Teachers  are indeed affected by the insanity of this year and last, but we’re wired at this stage of our lives to respond and recover from it. A child who’s physically and psychologically growing and processing the unrest in this world right now -  that’s a different story. Their ability to make sense of the trauma - the impact of distressing, dangerous events - requires a greater level of concern and care. In this episode, you will learn five ways to to create a trauma sensitive classroom environment starting today -  even if the only contact you have with your class right now is thru a computer screen. Along with this I’m going to share some neuroscience to back up why these over arching practices will help with addressing trauma in the classroom. You can learn more about beginning a teaching career in uncertain times in my ebook The Thrive Guide - you can get your free copy delivered to your inbox here.

Would you like to receive some encouragement and teaching strategies each Monday to start out your week? Sign up for the Monday Message here!

For more resources on teacher self care and teaching strategies, go to www.erinsponaugle.com. 

Get your copy of Teachaholic: The 7-Day MindSET Shift to Conquer Burnout, Build Life-Changing Boundaries, and Reignite Your Love for Teaching at www.erinsponaugle.com/book.

You can download the Teachaholic Action Guide to begin your journey back from burnout here.

Download your FREE checklist, The Great 88: Rules, Routines, and Expectations to Go Over and Over, and feel confident establishing classroom management.

For more resources on classroom management, time management, and preserving mental well-being to avoid teacher burnout, visit www.erinsponaugle.com.

Find more upper elementary classroom resources by visiting Next Chapter Press on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextchapterforteachers/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinsponauglewv/

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In the previous episode, I discussed the disillusionment stage of teaching, where many of you are finding yourselves right now - completely taken aback by how this year is unfolding. And I shared a strategy - the 5S strategy - for surviving disillusionment. In this episode  we’re going to jump into how to strategize so you can set goals or boundaries for the new year - even if the future is uncertain and you’re not sure what teaching will look like when you return for the second semester. You can download a workbook to help you plan your goals and boundaries as you listen to this episode at this link.

Remember, you’re not just strategizing how you’ll get through this year; you’re developing a new way of thinking about dealing with life’s challenges. To recap how to strategize: Step 1: Break the Upcoming Year into Quarters. Step 2: S.E.T. Yourself up for Success. Step 3: Complete the Quadrants for Home/Health/School/Self. Step 4: Choose your focus by using the sentence stems, and Step 5: Review, Remind, Reflect. Whatever this new year and next semester of school brings, you deserve a life that brings you peace and purpose. After listening to this episode,  you have the tools to create it.

To get a free copy of my ebook The Thrive Guide: How to Begin a Teaching Career in Uncertain Times, go to this link. It’s a great resource for a teacher starting a career or for anyone who may be mentoring teachers during this crisis. For more information, visit www.erinsponaugle.com. 

Get your copy of Teachaholic: The 7-Day MindSET Shift to Conquer Burnout, Build Life-Changing Boundaries, and Reignite Your Love for Teaching at www.erinsponaugle.com/book.

You can download the Teachaholic Action Guide to begin your journey back from burnout here.

Download your FREE checklist, The Great 88: Rules, Routines, and Expectations to Go Over and Over, and feel confident establishing classroom management.

For more resources on classroom management, time management, and preserving mental well-being to avoid teacher burnout, visit www.erinsponaugle.com.

Find more upper elementary classroom resources by visiting Next Chapter Press on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextchapterforteachers/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinsponauglewv/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/erin_sponaugle/

The disillusionment phase of teaching is when reality sets in and the stress, fatigue, and expectations threaten to throw you off course. We cycle through it every year as teachers, especially in your first years of teaching. It usually hits right around the holiday season, when the newness of the school year is long gone, student attention is diverted to the excitement and festivities of the season, and nothing seems to be as you thought it would be back at the beginning of the school year. It’s a recipe for despair, especially with the added turmoil of a pandemic along with fewer hours of daylight going into the winter months. I fear that teacher’s mental well being is at higher risk than ever before with all the added uncertainty and stress brought on this school year. The amount of time you spend in the disillusionment phase depends on  your ability to climb out to the other phases that await you: rejuvenation and reflection.  Use the 5S Strategy to get to the other side: Simplify your tasks and teaching, Stop the behaviors that keep you from setting boundaries (you can hear more about boundaries in Episode 2 and Episode 3 on social media), Soften your self talk, Speak up about your feelings and solutions, and Strategize for what you need to do in order make the second half of the school year better. Use this experience being at “rock bottom” in a year that has turned everything upside down to develop routines and practices that work for you - so you can be the teacher and person you want to be.
To get your free copy of my ebook The Thrive Guide: Beginning a Teaching Career in Uncertain Times, visit my website www.erinsponaugle.com!

