Less is More: On Choosing Joy and Embracing Chaos

I have reached my capacity. I can't add one more thing. I am exhausted. 

These common phrases fill the offices of teachers near and far. Finding ways in which to combat these sentiments are almost as daunting as the to-do lists teachers create for themselves each day. I must admit that the phrases mentioned above have been felt by me this school year. As a person seeking work-life harmony, I know that I need to take action to create a healthier and happier relationship with rest and relaxation. While harmony of any kind needs to be frequently fine-tuned, there are ways to set healthy boundaries, and it is my goal to create and maintain them. Unfortunately, I am not succeeding, but admitting that there is a need to reevaluate is a good first step, right?

Social-emotional learning is a trending topic in the education world, and we cannot forget to apply those principles that are being thoughtfully crafted for our students to ourselves. I find that many educators who experience burnout are carrying the emotional load of their students, colleagues, and school. Being in the business of people makes it difficult to separate school from everyday life. A colleague suggested I read Angela Watson's book Fewer Things, Better: The Courage to Focus on What Matters Most, which has challenged me to reflect on what it means to be busy versus productive, overloaded versus efficient. Through conversations with friends and participating in the ongoing discussion on what SEL looks like in schools, I have come to realize that I need to care less to love more.

Yes, I have determined that I need to care a little less about the daily tasks and perfecting every detail to be able to engross myself more authentically in what matters. While this notion is counterintuitive, learning to let go will provide me with more space to refill my emotional bucket so that I can show more love, empathy, and understanding to the needs of Generation Z, a group of students who are experiencing levels of trauma and anxiety more than ever before.

As a parent of growing children who are almost school-aged now, I have begun to compare my parenting practices to my teaching style. As a parent, I am learning to challenge my children to accomplish tasks and chores on their own. In doing so, those clothes may not be folded as nicely, or the bins used to organize their toys end up a little more disorganized than I'd like. If I am okay with insignificant and menial chaos in my own home, I need to accept more disarray in my classroom and school-life.

I have been guilty of pushing myself to the limit to ensure that everyone succeeds at school, and in doing so, I have robbed students and adults alike of dissonance and discomfort that can lead to immense growth. Failure is okay; incomplete work can sometimes lead to an enriching life. A little chaos can lead to beautiful results. While there are times to take charge of a situation, I have to learn to accept that there are times when I need to allow someone else to own a problem. Students like my children, need to learn to self-manage and problem solve.

So how do we begin to circumvent feelings of fatigue and burnout?

1. Start by establishing clear rules and goals.

I have goals in mind to establish better work-life harmony, but I have not executed them yet. Formulating thoughts on paper and speaking them aloud to individuals who will and are holding me accountable is the first step toward implementation. Part of my problem and the problem of other educators is that we don't know how to turn off. There's not a magical off switch that powers down our desire to stop caring for and worrying about our students. Papers come home to be graded; lesson planning happens at all hours of the night but at some point. Boundaries have to be set. Even if it's scheduled, rest and relaxation have to happen. This area continues to be a work in progress for me, but progress is being made!

2. Keep validating others' feelings but don't own them.

Empathy is a powerful and critical skill, but taking on someone else's problem is not healthy for you or for the other person. When we assume the feelings of others, we hinder ourselves from helping others with their problems. We drain our batteries quicker, and that type of fatigue can carry into areas of our lives. Instead of feeling with - we should feel for and show support. Students upset mostly wants to be heard and validated. That act of validation can change a mood and uplift a person, instead of creating a cycle in which the feelings ruminate, and the situation is not solved. Listening and acknowledging someone's feelings alleviates

3. Turn off constant notifications.

A decade ago (or maybe two at this point), work was left at work, and home life was more preserved. That's not to say that teachers didn't grade and lesson plan at home, but the emails were not coming in at all hours of the day. Today, notifications, submissions, and emails are always coming, and I often become anxious about responding to the dings on my phone. I know many teachers have set great boundaries for themselves about the time in which they will reply and even read emails. My goal now is to stop looking at email at 8 PM. Once I have reached that point (having been up since 4 AM), I am no longer as effective, detailed, or responsive. While I am not ready to cut all ties to my email, I realize that I need to start setting better limits and value my time so that I can be more productive, effective, and engaged when it is time to respond.

4. Schedule time for joy.

Having children has taught me to be more present and in the moment. My time with my littles is fleeting and had been a dream of mine for a long time. It took almost five years to have our first child, and I didn't wait that long to miss the experience. Doing small things like going to the library as a family, apple picking, visiting relatives - these little trips fill our hearts in big ways. Always schedule time for joy and honor that time to the fullest.

