8 Mindset Shifts Teachers Need For A Better Work Life Balance

Hey there, teachers! Welcome to another episode of the "Ignited Your Teaching Video Podcast."In this episode, we're diving into mindset strategies that can transform our classrooms and our sense of fulfillment in this incredible profession.

Teaching has changed, and the demands on us as teachers are growing. We're losing some of our power, and it's time to take it back. In this episode, I'll be sharing some mindset shifts that have helped me along the way. My priorities have changed, and my life and career have gone in a different direction than I anticipated. But I'm content with where I am, and I know this is where I'm meant to be.

Throughout this episode, we'll explore several mindset strategies, each with classroom examples and a simple three-step implementation plan. We'll start by reflecting on our reasons for becoming teachers and identifying our core purpose. Knowing our "why" will help us navigate the challenges and define our own version of teaching success.

Key Ideas Covered: 

• Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses, support fellow teachers, and celebrate your own successes.
• Setting Boundaries: Learn to say "no" when necessary, prioritize your tasks, and manage your time effectively.
• Embracing Improvisation: Be flexible in your teaching approach, adapt to unexpected situations, and create more engaging learning experiences.
• Taking Control in Teaching: Make confident decisions, set clear rules, and communicate assertively.
• Sustainable Teaching: Balance your workload with your personal well-being, incorporate mindfulness, and use resources to save time.
• Cultivating Resilience and Joy: Build resilience against stress, focus on what you can control, and make teaching more enjoyable through creativity and play.

Remember, changing your mindset is a journey, not an overnight transformation. Start with one strategy this week, and watch as it gradually transforms your teaching and your spirit. I hope you find these mindset strategies helpful and empowering. Thank you for joining me on the "Ignited Your Teaching Video Podcast." Until next time, keep the flame of learning burning bright! 

Remember to Subscribe for more insights on how to navigate the complexities of teaching with efficiency and impact. Share your experiences and strategies in the comments to join the conversation with fellow educators.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:16

Welcome to the Ignite your Teaching video podcast, where we help elementary teachers to make good teaching easy. Again. I'm your host, patty Furth, mama-free wife and experienced classroom teacher, who has made it my mission to help other teachers establish efficient routines, find effective solutions and deliver engaging lessons over at madlylearningcom. So are you ready to ignite your teaching? Hey there, and welcome to another episode of Ignite your Teaching video podcast. I'm Patty, and today we're diving into mindset strategies that not only can transform your classroom but also your sense of fulfillment in this incredible profession. Now teaching has definitely changed and the demands on us as teachers are certainly growing and we are losing some of our power. So I wanted to do this episode to share some of my mindset shifts that have helped me along the way. Now my priorities have certainly changed and my life and career has gone in a completely different direction than I initially anticipated, and with that has been a journey of self-reflection, as I learned to get out of my own way and welcome new challenges and different ways of thinking. Now, if you had asked me when I started teaching what my career path would have looked like, I would have told you that I would teach for about 10 years, and then I would probably pursue some administration, going into being a principal or a vice principal. However, now I would not be interested in an admin role at a school whatsoever. I am instead running a successful business helping other teachers by creating resources, helping other teacher business owners grow their own businesses, and choosing to teach part-time in a classroom while being a full-time parent to three busy kids. This is not where I thought I would be, but I am so content with where I am and I know that this is exactly where I am meant to be in my career 15 years in. So in the last four years I have been working with a mindset coach sort of like therapy and reading lots and lots of business and mindset books to help me get out of my own way so that I can manage all of the things that are currently on my plate. Now some of my attitudes and approaches to teaching and learning have changed as a result of this, and these are things that totally can apply not just in business but also in teaching, and it will help to get you out of your own way so that you can seek a more content and fulfilled path to pursue your profession. So I want to break down each one of these strategies with classroom examples and then talk about a three-step plan on how you can make it happen in your classroom. So let's dig right in and get started.

