The Juggle is Real A Whimsical Journey to the Mythical Land of Teacher Self-Care By Andrea Johnson, M.Ed.

As I sit in my cozy living room, enjoying my day to day life of winter break--- the impending dread of heading back into the classroom weighs heavy on my heart. Teetering on the brink of burnout and the associated anxiety is nothing short of suffocating. Don’t get me wrong, I love my students, even the darlings who require extra grace and patience! However, I fear this may not be enough to get me by. A mere glance at the alarming statistics of fellow educators who are dropping out of the profession and moving on to a land where the grass is “greener” (and not because we gave it a curve to pass it!), I am frightened. I am mid-year, 13 years in and have more advanced degrees and certifications than I care to admit. I, too, fall into the large number of educators who are talking about other career paths. A recent google search led me to the neatoday.org statistic that 48% of teachers are leaving the field of education because of “Dissatisfaction” in the workplace. Perhaps increased demands, lack of support, lack of flexibility, increased demands and the list goes on, creates the perfect storm for educators.

Educators would rejoice at a greater level of respect for teachers, an income that matches the work they do and their investment in their students’ daily and future lives, as well as true, foundational support rather than meaningless legislation wrapped in a pretty bow. However, that requires change on a greater societal level. We will not stop working towards those goals, but there are simple answers that we can do for ourselves in our daily lives to avoid “teacher burnout.” I believe that life is too short to be stressed out and constantly running on fumes alone. I want to work towards educational reform, but I also want to get out of the everyday rut of feeling like I want to quit and move on (to what, I am not sure).

After much thought, I determined that the immediate answer is to make myself a priority and shift my mindset to include self-care. Until recently, I believed that self-care was “just not my thing” or some unattainable goal, which I would just not be able to master. I could not even come up with a list of things I could try-- I had to use the trusty Google and Pinterest and many other sources to cross reference ideas. I made lists and crossreferences and crossed-out and narrowed down. I made plans and backed out with other priorities taking precedence, or cancelled when I got in the way of myself and started doubting the validity of this crazy notion of “self-care.” Because I am a

dorky person who loves researching and learning new things---I gave myself the assignment to get “this thing” figured out. Since I have already been feeling unsuccessful in juggling everything. Living a life of being tired, worried, sleep deprived, unfulfilled, and lacking joy, I was hoping that if nothing else, this self-assignment would be a great distraction. One big realization I made early in this process was how long I have been putting on a show. I have been staging perfection, trying to convince myself that as a wife, mom, teacher, Christian... I had it all together. I realized that although I may be happy, I was not joyful. I am an extreme people-pleaser, over-achieving, Type-A, ADHD (which in my opinion, allows my creativity to shine), quick to commit and overextend myself, master of making sure everyone else comes first, (overwhelmed and anxiety ridden) ninja. In the quest to make everyone happy, keep the peace, problem solve or lighten the load for others, the struggle to say “no” to people is all too often ignored and I am left drowning in a toxic sea of lists, and post-its, and time promised-away to others. Self-care is a way to take my awesome self back! It is a way for me to stay healthy, make myself a priority, and find joy! I have enclosed my (much abbreviated) findings, suggestions (and other not-so pertinent comments) for your personal enjoyment and potential benefit. Please do not read with unrealistically high hopes up or expect to experience life altering enlightenment. Having made this disclaimer, it is my humble hope that you will connect to at least one or two of my experiences and be empowered to increase your own level of teacher self-care. So… here goes… Mantras I have been repeating to myself: “You cannot pour from an empty cup.” “Self-care is not selfish.” “Self-care is fuel for my soul.” “Self-care charges my internal battery.”

Walk This one is simple and can be done during your personal time or as part of an after-school walking club. Phone-A-Friend Fill your cup by reaching out to an old friend and taking the time to have a real, in person or phone conversation with them. Journal This works best when you designate a specific time of day and place to write. I include coffee. See a counselor Don’t underestimate the benefit of finding a great therapist! If you have never tried counseling, this is definitely an avenue to learn more about yourself! Practice Meditation Okay… I fell asleep with all that deep breathing. I am going to try again when I can focus a little better! Practice at attitude of gratitude This is also a starting point when journaling, but can also be a mental practice as you go about your day. Cry No really, I think this must be a part of our self-care. Find a place to sit down and have a good cry. Listen to music Discover your Enneagram Type Try something new Take a power nap Although a nap during your normal school day is frowned upon, napping in parking lots or in front of the daycare is perfectly acceptable. Create a list! Make a list of places you want to travel, even go as far as pricing locations, researching the area, imagining what time of year you will be taking this great adventure. Plan a party (or small get together with friends) Best results can be found when inviting a few good friends who are willing to show up after the kids go to bed, arrive in pajamas, bring their own wine, and who will not expect a fancy charcuterie board. Laugh Laugh with friends, students, your significant other, or co-teacher.

