Nathan Eklund is both a freelance writer for TeachHUB.com and K-12 teacher. TeachHUB.com is a free, online resource center for all educators provided by the K-12 Teachers Alliance. This resource center is meant to be the solution assistance for all your classroom challenges and is made available by teachers, for teachers. Please visit TeachHUB.com for more information.
You work hourly, daily, continually, and purposefully toward creating a school experience that is satisfying for your students. But what about you? What are you doing to ensure that your school is a wonderful place to teach as well as learn? Here are 12 tips to help you make the most of your school days:
Amp Up Your School Social Life
1. Don’t Hunker Down: Escape from your classroom once in awhile.
While sometimes we need to insulate ourselves, take a quiet moment or maximize our classroom downtime, it’s also imperative that we actively, consistently, and intentionally seek time and space with peers. Use this brief change of scenery and moment away from the classroom to come up for air.
2. Let’s Do Lunch: Eat lunch with your peers, not alone at your desk.
The time you have in school is rarely your own. Lunch is one moment in your day when you get to seek others out. Don’t let this daily opportunity escape you.
3. Total BFFs: Make friends with colleagues.
According to Gallup, people who have a best friend at work are seven times more likely to be engaged in their job. That means that laughing, talking, and sharing time with your colleagues is a part of your job! If this goal isn’t part of your priorities, it should be.
4. Make Peace, Not War: Resolve lingering personal conflicts with colleagues.
What degree of stress walks into the building with you each morning because of a workplace conflict with a colleague? How much energy and joy does this conflict sap from your overall satisfaction with teaching? How would your energy change if this conflict was resolved? You know the answers to these questions. Now go and address it!
Make the Most of Me Time
5. Pencil It In: Schedule moments in your days when you’re NOT available but are in control of your own space and time. Even for a moment.
Making time for yourself is not a bad thing. Catching your breath, taking a moment’s peace, and re-energizing is not only good for you, it’s good for your students and colleagues. They want you peaceful and focused!
6. Loosen the Digital Leash: DON’T email during every free moment.
Little by little, your computer may be eating away at what little spare time you have. Take a weekly technology audit of your time. How much “free” time are you spending on the computer? How else could you spend this time that would better feed you and your energy?
The previous was an excerpt from the TeachHUB.com Top 12 series. For the complete article as well as other articles with in the series, please click here.
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