Teacher Table Talk: Finding Balance

Like many careers, the teaching profession has its pros and cons. There’s rewarding and purposeful work, the opportunity to inspire and change the lives of students, and you’re always learning something new. I have yet to meet an educator who has “mastered” the field. Many of the ones I’ve met have let me know how much they’re continually learning something new about the work they do. Then there are the challenges. Things like adjusting to in-person and virtual learning while trying to navigate living and learning during a global pandemic, overcoming communication barriers with parents, ensuring students are socially, emotionally, and academically set, and making sure that as an educator, I’m prioritizing my well-being while juggling a career that involves a lot of planning, structure, and time management.

As a first-year educator, I’m still finding my rhythm and learning the importance of having balance. I’m fully aware of what’s expected of me on a professional level, and I’m genuinely excited and passionate about the work I get to do. However, I know how important it is to make sure I’m properly managing my time and boundaries between work and my personal life. One morning during a staff meeting one of my administrators told everyone, “I want you all to get into the habit of shutting work off at the end of the day.” And though I heard her, I also understood that there would be times and seasons when I needed to be flexible. There have already been different evenings and weekends when I’ve brought work home with me and mornings when I’ve shown up to work early to make sure I have things set for my day and week to flow more efficiently. It can be so tempting to respond to work emails after hours, or incoming text and phone calls from other staff members, attending non-mandatory after work meetings and events, and to become so immersed in lesson planning and more, that you can easily lose track of time and feel like you never actually left work for the day, which can be stressful. I know leaving work at work will look different for everyone, but I believe it’s an important thing to do. During my first few months of teaching, I noticed some teachers who were quickly heading out and heading home at the end of the workday, others who stayed after hours, and some who felt that they should stay late for appearances sake, but overall, I believe balance is key. If you’re an educator, I hope you’re taking good care of yourself, prioritizing your time and well-being, and finding a balance that works best for you.

The Day I Became A Kidney Donor

About a year ago, I had a dream my dad wanted to talk to our family about something serious. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss, but I knew it was something I needed to prepare myself for. Around the time after I had this dream, I remember stopping by my parents place and sensing something was going on that they weren’t telling me. I tried to dismiss what I’d been feeling, but I couldn’t shake it. Something serious was happening. As I returned to my home after visiting them one day, I was in my kitchen washing dishes when a heaviness hit my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Something’s wrong with dad. That’s what that dream was about. God, what’s going on? As I continued washing dishes, I started crying and praying. Then in mid-spring, my dad held an unexpected family meeting that would change all our lives forever. He hesitated at first, and as his voice started cracking and he started crying, he said, “Well, I wanted to talk to ya’ll to tell you that I have kidney disea...

I’m Glad I’m Not Married

When I was about five years old, I was sitting in the backseat of my dad’s car when me, him, my older cousin (my aunt’s son), and my aunt (my dad’s sister) caught my aunt’s fiancé with another woman. My dad had been driving my aunt out to run some errands since she didn’t have a driver’s license or a car. When she spotted her man with another woman, she told my dad to pull the car over, got out of the car, and immediately addressed him. She wanted the keys back to her apartment and was done with him. The other woman she caught her fiancé with slapped him when she realized what was happening, and that was that. When my aunt returned to the car, she was clearly and understandably upset, and the ride back to her place was quiet. Although I was too young to fully grasp what was happening at the time, I knew it wasn’t good. And now, at 34 years old, I can’t imagine how much pain she was in. Her wedding had been planned and paid for – and she never made it down the aisle. My aunt was a beaut...

How To Respond To A Nasty Email

Technology has made many people bold, rude, and incredibly messy. Often to the point where some may hide behind words they’ve typed instead of verbally communicating a message they want to convey. Such can be the case when it comes to sending emails. Ah, emails. You know what they are. Electronic messages that can be quickly drafted, sent, and misinterpreted (because you can’t always interpret tones or emotions through them). Which is why it’s key to know how to respond to nasty emails if they should ever come your way – especially in the workplace. As a working professional, there have been plenty of times when a coworker or superior sent an email my way that was petty, mad disrespectful, and unprofessional. And before I learned how to properly utilize email etiquette, my first instinct would always be to clap back. I just felt the need to respond and to communicate that I wouldn’t allow anyone, no matter who they were, to disrespect me. And while I haven’t taken t...

Making Waves