5. Talk about anything but school.

When with teacher friends, my first instinct is to talk shop on weekends and when socializing, but being at school all day, grading all night, and then gabbing about it all weekend does not create space to reset. While my pride and joy is my work, if I want to have a life outside of that, I can't talk about it all the time. Reducing the conversations about school or just embracing another interest for a few minutes allows for a little space from such a meaningful vocation.

As a parent and teacher, I have learned that to be loving, effective, and engaging. I need to bear a little less of the load. My goal is to love, support, and walk alongside my kids - both small and big. Scrolling through some readings on my phone, I came across this poem by 19th-century poet and philosopher, Kahlil Gibran who states,

“Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their thoughts.”

As a teacher, I have learned that I have to give them space to succeed and fail, achieve, and prevail. I am called to help them discover their thoughts and ideas, and in that process, I am there to guide them to - not drop them off at - their next destinations. We are far better supporters than carriers. It's time to lighten the load so that we can love more authentically, embrace life more joyfully, and teach more effectively. Less in this case really is so much more.

Teaching Gen Z

Recently, I watched a webinar as part of a PD workshop, hosted by the community college where I adjunct, that explored Gen Z learners. With a decade already come and gone, I have seen the Millennial generation matriculate through the school system. Replaced by Gen Z,  it has been easy to forget that society and my students' perspectives on it differ from their predecessors. As technology and our world evolves, so too do our students. While both Millennials and Gen Zers have similar characteristics and levels of proficiency with the types of technological communication that interests them (Note: They hate email.), there are some distinct differences. My mother has always told me, much to my chagrin, that children are the products of their parents. Parental viewpoints, values, and perspectives significantly impact how a child engages with and view the world in which they. Millenials have young Baby Boomer parents that grew up in a golden age in which the American Dream was thriving, and hard work seemingly paid off. Inherently, Millenials, the generation I am a part of seeks connections with others through many platforms, deeply values collaboration and dreams of work-life balance (or work-life harmony as I like to call it). Our curiosity and connectedness have made us overly optimistic, a characteristic that is now being deemed as toxic when taken too far. The list of characteristics about Millenials continue to occupy the headlines, perpetuating the idea that we are all spoiled and seek instant gratifications.

Millenials have gotten a bad rap. These headlines bashing Millenials frustrate me to no end. The idea that Millenials are lazy, still living at home, and love to eat avocado toast while drinking Starbucks lattes is mostly inaccurate. I must admit I indulge in a coffee after only getting four hours of sleep because I was working my side hustle (adjuncting at an awesome community college) the night before, but according to media headline, I'm still lazy and probably feel a little too entitled to that morning cup of joe. Entering the workforce in the great recession of 2008, in a time when work landscapes are radically shifting to consultation work and remote offices, has led to Millenials struggling to pay off excessive student debt and seek alternative types of employment. Still, Millenials remain incredibly open-minded and tend to view the world with slightly rosier glasses than their Gen X and Gen Z counterparts. I'll refrain from unleashing a verbal deluge about how Millenials never asked for participation trophies or demanded smartphones. In spite of the negativity thrown at my cohort on this planet, I see my generation using social media platforms and technology to rewrite the narrative on what the definition of the American Dream actually is and how it can be achieved.

Now that the youthfulness of Millenials has passed on to a new class of humans, I seek to understand and recognize the new population with my classroom and identify what motivates Gen Z. At first glance, they look like Millenials - tech-savvy and ready to use social media to document their lives, yet they are showing a decline in optimism. Considering issues such as global climate change, natural disasters, and the political climate, I am not surprised by this information, but recognizing the more realistic, "tell it like it is" attitude of the next generation does cause me to stop and reflect on my teaching practices and how I view their behavior. Remembering that our world continues to evolve at rapid rates, it is critical as a teacher that I identify how and why these changes impact my current students. Again I return to my mother's belief that children are a product of their parents. Gen X, the grunge-loving, slightly more cynical generation who values work-place independence are now raising these Gen Zers. Their children will reflect their desire to save money and work autonomously. With this iteration of students and their tech-savvy skills, it's time to insert blended learning and flexible scheduling opportunities.

