing your best. Angela expounded on this in episode 271 of the Truth for Teacher podcast, “What could be possible if you aimed for B+ work?” I heard a speaker once say, “C’s get degrees” in response to the intensity surrounding academia. C’s are passing. When we are starting something new, we will not be A students, especially not right away. If we are protecting our sanity and our planning time, we will have to figure out how to do what’s necessary and be willing to learn from our mistakes.

When we first started with this curriculum, it seemed as if there was no possible way to teach a day’s worth of lessons in the time we had (and we had more time dedicated to language arts in our schedules!). Let go of the anxiety of being “behind” by skimming manuals/lessons/pacing guides for what’s important and prioritizing how to condense lessons.

One thing that was important in our understanding at my school was checking which skills were expected to be mastered within a unit, which skills were assessed, and which were only introduced. Look for connections between lessons and try to merge what you can to save time. Set limits around your planning so that you are prepared enough to move forward. It is not about doing the best you possibly can; it is about doing what you can.

One of my favorite sayings from the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek is “Relax your expectations to a level no one will notice but you.” When there is a curriculum overhaul, take heart that no one knows exactly what a “great job” is going to look like! Everyone is just trying. Set your standards to a level that shows you are personally making progress. It’s about moving forward and learning.

Finally, on a personal note, this whole school year I’ve been pregnant with twins. I have been trying to do a great job with this new curriculum. I do love to excel at my job. I enjoy mastering the art of teaching. I am also especially passionate about language arts. I have not been able to do everything to my standards.

When someone offered to help, I tried to think about what I could have them do. This new curriculum required a ton of copies, so twice I had a middle schooler who needed service hours make my copies for the next 3 weeks. It took them almost 1 1/2 hours, and I was able to just sit there in the workroom and do other things. I was just there if the copier broke or they needed help.

Sometimes things that seem like more work end up helping you (such as coordinating schedules for volunteers). I had a college student come observe me for a couple of weeks right before the holidays. It was a crazy time of year, but she helped me by pulling a few students to support them, organizing some papers, and just physically walking around to monitor when that was getting hard for me. She got a great experience out of it, and I benefited from the support.

These opportunities might have felt like more work initially, but I was so happy that I embraced them and made it work for me.

Months into the school year, I felt like I was finally adjusting. I have found that the teachers who were able to handle these changes and adapt the best have accepted the reality of the change the fastest. The aspects that I handled the best were the aspects that I accepted more readily. Being able to problem solve and adapt first requires a level of acceptance, and then we can move forward.

When I’m able to try new things and take a little time to reflect on what’s working and what’s still frustrating, that at least allows me to go to school and district leadership with solutions and ideas, and a better attitude.

This is a transitional time for teaching reading, and we can make powerful changes for students. I understand the frustration of change — especially when you were seeing success in your own teaching practices before — but if you want to last through the changes and feel joy in your classroom, it’s not too late. You can adjust. You can learn. You can do hard things.

The post 4 strategies for adjusting to new curriculum and assessment methods appeared first on Truth For Teachers.

Introducing Truth for Teachers Retreats with Angela Watson

You spend your career taking care of everyone else. These retreats are where you finally get to be taken care of.

Our retreats are rejuvenating weekend experiences designed for PreK-12 educators and school-based staff. Over a weekend, you’ll learn practical, research-based techniques to manage stress and restore balance. Through both community connection and intentional solitude, you’ll explore what it means to pause, reset, and bring restorative practices into your daily life. You’ll leave not only refreshed, but equipped with a lasting toolkit of strategies to sustain your wellbeing back home.

See upcoming teacher retreat dates and locations

Our Core Truths

The word truth is in our name because we always begin with honesty. Teaching is both beautiful and demanding, and educators deserve spaces that acknowledge both. These are the truths that guide our time together:

1. The truth is that teaching takes an enormous emotional, mental, and physical toll. These retreats create space to acknowledge those challenges honestly, while also exploring sustainable practices that restore balance.
2. The truth is that your wellbeing matters just as much as your students’. These retreats are designed to give you permission to rest, reset, and carry simple wellbeing tools back into everyday life.
3. The truth is that lasting change comes from sustainable practices. That’s why these retreats aren’t just a weekend of relaxation, but an introduction to restorative practices you can continue at home, long after the retreat ends.
4. The truth is, you’re not alone. At these retreats, you’ll connect with fellow educators who understand your journey, and you’ll walk away with both community and a toolkit for resilience.

What to Expect

These aren’t your typical professional development sessions. There are no new strategies to implement, no action plans to create, no pressure to bring anything back to your classroom.

These retreats exist for one purpose: to help you reconnect with yourself, restore your energy, and remember why you love this work in the first place.

Throughout each 3-day experience (typically 4 PM Friday through early afternoon Sunday), you’ll be offered a variety of experiences. Everything is included in the retreat pricing and everything is optional: select as many activities as you’d like to try, and use your downtime to journal, meditate, walk the natural grounds of our retreat site, nap, or chat with other educators. You never have to participate in anything you’re uncomfortable with. Listen to your body and do what you need in each moment.

These are phone-free events: practice intentional connectivity by using your phone for calls, texting, etc. only in the privacy of your room. During our time together, we’ll be fully present with one another.

2026 Retreat Dates

Pennsylvania (Himalayan Institute, Honesdale)

Exhale and Renew: A Summer Retreat for Educators June 12-14, 2026

Restore in the Wild: An Autumn Retreat for Finding Rest October 23-25, 2026

North Carolina (INDIGO Retreat Center, Old Fort)

Awakened Retreat: Transform Your Teaching Through Mindful Practices July 24-26, 2026

Arizona

March 2027 (details coming soon)

Learn more or book teacher retreats

About the Facilitator

If you’re new here, welcome! I’m Angela Watson, a National Board Certified Educator with over 25 years of experience as a classroom  teacher and instructional coach.

I’ve been sharing best practices for productivity and mindset here on my website since 2003! I have a podcast, have published 6 books for teachers (including Awakened: Change Your Mindset to Transform Your Teaching and Fewer Things, Better: The Courage to Focus on What Matters Most), and developed countless online and in-person professional development opportunities.

For 2026, I’m bringing a long-term dream into reality, and conducting teacher retreats to share what I’ve learned about restorative practices. I’m blending my professional expertise with my personal expertise in meditation, nature, mindfulness, art and music therapy, and more. I hold accredited certifications as a Restorative Yoga Teacher, Sound Healing Practitioner, and Forest Therapy Guide.

My vision is for everything I do at these retreats to be replicable by you at home, so you can create sustainable resiliency practices in your everyday life.

Retreat Highlights

Everything is included in the retreat pricing and everything is optional: select as many activities as you’d like to try, and utilize your downtime to journal, meditate, walk the natural grounds of our retreat site, nap, or chat with other educators. You never have to participate in anything you’re uncomfortable with: listen to your body and do what you need in each moment.

The activities and schedule offered vary by season and location, but may include:

• Japanese Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku): Participate in a guided, meditative stroll through nature to experience proven benefits for reducing stress and restoring focus
• Mindful Walks: Learn to transform everyday movement into a calming, centering ritual
• Workplace Stretching: Gentle, accessible postures designed to release tension and renew energy in sitting postures while at work
• Restorative Yoga Postures: Learn stretching routines to release tight muscles and unwind in the evenings
• Breathing for Stress Relief: Practice simple, science-backed techniques to calm the nervous system anytime, anywhere
• Sound Bath Meditation: Immerse yourself in soothing sound vibrations for deep relaxation
• Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy: Try techniques like Zentangle and mandala designing which NIH studies have shown to positively impacts cognitive focus, emotional well‐being, and brain activity
• Art for Stress Release: Explore playful, no-pressure art-making as a form of personal expression and joy
• Tea Ceremony: Learn how to incorporate a mindful ritual of slowing down and savoring presence during a hot drink of choice after work
• Foot Rolling Self-Massage: Discover quick, easy techniques with a massage ball you’ll get to take home to relieve physical fatigue and pain in your feet after standing all day.

Sample Mindfulness Mini-Seminars

Join our group for 30 minute mini-seminars with teaching from Angela, discussion opportunities, and reflection time on topics such as:

• Practicing Presence — how to anchor yourself in the here and now
• Sitting with Boredom — learning to rest without reaching for your phone
• Experiencing Awe — cultivating wonder as a form of resilience
• Harnessing the Power of Diffuse Attention — using daydreaming and mind wandering to tap into creative problem solving and divergent thinking

Connection & Community:

• Shared meals: A simple but nourishing breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided.
• Evening campfire gathering: Share stories, laughter, and inspiration with other educators who understand your journey.
• Plenty of downtime: Have a cup of tea in the lounge and chat or read, wander the hiking trials alone or with a new friend, or use your time how you need.

Certificate of Completion

All attendees will receive a Certificate of Educator Wellbeing and Restorative Practices, acknowledging participation in training focused on mindfulness, restorative wellness, and practical stress-management strategies for teachers. This certificate can be added to your professional development portfolio or used to demonstrate continuing education.

Retreat Extension: Your Online Resource Hub

Your retreat doesn’t end when you go home. As part of your registration, you’ll receive exclusive access to a private online resource hub with resources to help you continue implementing your resiliency practices:

• A guided forest bathing meditation you can use in nature at home
• A sound bath recording for deep relaxation at home
• Step-by-step home guides for each practice and experience from the retreat
• Printable reminders and suggestions for self-guided routines

This ensures you can revisit what you learned anytime, and gradually weave these restorative practices into daily life.