Speaker 1: 2:57

First, we all got into teaching for a reason, and this may be a result of our desire to run towards a role model or running away from a role model. Think of a teacher that you might have had that really inspired you to become a teacher. Or was there an experience you had as a student that made you want to be something different or the person you wanted to be that you needed as a student. You wanted to be that person for someone else, regardless of what initially inspired you to become a teacher. A lot of what we set ourselves up for is based on this comparison to this model, the ideal teacher in our head. Realistically, mrs Frizzle is a cartoon character, and although we would love to be our own version of Mrs Frizzle for Magic School Bus, we can't get on a magical bus and dive into the intestine. It's just not going to happen.

Speaker 1: 3:48

So, regardless of whatever our reason is, we all have a way that is going to help us and continue to allow us to show up every single day. It's the why we love teaching at its core. I know I've had the opportunity to leave teaching and I've taken a break from teaching, and I could have many times and still could leave teaching, but yet I still show up and teach every single day. Why? Well, the reality is is that I really actually just love the art of teaching. For me, it's the delivering of lessons, the relationship with kids, the connections that I can make and the fact that I don't really like being tied behind a computer all day. So I want you to imagine your teaching career as a compass. The needle that guides you is your why. It's the reason that pulls you out of bed in the classroom and into the classroom each morning, and when you know what your why is, the how becomes a little bit more bearable, even on the tough days. Knowing your why is going to help you decide what teaching success is going to look like for you.

Speaker 1: 4:47

What's really important here is that you hold this why in the forefront of what it is you're doing. It's why you keep coming back to school every single day. It is the reason you decided to get into this profession and you hold that at the forefront and it's going to help shape the things that you can say yes to and the things that say no to. What I really love about teaching and the reason I show up every single day is because I actually still love the art of teaching. I don't necessarily love a lot of the other things that come with teaching the things that are happening outside of the classroom and the administrative paperwork and all of that and the overburdening of my role but I show up every day because I really like the actual act of teaching. I'm going to keep that goal that why in the forefront. It means that I can say yes to the things that serve that goal and no to the things that don't.

Speaker 1: 5:41

Now, the next segment I want to talk about is saying no and the power that comes along with saying no. Now, recognizing what you have the capacity for and what you don't have the capacity for here is really an important part of this journey of learning what to say no to. There's certain things we have to do and there's certain things we can say no to, and recognizing what you have the ability to say yes to, what you have the ability to say no to, is going to be really important. Look at how much time you have to do the things you need to do and evaluate whether or not it is absolutely critical that you do it, or do you have the capacity to say no? One of the things I want you to remember is we, as teachers, are building the education system based on our free labor. It's how our governments end up planning on saving money in the education buckets while also blaming and shaming the lack of support and outcomes of our systems. For example, our literacy curriculum wasn't failing because of a curriculum. It was failing because we stopped funding professional development training for teachers. We stopped creating resources and developing resources for teachers that actually worked and instead we forced them to resort to worksheet based programs that churn out factory type learning at the expense of our students. It's no wonder that we've seen the explosion of TPT sellers in the Canadian market that focus on the creation and selling of workbooks and photocopiable worksheets.

Speaker 1: 7:09

Imagining you're at a buffet Now. While everything looks appetizing, you know you can't and shouldn't have it all. Similarly, in teaching, you don't need to say yes to every task or initiative that comes your way. You don't need to coach everything. You don't need to run every team or sport. You don't need to have people come into your classroom and say yes to student teachers and co-op students and this, that and the other thing. You can say no to those, especially when saying yes requires more of your time that you don't have when you operate from a place of selective agreement. Imagine the confidence and clarity you'd have if failure weren't on the table. So if you could say no to things, think about what that would mean Now, once you think of your why, and then decide what you can say yes to.