Recently I read Start Something That Matters by TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie, a book that addresses the desire to use for-profit companies to engage in nonprofit ventures. This theory of using one's professional platform to participate in more philanthropic pursuits is one that this generation is and will adopt in their futures. When they believe in a cause, their motivation increases tenfold, and they are willing to use their digital resources to share their thoughts openly. Student motivation has been down lately and perhaps technology is to blame or increasing levels of anxiety that is the result of numerous factors (including ACEs, pressure to perform, economic disparity, violence, social and political issues, etc.). Whatever the reason, my goal is to deliver my best Jaime Escalante impression and reach these kids.

Teaching a room full of repeat freshmen this summer has challenged me to reflect on student motivation. A few days ago, I ended up on my Sukow soapbox and started preaching about developing literacy and communication skills that will make the remainder of their high school experience more successful as they develop a strong sense of self-efficacy. (I wasn't handed a ribbon, but I did receive a round of applause. Thanks for the metaphorical gold star, kids!) When students improve their reading skills, they inherently become better writers. When they develop their writing skills, they naturally become better speakers with some encouragement to face their speech anxiety. These skills are interdependent and are the foundation for any future pursuit - academic, personal, and professional.

While I am still new in exploring generational studies and how that impacts classroom learning, I have drawn a few initial nuggets of knowledge.


1. Gen Z prefers to work individually. 

As offices turn digital and require more remote work, this generation seeks autonomy, although they are highly driven by relationships. Working alongside others instead of directly with others is a more efficient way to complete work. Although the webinar I recently completed and some of my initial readings suggests that this generation still values and is motivated by their relationships. Perhaps a blended-learning model would be most desirable for these students as it would allow them to meet and engage with others face-to-face but also work independently and at their own pace.


2. Students in this generation are more invested in projects that are broken into smaller tasks and want to feel a sense of accomplishment along the way. 

Gamification and badging are both strategies that may drive these students who are motivated by their sense of accomplishments. Direct feedback after completing a step in a greater project or assignment motivate these students to continue working, and the latter seems like a great educational practice. Giving students more feedback before a test or a summative is collected is the best way to help their revise, grow, and cultivate critical skills. Creating mastery pathways and using learning management systems to personalize the learning experience can help students to work at their own pace while accomplishing specific curriculum-based tasks. I'm still not sold on badging or how that could possibly motivate students, but I suppose everyone likes a sticker to put on their Chromebooks, right?



3. When learning is directly relevant and related to their interests, they will work. Hard. 

Student motivation seems to be lacking as of late, although I doubt this is a groundbreaking problem. The phrase "kids these days" has been used for generations. I propose that if we reframe how we view our frustrations with "kids these days," we can empower both our students and ourselves to be more proactive, productive, and positive (Sorry, I can't seem to shake my Millenial optimism). In the book Marching Off the Map: Inspire Students to Navigate a Brand New World by Tim Elmore, student-apathy is addressed. By tapping into students' passion, we can encourage them to take control of their educational pursuits. Providing student choice, blending classroom experiences, and encouraging students to choose their independent books or research topics are not new concepts, but finding ways to update the curriculum using these teaching practices is still crucial. When our students seem to lack motivation, there are multiple factors at play. Perhaps social-emotional obstacles are in the way, or there is a gap in prior knowledge to be able to engage with the current curriculum, whatever the reason might be, we must continue to reflect as teachers and adapt when possible to provide students with learning experiences that will spark their motivational fire.


4. Gen Z needs to be challenged to be content creators not just side-line consumers. 

Consuming digital media is a constant in students' lives. They are plugged into YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and the ever-evolving list of social platforms (such as TikTok) continue to occupy their free (and even not so free) hours. Instead of allowing students to be passive consumers of content, they should devote their time to networking, engaging, and creating through the platforms that are most comfortable to them. By navigating the interwebs effectively, they can learn and hone their skills; they can find their voices. While students need direct instruction in digital citizenship, especially since their digital footprints are permanent, learning to develop their brand and foster relationships that could be professionally beneficial to them in the future is a critical part of their world.

Note: My daughter, the three-year-old vlogger, is preparing her first TED Talk as I write this.

I still have much to learn, but I am hopeful that with a deeper understanding of the successors to the Millenial generation, I can continue to adapt and revise my teaching practices in ways that provide my students with greater access to learning, autonomy, and a sense of empowerment. My biggest takeaway from what I have learned thus far is that change is the only constant in education and life. We must be observant, seek understanding, and not be afraid to experiment with what works in the classroom.

If anyone has resources or books to read on Teaching Gen Z, please share!

Stop Trying To Make Work-Life Balance Happen

Work-life balance is not a thing, Steph. Work-life harmony, however, is something that can be attained. 


