Positivity is an Attitude we owe Ourselves and our Students

Day 5 of the Reflect and Renew Blog Challenge from Reflective Teacher @TeachThought 

Staying positive and sharing/encouraging that positivity in my students

When I woke up this morning I did what I normally do. No, not have breakfast, I checked Twitter etc to see what was happening in the world.  I was shocked and saddened to read that there had been another series of large earthquakes in my hometown, Christchurch.  Nearly every comment, however, showed a strong resilience, positive attitude and a sense of humour.  Goodness knows how most accomplish that given all they've been through.  Whenever someone was a bit 'down on it' there was generally someone there to add a lighthearted touch.

Then I started to read from some of my online teaching resources and pages I follow.  For many, today was back to school.  I felt incredibly saddened by some of the comments.  As I read through I noticed that it took only one or two negative comments to turn the tide of any positivity or excitement that was evident.  The threads soon became very negative and, in some cases, extremely concerning.  All I could think about was the students and the fact that some of their teachers were about to enter the classroom with some interesting thoughts in play.  I wondered why they were staying in the profession if they disliked it so much, and worse, if they disliked their students.  I wondered if it was just a case of 'back to work blues' that we all get from time to time.  Maybe, once they got there and saw their students, they'd be fine. Our students have a way of doing that.  I hope so anyway, but it got me thinking about positivity in line with today's prompt.  My thinking was not about judging or criticising, it was about wondering what had caused them to think this way because I'm sure they didn't start out in the profession with that mindset.  What are we doing to our profession that makes so many leave or so reluctant to go back into the classroom following a break or even after a year or two in the classroom?   Of course, this crazy wonderful profession is not for everyone and it does have frustrations and it's natural that some change their idea of what they want to do.  Am I just overthinking it?  Possibly not, as I've let this post circle in my head a while and, after reading some comments from teachers today, know that there is an issue and, if we're truly passionate about what we do, we can fix it but it won't be easy.

There are so many pressures on us as teachers and they vary depending on which country you are in.  Generally though, the paperwork, assessment and government expectations seem to be a consistent source of pressure or stress no matter where you are in the world.  So... how do we counteract that so that we, and our students, are able to maintain a positive mindset?  It's not easy and I'm definitely not positive all the time, even though I'm generally perceived to be.  I get just as frsutrated by many of the issues as the next teacher but I've changed how I think about things by always going back to focus on what my students and my colleagues need from me.

The culture of the school is key here and it comes from strong leadership.  The more you back your teachers, students, and all other staff, show them that they matter and support them no matter what, then the more positive the environment will be.  Given the aforementioned pressures, it is so easy for a negative mindset to creep in but that isn't going to help anyone, least of all our students, or ourselves.

So, here are my thoughts on how we create and maintain positivity in our learning and teaching environments...

1.  Keep students at the heart of what you do, and how you think.  

A great post came through this morning via Edutopia which summed up my thinking around this.

               The Heart of the Matter: Why I Teach - Rebecca Alber

2.  Look for the benefits in what we do.

Yes what we do feels like it has unlimited frustrations at times but our students count on us to be there for them, to encourage and support them to be the best learners - and teachers - they can be.  We have to believe that there are more positives than negatives in this career.  Is that a bit of a Pollyanna approach?  Yes, it is and I know it frustrates people sometimes but I make no apologies.  I have a responsibility to find the good in situations and model that to my students and colleagues.  I'm heading into my 15th year of teaching and I'm still as excited about it as the first day I set foot in a classroom as a student teacher.  Do I have moments of wanting out?  Yes!  Most definitely.  They don't last long though.  I look at my students, even the more challenging ones (especially the more challenging ones??) and know that they have expectations of me as I have of them.  We're all in this together.  (I won't break out into a High School Musical song here, promise!)

3.  It's okay to vent.  In fact it's really healthy, but get into the mindset of having a positive solution or thought to the issue you're venting on.

This isn't easy, particularly if you're really wound up about something but the more you practice this, the easier it gets.  Trust me, I know from personal experience!  Look for positive solutions and ideas.  Ask for them.

4.  Know your colleagues and students as people with hopes, dreams, and interests outside of school.  Also know when they need extra support or a boost.

What we do is all about community.  Knowing that you're valued for your contributions to that community helps to create a positive environment.  Celebrate it!  Drop a positive appreciation note on a desk or table, etc. There are many ways to show this.  Remember to thank people for what they do - don't let contributions, no matter how small, go unnoticed.

5.  Fight the negativity.

6.  Stay true to yourself and remember why you became a teacher.  Try to hold on to that passion.  Set some goals and expectations for yourself.

Vicki Davis (@coolcatteacher on Twitter) has written a post about making 2015 an epic year.  When I'm feeling any negativity creeping in I often read her posts.  She has to be one of the most passionate and enthusiastic colleagues on the planet!  

        3 Steps to Make 2015 Epic - Vicki Davis

7.  Be open to, expect, and welcome change.

See it as an opportunity for your own, your colleagues and your students learning. We expect this of our students but not always of ourselves.  Seeing change as a learning opportunity and being open to it helps you become more positive about any negative aspects of it.  Often the perceived negative aspects disappear if you change your mindset.