Speaker 1: 7:55

Now, don't forget to consider the whole picture here of what you're saying yes to. This is something I do often. In my brain I say, oh yes, I could totally do that thing. But what I neglect to remember is, for example, coaching. I love coaching. Coaching is great and I love being able to give back and do that for my students. And if it was just coaching, that would be one thing, but it's way more than just coaching. It's giving up the resets breaks that I end up doing a lot of my marking on. It's scheduling as to when we're going to do practice, which is often when I am trying to do prep for the day. It's arranging rides, etc. And permission forms.

Speaker 1: 8:33

Now, if this is an issue, why not talk to your colleagues, ask if someone else would be willing to take on some of the administrative role or to help you out in saying yes to some of these things, so you can share the load, still being able to give students those extracurricular opportunities without you needing to take on the full responsibility of managing everything yourself all the time? So when you're asked to join another committee, well, you're already stretched way too thin. Choose to prioritize what is your commitments. Your time, like a well curated lesson plan, should only contain what truly matters. So what I want you to focus on is to what you can say yes to and what you can say no to. So list your current obligations Personal teaching and other. What are your current obligations? And evaluate their importance. Actually schedule your time and block off. How much time are you giving to your self-marking?

Speaker 1: 9:25

You looked at a week's calendar, hour by hour. Where are you doing things? Where are you marking? When are you planning for the week? When are you doing the things that you're doing? And ask yourself is this new thing that I want to say yes to? Where do I fit it Practically and physically? Where do I fit this on the calendar and what do I have to move to get out of the way? Practice saying no to new requests that don't align with your priorities. So if you really want to be able to leave at three o'clock, then don't sign up to do the after school math tutoring.

Speaker 1: 9:56

If you need to make sure you have your weekends free, then where during the week are you going to find time to do your marking and do your admin work and messaging parents? When is that going to happen? Be really, really clear on where this is going to go and what you actually have time for before you say yes to anything new. And be okay with the idea of saying no and figuring that other people will figure it out, that you can say I appreciate the offer, but I can't commit to that right now and that's okay. And when you get to that point where you can begin comfortably saying no without the guilt that you're letting someone down or that someone might have bad or weird thoughts about you that you've said no, remember that there might be a season in your life where you can't say no. You might just be in a season of your life where, in a 30 year career where you might have 10 years where you just can't say yes to things, and that's okay and it just explained to people. I can't say yes, and most people are truly understanding. And if you work as a team of colleagues within your class and within your school, then it's going to be a lot easier, where we all just work together and some people do more and some people do less, and that's totally okay.

Speaker 1: 11:08

So the next one is a bit of a challenging one, and this is about the art of improvisation. We, as teachers, love to be completely planned and organized and in control of everything that we're doing, but I want you sometimes to challenge yourself to improvise, because sometimes it's okay to not have it all together. So when you don't have it all together, when things don't work, we don't have to panic. But it also gets us to this point where we start trusting ourselves that we can figure it out even if nothing works. So sometimes it's okay not to have it all together. Give yourself the freedom to make it up as you go along. Now, this might feel scary the first time you do it, but it also reminds you that you know what you're doing and you have the skills to make it work. So if you're so worried that you're not fully planned and not fully in control, throw yourself into this position and watch you absolutely sore and look at what you are capable of doing on the fly, because it makes you so much more confident when you are planned. Sometimes the lesson plan doesn't go as you planned and doesn't go your way. So learning how to improvise and go with the flow can help you relax a little so that when things don't go as planned, you know what to do.

Speaker 1: 12:18

So now, having a framework is crucial here. So I'm not just saying to totally go in and wing it. I may be winging it, but I'm also winging it within the framework, so within my literacy block. I know that there are certain tasks that we do. We have centers activities, we have mini lessons. I know we read Then we do a centers activity, then it's a mini lesson, then it's a centers activity and then it's a mini lesson. I know that that's the framework in which I'm working on, but sometimes I don't have anything planned.

