A Quick Note About Guilt-Free Spending

Recently I was scrolling through Instagram when I came across a post by @thedesignerteacher with this photo. This text image was created with the idea of guilt-free teacher self-care in mind, which I fully support. I’ve only taught for two years, but in that short time I have definitely come to better understand the necessity of prioritizing taking care of me. I can't be my best for my students if I'm consistently depleted of my own energy. Learning about what self care looks like for me and allowing myself to actively practice it has been a process. But I'm working at it.

This image struck me because of its truth. My time outside of school is mine. To spend however I see fit. Maybe that means vegging out on the couch watching Netflix for the rest of the afternoon. Maybe that means getting caught up on grading. Or maybe it means going for a run. getting coffee with a friend, or catching the soccer game after school that your students asked you to come to. You get to define your down time and you get to evaluate what you need. This will ultimately change from day to day or situation to situation. It may mean finding balance between taking care of others and taking time for yourself, but that’s okay. There's no right or wrong way to spend my time beyond my classroom walls, and the same goes for you. As educators, we are hard enough on ourselves when it comes to so many other aspects of our jobs, but down time doesn’t belong on that list. Spend your time guilt-free. You deserve it!

Year 2 In Review

I recently completed my second year of teaching...

Boy, it feels weird to write that because it doesn't seem real! The past two years have been an absolute whirlwind, filled with learning, laughter, trials & errors, a few tears, and relationship building with a lot of amazing kids. Today I'd like to give you a small glimpse into my second year of teaching. I'm excited to share about new things that I tried and lessons that I learned along the way.

1. I taught two grade levels. I taught 7th grade exclusively my first year, but picked up 6th grade this year as well. When I first found out that this was what I'd be teaching, I was admittedly nervous. While the rational part of me knew that these two groups are not inherently different, it felt quite the opposite. In the world of 6th grade I felt a bit like a baby giraffe, as I navigated the needs of a new and younger age group. At times I struggled with guilt. When I was in a good groove with one grade level, I'd ultimately feel like I wasn't doing enough for the other. Over time I learned and allowed myself to accept, however, that the two groups can look different and still be learning and growing. One class doesn't have to be a mirror image of the other, and nobody expects them to be. While there were definitely some challenges along the way, I LOVED getting the opportunity to work with two different groups of students. I got to see the newness of middle school that I often forget about as a 7th grade teacher as my 6th graders were experiencing it. Teaching multiple grade levels stretched my abilities in ways that I didn't expect and I learned a lot about balance and giving myself grace in the process. 

2. I found my (teacher) voice. And no, I don't mean the serious voice I use in my classroom when I mean business, LOL. This took shape for me in a couple of different ways. First, I found rich and authentic community through Twitter and this blog. I immersed myself in a digital PLN, a group of people from all walks of education who share ideas with and support each other. This platform enabled me to share my thoughts and experiences, ask questions, and gain valuable insight from people who are passionate about helping kids learn and grow. The second avenue through which I established my voice was through presenting at professional development. In a previous post I detailed my entire presenting experience, which you check out here. It is still a moment that I am both surprised by and proud of!

3. I introduced new projects and learning activities. Something that I've learned about myself these past two years is that I love trying new things in my classroom. I say I've discovered that about myself because I'm usually one who clings to the security of the norm and what's familiar. I play it safe in many areas of my life, but not in teaching. My absolute favorite thing about teaching RLA is getting the opportunity to make literature come to life. I love figuring out ways to make reading real, tangible, and memorable. With every novel we read in my class, I try to incorporate an experiential project that allows my students to step into the life and circumstances of the people that we're reading about. For example, when we read A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park, I stage our own water walk where students have to fetch water in gallon jugs and carry it for an extended period of time, just as the main character Nya has to fetch water to sustain her family. While I didn't come up with this idea (though I wish I did!), I have helped my students make this project their own and I know that it has made and will continue to make an impact. This experience fosters perspective and empathy for the main character that they may not have otherwise obtained. A NEW tangible learning experience from this year that I'm really proud of is the Titanic Wax Museum that we put on. I'm currently working on a whole separate post detailing this project, as it had many moving parts, but planning it was a new and exciting experience. In short, we read Titanic: Voices from the Disaster by Deborah Hopkinson, where we learned about countless Titanic passengers and crew members who experienced the disaster firsthand. After reading about these people, I assigned each student a passenger and they were tasked with bringing that person to life. They researched them, prepared a speech and visual, and then dressed the part, all in the interest of embodying that person and telling their story. It was such a cool project and one that many students told me was their favorite at the end of the year! More on that coming soon. :)


My second year of teaching had its own challenges and successes alike, but more than anything I'm so grateful for another year spent doing what I love at a place that I love. I adore my job and this year only reaffirmed that I'm doing exactly what I was meant to. Year 3 has already got me trying on a new hat--coaching! I cannot wait to see what else it will bring! :)