Part 2: happy Classrooms

things I loved most—sharing knowledge with other educators through my workshops—was becoming a liability. From that point forward, I began scheduling workshops in a way that allowed me to live a life that kept my mental, physical, socialemotional, and spiritual life in balance.

Renew Yourself With Downtime

You fill so many roles: teacher, administrator, mother, father, grandparent, aunt, uncle, friend, community member, and so on. With each role, there are specific responsibilities. Be sure you are building in time to renew yourself along the way. After all, when I fly, the flight attendant during the initial safety instructions always asks the passengers to put on their masks before helping others with their masks. In other words, if you do not take care of yourself, you will be hard-pressed to continue being the best teacher, administrator, parent, or friend that you can possibly be. Stephen Covey (2020) refers to this same concept as habit 7, “Sharpen the saw.” This is the habit—self-care—that allows you to focus on the other six.

Plan a few minutes of downtime each day just for personal renewal. It can be as simple as taking a warm bath, listening to a few minutes of calming music, or doing some yoga exercises or some other enjoyable activity.

Make Vacations Part of Your Schedule

Make self-care a priority by scheduling some much-needed vacation time. Visit places you have always wanted to see. Vacations don’t have to be expensive. Travel by car and stay in a place that isn’t cost prohibitive. Whether you choose to go to a beach, the mountains, or just do some sightseeing in a city, enjoy the change of scenery. Build in time for relaxation so you can focus on your passion and purpose with clarity and energy.

Hopefully, you have chosen well and are in a career that you are passionate about—and a career in education is truly your calling. Never forget that teaching is the only profession that directly influences every other profession. Every doctor, lawyer, electrician, plumber, or technician came by way of a teacher who made it possible for them to learn the content inherent in their profession. I cannot count the number of educators in my workshops who have related that they are in education because of a teacher who made a discernible difference in their lives. Those were the teachers who developed a relationship with them, had a passion for their content, and used instructional strategies that engaged their brains, with the highest of expectations for student success (Tate, 2014). And the research is clear—within the classroom, it is the teacher who makes the biggest difference in student learning.