Speaker 1: 12:46

For example, today I actually had a whole thing planned. I had a test, we were going to do a test today, and I had this whole thing planned and I showed up at work and had to get gas and I was later than I wanted to be and the photocopier was jammed and nothing was going to get photocopied on a Monday morning. So guess what that means? Test gets moved. I have nothing planned for today because it's Monday, because we had a test on Monday, so I didn't have anything. So now, what do I have to do? Now I have to improvise on the fly because the kids are sitting in front of me.

Speaker 1: 13:21

And what do I do? Is it ideal? No, but did I make it through 100%? Was it fine? Absolutely. Did we learn something? Yes, we did. Can I make it up as I go? I know where I'm going, I have long range plans, I know the general goal for the week, but I didn't have anything I could photocopy. So what do I do? And I was okay and recognizing that you can have those moments and you're okay when not everything goes as planned. It's going to that. Go with the flow, feeling when you can, that's your default. And then you have a plan and if you follow that plan, great. But you also have this default mode that you know you're going to be okay even if all the plans fall apart. It's just that level of confidence that helps you to really approach teaching with a new insight and a new idea.

Speaker 1: 14:12

Now, sometimes, when we are too planned, we might actually miss the opportunities that happen in our classroom for authentic learning, that is, and spontaneity that might arise. Sometimes these improvisations are a great way to inspire you to try new things or new ideas in your classroom. So I want you to think you might enter the classroom with that lesson in mind, but the students interest veers into a related topic and something else is happening. And you've got something on your lesson plan, but it's very clear your students are distracted by something else. Instead of pulling them back, sometimes it's okay to flow with their curiosity and dive right into an unplanned enriching lesson. So let it unfold sometimes, and it's okay to know we have a lesson, but sometimes our students might dive into something new. So in order to do this, here's your three steps. I want you to plan your objectives, not minute by minute activities. I want you to stay present and attentive to students interests and questions and be okay to deviate from the plan and find those opportunities for genuine learning moments and present themselves. Or even, one day, just show up with no lesson plan and see what happens, see what you can do, and for many of you that might sound super scary, but I think it'll help you grow as a teacher when you realize it's okay, I've got it all figured out. And if it doesn't work out, there's also things that you can learn from that too.

Speaker 1: 15:39

Now I want to talk about control. That's the next piece, and the idea is that you are in complete control. So what would you do if you had complete control over what happens in your room? So if you could create an ideal situation, what would that look like? What if you got to set the boundaries of your own work environment and you got to shape the things and the way things happen in your classroom? Now it's hard sometimes to imagine taking your power back as a teacher, especially when we work in a system that is often designed to take actually the power from us. But there is a mindset shift where you get to decide what your power looks like. Now, the biggest thing here is setting boundaries.

Speaker 1: 16:15

Now I am not suggesting that you go and get into a power struggle with your admin. However, I do suggest that you stop asking your admin permission to do things. Instead, begin to decide how things will be done and simply keep people informed about it. If you have a receptive admin or you have an admin, that's a good or great admin, not a ladder climber, and I've talked about that before. If you're looking at ladder climber and men's, where the only reason they're there is so that you can make them look good, it becomes a little bit more nuanced. But if you have a good admin, I want you to think about the decision fatigue that your principal is under day in and day out.

Speaker 1: 16:54

If you are someone that is Constantly going to your men or to other people to ask their opinion or ask them permission about what you should be doing, you're placing them in the position of deciding on your behalf. You. Instead, I want you to think go to your principal and Present them with a problem, but also present them with the solutions you have designed and come up with and tell them what the problem is and tell them how you plan on solving it. You're not asking them to give you permission. You're not asking them to make the decision for you. You are telling them here's my problem, here's how I'm going to solve it. I'm keeping you informed. Let them know. You're just keeping them in the loop, whether you CC or BCC them on the email, they know that you're on top of it and that they don't have to worry about you.