Who These Retreats are For

The retreats are designed for PreK–12 educators who want:

• Practical, easy-to-use strategies to manage stress
• Time for rest, renewal, and reflection
• A supportive community of like-minded teachers
• Tools to carry wellness practices beyond the retreat and into everyday routines

No prior experience with yoga, meditation, music, art, or anything else is required—everything is beginner-friendly and adaptable. Neurodivergent folks and those with disabilities are welcome. 

See upcoming retreat dates and locations

FAQ

Where are the retreats held?

Our home base is the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, PA (in the Pocono Mountains, approx. 2 hours by car from NYC and Philadelphia). This location was selected for its proximity for Angela, affordable accommodations and amenities for teachers, and relaxing natural setting on 400 acres of forest land.

Angela will travel to other 2-4 additional locations throughout the year to accommodate teachers in other regions of the country. We choose locations offering “conscious simplicity” so you’re comfortable and safe, but not in expensive luxury resorts.

When are the retreats held?

All year round!

Is there any religious affiliation?

No. We draw on wellbeing practices from around the globe and articulate the history of these practices while presenting them within a secular context. Some of our retreat locations may be founded by practitioners of an organized religion, but our group’s retreat interactions will be entirely secular. Everyone is welcome.

What is the cost?

Costs are based on the location and time of year, but are designed to fit with teacher budgets. The retreat costs are paid directly to Angela; you can then book your accommodations (which include 3 meals a day) through the resort and select the room type you prefer.

Can I bring someone who’s not an educator?

Sure! A friend or relative who also needs to develop resiliency and stress management techniques would be a great companion for this retreat. Just make sure they know we’ll be “talking shop” a bit, and the needs of educators will be centered.

Can I get my school to pay for this?

We accept purchase orders and are happy to work with your district or school leaders to arrange payment. A letter of interest you can submit to your admin will be provided here soon.

Can you come to my area to conduct a retreat?

I’m open to suggestions for sure! If you can get a group of educators together in your area, or book me for a school-based retreat or organization/union-sponsored teacher retreat, even better! Fill out the form below, and I’ll put together a custom proposal for you.

The post Teacher Retreats: Upcoming opportunities for educators appeared first on Truth For Teachers.

I am an elementary school teacher of about 6-ish years. I’ve worked in various towns and school settings throughout a few different roles as a long-term substitute, SPED paraprofessional/teacher assistant, and K-5 classroom teacher. I also have experience counseling and supervising children and staff in after-school enrichment programs and teaching STEAM education through coding, engineering, and robotics. I have a B.S.Ed in Elementary Education with a focus on Geography and a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction, with a concentration of Trauma & Resilience in Education. Apart from teaching, I enjoy exploring nature, cooking, and spending time with my husband/highschool sweetheart, our son, and kitty Puma.

I began as an eager new teacher and started burning myself out from the very beginning, coming into work as the custodians were opening the school up around 6:30 am and leaving as the last person in the parking lot around 6:30, sometimes 7 pm, when it was well past dark, most of the time! The entire day was also stressful with severe behavior issues and lack of classroom management.

Not only that, but I would come home after about an hour-long commute only to lesson plan, ponder, and critically study my next day’s plans step-by-step to the point where I was rehearsing my entire day. My monkey mind would continue before I was able to get a few hours of sleep in which felt like a millisecond before I was back at it again.

That all was extremely exhausting and toxic as it took a toll on my well-being, relationships, and made me sick with chronic migraines, anxiety, and much more… until I found Angela’s website, books, completed her 40 Hour Workweek program and made some life-changing tweaks.

I am very passionate about teaching and am always listening to podcasts, reading teacher books, or completing webinars about education. I know… I’m such a “nerd” for teaching! I’m currently at home taking care of my baby boy and somehow I already miss teaching, always looking for new opportunities (hence this blog post!) My favorite topics include classroom management and social-emotional learning, so I am extremely eager to share my ideas with you below and look forward to connecting!!

If you’re reading this post, I think it’s safe to assume that you yearn for a trusting and positive classroom environment, regardless of your role and point in your teaching path. Focusing on intentional communication with students and responding to behaviors will help students be successful, while helping reduce teacher and peer stress.

Staying regulated and maintaining a calm, safe classroom environment

Have you ever found yourself “flipping your lid” while teaching… or “managing”? I know this has been the case for myself and many other educators.

When I began teaching, I found myself realizing just how difficult and complex it all really was (and is… while only getting more challenging in my opinion!) With diverse student backgrounds, cultures, and personal learning styles, it is important to consider the variety in communication styles that students need to succeed. Students dealing with trauma and special needs are additionally vulnerable to specific language in the classroom.

Children today, more than ever before, are exposed to a myriad of societal expectations and are dealing with various anxiety or self-esteem issues leading to low confidence in the classroom and contributing to behavioral struggles. Students rely on us as adults and educators to care for them and keep them safe.

We, as educators and caregivers, hold high expectations for students, expecting them to “behave”, or be respectful, kind, engaged, and so forth. However, what about the adults?

We must earn students’ trust and desire for all of those quality traits. We cannot simply expect them to be a certain way and do specific things just because we said so.

Sure, it may work for some kiddos, but most likely will fail at times and fail all the time for some students. By proving to students that we care for them and only want the best for them, we can then set a foundation for a caring community that’s built on mutual respect and trust. Just as we expect students to show us through actions, we must also show them through our behavior in modeling appropriate, kind, and respectful language.

Additionally, it’s invaluable to consider that students all come from different and unique backgrounds, cultures, and households. This means that their relationships and customs may vary significantly based on generational trauma, family or cultural norms, religious practices, or simply depending on how their parents and/or grandparents were raised and choose to raise them currently. These all can make an impact on how students perceive the way you communicate with them, different behaviors, and interactions with peers as well.

Research has shown us that there are different cultural communication norms for people around the world. This includes body language, voice tone, emotions, expression, etiquette, word choice, and more.

For example, students may not understand their emotions and/or managing or discussing them if it is not something that is acceptable or expected as “normal” at home. Some cultures favor eye contact, while others may specifically avoid in their perception of respect.

Creating a promise to students that establishes your role in the classroom community

In my experience, creating a promise for students will help set the tone for a positive class environment and demonstrate teamwork, which will be a valuable topic all throughout the school year. It also opens up opportunities for students to ask questions or share emotions that they may be anxious or worried about.

Peers can also create new connections with one another as they realize their classmates are just as human and curious as them. Creating a classroom promise WITH and FOR students can help set the tone for a great partnership all year long. Here’s the “teacher promise” that I created the first week of school:

This was created alongside our whole-class team “promise”, which served as guidelines or rules for students to follow all year long. Students took ownership in collaborating on ideas they felt were important for creating a successful community in order to have a great year and signed it as a sort of “contract”. Feel free to utilize my wording or build your own unique classroom promise through inspiration!

Tips for intentional language that creates classroom community

1. Be cognizant of the tone you want to portray when speaking to students.

Try to use a neutral tone of voice. Nobody likes to be yelled at. I typically tell my students to imagine what it’d look and sound like if adults were walking around yelling at each other and shouting demands or calling each other names. They usually laugh and realize how silly and ridiculous it would be, allowing themselves to change their own behavior. Why would it be okay for us to raise our voices at students? Of course, they are not our colleagues or friends. However, they deserve respect and guidance, which should not entail making them feel embarrassed, belittled, or scolded. Sure, focusing on different tones depending on the situation and student can be helpful as well.

For example, if you know that a particular student needs quick directions in a strict manner in order to be successful, a gentle voice may not be exactly what they need. On the other hand, some students may prove they have an extra difficult time if spoken to in a demanding type of manner. Trying to frame it in a more encouraging, gentle tone may actually help in their situation. Obviously, you know your students the best, so do what you think is best for them. Sometimes, it takes a few trials and errors in different strategies to really learn what works best and is most supportive of their needs. When in doubt, going with a neutral tone is your best bet. Being transparent with students and their families usually helps, too, as you remind them you’re all on the same team!

2. State what you are observing, rather than labeling students.

Instead of thinking of them as disrespectful, unkind, or unengaged, think about how you’re expressing what you are seeing or feeling. Taking a moment to observe will help you respond rather than react to the situation. Students are not setting out each day to make your life miserable, so try not to take their actions personally. Instead, think about what the behavior itself is contributing to. Is a student disrupting the work of others because of xyz? Are their choices wasting time that they can be using to complete work? Did they say or do something that upset someone? Try expressing this so students realize how their choices impact themselves and others around them. It’s often not obvious to children as empathy and logic is something that develops overtime, with age and experience.

3. Consider the underlying functions of the behavior.

Are the students’ needs met? Are they trying to get out of work because maybe it’s too hard, or something else is bothering them? Are they trying to achieve something like access to a tangible item or seeking attention? Think about the main behavioral functions: attention, escape, access, and sensory need,s and ask yourself how you can empathize with the student and which words you want to select to validate the student’s feelings, while attempting to guide them towards a successful outcome. Whether it’s getting their work done, joining the class, or following a different direction, the language you choose here can make or break the situation. Also, remember that it’s not always black and white. The student may be struggling with multiple functions and may not always be consistent in their choices.

