General Inspiration – Page 3 – Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes

Posted on June 17, 2015June 17, 2015 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

I know that is has been a long time since I have written to you. It has been quite a school year, and I am entering a time of transition. Before I get to that, let’s talk about this past year.

How did it turn out for you? How did everything go? If you are reading this, you made it out alive, so that is something. 🙂

Image: http://www.firstgradenest.com/

It was quite a year for me. There is not one word to describe it. It was challenging. It was trying. It was stressful. It was enlightening. It was strange. It was insightful. It was life-changing. It was. It just was.

I don’t know that I had a more difficult year with students. It wasn’t their behavior so much as it was their attitude towards learning. In a time when the stakes could not be higher for students to show growth, it seemed like my students were the least interested in growing. Was it like that for you this year?

That made teaching rough. I believe in students having the responsibility of learning and turning that responsibility over to them throughout the year. So many did not want to take those reigns from me. My classroom was student-centered, but I found that I wound up in the center so many times just to get through content.

I learned a lot about motivating students and a lot about motivating myself. How do I keep going with the idea of being brain-centered and student-centered when it seems like I am gaining so little ground. I learned to keep my head down and keep going down the road and trusting what I know is right for my students…but it was hard. Very hard. That is one of the reasons that I wrote so little to you this year.

But I made it.

You made it.

We made it!

I want to encourage you, Teacher. If it was a hard year for you, as it was for me, there is hope. You can do anything for a year and then you can look forward to the next. You know what is right for your students, even if they do not. Take some time and reflect this summer. What went right? What went wrong? Where do you need to dig in and keep going? What are some things you can let go of next year?

Keep on keeping on. Do what you know is right. Take a stand for what needs to be stood up for. Be the awesome teacher that you are.

Not every year will go well. Sometimes there will be a string of bad years. Sometimes your working environment will be challenging. Sometimes you will want to pack it in.

Remember one thing, though.

Your students need you. They really do.

If you keep doing what is right, day after day and year after year, things will eventually go right for you in ways that you know you are going in the right direction. Trust me.

A little about my life and transitions…

After nine years of trying to be the best teacher that can be at a Title I school and having strings of difficult years, there has been a change. My hard work was noticed. I was hired to work at my district’s science center. I will be moving out of the traditional classroom and be teaching students from all over my district and my area throughout the year.

It was difficult to pack up and leave my school for good after being there for so long…there were some tears…but I know that this is right. I am going to love every minute of my new job and I will be able to help more students fall in love with learning and help other teachers learn new ways to foster that love in students, too.

That being said, that leaves this blog in a state of flux. I need a little feedback here.

Since I will no longer be in the normal classroom, will you still accept my encouragement and advice here? How can I stay current with the struggles that you have in your classroom? How can I change the format of the blog to help you stay encouraged?

One thing I know that I can do is offer for you to email and let me know of a struggle in the classroom you are having. I can write directly to what you are going through here (keeping out any personal information). Would that be a helpful aspect to this blog? (My email is dearteacher@outlook.com.)

Let me know any ideas that you have! Thanks!

Teacher, take some time for yourself this summer. Find ways to recharge and heal from the year. Don’t spend too much time getting ready for the next round. Just be for a while. Just be.

Image: http://www.teachjunkie.com

You are so awesome! I know that next year will be even better than this one was! Keep on doing what is right and keep on teaching, teacher!

Love, Teacher

General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Reason for Teaching, Teaching Power, You Are Awesome!!!

A Little More Magic…

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

Last week I wrote to you about holding on to the magic that makes you special as a teacher. It is your magic that keeps your students engaged. It is one of the keys to avoiding burnout (at least it can make the burnout take longer). It is what you live for as a teacher when your students minds are blown and they are left with the “aha” moments of learning that stick with them for the rest of their lives.

Yes, your personal magic is pretty important, and you better hang on to it for dear teaching life!

So…

How do you tap into your personal teaching magic and how do you develop it deeper and create more?

As far as the magic that you already contain in the classroom goes, I can’t really help you from here. You have to reflect and think about what it is that the students latch on to and help them connect with you. Is it you dynamic story-telling? Is it how you build relationships? Is it how you know just what to say to make someone feel better about life? Is it how you connect with students that no one else can? Is it how you can make the most mundane and boring subjects come to life? I don’t know, but you can find out if you aren’t sure.