Claire Amos (@ClaireAmosNZ on Twitter) has written a timely blog post on this subject - Reflections and Resolutions.  It appeared in my Twitter feed this morning.  Isn't it funny how, just when you're thinking hard about something the right information or, in this case, blog post comes along.  It's worthwhile reading and sharing with colleagues.

This is by no means an exhaustive list and, like all my thinking, it's bound to change and be adpated over time.  That's what learning's all about.

In My Teaching Career, I am Grateful to Have Learned...

Day 14 of the Attitude of Gratitude Reflective Teacher @TeachThought Blog Challenge...

1.  "We are all teachers and we are all learners in our learning environment."
Quote written by 8 and 9 year-olds a few years ago.  They taught me a great deal when they came up with this one.  I hang onto it every day.  It helps me remember that we are all sharing this learning journey and creating new learning together.

2.  You are never going to 'catch up' so stop putting pressure on yourself to do this!
There is ALWAYS going to be more to do.  You will burn yourself out if you try to catch up constantly and even worse, try to get ahead, whether it's with planning, or whatever.  Planning, by nature, is an adaptable day-to-day proposition.  That's what is so fantastic about what we do.  Our students' learning changes rapidly, and so does ours.  Are you there for your students? Do you care for and respect them and take time to get to know the awesome human beings they are.  Do you take time out to talk with them?  You could be using this time for planning and paperwork!  Really, though, let's refocus and put the students back at the heart of what we do - focus on them.  Yes, planning is important so that learning needs are met, but letting students know how much you value and appreciate them is key and, for me, the most important aspect of what we do.  I need all of them to know that they matter.

3.  You don't know what you don't know.
You don't have to know everything!  You're not expected to.  You're a learner too - that's what is so cool about what we do.  We get to explore thinking and new ideas and learning every single day and spark that love of learning in our students.  How cool is that??!!

4.  That you need to trust that you are doing the absolute best for your students and that's there's always more to learn to meet their needs.
We put a lot of pressure on ourselves - are we doing enough? What can we do better?  Are we meeting individual student needs - both learning and social?  Are we good enough?  We're our own toughest critics, especially those of us who have perfectionist tendencies!  We need to ease up a little.  Often we're so good at boosting and encouraging others.  We need to be our own champions sometimes too.

5.  Connections are key - human connections and passion for what we do.  
You can have all the knowledge and skills in the world, but if you aren't passionate about what you do and you can't connect with your students on a human level and know them as special and unique individuals then maybe this isn't the best profession for you.  If it's all about the grades and assessment then we're missing the point. 

Don't Forget to Take Time Out, It Makes You A Better Person...

Day 13 of the Attitude of Gratitude Reflective Teacher @TeachThought Blog Challenge...

I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves for this post.  I've always been someone who doesn't really know how to stop.  The past year has taught me a lesson.  What if I hadn't got better? I'd never have taken the time to slow down, relax and enjoy life.  Life is too short.  It's a gift we shouldn't waste.  We do ourselves, our families, our colleagues and most importantly, our students no favours if we don't try to find a balance.  It makes us better teachers and better human beings.  I learned this the hard way.  

#reflectiveteacher #edchat

Who Needs Weekends and Holidays?

Day 27 of the +TeachThought blogging challenge

My first year teaching was 1999 and my weeks looked something like this...

Monday - Friday:  Arrive at school by 8am, work all day, including through lunchtime, leave school around 5pm or earlier if my son had sport, have dinner, start working again, finish at about midnight, bed, then up again at 6am to start all over.

Weekends - sport with my son but I could multi-task if his games were at the school grounds and then mostly preparation for the following week with breaks to spend time with my son.

I took this career so seriously and wanted to give the best I could to my students - I still do -  but I was missing out on time for me and also for my son.  I was a single parent so I should have been more aware of this.  I'm very lucky he's turned out to be such an amazing young man whom I'm incredibly proud of but...

This 'routine' which was exhausting, went on for many years.  I started to question it, however.  The more I reflected on what I was doing and the more aware I became of the lack of balance I began to realise that if I kept going at this pace then everyone would miss out...my family, my students and school and also myself. There's nothing like a reality check for you to realise that by leading a more balanced life and taking breaks and holidays, you actually become a far better teacher - and learner.  A colleague taught me this when I moved from a large college back to a primary school.  She is a teacher whom I admire immensely and she was managing to be a 'super teacher' in my eyes, had a fantastic family and is also a very talented artist - who was still managing to create beautiful works of art and be an amazing teacher.  I paid attention and had many discussions with her.  I learned so much about balance and how to get there.  Not always easy when you are a perfectionist.

So how am I doing 15 years down the track from that first year?  Well... I reflect on this a lot and know that I probably have a way to go on the balance aspect of my practice but I'm a work in progress and I try to participate in as many activities as I can because I know that a more balanced life makes me a better person, and a far better teacher / co-learner and leader for my staff and students.

I'll keep reflecting and working on that...

#reflectiveteacher