Move Along (like I know you do)

Dear Teacher,

If we were to chose an anthem for the life of a teacher, I think this song should at least be on the ballot.  It definitely sums up how I feel right now.  We have so much to do.  We hit so many roadblocks, but still we keep moving.

Click play and then read on.

You are tired…so am I.

You have too much to do…so do I.

You are behind on grading…so am I.

You have assignments/tests to put together and paper work to finish…so do I.

You are a teacher and you have teacher things to do (like them or not) and so do I.

We can’t possibly get them all done, can we?

On top of all of this, there are countless classroom conundrums, people and personality problem, and irritating individual issues that we have to work through day after day after day (after day).

We have those students that like to get under our skin…and they like to stay there.

We have coworkers who can make our work more difficult.

We have family and family things that are also apart of our lives (we have lives outside of school?).

We are overwhelmed.

We are over-worked.

We are over it.

What do we do?

We move along.

Yep.  We move along.

A part of teaching, one of the biggest parts in my opinion, is the art of moving along.  We find a way to keep our head down and plow on through the difficult times and situations of teacherhood.  We focus.  We prioritize.  We move along.

How do you move along when you don’t feel like you can?

I am not sure how you move along, but I do know that somehow you have to find a way.  I know for me it is just picking what I know is vital, what I know I can control, what I know I can take care of and then letting the rest go, do the minimum, or get help.  I find a way to get through it.

Don’t give in to the “I can’t do this” part of you.  You CAN do this.  You CAN survive.  You CAN move along.

Move along, like I know you CAN.

Even when your hope is gone, move along.

All you’ve got to keep is strong…move along.

Move along, like I know you do.

I do not know what you are going through, Teacher, but you CAN make it through it.  You CAN keep going.  You CAN move along.  So move along.

Keep your focus on your students.  Remember why you are here.  Remember that it is about changing your students’ lives and futures.  It is about them learning and learning to learn on their own.  It is all about them.  When you focus on the goal of your students and their needs, you CAN move along.

Move along.

I know you CAN.

You are awesome.  You do move along.  You get through the tough times.  Keep moving.  Keep going.  Keep teaching, Teacher.  You are amazing!

Love, Teacher