Talk to students.

Take a survey.

Ask other teachers what they hear from students about you.

You may not always like what you hear, but you might be surprised on what you find out students like about you. What they like is probably tied to your magical side.

It can be rough sometimes, but doing the investigative work will help you find what you can build on to make the magic happen time and time again in your class.

Once you find out, then research.

Look for teachers that are good at the same things, and find out what they do and how they use their magic. Magicians learn from magicians and then make the magic their own. Teachers need to do the same.

Research online. Are there teachers and non-teachers that are good at the same brand of magic? What do they do? How do they use their magic in life and work? What makes them magical? How can you replicate and adapt that style of magic for your classroom and students?

Lastly, look for ways to personalize your magic and make it meaningful to your specific students. How can you involve them? How can you make them a part of your “show?” Can you have students share in your magic? Can they be your magician’s assistants? Can you develop some magic apprentices?

I know I am talking in vagaries right now, but that is all I can do because personal magic is, well, personal. It is different from teacher to teacher and class to class. I hope this made sense to you, even so.

I wanted to write a little about how to find more personal magic than you already know, but I think I will save that for later this week. A lot of it is tied to you and what interests you in life. I found out about something amazing this weekend that is directly tied to personal magic, but I want to make it a post all on its own. I will leave you with a link and let you make the connection to personal magic on your own until I am able to write further about it.

Star Wars in the Classroom

You are amazing. You are magical. You do reach your students. You are making a difference! I know you are…even when you don’t feel like it. Never give up and keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

General Inspiration, Hope For Students, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers, Perseverance, You Are Awesome!!!

What You Can’t Afford to Lose

Posted on April 3, 2015September 2, 2015 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

I am sorry that I have had little to no time to write to you this school year. Like you, I have been pulled in a thousand different directions today, and it has taken everything inside of me to keep focused on the one thing that matters: my students. It has beat me up to do this, but I think that, most days, I have kept that focus.

And, also like you, I am tired.

I do not always have the energy to be the awesome, dynamic teacher that I can be. I have kept to my commitment to pursuing the goal of my students learning and learning how to learn on their own, but I have lost a little bit of the spark that makes me a good teacher some days. The exhaustion of keeping up with all of the spinning plates that we are given makes that hard…if not impossible from time-to-time.

Spinning Plates Image: Wikipedia Commons

We lose some of what makes us great. It happens to us all. It is inevitable. It is real life.

So what do we do about it?

I do not think that we can avoid losing some of our teacher “fire.” It is an unavoidable reality.

No, I do not think that keeping all of our teacher flames burning is the key here. No. If we try to do that. We burn out and we are not much good for anyone.

No, keeping a large bonfire of teaching enthusiasm is not what you or I need to strive for…not at all.

I think what we need to do is keep the right embers burning. If we maintain intensity on the right aspects of teaching, we will avoid flaming out and be able to rekindle our fires once the smoke clears.

(Am I overusing the analogy? Probably. But I press on.)

So what do we make sure that we do not lose in the battle of every day teaching life?

Some of it will be different from teacher to teacher, grade to grade, state to state, and person to person, but there is definitely one thing that makes all of the difference in the world for our students that I do not think any of us can afford to lose. It hit me this year as I had to reflect after some very difficult weeks.

And what is that “one thing,” Teacher?

It is very simple, difficult, easy, and impossible…all at once.

Magic.

You need to keep the magic.

The magic of teaching is what will keep bringing your students (and most definitely you) back for more over and over again, no matter how hard the going gets.

“What do you mean by magic?”

Magic is the mystical side of teaching. It is the not-so-quantifiable relationship between wonder, teaching, and learning. It is the “Aha-moment,” curiosity, and awe that students can have when they are truly engaged in learning about language, math, science, and history. It is the amazement factor of teaching. Those moments when the students are wide-eyed and hanging on every moment in your classroom and every word that you say. It is when sighs of frustration ring through your room when the students hear the bell.

This is the magic of teaching.

