Each and every day I step into my classroom, I am aware of the impact I am having on students. The way I treat to them is often mirrored back at me. I choose when to encourage through extra pushing and when to celebrate the victory. I greet them each and every day with a smile and belief that they can achieve. This past week, I realized I also have an effect on the teachers around me as well.
As teachers, we have very little time to talk. We may have time for a quick hello in the halls between classes. Often, emails carry the brunt of our conversation. If we are lucky, some of us have lunch together. In those snippets of time that we share, I have a choice. I can whine and complain with shoulders drooping about all that I need to accomplish and how Friday never comes soon enough, or I can smile and be light-hearted. I have decided on the latter.
Recently, I have been chatting with a few of my colleagues. Teachers that have a passion for what they do. Teachers who believe in the students they teach, and even the ones they don’t. Teachers who don’t always fit the mold when sharing the material. Each one of them a great teacher; yet, each one of them questioning if it is time to get out of the profession. While this saddens me immensely, it has opened up a dialogue between us and got me thinking. What if we were a support to each other and focused on the positive happening in our classroom? What if we looked at each gripe and complaint as a challenge to be overcome? When we do that with our students, we see it makes a difference in their attitudes. Can the focus on the positive and why we love the job help us make it through the challenging times?
Two days ago, a colleague and I were talking about some frustrations we were having. She looked and me and said, “What are we going to do about it?” (The “it” is not going away any time soon.) We know we are islands for each other when we begin to flounder and see an impending drowning scenario. We know we are there for each other when needed. However, sometimes that is not enough when getting lost in the negativity.
“We need to focus on at least one positive thing that is happening for us each day. We have to take a few minutes to email or text it to each other at least once a day.” That was two days ago. Each time I get hers, a smile lights up my face. I find myself going through the day thinking about what I am going to choose as my positive to share. So many positive things are apparent when we are looking for them. Today’s positive was about the teachers that I connect with - the ones who are there to celebrate with me about a student or for me to lean on when I feel like I am the worst teacher in the world. The teachers that want to do right by the students even when it is not the popular opinion. I am thankful for time I have had with each of them this week whether an impromptu meeting in the hall, at lunch, or after school. The three of them are my go-to people.
Regardless of the day, when I focus on the positive it is so much easier to let the joy of teaching shine through. When doing it with colleagues, I have no doubt it will change the world around us.
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