The Start of a New School Year

The school year is about to get going and for the first year in many, I don't have any trainings or meetings to attend! It definitely seems a bit strange to have so much free time but although I clearly miss the interactions with the people involved in these activities, I can definitely admit to not missing all of the time commitment and activities going on.

Although I am no longer a public school employee, I am definitely thinking of all of my friends and colleagues who are getting started back in the classroom this week. I’m not sure if there are too many professions right now that are undervalued and underappreciated like that of a public school employee. Clearly, it has been a very challenging time for educators with some of the initiatives forced on schools by the state government and how those have affected the work of educators. The positive impact they make on our young people, our schools, and our communities is immeasurable and they deserve our support, not our ridicule. Despite the challenges, teachers still have what I consider to be one of the most important occupations there is. They need to be supported and recognized for the vital contributions they make to our society.

It’s easy in today’s environment for educators to lose their “why” and get caught up in the negatives of the profession. When that happens, everyone-students/families/colleagues/themselves-end up as the losers. What can educators focus on to not get caught up in the negatives? As a newly retired but still passion about education educator, here are my thoughts-take them for what they are worth!

• Control what you can control: we each control our effort and our attitude each day. We choose how we respond to interactions with others as well as the negatives we face in life. Responding in a positive way and being the better person is always the way to go.

• Assume best intentions: don’t always think the people we interact with on a consistent basis are at fault or people that we can’t interact with. Students who misbehave are not bad kids. Adults we disagree with are not automatically wrong-maybe we can learn something from them.

• Collaborate with and learn from others: too often, educators work in silos. Even when you are a teacher alone in your classroom, the work you do affects others so reaching out to colleagues, communicating with students and families, and being willing to listen and learn from others is vital.

• Meet students where they are at: often times, students are not at the level of achievement we feel they should be and can find excuses for this if we really want. Blaming others or outside influences won’t truly help the student. Meet them at their level and work to help them rise through your processes and your leading. Often times, teachers who do this are heroes to their kids, even if the student never learns everything the teacher wanted them to. Showing empathy during the frustrating times when working with others will also build a positive relationship that will last well beyond the school year and the classroom.

• Practice self care: teachers as much as any profession, go above and beyond in doing their job to the best of their abilities. From purchasing extra items on their own for their class or spending extra unpaid hours getting classrooms ready, correcting papers, answering emails, etc., educators try to do it all. This sometimes has a negative effect on their physical and emotional health. You can’t do it all…kids will remember educators for how they treated them and for what they did for kids in the classroom-not for things or extra hours that were put in. If educators don’t take care of themselves first, it will trickle down to the treatment of kids and make for a very negative environment for everyone. Take care of yourself first and make sure you are in the right frame of mind every day you go to work.

I have started a bit of a new career mentoring first year volleyball coaches for the Iowa Girls Coaches Association as they begin their careers and have had a good dialogue with a couple of them about balancing their career and their personal life. I have tried incorporating the points above in my work and feel like although I wasn’t always perfect with these during my career, I did a pretty good job of sticking to these ideals and feel like they work in other walks of life as well. I want to wish all of my friends and colleagues the very best as they get back to work this week and I want to add a big THANK YOU for all that you do. I am going to miss the daily interactions with such dedicated professionals but am glad to know our students are in such good hands. Have a great week!

Coach K