It is never every minute in your class, nor should it be. These are the crescendos to the momentum that you build with every experience that you give your students. They are what you build up to as you plan and teach. It is the moment when you can almost physical see the students make the mental connection to what they are learning.

It is the moment that every teacher lives for…it is magic for the students, but it is also magic for the teacher.

It is this magic that you have to protect, against all odds.

This magic is why you teach. This magic is what makes students want to learn. This magic is what makes school…well…magical.

How can you be sure to keep this magic alive?

That is up to you. Magic in my classroom is different from magic in your classroom. You have to figure out where the magic is for you. I have to know where the magic is for me. And we both need to make sure that the noise of education does not drown out the magic of teaching and learning for us or our students.

I teach science. For me, the magic is tied up in letting the students explore a concept. I dress it up in a problem of some sort. I let the students tackle the problem from their current understanding. I keep some of the things they need to learn hidden…like in a magic trick. When they think they have things sorted out, I introduce something that most students did not know…which usually makes their solution not work the way that they thought it should. I then give them the big picture of the concept. That is when students start to make the connections and see the real solution(s). This is the “aha” that I live for as a teacher. This is where students learn on their own (helped along by the the Teacher-Magician). This is teaching and learning, in my eyes.

This is the magic.

This is what I can’t afford to lose. No matter what.

What is the magic for you?

How will you keep it in spite of everything?

How will you make it key to what happens in your classroom?

Teacher, I know that it is hard. It is less hard when you remember what makes you special as a teacher and you hold on to it for dear life! I know you know what makes you special. I know that you know what makes your class magic. You have what it takes to make that central, and you have what it takes to hold on to that. You have what it takes to be a great teacher. Be that great teacher! You are awesome! You are amazing! You are making a difference! Keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers

To Be a Teacher…

Posted on February 3, 2015February 3, 2015 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

I am sorry that my words of encouragement have been few and far between this year. It has been a rough and busy school year.

But I guess that this is not news to you.

As I talk to and get feedback from other teachers, I am hearing the same thing from them. It is a tough year. There is no time. It is all that I can do to keep my head above water.

We are all just trying to survive this year, aren’t we.

It isn’t easy for any of us, even the most veteran teachers.

This school is is just plain difficult.

I have some good news and some encouragement for you today.

The Good News: For most of us, this school year is half-way over!

And there was much rejoicing.

The Encouragement:

You know what takes to be a good teacher. Nay. You know what it takes to be a GREAT teacher. You know because you are one.

I know that this is a trying year. There is so much extra on your plate. There are so many curve balls to contend with and handle. There is just a lot of…well…everything this year. It is not easy to let your greatness show.

But, you awesome teacher, you, know what your students need. You know what is best. You know how to reach and teach even the most difficult students in your class. You know what it takes to get your students where they need to go. You have the knowledge and the know-how!

I have four words for you: Stick to your guns!

Stay true to the teacher that you know you are. Sometimes that means having to fight battles over what is best for your classroom. Sometimes you just have to go through the motions of the extra that you are asked to do. Sometimes you need to let a few of those unneeded plates drop (you know all of those many plates that you have to spin for the sake of spinning and not for the sake of the precious ones in your class). Sometimes you just have to stand up for what is right.

It is not always easy to do, but you have to remember who you are there for…your students.

I know, there is voice after voice after voice telling you the best way to do your job. Sometimes those voices are right. Sometimes you are already doing a good job and can afford to put some voices on mute. Have the courage to do that. Find the voices that count, but don’t forget your own.

Be courageous and do what needs to be done today.

Make your students your goal.

Remember them today.

Be strong.

You can do it!

You are awesome and I completely believe in you! You have what it takes to do what it takes. You are making a difference! You are strong and courageous. I know that you will make choices today that will help your students be everything that they can be! Keep going! Keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers, Pep Talk

Year-End Close Out Pep Talk

Posted on December 29, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

So, the old Earth is finishing up another trip around the Sun. New Year’s Day is kind of like Earth’s birthday. Another year is over and it is time to start a new one. I bet you are reflecting aren’t you? It is kind of the human thing to do.

How was this year for you? What were the highs? What were the lows? How are you feeling about a new one starting?