A dear friend so kindly pointed out to me a few weeks into this school year that work-life balance is an unattainable dream. Between doctor’s visits, committee meetings, grading, and all the unexpected tasks that arise, balancing life’s spinning plates is often an arduous and impossible task. But this was the year that I was going to achieve balance, go home sooner, and bring less work home. This was my year to divide my time and energy into neat, scheduled appointments on my Google Calendar. After countless hours of at home working, grading, and preparation, my “balance” is certainly off kilter. The more I sought to separate and compartmentalize my professional and personal lives in the inaugural grading period of this school year, the more entwined they became. In the business of people (specifically teens), I have already abandoned the lofty goals of achieving some semblance of a zen-like state and have embraced the organized chaos that is my work-life blend.

My Google Calendar has certainly kept my phone a-buzz with reminders and messages that keep me on my toes. Relinquishing the control I wish I could take, I have accepted that work-life balance doesn't exist, and that is okay. Amidst the hustle and busyness that we all inevitably face, I am beginning to find a greater sense of peace.

Today, I started teaching a three-week course on Google. Meeting with small groups of teachers, I am reviewing the Google Level 1 Certification material with them in hopes of supporting their skills, simplifying their work lives by making their daily tasks more efficient, and helping teachers engage students in new and innovative ways. The words efficient and effective repeated themselves multiple times in our conversations. As society and technology evolve, so too do the needs of our students. 

Google’s mission is to support educators and the educational experiences of students. Inherently, the blue SHARE button in the top right corner serves as a reminder that we are all sharing in the learning process. As we prepare students to leave our halls sooner than they realize, we are teaching collaboration and communication. They have a plethora of information, tools, and resources at their fingertips, and yet, they need to be empowered to tell their own stories, sort through the information that they discover, and produce critical thoughts and ideas. Our students need to learn to be creators of content - not just critical consumers.

Exploring educational technology and the potential it has to support my students’ learning. It has challenged me to ask myself why I assess specific skills and what I hope students will leave my classroom knowing and producing. Ultimately, I have come to realize that we cannot fear failure and that we have to push our students to develop critical skills that can be applied to any text or even any area of study.

Change can have a negative connotation; we inherently dread change. Evolution, however, involves gradual growth and insinuates that there is a potential not yet realized. I hope that through a positive outlook and embracing both the success and failure that arises as the result of utilizing all tools available, I can guide my students to discover their own potential, cultivate skills that they will need to be productive citizens and help them to be well-rounded individuals.

As I continue on my path of work-life harmony, I will embrace the challenges placed before, and when I feel lost in the stream of life that is as clunky as the Classroom Stream is at the present moment, I will persevere and find new ways to organize myself and work toward attaining a work-life harmony.

Look, Mom! I'm balancing!

Attitude is Everything: When Work and Life Blend Together

After walking to the library during nap time with Jordan, I found I had a fair amount of downtime before the girls were up from a nap and fed. Josh often brings the car and whichever child is left at home to play at the library and drive me home. Sitting snuggled with my littlest, I picked up the book Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt. The title caught my eye because this was my mom's mantra in her final year as principal of her school. This book was a positive and inspiring read filled with a few poignant nuggets of knowledge to jump start my annual summer recharge and reflection muscles moving as the themes centered around goal setting, gratitude, and a growth mindset.

The book begins by recounting the story of an accomplished runner, Heather Kampf, who made what seemed like the impossible possible. After falling flat on her face during a 600-meter dash, advancing from neck-in-neck with the first place runner, Kampf picked herself up and sprinted from the last place to first - crushing her competition in spite of a devastating setback. The message in this anecdote seems so clear - no matter how fast we are running or how close the finish line is, we can always pick ourselves up to find success. How impressive that this runner was able to mentally and physically recover so quickly to come back from such a drastic fall and what would seem like an inevitable failure. What a beautiful and tangible reminder that when all seems lost or hopeless, we can pick ourselves up and finish what we have set out to do.

This year I have been challenged to pick myself up a few times over and learned how interrelated my personal and professional lives are. My focus at the beginning of the year was to find work-life balance, but the more that I seek an answer to this equation, the more I realize that the answer is in embracing happiness in each moment and less about finding the perfect amount of minutes to dedicate to each part of my life. Often, my life cannot be divided into home-life and school-life; the people I love and the family I have created have entered into both aspects of my life and cannot be ascribed to just one part of my life.

