I’m not one to set New Year’s resolutions, but something happened recently that spurred me to set a BIG one for 2020. My eight-year-old stopped believing in Santa. This may not seem earth-shattering, but to me it was. She’s my baby, my last to believe. The thought of how much less magical next Christmas will…
Tag: Teacher Burnout
The Story Behind the #TeachersAreHuman Movement
“Sometimes, kids make me cry.” “I forget to eat lunch most days.” “My anxiety runs my life some days.” These are just a handful of the confessions that teachers have shared as part of the #TeachersAreHuman movement that’s making waves on Instagram. The intent of the movement is to give society (and fellow teachers!) a…
I Love Teaching & My Students—It’s all the Extras That Are Killing Me
I teach 95 students a day, and I do all the other myriad tasks that go along with that job. I’m a teacher, a traffic cop, a social worker, a writer, an actor, a warden, and a mom for the kids who pass through my room. And I love it. I’ve been offered the chance…
This Teacher Took off Her Superhero Cape to Stand up for Self-Care and Equity in Education
Teacher self-care has become a popular conversation. But for educators—whose instincts lean toward selfless dedication to children—having a self-care routine can feel like just one more to-do list on the rubric of life. That’s how LaQueshia Jeffries, a special educator and workshop leader for Prince William County Schools in Virginia, felt. As a military spouse,…
The Death of Teacher Autonomy
Once, there was a time when a teacher, regardless of grade level, could plan lessons for his classroom that were unique, creative, and engaging. Once hired, administrators trusted him to come up with his own ideas on how to implement the curriculum. As long as his students were successful and actively learning, he was left…