Support Each Other

We have reached the point of the year where the crayons are no longer sharp, erasers are gone, and students have lost either their book or homework at least once.  Last week, many people commented to me it was the first week it really felt like school.  The newness had worn off.  We kind of feel like we have it under control and the kids are being kids.

This is the time of year when the self doubt and anxiety of what we are doing kicks in.  We had our first round of conferences.  Some parents may not have like what we had to say.  Students are missing assignments.  They may not like their grade.  We have given our first tests and may have been disappointed in the results.  We doubt what we did, what we said, how we handled situations.  We loose sleep.  We toss and turn.

We have talked about doing things to help your emotional well being.  We have to do those things.  For sleeping, I recommend a weighted blanket.  Best Christmas gift ever.  I throw that on top of me and I am out in no time.  You must find something to help you and support you.

Help you.

Support you.

What about looking down the hall?  What about looking across the table at lunch?  Find someone here to be that person to help and support you.  I often talk to students about finding your trusted adult here.  Who is the person you can talk to?  Who is the person who can give you the best insight on what to do?  As an adult, we need that person too.

Just a reminder:  talking ill of your colleagues to each other is not supportive.  Talking ill about our school to the community is not supportive.  Breaking down others is not supportive.  We get enough of that from people outside these walls that we do not need to do it to each other here.  We may not always get along.  We may not always be best friends, but we have to work together.  We have to support each other.  We have to be a good team member in order to make this the greatest school.  Doing the opposite of that does nothing but grow negativity.  If we cannot have those who do the same things as us day in and day out, those who know how hard this job can be, who can we trust?

As we begin Walk About Wednesdays next week, I encourage you to not always go to the same person.  Build relationships with others.  Reach out to a new teacher to help then feel welcomed or to offer support.  Find someone at the end of this ride to get advice.  Build each other up.  Cheer for each other.  Support each other.  Help each other.

We cannot do it alone.

I've Got Skills

No matter the career path we choose, we must possess a certain set of skills in order to find success.  As we begin the journey to our career choice, we often find ourselves taking a variety of assessments to see what skills are our strengths and those skills which are yet to be developed.  To maintain your peak performance in your career, you must constantly be willing to assess your skills, sharpen them, and some times develop new ones.  Our career choice also calls for us to foster specific skills within our students.  We are tasked with helping them in the development of social, emotional, and academic skills.

What skills are important for a successful teacher to have? 

Do you need to like kids?

Do you need to be organized?  

Do you need to be a people person?

Do you need to be able to clearly articulate yourself?

Do you need patience?

Do you need to be flexible?

Do you need to be a life long learner?

Do you need to be a team player?

Do you need to be a risk taker?

Do you need to be a leader?

We each have a particular skill set that makes us successful in many different areas.  I like to think of myself as organized.  This skill allows me to manage a variety of schedules and events efficiently.  I would like to think I can effectively express my thoughts via verbal or written means. But there are some skills I am not very good at.   While professionally I am fine with some risk taking, personally...no.  I am not bungee jumping, skydiving, or jumping off a cliff.  No way.  No how.

Where we lack skills, we often look to other to help us fill those gaps.  Not creative?  We find a friend to help us with ideas and crafts.  Feeling down?  We look to others to bring us up through their stories, experiences, and encouragement.  Not wanting to take a leap into something new?  Sometimes you need that friend to nudge or push you in the right direction.

As educators, we must also work on developing these skills within our students and give them opportunities to shine.  Like all of us, some students have a particular skill that shines brighter.  We look at this when we pair students up, when we assign projects, and when we make accommodations for students to find success.  Keep helping our student hone their skills.  No matter what they choose as a career, a particular set of skills will be needed and effectively executed to help them find success.

While the graphic below is headed "If Teachers Starred n Movies", the lines, taken from the movie "Taken" and Liam Neeson, it does relate to having skills...a particular set of skills...