4. State the consequence.

Tell the student what will happen due to their behavior. For example, explain what the outcome will be if they choose to continue a behavior and/or what a better, more positive choice may entail. Think about the logical consequences here. If a student does not do their work in class, it must be made up during another time, such as homework or Fun Friday. If the student chooses to join the class as they’re lining up for lunch, they will get to eat lunch and play at recess. Try to avoid empty threats. If you know that you are just trying to scare the student into obeying and are not intending to follow through with the consequence, don’t say it. If you fully intend to call home to discuss a student’s behavior and it is a reasonable consequence, then by all means, it may be something worth expressing to your student and can give them the boost they need.

5. Explain why.

Try to explain your statement, direction, or idea to the student. Scolding a student, demanding a behavior or direction, and then shutting down their responses with “because I said so!” can make them feel even less encouraged to follow your advice. Validating their feelings or thoughts will show students that you are actually listening, which we know is an important aspect of effective communication. Explaining to students the logical reason of why/what/how their choices impact themselves and others can help enforce a positive, trusting relationship between you and your students. It can also show students what appropriate communication looks like and encourage problem-solving in the situations and conflicts that your students encounter with peers. Helping students see the cause/effect relationship between their choices and consequences can help build their emotional intelligence and social-emotional skills as well. For example, you may choose to say something like your choice to _____ caused _____, and now that means ______. You can now choose to _____ or _____. This can cause students to experience big feelings as they realize what their choices caused, but it is necessary and can help guide students’ development.

Now, you don’t have to allow a lengthy conversation or go down a rabbit hole of discussing feelings or experiences, comparing parents or teacher, or even negotiating with a student to try to get them to do as you say. Instead, simply offering a reasonable response can help the “oh, that makes sense… I guess I really should…” pop into students’ minds. Of course, this may never be the case with some children, especially depending on their age, maturity, and thought process. However, it can help remind students that you are there because you care and love them, and what you are saying has its purpose in helping support them, not because you’re out to get them.

Replacing knee-jerk reactions with thoughtful, intentional language

The following phrases may not seem “bad” per se. However, they come across as vague and therefore, give students some wiggle room in interpreting their meaning in their own perception and putting them into action in a way that may not be successful or even relate to what you meant.

You’ve probably heard the term “positive reinforcement” somewhere along your teaching journey. As with behavior and classroom management, your language can focus on this sort of strategy as well.

You may not realize how your word choice may come across to a student, especially if it’s something you have a habit of saying or are simply used to as your “go-to” phrases. For example, you may say something like “STOP ______!”

Rather than demanding something of students, which may trigger their defense mechanisms and possibly a power struggle, try to describe the desired behavior in a more positive framework. This will sound less like you are trying to control or boss them around, which can be an issue for many students, depending on their experiences and personalities, etc.

Instead of…

• Get in line right now!
• Do your work right away!
• Get it moving.
• If I have to say it one more time!!
• Stop talking/doing ___!
• Don’t do that!
• You lose recess.
• You’re being disrespectful/disruptive/rude, etc…
• That’s it! I’ve had enough.
• Don’t you dare… ______

Possibly try…

• I notice that… ________
• We are working independently on ____ right now.
• I expect you to ____ (e.g. work on ____ or complete ___ problems.)
• We’re all in line ready to head to_____. You are also part of the team and need to be in line.
• This is not your best behavior. I know you can do better. It’s up to you to make a better choice. I’m here to help, but cannot do it for you.
• Your tone of voice is disrupting the other team. The expectation is to ________ remain using table talk voices.
• Are you having a tough time?
• It seems like you’re struggling.
• How can I help you?
• This behavior (name it) is not an acceptable/safe/kind choice. You can choose to ____ or _____.
• This ___ is not an option. I expect you to _____.
• _____ is not okay.. Because…
• The Calm Corner is available to you/for you to… (make a better choice, handle your emotions, calm down before joining us, etc…)

Although these examples are not absolutely perfect for every situation ever, you can customize, combine, and choose bits and pieces that work for you and your students. They are meant to help you brainstorm and encourage you to be the best teacher you can be in order to help students be their best and successful, which they have the potential for.

 

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Modeling intentional language throughout the instructional day

In addition, intentional language and communication are certainly not only effective for managing the classroom or handling behaviors in isolation. When we think of social-emotional learning or life skills, we hope to instill these values in our students all day every day, right? We don’t only teach it in isolation for a set number of minutes and just call it a day. Same goes with how we choose to communicate and shift our thinking.

Throughout our day, regardless of our educational role with students, we are constantly enforcing and encouraging positive behaviors and guiding students to develop socially and emotionally. Here is where I find the most opportunity for intentional language and interactions.

For example, when we encounter a challenge or mistake during instruction or peer conflicts, I take this moment to say something like “mistakes help us…” where students would respond with “LEARN!” because it’s something we’ve consistently integrated in our classroom culture.

It’s helpful for students to see you modeling appropriate social-emotional skills and language as they are still learning this process. For example, rather than reacting to a behavior or stressful situation and raising your voice or handling it in a way you may later regret or was simply ineffective, try pausing.

Show students that you are human and maybe say something like “I’m feeling frustrated because _____. I don’t want to ‘flip my lid’, so I’m going to take a couple of deep breaths to help us get back on track. Let’s do it together.” *IN & OUT* as a class.

This also can help reinforce the concepts of “flipping your lid” that I taught students during the first week of school about their “upstairs vs downstairs brain,” along with growth mindset topics. This can be modified to your own flow in your classroom!

We can definitely incorporate more intentional language during instruction, as well. For example, let’s say we really want students to be engaged or to memorize certain vocabulary terms. Trying to incorporate chants or fun ways students can repeat or respond to this during instruction can help.

Also, responding to students’ interactions with one another or efforts in applying their skills is another great opportunity for intentional language. For instance, maybe you choose to praise a student with “good job” or “excellent”, which is great.

However, naming a more specific compliment may give students feedback for what exactly is expected and also make the praise feel more genuine to the student. Maybe choose something like “You worked really hard I that. I can tell you put a lot of effort in because…” or “I notice how you…”

Instead of telling a student he or she is incorrect or off track, try something like “Does anyone have another idea to add onto ____’s thinking?” or maybe guiding the students with a question relating to your topic that will help.

The more cognizant you become of your communication with students, the more your mind will select and create intentional and careful language that will help support and strengthen your relationships with students. In turn, this positive partnership will automatically improve your classroom management skills, student engagement, social-emotional and academic growth, and much more.

We know that today, more than ever, students struggle with more special needs, trauma, and the desire for constant gratification (hello, technology). Therefore, we’re up against a lot of competing for your students’ attention. Showing students that you are here to work with them and not against them will make their lives and yours much more enjoyable and rewarding and let’s face it, teaching is extremely hard!

Although you can’t expect to make a significant shift in your thinking and communication overnight, small steps will certainly guide you in the right direction to making a big difference over time.

10 things I no longer say to my students

This is one of my favorite quotes that I chose to print out and post right by my desk. I hope it resonates with you as much as it did with me.

The post Say it with care: How to use intentional language to build classroom community appeared first on Truth For Teachers.

As an educator and adult with ADHD, attention threatening to pull away from the person talking to me every few seconds can be quite damaging to the relationships I try to build with students. I’ve noticed as more things demand my focus, I am listening less. Last fall, I decided to improve my own listening by signing up to teach a workshop on it (deadlines are an excellent motivator for my learning).

My workshop was titled “How to Listen ‘Actively’ rather than ‘Deeply.” Researching for the workshop helped me to identify my own weaknesses in listening quickly. It still takes practice to use what I’ve learned, but recognizing where I was standing in relation to a mountain peak of “Great Listener” was a helpful first step.

You might be thinking, “Isn’t listening deeply important?”

Absolutely! Deep listening is a popular term across educational communities and beyond as good practice for engaged listeners. However, let me propose a visual:

You and a friend are waiting in the ocean for the next big wave to surf. Your friend is talking to you while they gently paddle alongside their surfboard. Suddenly, your friend tenses up. You sense something is wrong so you quickly dive the deepest you can go in the water. You are searching the ocean floor for signs of danger. While you are doing this, your friend is coping with a jellyfish sting meters above you as wave after wave crashes over them and their surfboard.

This is what can happen when our only focus is deep listening. What’s the disconnect here? You dove deeply to find the cause of the friend’s pain rather than paying attention to what was on the surface (or very close to it). This sounds counterintuitive for listening to someone, but it’s something we are missing (I say “we” but I really mean “I”). Jesus once told Martha that Mary had found the “one thing worth being concerned about:” sitting at his feet and listening to his words (Luke 10:38-42, NLT). Steve Covey writes this in his bestseller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”

Rather than listening to someone to figure out what you’re going to do about it, listen actively. This isn’t the opposite of deep listening, per se; rather, it’s taking deep listening— to pardon the ocean metaphor-turned-pun— deeper.

Take your listening deeper by noticing the surface

Dr. Roger K. Allen describes the “Art of Deep Listening” from his research. For the purposes of this article, I’ll be exchanging what he uses to describe “deep listening” for “active listening” since deep listening has somewhat lost meaning as a term in education circles.

Dr. Allen defines deep listening as “suspending judgment & being fully present with another person to understand his or her experience or point of view.” From what I have found in other sources, deep listening— especially with students— requires active listening, checking what is happening on the surface of the conversation as well as looking for what is happening underneath.

The United States Institute of Peace defines “Active Listening” as “a way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding.” The institute points out that active listening “is an important first step” to calming tense situations and finding solutions, an important first step that we are sometimes skipping in our attempt to “really understand” what others are saying.

Here are some of the ways that I have found to listen not just deeply but actively.

