Friday, October 19, 2018

The Novembers




After almost 20 years of teaching, I still continue to forget what happens as October becomes November.

I am typically a positive person, especially in my posts...but this one is a reminder to myself and anyone else in education.

This time of year is rough.  It is some of the roughest times to be a teacher.  It is...sometimes...painful.

Why?

I think it is because the newness of the year is gone.  There seem to be limited breaks.  The pressures of testing is heavy on students and teachers alike.  Teachers are having many observations and being evaluated.  The students are truly noticing the weight of the expectations at this, the grade that they are finally settled in.  Pushing for growth sometimes feels like walking up a cliff to the students and like beating a dead horse to the educators.

It is very much like being stuck in thick and deep mud.

But..we know if we persevere, the payoffs will be wonderful.  We have to remind ourselves that there will be better days.  We need to coach ourselves through the days, the minutes, the seconds...to get ourselves towards that light at the end of the tunnel.

Soon enough, and this has been proven to me each year that I experience this...the clouds will part, the rains or snow will stop, and the sun will shine alone with the attitudes and learning of our students.

We must hold on to the awareness of the why this happens to truly get through it.  It is merely a phase in the cycle of a school year.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites


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