In the world of education, it's all about finding balance
Being an educator is really all about finding a balance between so many things. You have to find a balance between your work and personal life. You have to find a balance between collaborative and independent work, between classroom talk and quiet reflection, between taking ideas from other teachers and finding your own style, between what you think your students need and what your students want… this list could go on and on and on…
This makes education a challenging profession. You are constantly weighing decisions – about time, effort – constantly prioritizing tasks – all of which could be a top priority. You weigh which students to spend more time helping on a given day – who goes in which group, who gets a one-on-one conference. And you know that those decisions make an impact on students.
Being a change agent in your classroom can feel like a weight on your shoulders sometimes. And with everything you hear every day, it may feel like you have the weight of world laying squarely on your shoulders as well. It’s not easy to be an educator, and there’s not a silver bullet or magic wand or mystic potion to make it easier. To be cliché – the struggle is real.
And while the world may not know it – or even deny it – educators are a tough bunch of people. We do more with less, problem solve our way out of the roughest situations, and inspire those that much of the world gave up on long ago. We do this because we care. We do this because we realize the status quo is not enough. We do this to make a difference. Like a gymnast on a balance beam, we boldly backflip hoping to make a beautiful landing, but knowing that sometimes we’re going to miss the beam. And when we fall, we have no other option but to get back up and continue the routine. And we are cheered on by our fellow educators.
I titled my blog Balancing Act because I feel like that’s what we as educators do every day – and we can get pretty damn good at it. I hope to offer you insight into your own practice as well as help you find the balance you need to stay afloat.
Thank you for joining me!
Kristen
Comments