1. Pause, seriously.

Wait a few seconds after someone finishes a thought to see if they have more to add. You might be surprised at how people are more likely to fill in their own blanks when given a few seconds (consider counting up to 7) to think back through what they just told you.

“Don’t rehearse your response while the other person is talking. Take a brief pause after they finish speaking to compose your thoughts. This will require conscious effort! People think about four times faster than other people talk, so you’ve got spare brainpower when you’re a listener. Use it to stay focused and take in as much information as possible.” (Harvard Business Review)

The United States Institute of Peace calls this concept “interested silence.”

2. Take notes, especially when you notice the person is opening up in an unintended way.

You could try saying, “I want to be sure I don’t miss what you’re telling me- is it ok if I write this down?”

This communicates to the other person that their words matter to you, that you are genuinely interested in what they have to say. Sometimes, apparent interest alone is enough to bring more important details to the surface.

3. Repeat the person’s words back to them at appropriate times (trying to leave it in their words rather than rephrasing it).

Use sentence frames such as “What I think I hear you saying is ____________________. Is that right?” or “So it sounds like ____________________. Is there anything I’m missing?”

These communicate that you are open to having your understanding so far adjusted for nuance. Oftentimes, nuance is the reason behind misunderstandings; with tenuously-balanced relationships or teetering conflicts, this can be vital.

5. Maintain attention.

Abrahams, Robin, and Groysberg in The Harvard Business Review suggest that “If you often find yourself distracted when trying to listen to someone, control your environment as much as possible.”

The article describes you setting intentions before you begin, using a written agenda (a more formal version of the notetaking strategy above), or even a whiteboard. I use the last method when helping a student brainstorm their Common App college application essay. For some students, this is the first time that they have to think seriously about their life narrative. Writing down their thoughts as they come out can help them see patterns.

Abrahams, Robin, and Groysberg add this:

“ If you do have a lapse in attention, admit it, apologize, and ask the person to repeat what they said. (Yes, it’s embarrassing, but it happens to everyone occasionally and to some of us frequently.)”

Admitting when I lose focus has been simultaneously difficult and freeing. It enables me to fix smaller mistakes in understanding that could have compounded to something much more difficult to surpass later such as losing the speaker’s trust.

6. Don’t impose your own opinions or solutions.

In many areas of our lives, we are required to both tell and listen to difficult topics. The British Heart Foundation offers suggestions for talking about health-related problems. Their suggestion: ask if the other person wants to hear your thoughts at all.

“In other areas of life too, most people prefer to come to their own solutions. If you really must share your brilliant solution, ask first if they want to hear it – say something like “Would you like to hear my suggestions?”

In Chapter 1 of How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber & Elain Mazlish, the authors give a list of possible ways to show children that you are really listening. These reasons work for adults as well.

1. Listen with full attention.
2. Acknowledge their feelings with a word—”Oh”… “Mmm”… “I see.”
3. Give their feelings a name.

Give them their wishes in fantasy. [The authors later explain this as a process similar to imaginative rehearsal, an opportunity to play out scenarios with possible decisions to see the end results.]

6. If the other person is getting more emotional, thank them for the effort it took to share. 

This was something I learned in a lecture on helping students feel safe in conversations with their peers in a controlled environment such as a socratic seminar. The speaker said it can really help to simply say “Thank you” when someone shares, regardless of the emotions of their words. Now, this can come across as cheezy if the context doesn’t fit, but if we are reading the room right, this can be a useful tool. It can teach the listener to be grateful for when others open up or share when it might seem more difficult to share their ideas at all.

Active listening has to be a choice

We have a running joke in my family about a vacation we took to Chicago a few years back. Every few minutes, one of us would point out a beautiful piece of architecture or an art installation; inevitably, moments later, someone else would point out the exact same thing, and we would laugh because we were all so engrossed in the sights as to not hear each other’s observations.

While this story makes me laugh, imagine if I had been on a field trip with students. Imagine if those students had vitally important things to talk to each other about while we were on that trip. Conflicts might have manifested simply from not being heard, the kind that could be seemingly insurmountable for a student.

While the “Deep Listening” model is a popular one for teachers to study, going back to basics- actively watching what cues the speaker is giving to us, seeking more information rather than a solution right away, even offering silent engagement as an indicator of processing- might be just as worthy.

Resources

Abrahams, Robin, and Boris Groysberg. “How to Become a Better Listener.” Harvard Business Review, 21 Dec. 2021.

British Heart Foundation. “10 Tips for Active Listening.” 10 Tips for Active Listening – Heart Matters Magazine, British Heart Foundation.

Covey, Steve R. (2004). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

What is Active Listening? (n.d.). What Is Active Listening? | United States Institute of Peace.

Allen, Roger K. “The Art of Deep Listening.” Dr. Roger K Allen, Conflict Management, Listening Skills, Self Empowerment, 27 Jan. 2021.

Testa, Italo. “The Imaginative Rehearsal Model – Dewey, Embodied Simulation, and the Narrative Hypothesis.” Pragmatism Today, 10 July 2017.

Faber, Adele, and Elaine Mazlish. “Chapter 1: To Help With Feelings.” How to Talk so Kids Will  Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, Lagom, London, 2022.

The post How to listen actively (rather than deeply) in difficult or vulnerable conversations appeared first on Truth For Teachers.

Chemaly writes that “Anger is a boundary.” In the 2020-21 school year, and even more so, the 2021-22 school year, anger alerted me to where my boundaries were being crossed.

I pitched the idea for this article to Angela in the spring, when the anger was still palpable for me. I had a theory that perhaps other teachers felt the same, quite a few metaphorically saying, “take this job and shove it.” (Angela wrote posts here and here to help guide teachers making this decision). I had a hunch that I was not the only one who was fed up.

This theory — that teachers are more angry than usual — requires some contextualizing, though. Was it just me? Was it just because I read the book and let myself feel that anger?

By the time this is published, we will be at a new moment in society. I may process anger differently from when I first pitched this article, but anger will still be a part of me — a part of all of us — because it is part of the human experience. Chemaly calls us to learn from our anger, to have a plan to navigate this emotion whenever it floods our nervous systems.

Practice anger consciousness

Society as a whole looks negatively upon anger because it can lead to irreversible harm through impulsive actions and words, but Chemally argues that anger is neutral. It is what we do with anger that determines if there is harm.

What Chemaly asks us to do first is to raise our “anger consciousness.” This is our self-awareness that the emotion we are feeling is anger (women in particular may mislabel it as sad, frustrated, etc.). The physical manifestation of anger may vary widely as well, because of socialization. For example, someone may cry or laugh, but they are not sad or happy. They are angry. So much of the harm comes from people trying to get rid of the anger quickly before it’s even fully understood.

Making space to be anger-conscious may be extremely difficult at school. There are usually 35 pairs of eyes on you while you navigate your emotions. You may have an involuntary physical response (or be using all your resources to subdue that response). If you’re not in class at the time, you may vacillate between “keeping it professional” in front of administrators and “just venting” with other teachers–neither of which fully acknowledge the anger.

We’ll talk about what external actions to take, but right now, focus just on what anger feels like to you. Where do you feel it in your body? How are you likely to react? Think about it now, then take some time to practice just naming it in the moment.

I spent months doing this after reading Rage Becomes Her. Something would happen, and I would get this burning feeling from my cheeks to my stomach–I’m feeling it now as I write.

I would feel that feeling, and to myself, I would say, “Anger! There you are! I’m really angry right now.”

When I had the space to reflect, I would even send a little thank-you to it. “You are a big emotion–you clearly have an important message for me. Thank you so much.”

Interpret and act

Sometimes the cause of your anger may seem obvious; other times, not so much, but either way, try to pause for interpretation.

Chemaly writes, “Anger does not, in and of itself, ‘make you right.’” Examine what you’re angry about to figure out what’s your work. Sometimes it’s our thinking.

There can certainly be irritants piling up every day that can lead to anger:

• The student who doesn’t come to class until the last week of the quarter. If you’re thinking, “This kid doesn’t care the whole time and now she wants me to bend over backwards?!” you will likely feel anger in this situation. If you are thinking, “Oh wow, she’s finally here. I’m excited to get to know her. We will take this a day at a time,” you probably aren’t going to feel as angry. I know both are possible, because I’ve seen the same student get radically different reactions across the school day, depending on the teacher, and that teacher’s thoughts. My question becomes, what kind of thoughts will lead to the actions that will create the best results for this student?
• The student who takes things from your desk without asking. Some people see this as a sign of the student’s comfort; others as a boundary violation. If it feels like a boundary violation, it’s important to communicate that calmly and clearly. Pretending that it isn’t a boundary violation will only lead to more anger or an unintentional response. Treating it as a boundary violation when that boundary hasn’t been communicated will also lead to anger.
• The student making passive-aggressive comments in class. This might be interpreted as a threat to the safety of the community you are building or a sign that this student is unsure of how to healthily relate to his classmates. Your interpretation will inform your next steps.

In any situation, it’s important to explore all the ways something can be interpreted before acting so you can choose the best action for your situation.

And what about in the moment when you are angry? This is your opportunity to teach students what to do. A swift, clear response is what is needed in the case of a safety or boundary violation. Anything else can wait, but you can take a minute to regroup. Normalize this so students know how to do it. Here are some possible things to say, depending on your situation:

• “Let’s pause. I’m going to grab a quick drink.”
• “I am going to take a few breaths and let’s start again.”
• “Please wait, I need to write something down real quick.” You can jot down how you’re feeling or anything you need to get out.
• If you have a preset dance party or brain break routine, this is also a good time to use that.