Early in my career, I  was given a great deal of well-intentioned advice. I was warned about burnout and told that I need to draw clear boundaries in between my home life and my career. I was told that I was taking on too much too quickly with graduate degrees and extracurricular duties, and I was often told that these commitments could lead to adverse effects on my personal life. While I do run into the occasional bout of stomach flu as the result of lack of sleep or rest (At least once a year. It's awful), my tiredness is well-worth the messy and blurry lines between my school and personal homes. Meaning no disrespect, I have not listened to that piece of advice; it never made sense to me because working with young people is not a job. Teaching is a matter of the heart. I cannot leave my students and their stories at school.

Perhaps a better way of applying that advice is to protect who you are and do not allow one aspect of life take away from the joy of another aspect, especially family. This advice is applicable and essential for any career - know who you are, embrace it, and protect it. Now in my early 30s, I have a much better sense of my identity. I embrace my frenetic energy and see it as my greatest strength - and my weakness. While I can be guilty of moving too quickly, I am always moving forward. I attempt to wear my heart on my sleeve at all times, which makes me vulnerable but also allows me to empathize with others. I struggle, as we all do, to find balance in life, but I love the messiness of it all. Rarely do I have my computer open when my kids are awake. Once a month, during my Twitter chat, my kids know that Mama is working on the computer, and every once in a while, Mama has to grade papers. I still strongly believe in keeping the computer shut, except during the busiest of grading seasons (especially during the Junior I-Search). Then, I take out the Bluetooth keyboard that no longer works and allow Willa to cuddle up to me while we "work together." Sometimes I find her playing with it on her own, and when asked what she's doing, she giggles and shouts so proudly, "I working!" She's going to take over the world one day. 😊

While I naturally feel the need to be working on something academic or cleaning, my husband and my children force me to take time to play. The joy that I have gained from opening myself up to the creativity and lightness that comes from play, which is so beautifully described by Shonda Rhimes TED Talk, "My Year To Saying Yes To Everything." When our self-worth and happiness is related to embracing our faults as well as our strengths, our minds remain grateful for every opportunity (even our setbacks), and we allow ourselves to recognize the inspiration in each moment.

We are told that we can't have it all - especially as women. I disagree with that. What "it all" means is defined by the individual. For me, I want to embrace the idea that tomorrow or next year will be the best day or year ever. The best is always yet to come. Believing this mantra, striving to move forward and make every moment count will allow me to provide for my biological children, stretch and challenge my students and laugh at the chaos that ensues during busy grading periods, end of semester final summative assessments, future dance recitals, piano lessons, and maybe even soccer games (whatever my children hope to pursue). As one of my dear friends, Paige, who started out just as a school colleague and now is considered a bonus aunt to my children, our attitude determines everything. If we embrace happiness in each moment and recognize the blessings of each opportunity, we can experience contentment and joy, which to me, is all that matters.

Here's to a memorable and awesome summer full of carting the kids around in the van (which I'm still too scared to drive), teaching a few summer courses, reading as many books as I can obtain, and living in the moment.

#LikeAGirl #GirlBoss

TED Talks that Inspired My 2017

Quiet mornings allow me to prepare for the school day. I wake up naturally and am often at school before the hallways fill. During this time, when I am most creative, I review lessons, create new assignments and activities, and grade countless essays without distraction. When I'm not grading, I love to lose myself down the rabbit hole of TED - scanning titles and subjects for my daily dose of inspiration. TED talks are fantastic examples of public speakers who are passionate about their content, willing to show vulnerability, and excited to share their life's work. While I might not be knowledgeable in the fields of medicine or astrophysics, listening and learning from these excellent presenters is inspiring. This fall, the following TED talks have brought me through some challenging moments, motivated me to overcome adversity, and reminded me that no matter what is placed before me, there is power in the words and stories we share.

We Should Aim for Perfection and Stop Fearing Failure by Jon Bowers

After listening to Jon Bowers's talk on aiming for perfection, I am reminded that while we might fall short of goals or achievements, we should never stop striving to accomplish our absolute best. Yes, we will fail. No speech, lesson, work presentation, sales pitch, etc. is without some minor flub or flaw, but through a commitment to excellence, repeated practice, and aiming for quality in each communicative experience, we can create messages and moments that leave a significant impact on our audience. Failure is a powerful step in the journey to perfection - to becoming the best at whatever we pursue. Without failure, we cannot learn and grow. This talk does a beautiful job reinforcing the value of failure and not accepting anything less than our best. Without the learning that occurs from failing, we cannot truly know success.