Make a plan! By Wednesday— have a plan in place for the weekend so that you have something to look forward to. This does not need to be something big. Ideas: coffee with a friend, a daytrip, a new restaurant Take a mental health day (or half day). Make plans, do nothing, sleep all day, online shop or walk the mall. Take yourself to lunch, read a book, day drink—- the day is yours! Binge on Netflix I am not a huge fan of watching T.V., however, it is hard to worry about my own “stuff” when watching the drama unfolding before me.

Cook or bake This could also coincide with starting what is sure to be one of your new favorite shows, The Great British Baking Show (not paid for this advertisement, but wouldn’t that be nice?) Write a letter Pick different people in your friend and family group and go for it. They will enjoy receiving something other than a bill and you will have a moment to yourself to think, reflect, and escape through writing. Get outdoors While you are out there- get dirty! Although my black-thumb has prevented me from experiencing the joy of gardening, just being outside and breathing in the fresh air is an act of self-care. Go camping Depending on how “rustic” you go-- you may decide to try “glamping” for round 2! Join a gym Free version: go for a walk or run. Note: I have only tried walking.

Arts and craftsExplore a creative craft...or as I like to call it, “add to my closet of Pinterest fails.” Not crafty? Try coloring! Tidy your home I know, sounds like a task and not in self-care. However, I found that tidy surroundings ultimately led me to less stress and more time to enjoy life. I was not frantically cleaning when someone stopped by and was able to avoid my bad mood upon seeing a sink of dishes. Added bonus: you will get your steps in! Research My personal favorite research was looking into Wine of the month club and joining! Each month when your special treat arrives, you can enjoy the fruits of your research. Don’t know what you like? Try it all! Afraid of the monthly wine (and financial) commitment? Make it point to pick up a few bottles next time you get groceries and invite a small group of friends over for the fun! Drink coffee in the shower Don’t knock it until you try it. Hot water, hot coffee… need I say more? You can thank me later. Take a soothing bubble bath Although this was a little too much for me and a task that I failed at. I wish you better luck. I did my best to prepare, research, have supplies such as wine, a book, candles, a special pillow to lay on… It was not my cup of tea. Intentionally pray Take the focus off of yourself and pay it forward with intentional and specific prayers for others. Take on an AB challenge Yes, abdominals. I made a challenge between my classes… after a few weeks, we were all looking forward to this and dreading it at the same time. The best byproduct of this was the teambuilding and laughter we had together, not the abs as I had initially thought.

Get a Massage (Even if this means waiting until you find a great Groupon deal!) Forced relaxation Invest in a pedicure, manicure, facial or another type of forced relaxation service. Along with massages, these self-care experiences have always had an allure for me, but has not been something that I feel I really get into. Join a bible study This could also mean you organizing a few friends who are interested in doing a virtual bible study. As long as this is a set time as part of your day or week and there are others to hold you accountable, be along for the ride and help support you on this journey. You may find that you love the online option or maybe find more success in meeting a few teacher friends every Friday morning before school.

Eat lunch in your locked classroom (or office) Invite no one. Be alone with your thoughts and your loud chewing. Belch if you want to. Surf social media, take a super speedy nap, but do not exit the room unless the fire alarm goes off! Eat lunch with a small group I sent an email to the teachers on my hall inviting them to a Friday “ladies lunch.” To my surprise, this has become something that I really look forward to and a way to force myself to slow down. Do not take work home Maybe this is not feasible every night. But pick one day where nothing goes home with you. I briefly contemplated leaving my planner and computer at school as well, but started getting the shakes. Small steps.

Travel Go anywhere. Get lost. Go to a specific destination. Plan and budget and find the best restaurants along the way. Make a bucket list Leave at the end of your contract day This may be one of the more important lessons I have learned. Leave immediately. Do not stay around, make copies, talk to teachers or students. Do not pass go… run from the building. Skip if you must, just leave and don’t turn back. The mess will be there tomorrow. Eat lunch in your locked classroom (or office) Invite no one. Be alone with your thoughts and your loud chewing. Belch if you want to. Surf social media, take a super speedy nap, but do not exit the room unless the fire alarm goes off!