Before any of these actions, you may or may not choose to disclose that you are angry, depending on the situation, but if you want to highlight that you are navigating anger and not suppressing it, you can say, “I think I’m getting angry right now, I will need some time to think about it, but I’m going to reset so I can focus on being your teacher.”

Other times, it may be super clear that the anger is justified. Something like, “I feel angry because it’s important to me that…and…” could be helpful.

I know this modeling might seem kind of cheesy, and not feel like what we want to do in the moment, but this is exactly what we need students to practice. They don’t have to follow the road of anger wherever it leads. They can interrupt the moment and show themselves some care.

I worked with a student last year who engaged in physical fighting when she was angry. Through our consistent practice, she was able to stop fighting and find other ways to articulate her anger. I am so proud of her.

What about the adults?

Even though I think it’s totally okay to admit that sometimes we have class situations that make us angry, I imagine that the majority of the anger at school has to do with colleagues, administrators, and even forces and people outside the school.

Like in the situations above, after you’ve identified the feeling as anger, it’s time to interpret and act. There may be times when it’s really how you’re choosing to look at a situation that is causing your anger.

For example, is your colleague’s email really implying something negative about you? Once I’ve set aside my interpretation of a snarky-seeming email, my action is always to talk with the person face-to-face. This is the best way to clear the air and disrupt any inaccurate perceptions.

“Boundaries” have become a buzzword. Here’s how to actually create them as a teacher.

Other times, boundaries may be in order. The important thing to remember is that boundaries are not about changing other people’s behavior. We can’t change others, and we shouldn’t threaten them with our boundaries to make them change. Boundaries are about you and what you will or won’t do.

Let’s say you have a colleague who never has prepped what they are supposed to prep for the PLC. It’s become such a pattern that it seems they are benefiting from your shared preparations without contributing their own. You can state that you will not share what you’ve prepared unless all group members are ready to share. This protects you, and ultimately, the other person doesn’t have to change; they just won’t benefit from your work without reciprocity.

These actions can be more difficult with administrators because of the power deferential. Again, check your thoughts. Our thoughts and perspectives are often limited to the classroom. While we have a valuable lens, there are so many pieces to running a school that we thankfully don’t have to think about. In other situations, your anger may be completely warranted. If it’s a union violation, your union representative is the best person to discuss it with you–rather than venting in the teacher’s lounge (and taking no action).

Radical imagination

In the Rage Becomes Her book, Chemaly writes, “Anger is an act of radical imagination.” This is the true power and possibility when we make space for anger. Without it, we lose the opportunity to imagine outside of the way things are and into what they could be.

If your anger is related to a clear systemic issue, there are many ways to take action: organize, donate money, or connect small daily actions to disrupting the system “out there.”

Completing the stress cycle

While this structure, where you identify, interpret, and act on anger is strong and harnesses the best potential of this informative emotion, you must also attend to your body.

Emotions are a form of stress on the body, and in Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, Emily and Amerlia Nagoski argue that you need to deal with both the stressor and the actual stress. The former process from Chemaly is about dealing with the stressor. The actual stress, the physical sensation, in this case of anger, also needs to be released.

The Nagoskis call this “completing the cycle.” On a primitive level, it’s a way of signaling to your body that the danger has passed. Without it, our bodies begin to think we are constantly under attack. In the modern age, our bodies are stressed daily, so we need daily ways to release built-up stress.

The best way is through physical exercise, though only you know what kinds of physical movement give you that release. Other releases can be positive social interaction, laughter, physical affection, crying, or creative expression. Dialing in to which ones work specifically to release anger will help your body move forward with your mind.

Rage Becomes Her: Supporting students (and ourselves) in expressing our full range of emotions

The post Teachers are angry. Here’s how to channel that anger productively. appeared first on Truth For Teachers.

Some want to become less shy and more outgoing.

Others want to learn ways to navigate teaching while shy.

Usually, it’s a combination of the two.

I commend you for being a teacher–your own kind of teacher. It’s easy for someone to count themselves out of the profession because of shyness. You didn’t and that’s great.

We need diverse personalities and approaches to respond to and support our diverse students.

The difference between “shy” and “introvert”

People often use these terms interchangeably, and while there are some overlapping features, there is a difference between shyness and introversion.

First and foremost, introversion is a personality type while shyness is an emotion.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, to be shy is to not be inclined to be forward. It implies a timid reserve and a shrinking from unfamiliarity.

On the other hand, to be introverted is to be a reserved or quiet person who tends to be introspective and enjoys spending time alone. It has been noted that introverts gain energy through solitude and quiet.

To further illustrate this distinction, let’s explore two teachers: Sam and Toni. Sam is a shy teacher. He is fearful of speaking up and being the center of attention. Toni is an introvert. She enjoys spending time alone and derives her energy from that alone time.

At first glance, Sam and Toni may show up in the same ways: quiet demeanors, very self-aware, and spending time alone or in small groups.

However, upon closer inspection, Sam is not always shy whereas Toni is always an introvert. Sam’s shyness is fueled by fear and discomfort whereas Toni is content and comfortable in her preferences.

How to thrive as an introverted teacher

Characteristics of a great teacher: myths and facts

When thinking about the traits of great teachers, I am reminded of the children’s show The Powerpuff Girls. The superheroines are born from “sugar, spice, and everything nice.” What are the ingredients of great teachers? Can shy teachers fit the bill?

4 myths about the traits of effective teachers

• They must be extroverted: Some extroverted people can be shy. So there is a chance that a shy teacher is extroverted when confident. However, being extroverted is not a prerequisite for being an excellent educator. After all, Albert Einstein was an introvert and an amazing college professor!
• They must be gregarious: While it is wonderful and crucial to build relationships as a teacher, it is unnecessary to be “on” at all times. Great teachers do not need to be friends with students, families, and colleagues; instead, they can be friendly and cordial. Furthermore, they do not need to go to every work and social event hosted by their school; instead teachers should strive to set and maintain boundaries to feel both a sense of belonging within the school community without feeling overwhelmed and pressured.
• They must be talkative: Teachers certainly talk a lot but we don’t need to be talkative! We should be intentional about what we are saying and how much we are saying. An economy of language that is clear and consistent is most important when teaching!
• They must be completely independent: Everyone will need support and guidance throughout their career. This is especially true in the teaching profession where we strive to meet the diverse needs of our students and their families. We need to stay current on the skills and knowledge we need to foster our students’ success. This is only possible when we acknowledge that we don’t know it all, can’t do it all, and are open to support!

4 facts about the traits of effective teachers

• They must be strong communicators: As Socrates said, “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” In order to ignite students, teachers must be engaging and they must listen well to their students, their colleagues, the school community, the wider world, and to themselves. It takes constant reflection and deep self-awareness to become a masterful, effective communicator.
• They must be good collaborators: Great teachers collaborate with others. They understand that to operate in a silo is to miss out on opportunities to share, adapt, and adopt best practices for their students. Great teachers also cultivate a deep knowledge and passion for their subject matter. They are lifelong learners and are adaptable.
• They must embody core values: Great teachers embody values that are instrumental in building community and connection. They are warm, enthusiastic, compassionate, patient, and empathetic. This makes them approachable and accessible. After all, educator Rita Pierson is right when she says students don’t learn from people they don’t like!
• They must be emotionally regulated: Great teachers recognize and manage their stress. They possess strong organizational skills and coping techniques to help them effectively navigate challenges. They cultivate and maintain their resilience and support ecosystem on an ongoing basis so as not to burn out.

Why are you shy? What can you do about it?

As mentioned, shyness is an emotion, and emotions are mutable. Therefore, there are ways to become less shy.

Here are some questions from licensed psychotherapist Wendy Leeds to consider along your path towards increased confidence:

• How have I successfully dealt with fear-based situations like this in the past?
• Who might be able to help me handle my anxiety?
• What new information could help me deal with my fearful thoughts?
• What’s one small step I can take right now to feel better?
• How can I tell the story about this fear differently?
• What’s the best possible outcome I can imagine?
• What would my life look like, if I could move past this fear and focus on positive possibilities? Is there a role model I can learn from and emulate?

Ultimately, some introverts are shy but not all shy people are introverts. An extroverted person can be shy in particular situations.

If you are a shy person, you can certainly be an amazing teacher! Perhaps this realization (along with the information included in this article) is the boost you need to become the best version of yourself for your students.

The post Thriving as a shy or timid teacher: you don’t have to be gregarious to be good! appeared first on Truth For Teachers.

We loved to sit in her office and grapple with big educational questions, such as issues of equity and access, as well as the smaller stuff, like when the copier paper would be delivered.

In this particular conversation, she asked if I could be an effective teacher if I wasn’t so relational with my students.

I gazed at the teapot that sat on the credenza behind her desk while I thought about the question. After all, I was (and am) an extremely relational teacher. If I had an education philosophy, it might go something like, “Teaching my students and loving my students go hand-in-hand.”

From the moment I stepped into a classroom, my relational teaching style was obvious. I simply loved my students and being their teacher. I eagerly wanted to understand who they were — their dreams and fears and learning styles and histories — so I could do a great job teaching them. I didn’t see any other path to success. Loving my kids and doing everything I could to reach them was never a decision for me. It was an instinct.

This style looked like showing up at their baseball games, spending my Sunday afternoons calling their parents to talk about progress, staying up late to devise lessons they would find engaging, and on and on.