Speaker 1: 17:38

That sense of relief from an administrator when they know you've got this and that they are good and they can worry about the Decisions they need to make because they're not sending their needing to make decisions Not only for them in their role but also needing to make decisions for you too. Now, if the admin disagrees, they'll probably let you know, but if they are good with it, you've just made their job easier and you've shown them just how confident and competent you are dealing with these Issues and you're probably gonna be given a lot more leeway as a result, because they know you've got this and now there's certainly Circumstances where it is beyond your issue and it must be an admin issue and you can go to them and say, listen, here's what's happening. These are the things I've done already, but this is beyond my scope of work. This is not a me problem, this is an admin task, and give them those things because those are theirs. But a lot of things that we go to our admin for Day in and day out make it about you making a decision and them just being informed about it.

Speaker 1: 18:33

So, in order to own some of your power, to Take some of that power back, it's about confidently making those decisions and being really assertive with how you're gonna do it, and it's not just telling your principal what to do. It's not that. It's about saying there's a problem, here's how I'm planning on solving it. I have two possible solutions. Are you good if I just go ahead and do that and they're like yep, and that's all they need to say. They need to say yes to you. They don't need, instead of you going to them saying I have a parent that's complaining, what should I do? Now? You're putting the problem solving role on that principal and that's what I think you got to take your power back and say here's a problem, here's my solution. I'm absurdively telling me what I'm going to do and Are you good to go like, are you fine if I go ahead and do that? And you're sort of saying this is the problem, this is how I plan on solving it, and most of them they're like yeah, no problem, yep, do that. Okay, good, and if they have something to add, they will, because that's their job, and they will add or say please don't do that, please don't send an email, I'd rather you phone blah blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, whatever it is they want to say to you, but what it shows them is that you can handle a problem and solve it.

Speaker 1: 19:41

And your setting boundaries also means deciding where your line is with students too, when we look at what it is we want. If I am not going to talk when you are talking, I'm going to set that boundary and set that for myself. Set that line in the sand. I'm going to set it, I'm going to reinforce it so that when students are constantly breaking this, you can identify it. You know that it's not because of you that you clearly outlined this rule that you've put in place, and then you can have a plan on how to deal with it. And it's this level of confidence and self assurance is a massive asset in the classroom.

Speaker 1: 20:16

Kids who know clearly what these boundaries are and what happens when they cross that line are often students that are able to just Keep up and they know what it is. Now You're going to again have students that just Just ignore the fact that you have rules and boundaries in your classroom of what you do and do not accept. Those are gonna be your outliers. But if you know what you want, you are very, very clear with what you want and you reinforce it constantly with students. So if I refuse to talk when other students are talking, that means I could be mid-sentence, and if students start talking, I will stop, I will wait and I will remind them of what my boundary is, remind them of what my rule is, and I know exactly what's gonna happen next. And it's every single time, because the minute I start talking while other students are talking, I have now said well, it only applies some of the time, so you don't actually have to listen to me when I talk. And that's why I want you to be really clear.

Speaker 1: 21:10

It's that confidence and assertiveness at knowing what you want and actually making it happen. So when a student challenges a classroom rule, instead of wavering, assertively, reinforce that rule, knowing what the structure is. That. This structure that you are providing is a form of care for your students. When you are predictable for your students, that is a form of caring for them because you care about their environment, you care about other people learning. You are showing them. You care because you're willing to put those boundaries and rules in place and reinforce them, and your students will respect that about you. So what are you going to do? Well, first, you can define what your rules are and what your boundaries are for yourself and in your classroom. Practice assertive communication techniques with other colleagues and with your students, and enforce the rules consistently with the empathy and the authority that you are afforded as a leader in your classroom.

Speaker 1: 22:03

Now, another aspect here is sustainable teaching, remembering that teaching is a marathon, not a sprint. So, to finish, without burning out, you're not going to need to adopt a sustainable pace that safeguards your mental health and anchors you to what your why is. So this will mean a lot of different things to different teachers, and it will also mean different things to you and your own life and your as your circumstances change. Now I hate to admit it, but when I first started teaching, I actually had scheduled time that my husband demanded I take time off to spend with him, because I was quickly placing my responsibilities above him and I was overworking and neglecting my relationships. So that means some things don't get done as a part-time teacher. I refuse to work full-time hours for part-time pay, so I really have to get good at setting what my boundaries are.

