School-Life Balance
Teaching
Opinion
When One Door Closes, Another One Opens
In order to grow as people and educators, we have to be willing to take risks and acknowledge when change is necessary, instead of allowing comfort to drive our decisions.
Teaching
Opinion
It's Not Goodbye, It's See You Later
Whether you are just leaving school for the summer or to move on to other adventures, it's important to make sure you reflect, reduce regret, and forge ahead.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Valuing Time: The One Commodity We Can't Change
What do you choose to do with the precious time you are given?
Teaching Profession
Opinion
We've Said Goodbye to This Year's Students. Now It’s Time to Take Care of Ourselves
Every teacher should make time to answer an existential question, writes Justin Minkel: Who are we when we’re not teaching?
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Make a Plan, But Don't Expect It to Work
Everything will work out, in this situation and in all of the other ones. Our health and families must come first in our lives, not our jobs. Our work is important, but our relationships and well-being are more important.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Body Dysmorphia and Anxiety, the Invisible Experience We Can't Ignore
Although I understand intellectually that I am thin, when I look in a mirror, sometimes all I can see is the areas that I'm not happy with. Fortunately, at this point in my life, I feel good about myself most of the time. I focus on what I like about myself instead of what I don't.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Seeking Harmony Instead of Balance
Many of us need permission to find harmony in our lives because we expect so much of ourselves that giving ourselves the things we need when we need them almost feels selfish. Taking care of our own needs and being able to address our passions is the only truly compassionate way to live.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
When You Disagree With Your Child's Teacher, What Can You Do?
So as I continue to navigate the waters of change as an educational advocate for students, I'm eager to find a balance between my own personal crusade and the needs of my own child.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Getting Back Into My Flow State After a Break
No one likes the feeling of dragging themselves out of bed to go to a job they just aren't feeling right now, and the best antidote to that is finding our flow.
Recruitment & Retention
Video
Perks for Teachers: District Offers Free Gym & Convenient Health Care
Nashville, Tenn., teachers Megan Hollis and Alexis Scott work long days in the classroom, but still find time to get to the gym five days a week.
That’s thanks to a new Employee Wellness Center, opened by the Metro Nashville Public Schools. The facility includes a gym, health-care clinic, pharmacy, physical therapy services, and more.
David Hines, the district’s executive director of benefits, says the wellness center builds on the district’s long commitment to convenient health care for teachers. Nearly a decade ago, Nashville began converting some school portables to onsite medical clinics.
“The idea was to give people immediate access to primary care,” Hines said. “Our thought was if we can keep our teachers, our employees healthy and keep them in the classroom, we will get better overall educational results.”
A study by the RAND corporation found the onside clinics, which accommodate teacher schedules, have slightly reduced teacher absenteeism.
“It’s convenient to have appointments available outside of just school hours,” Hollis says. “You don’t have to leave school early or take a sick day.”
Scott agrees. “These are nice perks to have,” she says. “When I talk to other teachers in different districts, they go, oh my gosh, I wish we had that.”
Recruitment & Retention
Video
Perks for Teachers: Onsite Child Care At Just $100 a Week
High School teacher Jyl Mason loves her job, but felt she had little choice but to resign after the birth of her son Levi. “I started thinking, how am I going to be the parent I want to be, and the teacher I want to be at the same time,” she told Education Week.
But the Pekin, Ill., school district where Mason works, didn’t want to lose her. They proposed a part-time schedule, and a child-care slot right at the high school.
Pekin, south of Peoria, has long had a child-care facility as part of the district’s career and technical education program. Students work with infants and toddlers of community members, who dropped off their children for a few weeks at a time.
This year, the district revamped the program, opening it up to staff members with children ages 6 months to 5 years, and charging just $100 a week.
Superintendent Danielle Owens says turning the facility into a full-time child-care center for staff was a leap of faith - but she’s been thrilled at the response. There’s now a waiting list. “Teacher’s lives are really stressful,” says Owens, “I’m really hoping the center provides our staff one less thing that they have worry about during the day.”
Teaching Profession
Opinion
When School and Life Compete for Your Time, Put Your Family First
Education professionals throw their whole selves into what they do--at least I did. Always learning and feeling good at work often took me away from my family.
School & District Management
'I Want a Job and a Life': How Principals Find Balance in All-Consuming Work
School leaders who delegate to expert staff, adhere to a schedule, and commit to taking care of themselves can thrive, experts say.
Teaching
Opinion
Sometimes the Answer is to Walk and Wait
Something that I'm coming to realize is that every day won't be a super productive day to enjoy. Some days just getting through and getting something done is enough. Then not judging myself too harshly for the challenge. This can be an obstacle as it rubs against my perfectionism issues and that starts another whole line of questioning.