My colleagues, to my embarrassment, noticed this and often commented on it. They worried I was going to burn out. Or that I was “trying to make the rest of us look lazy.” They thought I was working hard, not smart.

But I just couldn’t fathom any other way. Plus, this approach was a joy to me. Being relational with my students gave me energy and passion for teaching.

Without question, this style worked well for me.

Right up until the moment it didn’t.

I needed a change…but a change in my teaching context, or in how I showed up?

Imagine another conversation with a different assistant principal, this one only a year ago. I liked this leader very much, too. I knew I could trust him with the truth.

I confessed I was getting a little bored. I assured him I loved my job and our school. I just felt … squirmy. Our team had tackled and conquered serious issues and navigated our school through some of the weirdest and most troubling times we’d ever experienced, professionally, personally, and (honestly) globally. And yet, look. Our kids were thriving.

Still, I felt restless. Even a little glum. I thought less and less about what my kids needed and more about just doing what I had to. I often looked forward to the weekend first thing Monday morning. Not a good sign.

I wondered if it might be time for me to switch schools or leave education altogether.

But I wasn’t sure. The much-needed change, I felt, was me. Not my school or my projects, but rather my approach to teaching.

It was time to switch up my teacher type.

The 5 (very unscientific and completely made up) teacher types

Teacher type is a phrase I made up. It is backed by exactly zero professional research and is nothing more than a short-hand way for me to quickly categorize teachers. I do this in my brain alone, partly for fun, but mostly to better understand my colleagues’ approaches to teaching.

Teacher typing is a little bit like some of the goofy personality quizzes I used to make my journalism students take at the beginning of the year as part of our team-building process. “Oh, so you’re a blue paperclip! That makes so much sense! Me? Gold folder, thanks for asking.”

But teacher types are much more than a little mental silliness. I deeply respect, and am indeed envious of, teaching styles that are not my own. I look at my colleagues’ gifts with awe.

I also don’t think of teacher types as stereotypes. I understand them instead as instincts, the various ways teachers lean into reaching students. It is all about exactly that: reaching students.

In brief, here are the teacher types I’ve identified:

#1: Relational, as described above, and happily embraced for over eighteen years.

#2: Tech-savvy teachers have a near-savant ability to exploit digital resources up to and beyond their intended purposes. Consider a teacher I worked with a few years ago I’ll call Mrs. Vasquez. Her virtual learning management system was so gorgeous, interactive, and efficient that her students’ learning stayed completely on track during lockdown teaching (What?!)

When some students returned as others stayed at home, she quickly got hold of some kind of fancy voice-activated camera she attached to a tripod and set up in the middle of her room. That thing swiveled at the sound of voices. At-home kids were one-thousand percent engaged in her lessons because they felt like they were right there in the classroom.

#3: Professional teachers are all about improving their practice. They are the first ones to show up for professional development opportunities, whether offered in the teacher lounge or at a conference several hundred miles from home. Professional teachers can (and do!) tout the latest research about effective teaching strategies. They read professional books, blogs, and newsletters and are eager to try out what they’re learning … and enthusiastically tell their colleagues all about it.

#4: Community builders are a bit like relational teachers, except that they take all their warmth and concern outside the walls of their classroom. This kind of teacher understands the value of parental involvement and in fact, prioritizes home communication over nearly every other task on the agenda.

Community builders can be found partnering with organizations outside the school, too. A local ice cream shop brings treats to your school on Friday afternoons? Your community building teacher probably established that partnership, along with another one that resulted in a new floor in your school’s gym. Your community builders collaborate extremely effectively, and if your PLC is lucky enough to have this kind of teacher on your team, those meetings are one of the most rewarding hours of your week.

#5: Content area experts know and deeply love their curriculum. When I think of content area experts, Mr. Jones, a twelfth-grade English teacher, comes to mind. Man, does he know his Shakespeare. And the transcendentalists. And also the twelve (or is it thirteen?) literary theories, how iambic pentameter elevates speech to poetry, and the ways in which voices of protest shape literature. Mr. Jones doesn’t say pride, he says hubris, and he displays absolutely none. He simply adores English language arts, and his passion is contagious.

These approaches to our profession are instinctive and individual. While I naturally prefer the on-ramp of being relational, the teacher down the hall from me is a content area expert. We both love what we do, and we both get great results.

What happened when I tried switching up my teacher type

When I decided to explore a new teaching style, I knew I had the capacity to build another strength. I’m not exactly sure why, but during that conversation with my administrator, I instantly knew which teacher type to try out: professionalism.

For one year, I decided, I would say yes to every professional development opportunity that came my way. Every book that a colleague recommended, I’d read. Every class required by the district, I’d take right away instead of putting it off until the last minute. I would study teaching topics I’d been interested in but hadn’t found the time to explore, specifically teaching gifted kids and adding a reading endorsement to my license.

However, I knew that to make capacity for all this extra focus on professional activities, I’d have to ease up on my relational style. Under normal circumstances, that would never have been an option. A new teacher had just joined our team, though, and she is extremely relational. I could relax, knowing our kids would get all the emotional support they needed.

Off I went into the land of professional development, not exactly excited, but at least curious.

One thing happened that didn’t surprise me: my teaching got better. All the practices, strategies, and ideas I was learning about went straight into my classroom. My lessons improved as I polished up my instructional practices.

But something else happened that surprised me enormously.

My passion came back. My energy and enthusiasm for teaching bubbled up over. I thought constantly about, well, teaching.

In particular, I found myself thinking — a lot — about how to help my colleagues. I began daydreaming about professional development sessions I could create and new ways to communicate with my PLC members. I wanted to co-host an internal podcast for my consortium of schools. Almost every day on my way to school, I left voice messages for our area’s curriculum resource teacher, with one idea after another.

I felt my excitement for teaching return. It was a sensation I hadn’t had in years, but it was expressing itself in wholly new ways. Instead of dreaming up lesson plans, I was dreaming about ways our entire school system could grow.

My principal noticed. One day, he walked into my classroom and offered me a job. He had seen my focus expand from my classroom to our whole school, and he was impressed. One year after I decided to focus on professionalism, I became an instructional coach.

Am I suggesting you switch up your teaching type or explore a career change? Well sure, if that’s what you want.

But the big idea here is that leaning into a new teaching style can have enormous implications for your passion and your energy. And in these days of wild uncertainty and rampant burn-out, what could be more important than re-invigorating your love of education?

Want to try out a different teaching style?

Here are a few suggestions for ways you might lean into a new teaching style if you want to try out something different:

Relational

• Read a book that discusses early childhood trauma and how that impacts student learning.
• Attend an event that students specifically invited you to.
• Explore social emotional leaning and inject what you find into a lesson. This can look as simple as students pointing to a smiley face, sad face, or angry face to let you know how they’re feeling.
• Add class meetings to your daily routines.

Tech Savvy

A word about this before I dive into ideas. It is easy to get completely overwhelmed by the plethora of available resources and completely shut down. This has been my experience, anyhow. If this is you, too, focus on small, incremental steps.

• Befriend a tech-savvy teacher and ask them to tell you all about a favorite digital tool.
• Use the technology you are already familiar with in a new way. Think about phones, social media, or software applications you already use, and ask yourself how you can bring one of those tools into a lesson.
• Commit to trying one new digital app with your students per quarter. Just one.
• Move a paper-based tool you already use (interactive journals, dry-erase boards, planners) into its digital counterpart. Not sure how? The Internet will be more than happy to help you—or that tech-savvy teacher you eat lunch with.

Professional

• Sign up for virtual classes that present innovative teaching practices. You’ll know them when you see them, I promise.
• Read a book or two that address issues around learning, such as why kids don’t like school or how the adolescent years affect concentration.
• Been thinking about adding a subject or endorsement to your license? This is the year to do it. Be sure to ask your administrator about getting reimbursed for the cost.
• Volunteer to lead a professional development activity at your school. Better yet, pair up with a colleague to lighten the load.

Community Builder

• Seek out volunteers for your classroom.
• Communicate more frequently with parents — in a way that doesn’t keep you working nights and weekends. Ask an administrator at your school if you have access to email or auto-phone message lists for your students’ families.
• Have your students create a parent newsletter showcasing the activities in your class.
• Speak with neighborhood businesses about your school. Keep it casual. Be ready with contacts or ideas if a business owner asks how they can become involved.

Content Expert

• Find (or create!) a group of teachers who love your shared content area. Commit to meeting monthly.
• Take a college class or attend a conference on a topic within your curriculum. Again, ask about reimbursement.
• Subscribe to a professional journal for your subject.
• Take a personal field trip to enrich your own learning.
• Let your administrator know you’d like to be considered for teaching advanced students.

It’s important to recognize that it is our responsibility as educators to pay attention to all five of the teacher types. We can’t ignore technology or get loose with our content area just because those are not our strengths.

But with all the priorities clamoring for our attention, we cannot be fabulous at everything, all the time, either. It makes sense to rely on our innate abilities where we can because doing so is efficient and also feels great.

And listen, I am not suggesting that you give this a go if you’re a brand new teacher or your administrator just moved you from earth science to marine biology. Your plate is full.

But if you’re a little bored, kind of restless, or even wondering if teaching is still right for you, consider a shift in your approach to teaching. What a gift this could be to your students, your school, and most importantly, to yourself.

The post Feeling restless? Try switching up your teaching style into one of these 5 types. appeared first on Truth For Teachers.