Speaker 1: 22:50

Now. That might mean some things take longer, some things go unmarked for longer than they should, and it means that sometimes I have to buy the things I don't have the time to create. So, while I do use all of my own resources for language from math, science and social studies, depending on what other subjects I'm teaching, then I can create some of those things. Now, to be completely honest, the reason I have the ability to create all my things is because of badly learning, and I have half a day to work on these and a full team that helps me create them. I invest heavily on creating all of these resources and I'm quick, but I am quick to buy my solutions. For the subjects I don't create resources for, such as phys, ed, drama or visual arts. I don't have the time to create these myself, so instead I invest my dollars into others who have the subject expertise. I paid them so that I don't have to do it because I don't have time to do it. The $100 I spent on a years worth of visual arts lesson gives me peace of mind and an easy go-to solution that I can use to teach the lessons I need Now if you need language, math, science, social studies resources.

Speaker 1: 23:56

You can check out our badly learning resources. I use them in my classroom and they are fabulous and save me a tremendous amount of time in planning. And allow me to establish those boundaries because the lessons are ready to go. Now for great, quick art ideas you can check out Sarah Gardner's Bite Size Art Lessons. It's the one I've used. They're quick, they're easy and they are simple to use in a classroom that is not having a lot of supplies.

Speaker 1: 24:19

So, instead of marking all the papers long into the night, set a cutoff time. Set a time to rest and recharge, understanding that a well rested teacher is far more effective. And if it means that things are gonna take you a lot longer, be okay with that. So I want you to establish non-negotiable downtime for yourself and integrate some mindful practices into your daily routine. Buy what you don't have time to create, because, yes, it is spending your own money, but it's always going to be a matter of time versus money. Now, if you can convince your administrator to buy it for you 1,000%, even better. But if not, you are expected to do it yourself. Unfortunately, as it is as much as I hate it, you are expected to do it yourself and if you don't have the time, recognize you don't have the time, and it's okay to put your funds into making sure you have the things you need so that you actually have the time to enjoy your life and establish some of those routines.

Speaker 1: 25:15

Now we wanna talk about a little bit about resilience. So kids, these days they are different. In this 15, 16 years I've been teaching, they're definitely different. I know that this is said by absolutely every generation of teachers, but maybe it is true this time and it certainly seems that way. One of the mindset shifts that has been pivotal for me is to build a few walls. Now, these walls are not impermeable. Sometimes things get in. However, it is also important for me to set these walls of self-protection to protect myself from the emotional burden of taking on others' needs. There is a lot that happens in a classroom and there's a lot of things that we see and experience and can sometimes includes secondary trauma, but I have to set the boundaries.

Speaker 1: 26:00

That and build these walls. That allows me to protect myself. I am not personally responsible for the feelings, the circumstances and the needs of others. I can only do what I can do in the hours that I am at the school, you know. Please don't take this to mean that I am callous or not caring. The difference here is is that I can learn more about myself and protecting and prioritizing myself.

Speaker 1: 26:23

As a mom, I realize that what my kids need is a strong, happy, healthy mom. If I am not giving that to myself, I am not giving them what they need. The same is true for my students. They need a fully functioning teacher who is happy and healthy to come into the classroom. So I need to set up those walls to protect myself from making the world's problems my problems. I can only influence what happens inside my classroom. I can build relationships with my students. I can make my classroom a safe place of refuge for my students, but I cannot work harder than them to do this. Realizing that these students also need to meet me halfway is essential too. I can plan the most amazing lessons and teach and reteach and reteach them a concept, but if they refuse to help themselves and they refuse to listen and do what they need to do as students, then I need to realize I have no control over that. I'll say it again I have no control over the thoughts and actions of others, children included, and when I build that wall that I'm going to do everything I can, and even if it recognizes sometimes that's not enough, I also have to recognize that I have a responsibility and the students that are coming into my classroom also have a responsibility.