What Makes Life Worth Living in the Face of Dying by Lucy Kalanithi

This speech is incredibly near and dear to my heart. The beauty that is shared through this speaker's vulnerability and genuine message is incredibly powerful and moving. We all have or will experience loss, and this talk does a fantastic job of showcasing both the joys and the struggles of living. On a personal note, this year I have struggled with understanding mortality and reflecting on what makes a quality life after learning about my son's diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. While there is so much hope related to his diagnosis, and we fully expect him to live a completely normal life (with work), this is the TED Talk that I needed to cope and put his life in perspective. None of us are guaranteed anything in our journeys. Living is a hazard in itself, and our lives are fleeting. We must strive to embrace the moments given to us in spite of the struggles we are facing because each moment is a gift. Dr. Kalanithi beautifully shares her story of loss and pays tribute to a life well-lived by empowering the audience to take charge of living the best life imaginable through her message.

The Happy Secret to Better Work by John Achor

Okay, slow down John Achor. This speaker talks fast, but his passion and information are powerful. He certainly is engaging and funny, and on top of that, his message is important. He talks about changing the lens of how we view the world. Our success in the workforce is closely related to how we view stress. When we view stress as a challenge, we can rise above any adversity to ascertain greatness. So often in our schools, we know students who are overwhelmed with homework, rigorous classes, and extracurricular activities. Our students, like us, feel overwhelmed. Instead of embracing the idea that the only way to be happy is to generate a list of accomplishments, we need to teach our students to view hard work as a positive challenge. This  talk emphasizes the idea that we can train the brain to focus on optimism, which serves as a primer for hard work and achievement. In a world that so often highlights the negative, this talk is a great reminder of how we can control our reality through our outlooks and perceptions.

Success, Failure, and the Drive to Keep Creating by Elizabeth Gilbert

I love Elizabeth Gilbert's talks. She is inspiring, and this TED Talk is particularly powerful because she self-discloses her feelings on failure. She discusses her rejections and losses, and instead of simply giving up, she highlights how she persevered. I used this talk with my speech team students during camp. When we put ourselves out in front of the world, we are sure to experience some form of rejection or failure. As artists, performers, speakers, writers, and creators, are work will not always be well received or be critically acclaimed, but the reason we create and share should not be for the praise or approval of others. Our work should be about expressing ourselves, finding our voices, and sharing ideas that matter. When we can find that intrinsic motivation, the rejection that inevitably occurs at a speech tournament or in some other real-world experience does not seem so daunting. Instead, rejection creates an opportunity to try again.

Age is Nothing; Attitude is Everything by Bobbie Hickey

This young speaker is such a source of encouragement. Even though she is young, she has such a powerful perspective on how to live a memorable life. In spite of surgeries and physical impairments, she views the world as a place to embrace and overcome obstacles. She believes the world is a place to explore and live fully. Her normal is different than most, but the wisdom she has acquired reminds us all to face adversity. Determination can allow us all to accomplish the seemingly impossible. Perception and a positive attitude enable us to take on the world. Her words are a great reminder that no matter what the world tells us, it is important to remember how capable we are.

How to Gain Control of Your Free Time by Laura Vanderkam

Managing time and finding work-life balance are two topics that intrigue me. This speaker does a wonderful job of reminding us that we have a limited amount of time. We live in a culture of busy. We are encouraged to feel the stress of busyness, but busy and full are two synonyms that can change our attitude. When we say our lives are too hectic to complete a task, it is not that we are too busy. It means that whatever activity is being placed before us is not a priority. A single week is comprised of 168 hours. We can make those hours full by prioritizing what we value. We can find time to read, run, spend time with our family, etc., but we must actively choose to focus on what matters. As I attempt to teach my speech team kids, busy is an attitude that means we are not living in the moment. Whether it is studying for a test, attending a practice, or spending time with friends, we need to be present and attentive - making the most of the time we have. Our society has taught us that full schedules mean we are embracing our lives as we should, but no matter what the calendar says, we should always remember that we do have time for what we deem important - we might just need to shift our priorities or our attitudes to embrace those moments and opportunities.

These TED talks have affirmed in me the value of our fleeting moments and reminded me that I need to prioritize time with loved ones, reshift my lens and attitude, and embrace obstacles as minor bumps in the road to make my life better. As I sit quietly at this moment drinking coffee (and a diet coke because my coffee was too hot), I am so grateful for the time to reflect on 2017 and look forward to everything 2018 has in store personally, professionally, and everything that falls in between.