Have an afternoon treat Coffee, chocolate, diet coke, regular coke, French fries. I love to have something very simple to look forward to at the end of the day. Before kids and diapers and daycare (and adulting), I would I buy myself a fancy latte on the way to school every Friday morning. Seems very simple, but if this is not something that you are frequently treating yourself to, it may help train you to appreciate and look forward to the little things. Juggle Actually try to juggle I suggest scarves before balls or fruit. After working on this alone, I made this into a classroom challenge and had a complete day of fun! This was self-care- turned into group-care and a much needed mental break for all of us!

This list is a work in progress and the assignment was an invaluable and eye-opening experience.

After much trial and error-- a new and improved version of myself is beginning to emerge and I know that the work on myself (and with my students), has only just begun to unfold. I am finding myself and know that I will have more clarity in determining my place in the educational field both now and in the future. As educators, we owe it to ourselves to be reflective not only of our teaching, but of ourselves, of our goals, motivations, and what we need in order to survive and thrive in our workplaces and our homes. Through these examples provided, I have come to believe in the power of self-preservation through impactful self-care. I am grateful for those feelings of “just barely keeping my head above water” as they have forced me to realize that I am the only person who can take the steps to reflect, rejuvenate, relax, and focus. As you, too, embrace the struggle, stay mindful in your search for the little moments you are able to steal away for yourself. Rest assured that the sum of these moments will lead you to become a happier, more balanced and joyful version of yourself.

As always, I am a work in progress and would love to learn from your experiences. Please share your simple or extreme, life-altering experiences in self-care with me at: mycoach@leveluplearningacademy.com

Meet Andrea Johnson, M.Ed.

Mrs. Andrea Johnson holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Northern Iowa, a Master's Degree from the University of North Texas, and Principal Certification from Lamar University. Mrs. Johnson provides personalized oneon-one academic coaching to meet the needs of learners of all ages and abilities, through Level Up Learning Academy (LULA) and meets students virtually all over the country! She’s also had the honor to teach within a variety of content areas including: Theatre, Speech American Sign Language, Special Education Fine Arts, and AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination). Having served over 2,500 students and families, Mrs. Johnson inspires student success and shares her passion by fostering a growth mindset, empowering all students and creating lifelong learners. When not teaching, coaching, or writing curriculum, Mrs. Johnson loves to spend time with her husband and children: Piper, Quinn, and Noah.

Teacher Support and Healing through Visual Journaling By Christine Miller, M. Ed.

Two of my classroom (and life) “rules” are:

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Have compassion for yourself and others (in other words, put your oxygen mask on first before you help someone on with theirs) Bless it, and release it

These rules were definitely directed to my young high school students who could be hard on themselves (and others), and could stubbornly hang onto a grievance or hurt that kept them in a state of discomfort. But, they were also daily reminders to me. As their teacher, I had to have compassion for myself when I didn’t implement a lesson as well as I thought I could; or when I reacted to a student in a manner that I regretted; or if I bungled a communication between a parent or colleague. And when I held onto my own frustrations of being an imperfect teacher, I had to repeat to myself to “Bless it, and release it” until I returned to a more balanced state.

aspect of my personality enabled me to be compassionate, supportive, and loving to my students. But the negative feeling aspect meant I also felt the negative emotions and actions that came my way; I didn’t know how to protect myself from them to stay in a healthy frame of mind. Teaching was proving to be the ultimate real life roller coaster with amazing highs and terrifying lows, and I’m not a big fan of roller coasters!

During my undergraduate art education studies at the University of North Texas, my art education cohort was visited by Barbara Ganim and Susan Fox with a presentation about their book: Visual Journaling, Going Deeper than Words –Using Art to: • Reduce Stress • Release Anger • Resolve Conflicts • Get in Touch with Feelings • Give Voice to your Soul • EVEN IF YOU CAN’T DRAW! (Capitalization emphasis by author).

Let me dial the story back a few years. I entered the teaching profession at the age of 50, and I thought I knew what I was getting myself into! I had already held a variety of jobs with some management positions, so I mistakenly believed I would flow into this new pathway fairly smoothly. Boy, was I wrong! In the Myers-Briggs personality type system, I am an ENFJ, but for the purposes of this article I want to emphasize the F –that symbolizes being a “Feeler”. The Positive feeling

Often if you mention journaling to an individual who is not “an artist”, they will dismiss the process because “they can’t draw a straight line” or “they don’t have a creative bone in their body”.