It’s called Reverse Educator Burnout: 10 Shifts to Help Educators Enjoy the Journey and Stay the Course, and it’s designed to support EVERYONE who works in K-12 schools (teachers, admin, paraprofessionals, coaches, counselors, etc).

Rebecca and I have been friends for over 10 years, and one thing I love about her is the way she incorporates playfulness and fun into everything she does. So, we didn’t just make yet another online PD…

We did a 60s hippie road trip theme, filmed in San Francisco where she lives. I’ve always been a flower child at heart so this was a no-brainer. We wore bell bottoms and borrowed her neighbor’s green van which reminds me of the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine. (You can see a bunch of our pics here.)

The course itself is set up in easily digestible 7-10 minute videos. (Don’t worry, we didn’t go overboard on the theme — we’re wearing professional clothes in the actual trainings.)

Rebecca — as a school psychologist — talks about the research and neuroscience of reversing burnout, and then I talk about the practical classroom application. Each module also has a guest expert who shares their unique perspective on reversing burnout.

We also provide a “roadmap” journal to help you keep track of your ideas as you watch the videos.

Rebecca and I believe in helping educators co-thrive WITH students. We find the overlap between what’s best for kids and what’s best for educators. So, as you learn new skills through the course, you can teach the same strategies to your students.

You can buy the course on your own, but it’s really designed for school purchases: we want districts investing in their faculty’s well-being and mental health, and this is a tool that can help.

We’re losing so many of our best educators — and our new educators don’t even have a chance to thrive — because the institution of school just completely burns them out. This needs to be addressed at a systemic level, and the course Rebecca and I created is a simple inroad for better educator support.

You can pass this link along to administrators who are invested in teacher retention and wellbeing, or any other educators you know who might benefit.

If you’re purchasing with your own funds, you can use the discount code ANGELA to get 25% off. 

Rebecca and I are so excited to get some relevant and fun professional development into schools so that educators feel more supported and better equipped. Thank you for helping us spread the word, and for supporting us in what we do!

The post A “groovy” new resource for reversing educator burnout appeared first on Truth For Teachers.

I knew that emotional intelligence is an important skill to foster in children: it helps us to better understand ourselves as we move through our daily lives. This knowledge of self then helps us to better understand and empathize with others.

But I favored lessons on empathy and social interactions, and as a result, the seeds I planted didn’t always take root.

It became clear that I was expecting my students to have larger background knowledge about emotions than they actually did.

There are many adults who do not have a strong base for emotional intelligence. We often lack the words or comfort levels to share how we’re feeling with others, as well as the tools to help navigate situations when big emotions arise. Increasing emotional intelligence starts with self-awareness. From there we can learn how to better self-regulate. Helping students to tune into their bodies, recognize the physical sensations that come with experiencing an emotion, and to consider how they would like to respond are cornerstone traits to strengthen this life skill.

Below are five ways that we can infuse more practice with self-awareness and regulation to help strengthen emotional intelligence in the classroom.

1. Name emotions with accurate language

This might seem like a simple approach, but it is very powerful. We may think students are already familiar with naming emotions, but they are often very limited in vocabulary, understanding, or both.

In his book Permission to Feel: The Power of Emotional Intelligence To Achieve Well-Being and Success, Marc Brackett highlights the importance of increasing emotion vocabulary in children by stating,

“The more words that children can use, the better able we’ll be able to support them. When we use a wide variety of terms to describe emotions, our children learn the words, but they also absorb the lesson that describing their feelings is a natural, positive thing to do” (Brackett 113).

This doesn’t have to be complicated! I’ve found that the two simplest things we can do to increase emotion language are to name emotions and to explore the clues that tell us that we or others are experiencing an emotion. Here are a few ways that we can do this:

Use literature

Using characters in the books we read in class to help identify and explore an emotion is an easy place to start. It can be helpful to ask students questions like “How do you think the character is feeling?” and “What clues tell us that they are feeling this way?” We can use this approach to examine facial features, ask students to think about a time they felt the same way, or invite discussion about physical sensations they might feel in the body when experiencing a certain emotion.

We can also share literature that deals with social-emotional learning and invite class discussion. We are lucky to live in an age where there is a gorgeous variety of picture and chapter books on these topics. Use books that you may already have in your classroom, chat with your school librarian, or explore communities online that offer quality recommendations.

Use everyday situations

We can invite students to pause and check in with their own bodies during the day. This can be especially meaningful when the atmosphere in the room feels a certain way.

For example, if the room is full of energy, students seem particularly lethargic or disengaged, or when stress is high before a testing scenario. It may be helpful for us to name what we are noticing in the room and invite students to see if this feels true for them. We can ask students to pause and notice the physical sensations they are feeling and to consider what emotion they are experiencing. From there we are able to work with students to identify what they may need as support.

Use yourself as an example

Naming emotions we feel in ourselves as they arise throughout the day can also be an impactful way to normalize emotions and connect with students more deeply. Stating how we’re feeling and what clues our bodies are giving us and sharing what strategies we need to self-regulate in the moment can be powerful for students to hear.

As always, use your best judgment about what and how to share depending on your students, their developmental and maturity levels, and your own personal comfort levels.

2. Share the science

My students loved learning about their brains. There was always an intense focus that emerged when I shared the “why” behind something as non-concrete as emotions and behavior. When it was broken down, it suddenly made sense and the knowledge empowered them to make different choices. They also loved sharing the knowledge with others–it was a great topic of discussion whenever they had a substitute.

Dan Siegel’s hand model of the brain helped provide my third-graders with a concrete example of how their brains play a part when they experience big emotions. It gave them a clear visual of the three major parts of the brain that go into emotional regulation. It also provided a clear “why” behind the work we were doing to support their growth in this area.

Looking up Dan Siegel’s work or exploring Scarlett Lewis’s Choose Love program can help give more examples of age-appropriate language around this topic. Feel free to adjust for your students and their interests or developmental needs. Younger students may need a more simplified model or older students might be interested in more complex topics like the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.

3. Introduce and integrate strategies

Providing students with simple, concrete tools that they can practice and access when experiencing big emotions is key. There are currently a lot of resources for educators on this topic and finding strategies that work for you and your students can take time.

Throughout my own process I’ve learned to be honest about what strategies work for me, but also to be open to things that don’t. I would sometimes shy away from techniques that weren’t my favorite but found that some students gravitated towards those.

Here are three categories of strategies and some simple examples from each that I’ve found to make a difference with my students.

Breathing

There’s more and more evidence that we have become a population of shallow breathers. When we feel stressed or anxious, we have the tendency to hold our breath high in our chests, rather than allowing our bellies to expand and our lungs to fill to capacity. Working on this “belly breathing” (also known as diaphragmatic breathing) is one of the simplest things we can do to help encourage our students to re-connect with themselves.

Invite students to sit tall in their chairs with their feet planted on the floor. They may choose to close their eyes, or find a soft gaze somewhere on the floor. Students may also choose to place a hand on their bellies if they wish to.

From here, we invite students to breathe in through their nose, if they can, and to exhale through their nose. Experiment with counting the students through the breath for equal counts of four.

Or experiment with a count of four on the inhale and six on the exhale. Encourage students to reflect silently or out loud on how they feel after several rounds of breath.

This is such a simple technique and is an easy one to write off. That being said, it is perhaps the tool that my students accessed the most once they became more comfortable with it.

Quiet time

Noticeable changes began to arise in my own classroom when I started carving out time for students to explore quiet, stillness, or sensing into their bodies.

This will look very different at each age and maturity level, but one simple technique to try is a five-sense activity. Invite students to sit quietly and mentally notice five things they can see.

From there, they can choose to keep their eyes open, or rest their gaze on the floor as they make note of four things they can touch, three things they can hear, two things they can smell, and one thing they can touch.

Journaling, nature or building walks, glitter jars, or Responsive Classroom’s “Quiet Time” are other examples of ways to help students connect inwardly and self-regulate.

Mindful movement

Allowing for movement breaks throughout the day has been considered beneficial for students for a while now. You may already have some type of practice for this woven into your daily classroom life already. Sometimes it seemed hard to find time during the day to get my students up and moving and I needed ways that students could access movement, even if they were required to stay seated. Below is a short and simple series of chair movements I would use if my students needed a break, particularly in testing situations.

First, ask students to scoot as far forward in their chairs as needed so that they can plant their feet flat on the floor. Ask them to imagine that they have a string coming out of the tops of their heads and someone is gently pulling on that string to help make them sit tall and strong. Invite them to rest their hands on their thighs and either close their eyes or gaze at the floor. Take a few breaths here.

You can then invite students to inhale and stretch their arms over their heads. Then exhale and slowly twist their upper bodies to the right, resting their right hand on the back of their seat and their left hand on the outside of their right thigh or seat. Encourage them to keep breathing and to keep their spine straight. Exhale to unwind and then repeat on the left side.

Finally, invite students to keep a straight spine and lift their right leg off of the ground, crossing their right ankle over their left knee. They may choose to stay here and take a few breaths, or perhaps start to bring their chest down towards their legs. After a few breaths, uncross the right leg and repeat on the other side.

4. Make time for reflection

Carving out intentional time to connect and reflect is a wonderful way to cultivate awareness and deepen the practice. This ensures that everyone feels comfortable and that you are reaching the community in an effective way.

Reflect with students

Inviting students to be active participants in this journey informs and empowers both them and you. Regularly checking in with students can be as simple as asking them to reflect internally after they’ve implemented a strategy. Asking questions like “How did you feel before?” and “How do you feel now?” can foster an internal awareness and strengthen the process of slowing down to consider how we are feeling and what actions we can take to support ourselves.

