School-Life Balance
Teaching
Opinion
Struggling With Depression and the Expectation of Positivity
I'm selfishly hoping that by sharing my struggles right now, I will feel better for writing about them and also have folks who I know can understand, despite how lonely and alone I feel when I go through it.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Teachers, We Don't Have to Be Martyrs
It’s necessary for teachers to set boundaries between their home and work lives and advocate for themselves, writes Natashia Hill.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
The Joy of Summer Projects
Because I need that creativity all of the time, especially in my job, I need to find ways to better center myself in the thick of all of it. When I was in the classroom, my students and experiences drove deeper learning that I wrote about and shared, there is nuance in the leader role that doesn't allow for the immediacy of that exchange any longer. However, since I'm learning new things all of the time, I need to find a way to channel that learning curve into shareable nuggets.
Student Achievement
Opinion
Why I Opt My Son Out of State Testing
Let's start investing in our teachers and our schools and move to those forms of assessment, like portfolios for example. Using alternative assessments as a means to show growth is a winner for everyone and provides a level of equity that testing will never be able to provide.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Teachers Should Not Have Guns
As each news cycle completes and another travesty takes place, we have to ask ourselves what is it going to take to make the necessary changes to ensure all school children are safe? We can hardly focus on student learning if our students are too afraid to come to school. These mass shootings leave a scar on communities that don't ever heal completely and no amount of safety drills can truly prepare a school for such an event.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Parent Educators, When Is the Right Time to Intervene in a Schooling Dilemma?
Being a parent and a teacher can be an interesting struggle. Sometimes it helps, like when Johnny or Susie comes home with homework that is in your content area and you can feel like a champ. Other times it isn't as simple. What happens if something is going on in your child's school that goes against your philosophical beliefs about how education should happen? When is it time to intervene?
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Your Middle Career Years Don't Have to Slump
Taking risks has become a hallmark of my career and they aren't all winners. Sometimes they flop and I have to be comfortable with that. I must share those failures as well as the successes or else the context is lost. In education, each up hinges on the down that came before it and the more transparent we are about that with our colleagues and students, the richer the learning environments are.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Making the Call: Self-Care vs. Work Commitment
Balance is tremendously hard, even when you realize how important it is. I understand intellectually that I can't do anything else well, if I don't take care of myself, but that doesn't stop me from trying.
Teaching Profession
Video
8 Ways Educators Can Build Emotional Resilience and Prevent Burnout
Elena Aguilar, an instructional coach, author, and Education Week Teacher blogger, shares eight tips to prevent teacher burnout and build emotional resilience. This video originally streamed as a Facebook Live here:
https://www.facebook.com/EducationWeekTeacher/videos/10155782270659738/
Make sure to check out Elena's blog at EdWeek Teacher. She frequently writes about building emotional resilience among teachers: http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/coaching_teachers
Here's more on Elena's forthcoming book on this topic: http://onwardthebook.com/
Here's the personality-test website Elena mentions:
https://www.16personalities.com/
And here are a couple of other blog posts Elena wrote to check out: https://www.edutopia.org/article/building-resilience-preventing-burnout
&
https://www.edutopia.org/article/helping-teachers-thrive
If you like this video, follow Education Week Teacher on Facebook. We'll be posting more teaching tips and advice:
https://www.facebook.com/EducationWeekTeacher/
Professional Development
Opinion
Musings on Becoming a School Leader
Since I can only learn as fast as I can, the more meaningfully I dive into the work, the better I will be for the folks I'm working with. That's why my #oneword for this school year is going to be discover. I can't wait to uncover all of the learning and nuances I will need to be a great collaborative leader.
Teaching
Opinion
Modeling Transparency and Vulnerability as a New Leader
As we grow together as a team, I have high hopes that I can ease the woes of anticipation. Although my position title preceeds me as a person, it is my character and willingness to lead from the middle with my team that I hope drives our ability to do what's best for kids.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Opinion
Mom Guilt and Career Ambitions
Balance is extremely hard and when there are amazing things going on in your life, you have to make time to enjoy them, to truly experience them.
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Thoughts After a Much-Needed Work Break
Spending time in the mountains and taking a road trip across the country was just what I needed to clear my head and prepare for year number 17 in education.
What did you do this summer to power down in order to gear back up for a great new school year?
Teaching Profession
Opinion
Create Mindful Rituals to Alleviate Stress
There are plenty of times throughout the school year when the stress can become unbearable. If we create rituals that help with routines and stress, the better able we will be to cope with the challenges as they arise.