You wear so many hats as a teacher!
I remember years ago seeing something like this (way pre-Covid) and thinking, “Yup! That’s about right.”
If you’ve ever felt under the pressure of all these labels, you’re not alone.
And if you’ve ever wanted to shed a label or two, you’re also not alone.
You see there are some days when you have it in you to be all these things. There are days when you don’t. And that’s all ok!
I know for many teachers right now, the label of therapist hits home, especially when we truly realize the social-emotional needs of our students. It’s tough.
You might go into school ready with the best laid plans, and that’s when your students’ stress, triggers, or trauma turn into a 50 foot tidal wave in your classroom….
You find yourself:
- Flying by the seat of your pants with every outburst.
- Winging it when a student stonewalls or shuts down.
- And trying desperately to continue teaching the rest of the class at the same time!
*Deep Breath*
This message isn’t about solutions today, it’s just a message of realness – your realness.
As you go through your days, remember: you are human and it’s ok to need a break or ask for help.
And if I can help, just let me know!
~EMP
P.S. If you’ve come to the end of this email and are thinking, “Elizabeth, I kind of needed a little more out of this today.” Here you go . . .
This is what I always say to my SEAL Teachers:
Start to understand what you do and don’t have control over. That is key! Know when to step in to talk with a student or address the behavior AND know that’s it’s ok to give the responsibility to someone else.
Our job is to teach our content while making sure our room is a safe learning environment for our kids. That’s why through SEAL we learn how to help students regulate their bodies, express their emotions and be ready for learning. There will be days (many days) where you are just not able to reach all your kids, but know that just continuing to be the caring, creative teacher you are is making a difference.
