For all you teachers out there...

I've gone to school the past two days to sort out my room. Ryan has gone to "school" and Steve has gone in to work on his classroom as well. It's amazing how many people have told me how good I look. Not bragging, believe me! Just commenting that it's summer, my stress is low, and I'm well rested. I've been eating healthfully (thank you AdvoCare!), hitting the gym on a regular basis, and I feel pretty good. I fear that status is going to change drastically in the upcoming weeks! I keep asking myself, "How can I maintain this cool, calm side of myself I've found this summer?" I don't know for sure, but I have a few ideas. Keep reading...

More and more, being a mom and being a teacher are like one big Venn diagram for me. The middle part where the similarities are listed is the biggest part in my circles. I am an avid reader and am currently reading a few books simultaneously - everything from light and fluffy chick lit to books on how to be a better parent and books to inspire my teaching. (And the stack of magazines on my nightstand teeters precariously as well!) One book I've read quite a bit of  is Living the Lessons written by Olivia LaField. Another is Teach Your Children Well by Madeline Levine. Both are about approaching the whole child and stressing what we should worry about versus what we should not. Ultimately, no matter which book I'm reading, I'm applying the information to both Ryan and my students.

I know that becoming a mother has made me a better teacher. The more I learn about Ryan's development, and the more I experience my own wishes and desires for her, the more I see my students through a different lens. The reverse is also true. When I had Ryan, I had 17 years of teaching experience under my belt. I had observed a lot of parenting over those years and I had lots of ideas about what I wanted to do and not do. Teaching has definitely helped guide my parenting. Hopefully Ryan is benefiting from all of that!

Ryan does best when I am paying attention to her. By that I mean truly listening, addressing her needs, doling out consistent discipline when needed, and giving her independence where possible. All kids want that and so many of our students do not get that at home. They get their parents' attention all right, but it's in the worst ways possible; then they bring those shenanigans to school. Ultimately, I get exhausted and angry from dealing with their constant angst. Living the Lessons is lobbying for us to address those issues first and then teach academics. I'm going to give it a try. I have nothing to lose. The author has had astounding results on state exams, so she must be doing something right. I am still trying to sort out what that will look like in my classroom, but stay tuned. I'll keep you posted on my progress!