Since you are in an introspective mood, I want to give a challenge to your inner monologue.

There is something you need to think about. The year is over, but the school year isn’t even halfway. This has been a difficult school year for most of us. We have been beat-up, beat-down, and you just feel beat.

You need something to get you through the rest of the year.

You need one thought.

You need a reminder.

This is a reminder only you can give yourself.

You need to answer one question, and I think you should answer it right now. Write down your answer. Give some reasons why you answered the way that you did. Put it somewhere to remind you for the rest of the year.

Are you ready?

Why are you a teacher?

I know, I know, this year you have probably asked yourself that a lot…with sarcasm and negativity. That is not what I am talking about. You need to reflect on the whole reason why you became a teacher in the first place. You need to think about the heart of what and why you do what you do and deal with what you have to deal with. There has to be a reason. You probably have many.

I bet your reason has little to do with content. It probably has everything to do with students and making a difference. I know this is the case for me.

Let me give you my reasons. This is more for me than for you…because I am a teacher and I need to do this as much as you do!

Why am I a teacher?

I have a huge heart and am filled with compassion for people that have little to no resources (aka…live at or near the poverty line)…teaching at a Title I school is a great way to have an impact and make a difference.
I want to help students, especially at-risk boys, start thinking through choices and become leaders in their families and communities.
I love to learn and pass that love of learning on to others.
I love the process of teaching and learning and I love to teach others how to learn better.
I am creative and obviously have a gift for teaching, I would be miserable not using my abilities and talents to help others.
Teaching is in my blood and I live for it…I would be bored doing anything else.

I can probably come up with 1000 more reasons, but I think this is a enough for now. That was helpful to my teaching heart and teaching soul! Thanks for letting me do that here!

What about you? Why are you a teacher?

You are awesome and you are good at what you do! I highly recommend some reflection on your reasons for teaching. It might make you ready to endure more of what is wearing you out this year. You have a reason. You have a purpose. You are making a difference. Keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers, Thank You!, You Are Awesome!!!

A Little Reminder

Posted on December 27, 2014December 29, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

I hope that you have had a restful, resetting break so far! I really do.

As the business of Christmas settles down I know that thoughts of school are starting to creep back in. I know this is true because you are a great teacher.

This is why I am writing to you today. I want to say thank you. Thank you for being a great teacher. Thank you for all that you do. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for your creativity. Thank you for you!

You are amazing!

You are a gift to your students.

You are a gift to education.

You are a gift to the world!

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

You are awesome. You are making a difference. Keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers, Take Care of Yourself, You Are Awesome!!!

The Reset Button

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

I hope that you are finally on break now. If not, I hope today is your last day! You need it! You deserve a little break.

Today’s message is going to start a little differently than most. I want to reflect a little on my childhood. Keep reading, though. There is a point that brings it all back to teaching. 🙂

I grew up in the golden age of the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It was the most wonderful thing in the world to me. You could have adventures, solve mysteries, and just have tons of fun. It was great!

Well…it was great for a while.

After a few years, it started to run a little slower. Before too long, it started having trouble starting the games. This happened to almost everyone I knew. We had to blow into the games. We had to find creative ways to slide the games in. We had to hope against hope every time we pressed the power button.

Near the end of the life of the NES, you got to know the reset button very, very well.

Each time the game messed up, we pressed reset.

When the game froze up, we pressed reset.

Oh, and there is also the we-did-not-do-so-well-in-the-game times, and we pressed reset.

Reset. Reset. Reset. It was the stand-by that we always went to.

Well, Teacher, you are more than a game system, but you, too get worn down. You are tired. You are mentally exhausted. You are emotionally worn out.

Sometimes, the game messes up on you. Sometime teaching “freezes” up on you. Sometimes you are not just doing very well. These are especially true this time of year and most definitely this year…it has been a rough one for almost every teacher I have talked to.

You need what we relied on with the NES…you need a reset.

Winter break is our reset button built into the year.

I really do think that is the main reason that we need it. We all need a reset here at the almost school year half-time.

We need a break. We need a refresh. We need the hope of a fresh start in the year.

That is what you need. Don’t forget it.