Speaker 1: 27:38

So I want you to imagine you're a tree and you're deeply rooted, yet flexible in the wind. Criticism and opinions swirl around you like a storm, but you stand firm. Growing a thicker skin isn't about insensitivity. It's about the resilience you need to show as a teacher. We are bombarded day in and day out with the world's problems. The schools we are teaching in are microcosms of the greater societal issues that our children and students are facing, and at some point we need to employ self-preservation techniques so that we can continue to function. We cannot take on all of those issues ourselves. So if we have a parent that perhaps questions a homework policy, rather than taking it personally, you can listen, explain your rationale and remain open to constructive feedback. All well, holding firm to what it is you want your homework program to look like and regardless of whether or not somebody else wants something different from you, you can say no and you can hold on to those boundaries of what it is you're doing and why so. I want you to reflect on past criticisms and how they've helped you grow, because I do want you to be open to that criticism, but not in a way that's going to completely break you. I want you to engage in that positive self-talk when faced with those opposing opinions and focus on constructive feedback and let go of unfound negativity.

Speaker 1: 29:03

Just because a parent says they don't like you does not mean that you are unworthy. Most parents do not have any idea of what it is like to be in a school. They do not have any idea of the realities of what is teaching and learning in classrooms in 2023 and beyond. They don't get it. And they can complain that you don't have enough extracurricular activities at your school, but the reality is that you might not have the capacity to do it. And if their children don't have enough extracurricular activities because you've said no and set that boundary, that's okay and they need to find alternatives, that they cannot continually expect that you provide free labor for their children and that it not be ever good enough. So you can hold that boundary, you can say no to things and you can also make sure that you protect yourself from recognizing that their thoughts and opinions of you are none of your business. So I want you to recall the joy of the idea of going in on the first day of teaching. It's still there. It's like that pilot light waiting to be turned on.

Speaker 1: 30:10

Now COVID is over, so we can again have some fun with our classes and we should. Teaching is fun At least it can be and should be. So why you forget about doing it perfectly and covering the curriculum like it's a checklist that we must get through and everything needs to be tied to the curriculum. Remember that almost anything you do in the classroom can in some way creatively be tied to a curriculum expectation somewhere. So let go a little. Plan some fun. Laugh with your class, joke around, take a break. Take the learning a little less seriously some of the time. Reintroduce play and creativity and passion into your education to make it more fun again. Ditch that routine quiz every once in a while and try a game based assessment or a project. The classroom can buzz with excitement as students are really deepening their understanding through play and gamification.

Speaker 1: 31:03

Incorporate one new fun activity into your lesson each week or each month. Collaborate with students and find out what they enjoy and what they want to do in order to show you what they know. Reflect on the joyous moments each day and write them down so you remember why you started, and certainly keep every positive note that a student ever says to you or ever sends you, or a note from parents Anything positive. Keep it so that you can look back on it on those really difficult days as we wrap up. I want you to remember that changing your mindset isn't about moving mountains overnight. It's about shifting pebbles every day until one day you find that that landscape of teaching has changed. Start with one strategy this week. Watch how it transforms your teaching and your feelings about teaching. So thank you for joining me on the Ignited Teaching Video Podcast. Again, I'm Patti and I wish you an inspired journey in education and until next time, I hope that you keep the flame of learning burning bright. For more information about the resources mentioned in today's episodes, please click the show notes below. Wherever you happen to be watching or listening, teaching can certainly have its moments. So thank you for spending these last few moments listening to another episode of the Ignite your Teaching Video Podcast. Check out our show notes or swing by wwwmadleylearningcom to dive deeper into today's topic Now.

Speaker 1: 32:22

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