Totally Free Afternoon!

I hope everyone enjoyed their Totally Free Afternoon!  It is really important that we are taking time for ourselves.  Teaching is a demanding profession, but mental sanity is an important characteristic of an effective teacher.  I know we feel like there is always more to do and the work never ends (which it doesn't...haha), but there is a place for a work-life balance.  My first year was exhausting and draining.  I poured everything I had into my classroom, and I was often frustrated because I didn't feel like the work was getting me anywhere.  I look back and realize that I was spinning my wheels without any fuel in the tank.  When I was able to take a step back, reconnect with friends make new relationships, and start to enjoy the my community, I not only became a happier person, but a better teacher as well. I needed to remember that while I may be Ms. Castellano from the hours of 7:00 - 3:00, Lisa needs to be able to have a life as well.  

I bring up this point about work-life balance, because having a personal/social outlet in your life helps relieve some of the constant pressure you may feel in this profession.  Teaching is one of the most demanding jobs.  Period.  Not only are you there to teach them, but you become a nurse, a therapist, a surrogate parent at times, a chauffeur, and even a dentist (haha). With everything going on, it's really easy to lose sight of the people in your life we matter.  Don't be blinded by the stress of the every day grind and forget the people who helped get you to this point, who support you whenever you need it, and who have encouraged you to move halfway across the country to start a new chapter in your life.  Remember those people and reach out to new friends who can take you away (physically and mentally) on a Saturday night or Tuesday afternoon (big thank you to my margarita crew).  Don't lock yourself in your classroom because it might feel like you are only increasing your effectiveness, but really you are losing the spark, the magic, and the spirit that got you here in the first place.   Side note: I know that several people in my life who are going to point out that I need to take my own advice... haha.  I am still a work in progress.  :)


Finally, I hope that after enjoying a fun afternoon, we all come back to school rested, focused and ready for the last half of this journey.  Our students need us.  They need us to be energetic, and prepared.  We have the tools, so now it's about utilizing them in an effective way.  Continue to reach out, continue to be reflective, and continue to be in charge of your own development.  We have 11 school days until the end of summer.  That's it.  We have 11 days to prove what's possible for the kids of the Delta.  I can already see such tremendous growth and there is a culture of learning that is infectious.  I see the new teachers in the building, and I am inspired to do better, to push myself harder, and to constantly ask "what else could I be doing?"  Thank you for inspiring me to renew my enthusiasm for this job.  Thank you for allowing me to reflect in my own practices and mindsets, expose my flaws, and begin the process of true growth.  

With deepest sincerity, I thank everyone who has ever been called a teacher for their work, determination, and commitment to children.  Thank you.