The holidays are great! Take the time to reconnect with friends and family. Do all of the fun, holiday things. That is all a part of it. Just do me a favor and don’t forget about you.

Take some down time.

Do something you love doing.

TAKE A BREAK!

Just be.

Refresh teacher.

Hit that reset button…what ever that looks like for you.

Teacher, I hope you have a tremendous break and happy holidays! Just remember that you need to recharge. Don’t forget to reset.

You are awesome! I know that you will take some time for you. You are doing a great job this year, even if it does not always feel that way. You really are making a difference! Reset and keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

Choose Positive, General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers

A Message for the Voices…

Posted on October 31, 2014October 31, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

Today’s note is not so much for you. Today I want to talk to the voices. The voices that surround you. The voices in your head. The voices that are causing you to doubt what it is that you do.

Well, really, I only have two words for those voices today. It is quite an easy message for them.

Shut up.

Stop talking for just today. Your opinion is not needed. Your thoughts do not matter. You “knowledge” is not required. Not today. Not right now.

Okay. Now I have some quick words for you, Teacher. I mean these from the bottom of my heart. Lets these words hang in your mind today as you ignore the voices.

You are doing a great job!
You are, really, a good teacher.
The students are listening…even if you can’t tell yet.
The time that you are taking to do all that you do is worth it…especially taking the time set up quality experiences for those kids in your classroom.
You are reaching them…even the toughest ones.
What you are doing matters…you matter…so much more than it feels like sometimes.
Keep going. The hard work will pay off.
The students may be reluctant, but don’t give up. You are getting through.
Your instincts are right, trust them.
You are awesome, and I mean really, truly awesome.

Teacher, the voices sometimes matter. However, it is okay to take a break from them and celebrate what you are doing right. Let today be one of those days. Let the voices be quiet to your heart today and then look around and feel good about the good that you are doing. It is okay to be proud of yourself. Do that today. See what is going well and feel good about it. It is okay.

Make today a day about seeing how good of a teacher you are. There are enough days for seeing what you need to improve on. Don’t look at those issues….not today. Choose to only see the positive today.

You can do it.

Remember…quiet the voices and only hear “Good job.”

You are amazing. You are awesome! I am proud of you! I believe in you! Good job! Now, keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

General Inspiration, Note to Teachers, Pep Talk, Theme Song

[Teachers, We Need to Be] Good Monsters

Posted on October 28, 2014October 29, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

How is the week going for you? I know it is early, but it has already been a tough one for me. However, a rough week already bearing its head and it is only Tuesday seems to be par for the course this year. Like a most of the other teachers I know and talk to, this has been a difficult year so far. Not all bad, just super challenging.

Thinking today and about the message that I need to hear (most of the time I write to you as a way to talk to myself…I am a teacher like you, after all 🙂 ), an idea and analogy for my role as a teacher at a Title I school that I have had for the past several years came back to mind. It is the concept of who I am and need to be sometimes. This analogy came to me from a song…so I am thinking that I need to make this a theme song post to share about this.

Click play and read on. Oh, please ignore the cheesy-ness of the video. It is an older song that you may have never heard before, but give it a listen while you read. I so hope this all makes sense…this is an analogy and song that I cling to on the hardest of days.

We have a difficult job. There is so much to do. So much that we are expected to get done. Sometimes it seems too much. Some days (most days) we strive to get by and just keep our heads above the water.

We get to school, look around, and try to sort through all of the “to do’s” to get “to done.” We let some plates drop while we focus on others, and we look for the light at the end of the tunnel while we trudge through the darkness of the day to day.

It is overwhelming.

It can be too much.

But sometimes we forget two vital things: who we are and the reason that we are here.

You are a teacher, Teacher! You have made it through teacher training. You have been through student teaching. You have passed state exams. You have made it through evaluations. And you have survived tough years of teaching before.

You find a way to juggle “real life” and school. You balance your time, schedule, and money. You find a way to get things done no matter what. You are do so much and you are capable of so much more.

Teacher, you are a monster.

You do the impossible every day. You do a job that most people don’t have the heart or guts to do. You are fierce. You are strong. You are awesome!

You can be scary, sometimes, but only when you have to be. You are a monster of the best variety.