One of the best things about the visualjournaling process is that you don’t have to be an artist, nor do you need any previous art experience or what some people call “artistic talent.” Everyone has the ability to express feelings and emotions using their inner language of imagery. (pg. 5 Ganim & Fox)

Through their anecdotal stories, I came to understand that using visual journaling wasn’t about “if” I would need it, but “when” I would need it. They planted a seed in my thinking that I will always be grateful for.

It wasn’t too long into this new career path that I began journaling, and I was not a regular journaling kind of person. But instinctively I knew that I needed a place to process the scope of emotions and that that were coming at me. Reaching for pen, pencil, paper, or glue allowed me to work through a situation in my own way, using my own words and visual representations. I am not a naturally gifted 2D artist, and drawing during art school was stressful. I am a more naturally 3D artist that likes to construct and build. Despite my supposed lack of drawing skills, I dove right in to my journal, and throughout my teaching career, I kept at least one journal, sometimes more, to help me process my job and the variety of emotions I was feeling. And, let me emphasize one visual journaling point: it was not always about the bad stuff! I also used the journal to celebrate the positive things that happened as I moved down my path! This was essential for keeping the balance in my life and for honoring the entire spectrum of my experiences.

Some of the journal entries I am including here are called “Zentangle”, and this is a great entry point for people who are not accustomed to drawing. Zentangle is a drawing method that uses patterns to build an image, and they give you step by step instructions on how to draw a variety of patterns. You can find LOTS of info about Zentangle at their website: https://zentangle.com/ Drawing with the Zentangle method is so calming and meditative. My students learned how to draw Zentangle patterns, and they loved it as well. So, if you need a jumping off point, this is a great one.

I can hear the protests right now as you are reading this, “But I don’t have any time to journal!” Well, I understand the crunch of time. But if you take just a few minutes out of a day to spend a little time drawing, and you build on that drawing over the course of a few days, before you know it you will have completed a journal entry! Laura and Matt Grundler head up a valuable teaching resource, The Creativity Department.

The Creativity Department/GrundlerArt.com is to connect creatively minded educators with ideas and colleagues. Building a Professional Learning Network and a community ofarts advocates via the #K12ArtChat twitter chat and the Creativity Department podcast.

Their website has lots of great resources to help you find balance and self care in your hectic career. Laura and Matt are super busy like the rest of us, Laura is the Visual Arts Coordinator of Plano ISD’s art educators, and Matt is a middle school art educator. Their collaborative life has them hosting twitter chats, presenting at state and national conferences, and leading professional development sessions on visual journaling. But, despite their super busy schedule, they are both avid, daily visual journalers!

So give it a try! Don’t get too hung up about experimenting. In the Resource section of this article, I have listed some of my favorite visual journaling books for you to check out. Look on YouTube for videos, check out Pinterest, follow visual journaling hashtags on Instagram. There are tons of pathways to creating more balance in your life through visual journaling. And, the most important ingredient to your investigation is to…

Resources: Carriker, P., (2010), Art at the Speed of Life, Interweave Press, Loveland, CO Ganim & Fox, (1999) Visual Journaling, Going Deeper than Words, The Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton, IL 60189-0270 Harrison, S.W. (ND), Spilling Open: the Art of Becoming Yourself, Villard, New York, NY Scott, E.M. & Modler, D.R., (2010), The Journal Junkies Workshop: Visual Ammunition for the Art Addict, North Light Books, Cincinnati, OH The Creativity Department, https://www.grundlerart.com/ The Myers & Briggs Foundation, https://www.myersbriggs.org/ Wakley, D., (ND), Art Journal Courage: Fearless Mixed Media Techniques for Journaling Bravely, North Light Books, Cincinnati, OH Zentangle, https://zentangle.com/

Meet Christine Miller...

Christine Miller is a life long fiber artist and a retired art educator. She currently conducts a variety of fiber classes and workshops. She participates in k-12 art education classes as a presenter and visiting artist. Christine continues to advocate for fiber as a fine art material through her collaborative website www.explorefiber.com. “Beneath the Surface” is a collaborative installation of her work and her husband’s, Keith Miller (www.keithmillerartist.com), opening November 2019. For more information about this Dallas exhibition, check out her personal art website https:// artistteacherjournal.com/coral-reefinstallation/