Certified

Less than five percent of teachers in the state of Illinois have attempted and successfully completed the National Board Certification process. This process first sparked my curiosity when I was a high school student when several of my teachers, coaches, and theatre directors had attempted to pursue this distinction simultaneously in a cohort that I often heard them discuss while at practice after school. A teacher would frantically run into the room talking about his/her portfolio, and they would lament about the challenges presented. While several of them did not complete the process, what I admired about their endeavors was that they worked together. Even though they were under stress and pressure to finish their portfolios, which at that time had nine components, they shared in that undertaking together.

Fast forward five years, and I found myself student teaching at another high school in the same district, in which several English teachers had earned their National Board Certification. While I did not fully understand the process, they likened it to a student teaching portfolio or a Master's degree experience; it was also a challenge that several of them pursued collectively. Looking at teachers who had attempted and completed this process - teachers who were accomplished, creative, passionate, and talented - made me interested in one day joining them in saying that I, too, was National Board Certified. Again, I saw mentors and teachers who I aspired to emulate take on this challenge - solidifying its value in my mind.

Over a decade has passed since my first experience with National Board as a student when an opportunity for a National Board cohort presented itself in my district. Having just finished my Masters+60, I was looking for a new challenge. While I did not need this cohort for lane advancement, a subsidy would cover the costs and a coach would be provided to guide the process. In addition, several of my colleagues were also enrolling in the program - thus making the arduous tasks ahead a little less daunting.

So I enlisted for battle, along with several of my colleagues and friends. We sat together in the basement of the district office once a month for two years, crafting our portfolios and preparing for components that were still being created by the National Board (not the best time to be pursuing this distinction). As my predecessors had done before me, we lamented, we ran into each others room, and we experienced a significant amount of stress worrying if we actually submitted all the components correctly. At the moment, it was difficult to identify exactly how this was improving my craft, but in hindsight, the National Board process encouraged me to open a dialogue with my peers about how we teach, opened me up to observing others and allowing them to observe me, and encouraged me to seek feedback on lessons and ideas. I also came out of it with a few fun lessons that involve nonprint texts.

Would I recommend pursuing National Board? My initial reaction to this question is no, not necessarily. In the thick of it all, I did not fully appreciate the purpose of the process. I found the lack of clarity in the instructions and the time it would take to receive minimal to no feedback frustrating (We submitted our components in April/May with no feedback until December). Now being out of the process and away from some of the frustrations, I realize now that this is not a process that is for the faint of heart. This is not a process for people seeking a straightforward path or guaranteed completion, and this is not a process that is always going to make the most sense while it is being completed. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. With the passage of time, comes clarity and perspective. In hindsight, I was forced to examine and gather data, analyze my students' growth, and reflect upon it. I was required to glean meaning from 20+ pages instruction manuals, which only encouraged me to open up to my colleagues and rely on their insights and perspective.

The value of this certification is not that I now hold this title; it has come from the fact that I share this title with my colleagues and friends. Would I recommend pursuing National Board with a cohort of friends now that I have completed the process and have gained perspective on its value? Yes.

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"What's next?" my husband, who understands my struggle with stillness, asks me as we drive with our older two daughters to Brookfield Zoo to see the holiday lights. For right now, it's time to take a breath and experience the ride that is teaching, raising a family, and living to find that balance.

Pursuing Happy

Starting school after a maternity leave is certainly emotional and bittersweet. This return was more difficult than with my older daughters - because the time went too quickly, because this is my final maternity leave, and because this time, my child with CF needs me more. While the mixture of emotions I have felt this past week have been taxing, I have felt overwhelmed with joyful moments. The kindness and support of the school community has reminded me that we are in the business of people. Interspersed with mastering reading strategies and polishing writing techniques, there is a humanistic element to academia; from each other, we teach and learn how to live.

I am not ashamed to admit that I love schedules and to-do lists, and as a teacher, I do not think I am alone in finding comfort in a full calendar. Routine and the sound of a school bell bring subtle comfort. Pavlov himself proved that we could be conditioned by a bell, and upon hearing that sound, my life has returned to normalcy. While still tired from caring for an infant (and a three-year-old and a precocious two-year-old), I am re-energized by the people I interact with each day. Instead of having too much time on my hands to worry and plan for a future that may never come to pass, I am challenged to live in the moment and be present while with the students, the lessons, and yes, even the grading that require my attention now.

How does anyone return to the usual grind after an extended break - especially at the end of a semester and in the middle of the holiday frenzy? How does anyone maintain happiness while transitioning from a family-focused life to a work-life balance regime? 