Don’t let the chains of the system hold you back. I know it is hard. The chains are binding. But you can break them. You can find a way to be the monster that you need to be.

Why do you need to be a monster?

That is the other side of this…the other thing that we forget when we are enslaved to the extras that come with our job.

There is a village that has bad monsters tormenting it. There are villagers that need our help. They need the monsters that we can be to defeat the monsters that should not be.

Our students need us. We often forget the monsters that torment their lives.

These monsters are different for different students, but they are still there. The common monsters that are against them are apathy, laziness, and a want to take the easy road. Sometimes the education system itself can be a common monster. There are probably a lot of others, too, but I think you get what I mean.

Not only are there the universal monsters, but there are other, very menacing monsters that stalk many of our students, too. I won’t go into details, but we often do not know what our students face when they leave our school…not to mention some of the monsters at the school (bullying, peer pressure, etc…).

There is a world of monsters trying to pillage and plunder the lives of our students.

One of our main jobs is to be the last line of defense. Sometimes it takes monsters to beat monsters.

You, Teacher, are one of those monsters…you are a good monster.

So, Monster, open your eyes today. Break those chains that are holding you back. Give up some of the battles that don’t matter and go save a village!

I know that it is hard sometimes to know where to fight, but make your focus the students and the monsters that are eating them alive today. Help them fight. You might be their only hope.

I really hope this made sense!

You are so awesome! I know that you are a monster of the best kind and that you battle well against what plagues your students. Fight on and keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher

Cheer Up, General Inspiration, Hope for Teachers, Note to Teachers, Reflection

So, You’ve Had a Week from…Well, You Know…

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Dear Teacher/Love Teacher

Dear Teacher,

If you are like a lot of other teachers that I have talked to this week, you may have just had a pretty rough week. It was pretty mediocre for me, but I have had a bad week or two recently, as well.

Fridays of bad weeks can be good and bad. They are great because the week is over. They really stink because you have to take stock of the week and figure out what went wrong.

If the week was bad enough, we probably lost our cool and did some things that we aren’t quite proud of…poor reactions, poor choices, etc… Fridays like that are even worse. We have to deal with the week and deal with ourselves. Never, ever, ever fun.

So, for those that had a long week, let’s have a theme song post. Click play and then read on.

Teacher, your job is hard.

You have so much to deal with every day.

It seems like the days that go bad, go bad in almost every way possible.

One bad day can lead into another…and another…and before you know it, you have had a bad week.

Bad weeks happen. They happen to the best and worst of us. They bring out the worst in us…but don’t forget, they also bring out the best of us.

“What do you mean, teacher-who-obviously-did-not-have-a-bad-week?”

I know that you don’t want to think about it today, at the end of your awful week, but bad days and weeks teach us more than the good ones.

We learn what doesn’t work.
We learn what some of our “triggers” are.
We learn what we need to avoid.
We learn that the students may nor have learned as we thought they did.

Not only that, weeks after bad weeks always seem to help us get stronger as a teacher. We dig in, we find a way to keep moving and keep going, and we find ways to try to avoid weeks like we just had.

We learn new strategies because we had to work so hard just to get through the week.
We learn that we had resources that we did not know that we had.
We learn that we are stronger than we thought we were.
We learn that we have students that cared about our bad weeks (when they come and say that they are glad the next week is going better for us).
We learn that we have colleagues that actually do care about us (even if it is just one or two).
We learn that we love teaching as much as we thought we did, even though we hated it the week before (the bad week).

There is a silver lining, Teacher. Even if you don’t see it now, it is there.

It is okay to bemoan your bad week. It is human. Hate this week. Wish it never happened. Lick your wounds and do what you need to do, just don’t stay there.

Find the strength. Find a way. Move on. Use this week to become the awesome teacher that you are and can be.

Bad weeks suck, but we need them. You can get through this.

And never forget…you are not there for you. You are at your school and in your classroom for your students.

They matter most.

They are your motivation to get through this.

You can do it.

You are awesome! I know this week was bad, but you can and will keep moving. Even in this horrible week, you made a difference…even if you don’t know it now. Keep going. Never give up. Keep on teaching, Teacher!

Love, Teacher