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Today for the EduMagic podcast I have a guest host - enter stage right - Hannah Sansom, coauthor of EduMagic shine on A Guide for New Teachers.
No matter the job, the school, or the position, disappointments (or pit stops as we like to call them) will happen. Pit stops are inevitable. As we discussed in our book Edumagic Shine On: A Guide for New Teachers, we explain that pit stops are meant for a quick visit, not a long stay. Explore some of the pit stops that we encountered as a new teacher in chapter two of Edumagic Shine On Get your copy here.
So, how to overcome and pull away from pit stops?
Identify the positives.
The biggest thing that you can do for yourself during a pit stop is to identify the positives. Find the good. What went well during the lesson? What door does this situation open? What is a positive takeaway? How will this help me to grow?
Journal.
I kept a journal entitled "Do's and Don'ts" from that first year of teaching. Jot down the things that you want to stay the same and the ones that you would like to improve or change completely. Record funny moments and memorable comments. Or, simply journal as a way to reflect and take care of yourself.
Use Checklists.
I am a lister. Checklists are my jam. Whether it is the satisfying feeling of checking things off of that to-do list or the ability to quickly visualize data, checklists make my life way easier! Use checklists to help:
ease the feeling of being overwhelmed by organizing and prioritizing to-do lists
What needs to be completed today, this week?
What skills have been taught and still need to be taught?
Which parents should I touch base with this week?
Visualize data by skills to identify where to improve instruction or reteach
Which areas do I need to go back and reteach?
Which students need to be enriched on this topic?
Which skills are students showing mastery of in this topic?
Checklists help me to stay organized and afloat, especially during a pit stop.
Covid - 19 we are all going through this pitstop together. This is a not pitstop we anticipated - no one could! These three tips still apply. First, find the positive what is something good as a result of this quarantine? Journal about what you are going through. Make a checklist about what can you do around the house or invest in yourself as a professional educator.
Find the positives, journal and reflect, and stay organized with checklists. Edumagicians, you WILL pull away from this pit stop.
Connect with Hannah
Hannah is a fourth-year teacher. She teaches third-grade math, has a B.S. in Elementary and Special Education, an MSEd in Reading and Math, and is a co-author of the recent EduMagic Shine On: A Guide for New Teachers. She loves her coffee and donuts and adventures outdoors.
Follow her on Instagram (@h.sansom)
Twitter (@hannahjsansom)
WordPress (https://multiplyinglearning4all.wordpress.com/).