When anxiously attempting to find a solution to this problem around Thanksgiving, I called upon a colleague for help. Relying on others to help provide feedback and share quality lessons that are effective and engaging can only enrich my students' experiences in my class while allowing me to maintain some semblance of sanity. 

This semester, I packed 12 weeks of work into the first eight weeks of the semester. Knowing that I would be gone motivated me to provide multiple writing experiences and opportunities to gain both formative and summative points. With an accelerated approach to the semester and a fantastic maternity leave substitute who kept the kids burning for learning, I knew I could ease up on introducing new content and instead, focus on reviewing essential writing and analysis skills. 

At the advice of my friend and colleague, Karah, my students watched The Pursuit of Happyness and focused on essential themes that will help students transition from first-semester content to the second semester I-Search Research project. The project's central focus and purpose is to challenge students to determine what will bring them happiness in the future, making exposure to this text a valuable conversation piece and resource for their future writing and research. Analyzing a digital text allowed students to forge deeper connections and analyze the characters and their experiences. After taking notes on the themes in the film, students were then tasked to create an Instagram (on Google Docs) for one of the characters, which allowed them to creatively capture the experiences and lessons within the movie. After captioning several photos and creating a digital story, students then analyzed their pictures and established how the pictures illustrated a major theme from the film.

While a little less conventional, challenging students to use multimedia texts to draw conclusions, make connections, and define key course themes are valuable and meaningful as we culminate a semester's worth of learning. Students then used argumentative writing to prove how three of their six pictures illustrate a theme from our discussion, which allowed them to practice and implement more formal writing skills. This activity not only provided an opportunity to be creative with the photos they took, but it also asked them to write and identify themes that we will continue to discuss next semester. Karah is a rock star teacher, and I'm so grateful that she talked me through and shared this idea!

Returning to this project on HAPPY has not only allowed me to focus on reconnecting to my students and ending the semester on a positive note, but it has also challenged students to apply critical skills using multimedia texts. I am so grateful for friends and colleagues who inspire and support this working mama as I transition back to my happy home away from home. Upon my return to my real home, though, it is always nice to be greeted with a hug.

Matters of the Heart

This semester, I have started several blog posts but left them unfinished. I continually abandoned my ideas over the past few months because each time I write, the content continues to stray further from the formal and academic discoveries made in the classroom to more personal matters. As educators, our lives outside of the brick walls in which we teach are often entwined with our occupation. Our academic lives come home with us and so too do our personal lives when we enter our classrooms. Teaching is, after all, a matter of the heart, and thus, we cannot help but give our hearts fully to our students and our professional-related pursuits.

This school year, I struggled to maintain a smile on my face, to keep pace with my former self, and to explore new instructional methods, concepts, and technology tools that normally consume my free periods. For the first two months of school, I was in the final weeks of pregnancy with my third child and in a significant amount of discomfort caused by his position on a vein that sent shooting pain down my right side. Often hiding in a faculty bathroom to cry during free periods, I fought to keep a smile on my face and deliver the best content to my students - all while coaching a lively team of passionate and energetic group of high school public speakers. It is not in my nature to show shortcomings or to project any sort of negativity, and so I tried to conceal my struggles. As with anything, the notion that a momentary discomfort is temporary kept me motivated and focused on teaching and giving my best to each student I encountered through the end of my pregnancy.

And I did. Teach until the end - about three hours before I gave birth. My son, Jordan, was approximately 2.5 weeks early, and while I knew I was having contractions, I was in denial that he would dare come before the end of the school day! 😊 With only one academic class left to teach, I succumbed to his eagerness to make his appearance in the world and left school, attempting to be as subtle about leaving as possible. With that, my third child was born at 3:33 PM, poetically marking his place in the world and our family.

Since his birth, life has changed. With the birth of each of my children, my disposition has calmed. Spending quality time with each of my children, making memories, and bonding has caused me to pause, embrace stillness, and breathe. With my son, the final chapter in our family of five who was born with a genetic disorder, cystic fibrosis, I strive to treasure these moments even more dearly. Amidst a house with three children age three and under, two dogs, and what some might refer to as pure chaos comes a desire to find work-life balance, to find greater meaning in each experience, and to make relationships with family, friends, colleagues, and most significantly, my students stronger. My world grew brighter with the addition of my son, and as a result, I am sure that it will be an amazing year in which I strive to maintain perspective, gain understanding, embrace positivity, and above all else, remember to just breathe.