Dear Teacher,
A new week approaches. A new performance. A new show. A new presentation.
You do the research. You make the plans. You write the script. You learn your part. You practice, practice, practice (even if only in your mind).
You do your best to be ready for when the curtain opens.
You breathe through the Sunday night “butterflies” as the time to go “on” is only hours away.
This is the weekend for you, a teacher.
Breathe, Teacher. Breathe.
And let some of the worries go.
Let them go?
Yes.
Go.
Why?
Because you know that as soon as you step in the door on Monday, your plans will already be changed. You know that you can never really know what the week will throw at you. You will have to monitor. You will have to adjust. And just when your adjustments are adjusted, you will have to monitor again…and adjust. And monitor and adjust. Monitor and adjust. And monitor and adjust…all because you are a GREAT TEACHER.
Great teachers do not let plans and preparations rule the week. They are just what they are. Plans and preparations. The week has a plan of its own…and though you don’t let the week master you, you move and roll with it so you can master the week. Plans are not the end, they are just the means, and they can change. Your students and their needs are the end. You know the path to the end will change, and that doesn’t matter as long as you get to the end.
You, amazing teacher, know what it takes to be an amazing teacher. Not because you are trying to be amazing, but because your students matter most. This is why you need to let go of some of the stress and Sunday night anxiety. Your plans will not work the way you planned them this weekend. Your ideas for the week will change. You will be thrown curve balls on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. You will have to monitor and adjust, monitor and adjust, and monitor and adjust. But…you will make the right choices because you will think about your students above all else.
So, plan and prepare away, Teacher. We do need to plan, I am not saying we don’t. I am just saying that I think we need to let go of some of the Sunday, pre-week stress. It will all work out by Friday if we keep our students as our focus and make the needed weekly choices based on them and not the pressures that come from sources that are not our students.
I promise you, I am speaking to myself as much as I am to you…if not more!
Let’s remember our lost goal this week as we get ready for Monday…our students and their needs.
Let’s remember and breathe.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
This is going to be a great week!
You will be ready when the curtain goes up tomorrow!
You are so awesome! You are one amazing teacher! You are going to make an impact on those students of yours this week, I just know it! I believe in you because you believe in your students! Be amazing and awesome this week! I know you will be! Keep on teaching, Teacher!
Love, Teacher
PS…Just have to share! I remembered that I had some cool video editing software. I did a little experimental project. It is not great, but it is a start into adding some Dear Teacher/Love Teacher videos into the mix of encouragement. What do you think? Be nice. 🙂
Motivational ABCs: The Movie
Dear Teacher/Love Teacher 
Reblogged this on Purgly's Blog and commented:
Very good article!
Thanks, and thanks for sharing the link!
Just what I needed this morning. I am a veteran teacher in a new school this year. At last week’s big pep rally against the rival school, I was the first of 6 teachers to get a cream pie in the face. I went with it gracefully and laughed along, but now am not sure how to react on Monday should the incident be brought up. ( at some point it will). My feelings are that there is a fine line between love and hate. I called this student on plagiarism 2 weeks ago so I was not surprised. I just want to have that perfect response ready.
Remember, and this will be hard (and I am talking to myself about similar situations) that this is just a kid or a teenager. They need help to remember that actions have consequences, but they need to hear that from an ally and not an enemy. Students don’t listen well to enemies (especially a student that will take things to great lengths). If you react how they expect, then they are in control. When you react different than they expect, you might just earn a voice to teach them why it was not an appropriate thing to do. Once again, I am talking to you as much as myself. I am not saying we have to be friends and nice about things like this, I am just challenging you to think about the opportunity to earn a voice. Just a thought. 🙂
Excellent perspective. Thank you.
You are welcome. Students, especially the ones who tend to get into trouble, are good at pushing buttons. When they push them and get an unexpected response you often get a teaching opportunity to help students learn from…and you might find out you like a student more than you thought you would.
In my school world and my life world, I am the endless fountain of encouraging words and actions. And, sometimes, I get down because very little of that is provided back to me (no one thinks the Encourager needs encouraging, after all). You just gave me exactly the words I needed to hear, as I sit here and stress over the coming week. THANK YOU for taking your time and your heart for this blog!
It can be hard to be a river of encouragement. People count on you for it, but sometimes you don’t get it in return. It is not that people don’t think you need it, they just forget that you need it because it is always coming from you. I am glad that you can find what you need here so that you can keep pour it out to others. Thank you for your post. It is encouragement to me to know how the encouragement here helps and influences others to be a conduit of hope for their fellow teachers, students, and anyone else who needs it!
You are awesome, Teacher Diana!