We can also ask our students for feedback on what they feel is working and what is not, both for themselves and as a class. They can share their thoughts with you independently (privately in one-on-one interaction or recording their ideas on a sticky note), in partnerships, or in group situations like during whole-class meetings. How you choose to do this will depend on your students’ comfort levels.

One year I had a small reflection journal for students to use partly for this purpose. We would try a new regulation strategy and, after practicing it for a week or so, I would ask them to record how they felt when using the strategy or when they thought they might use it in their lives. This gave them a chance to consider whether it was something that felt good for them. Some students also used the journal as a tool to reflect during or after experiencing a big emotion.

Reflect with colleagues

If you have a group of colleagues or friends from other districts who are also interested in fostering emotional intelligence in the classroom, connect with them when you can!

Troubleshooting, problem-solving, and sharing wins with people who are on the same journey can be helpful and supportive. There are so many things to learn from each other! We can often gain new perspectives or feel seen by others when we connect in this way.

Self-Reflection

Self-reflection is an often overlooked tool. As educators, we tend to excel at reflecting on what might have worked with a group of students and adjusting accordingly. But do not forget that you are a part of the process!

Remember to consider your needs and limits as well. It is just as important to make sure that what you are implementing is working for you too.

5. Honor the process

Increasing emotional intelligence within our classrooms can sometimes be challenging and uncomfortable because it asks us to grow. Know that there may be times when things feel difficult for you or your students and that this is okay.

Here are some important pieces to help us move through it.

Follow through

Once we start to dive into this journey with our students, it is important to follow through. This includes honoring the requests students may make of you when it comes to self-regulation. You may find yourself feeling frustrated or defaulting to old ways that you used to show up in your classroom.

For example, I had a student who thrived on taking a meditation break with our classroom glitter jar, particularly during writing activities. There were times when I wished he would just sit down and get his work finished. But once we had set the clear expectation that he was still responsible for coming back to the activity to finish his work after he had self-regulated, the glitter jar only helped him to become more productive.

Be consistent

Consistency is also an important part of the process. There may be times when you feel like what you’re introducing isn’t sticking. Some students continue to show up in the same ways and struggle with the same issues over and over.

Make adjustments as needed, but trust the process as well. Students often need time and consistency to feel safe enough to start implementing these strategies and share their internal world. This helps students know you will honor their needs and they in turn will want to honor yours.

Participate

As educators, we know the importance of modeling and leading by example. It is powerful to take part in this process with our students and let them see us! When you ask students to journal, journal with them.

When you invite students to share their reflections, share with them. When you ask students to try a new strategy, try it with them. It sends a powerful message and learning alongside our students is one of the most beautiful things we can do.

We are most likely also working on strengthening our own emotional intelligence in the process. Things will inevitably come up for us as we explore this topic with our students. Be gentle with yourself as things arise and seek support from friends, colleagues, and professionals as needed.

The post 5 ways to strengthen emotional intelligence in the classroom appeared first on Truth For Teachers.

Imagine it … a job where you could stare blankly into the computer screen doing data entry while blasting 90s alternative music in your earbuds?

A job that doesn’t require so much darn enthusiasm?

If so, I am here to tell you that you aren’t alone.

Teaching is a performance art. It requires energy, stamina, flexibility, confidence, and a whole lot of love. And most days striving for that #winning performance is FUN. Work doesn’t seem like work, the kids are engaged, technology hasn’t failed, and you are up to date on grading.  The art of teaching is fulfilling, even though you go home exhausted.

Conversely, there are the “desk-job-longing” days, and it can take tremendous effort to move forward. It could be that nothing is going right — the copier is jammed, parent emails are stacking up, you’re behind on lesson planning, etc. Or it could be that you are just plain worn down, with no energy left to muster.  In these moments where we are desperately seeking strength to forge ahead, it’s imperative to reach into our resilience “first aid kit” for some self-service triage.

One day, deep into hybrid learning, I had just taken attendance in person and online. I had the projector on for the students in the classroom, I was screen sharing with the students at home, I had gotten the microphone to work, and I was settled in a chair to start the lesson on camera. The first two sentences were hardly out of my mouth when the phone rang. ALL.THE.WAY. ACROSS.THE.ROOM.

Internally, I was exasperated. The amount of organization and energy required for asynchronous teaching was off the charts and I was holding on by a string. I put the online learners on hold, took off my headset, and walked across the classroom, and answered the phone.

Turns out the secretary had called the wrong room. She apologized, and instinctively I said, “That’s okay, I needed the exercise.” My irritation had washed away almost instantly because of many years of practicing reframing my thoughts.

Emergency care for your body, mind, and spirit is located in your head.  Mindset is so powerful that it plays a significant role in decreasing stress, improving health, and increasing happiness. Our brains are first aid kits with the built-in capability to create a lasting foundation of resilience.

But, therein lies the paradox. Even though we have all the supplies readily available to us, it can be extremely difficult to access them in moments of stress.

However, with practice, there are things you can do right in the moment to build resilience when the job you love seems to be kicking your butt.

7 First aid supplies for resilience emergencies

Breathe

Every mindfulness instructor is going to tell you to use breathing and/or visualizing as a calming technique– and that is because it’s incredibly effective. This is a coping strategy that can be done in just a few minutes.

To quiet your mind and bring awareness away from your worries, take a few deep breaths. The supply of oxygen to your brain increases and the parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated.  In turn, you feel connected to your body, which promotes a state of calmness. It’s easy to do in the moment.

I have been known to use deep breathing while I walk around the classroom, checking on assignments, with students none the wiser.

Do not argue with reality

I’d argue that all stress comes from arguing with reality and insisting that “things should be different.” Thoughts like, “Parents should respect me”, or “The administration is unsupportive”, or “There is not enough time to teach this curriculum” ultimately do not serve you because they create tension and frustration. They argue with “what is”.

Author Byron Katie says, “When we don’t argue with reality, action becomes simpler, fluid, kind, and fearless.” We cannot change the world around us in order to be happy or have a smoother day. Instead, accepting the reality of “what is” gives the power back to you.

Perseverating on how we believe things “should be” is unproductive; accepting “what is” helps you move forward.

Identify what you can control 

Can you stop a parental firestorm in its tracks when it’s headed your way? No, but you can control how well you are prepared for it to hit.

By focusing on what specifically in a situation you can control, a sense of empowerment follows, and positive emotions are triggered.

For example, you may not be able to control the new schedule rolled out for the upcoming school year but you do have control over making what happens in those minutes work for you and your students. Let that inform your action and you will feel good about how you choose to respond.

Talk to someone you trust

Sharing emotions reduces stress while simultaneously making us feel close to another person. Find a friend to lighten your load and relieve your stress from the situation at hand.

This doesn’t mean complaining to everyone in your school corridor who will listen. Instead, get your feelings out to one person who will support and guide you to healthy decision-making.

Just remember that repeatedly venting over and over to the same person can cause friction in a relationship. There is a fine line between healthy venting and toxic complaining. Be selective about how often you are venting and prompt the other person to offer their perspective.

Practice self-compassion

This means treating yourself warmly, gently, and fairly. Why is being kind to ourselves so difficult? As teachers, I can safely assume we are all doing the best we can with the information we have at each moment. With self-compassion, you practice accepting–rather than judging– yourself.

The teacher in the next classroom might have all their report card comments done way before you, created an amazing lesson entirely from scratch, and seems to have classroom management perfected. That is okay! None of that is a reflection on you.

Take pride in your own unique strengths, talents, and characteristics. Give yourself a break; you are amazing.

Recognize any positives in challenging situations

Staying positive in a negative situation is tough, but you can honor difficult situations and emotions while also choosing to focus on positive elements or outcomes.

This recently happened to me when I found out my principal and mentor were moving on to another opportunity. Initially, I felt sad and disappointed for myself even though I truly was happy for him. Ultimately,  I chose to focus on the fact that I wasn’t losing a mentor, but also gaining an additional teacher in the new principal that was hired.

Does this mean I wasn’t sad or disappointed anymore? No, of course, I was. But by recognizing that there were actually good things possible in the situation I eased the negative impact. With many years of practice, I can identify the positive in any negative situation almost automatically.

Complete the stress cycle

When we face anything the brain perceives as a threat, stress is the body’s natural response. Called the “stress cycle”, it has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Let’s say you just got out of a difficult meeting with an angry parent. It was high tension and even though the issues were resolved, your body is still stuck in the middle of a stress response. It takes completing the stress cycle for your body to fully move on from the perceived threat.

Sisters Amelia and Emily Nagoski write in their book “Burnout” about six evidence-based strategies to complete the stress cycle: physical activity, creativity, laughing, crying, physical affection, and deep breathing. The most efficient is 30 minutes of exercise each day, but all work wonderfully. Take the time out of your day to complete the stress cycle.

When you build up your resilience, life flows a bit more easily. You may find that your vibe rubs off on your students. You may share the same strategies with them in moments of need, teaching them a bit about social-emotional learning in the process. And, you may also find that co-workers start to find you not only optimistic, but confident and unshakeable.

Coincidentally, these are also fantastic qualities found in the best performance artists, as the show must go on.  We carry on our daily performance as educators not only because we must, but also because we know the next day will be better. The mood will have shifted, or our energy will have resurfaced.

Besides, we all know that “desk jobs” really aren’t that great anyway.

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