Get your copy of Teachaholic: The 7-Day MindSET Shift to Conquer Burnout, Build Life-Changing Boundaries, and Reignite Your Love for Teaching at www.erinsponaugle.com/book.

You can download the Teachaholic Action Guide to begin your journey back from burnout here.

Download your FREE checklist, The Great 88: Rules, Routines, and Expectations to Go Over and Over, and feel confident establishing classroom management.

For more resources on classroom management, time management, and preserving mental well-being to avoid teacher burnout, visit www.erinsponaugle.com.

Find more upper elementary classroom resources by visiting Next Chapter Press on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextchapterforteachers/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinsponauglewv/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/erin_sponaugle/

 We’re talking about social media and how it impacts your life and practice as a teacher. There is a lot to gain from the ideas and connections we form online through social media. The technologies, apps, and programs that we have at our fingertips today are making this season of life much more doable than had it occurred 10, 15 years ago. Social media is not only our place to connect, but where we go for ideas, curiosity, and boredom. It’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole of viewing glossy feeds, stylized photos, and catchy quotes. The longer you scroll, the harder it is to separate it from reality.

What you see in posts on Facebook and Instagram (or any other outlet you use, those are just the ones I’m familiar with) is not the whole picture of that person’s life, much less yours. Here are three things to remember when viewing social media, along with two acronyms to tell if your social media feed is making you S.I.C.K. or W.E.L.L.

For more guidance on how to prepare for teaching in a year of unknowns, go to erinsponaugle.com and download your free copy of my ebook The Thrive Guide: Beginning a Teaching Career in Uncertain Times. There’s something in there for everyone, but especially if you are starting your teacher journey.

Get your copy of Teachaholic: The 7-Day MindSET Shift to Conquer Burnout, Build Life-Changing Boundaries, and Reignite Your Love for Teaching at www.erinsponaugle.com/book.

You can download the Teachaholic Action Guide to begin your journey back from burnout here.

Download your FREE checklist, The Great 88: Rules, Routines, and Expectations to Go Over and Over, and feel confident establishing classroom management.

For more resources on classroom management, time management, and preserving mental well-being to avoid teacher burnout, visit www.erinsponaugle.com.

Find more upper elementary classroom resources by visiting Next Chapter Press on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextchapterforteachers/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinsponauglewv/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/erin_sponaugle/

Today’s topic, boundaries, is extremely important considering the mounting stress teachers are under as the school year resumes in the midst of a global pandemic. Whether you’re teaching face-to-face, remotely, or in a hybrid model, the demands are unlike anything I have experienced. The expectations and uncertainty of what the future holds for this school year have not only caused disruptions to work-life balance, but to the physical and mental health of teachers. Aside from health concerns, the technology transition that most schools are undergoing is a source of overwhelm in itself.

As I like to say, you are more than a teacher, and you deserve to set limits on how you spend your time outside of school. Setting boundaries will save your career before it starts. But no one can set those boundaries but yourself. How long to stay after school, when to stop responding to emails for the day, the amount of time to spend writing lessons, grading papers, or troubleshooting technology. That’s for you to decide. Here are five ways to get started with setting boundaries today.

To read my blog post on teacher well-being during the reopening of schools, visit the National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY) blog.

For more guidance on how to prepare for teaching in a year of unknowns, go to erinsponaugle.com and download your free copy of my ebook The Thrive Guide: Beginning a Teaching Career in Uncertain Times. There’s something in there for everyone, but especially if you are starting your teacher journey.

Get your copy of Teachaholic: The 7-Day MindSET Shift to Conquer Burnout, Build Life-Changing Boundaries, and Reignite Your Love for Teaching at www.erinsponaugle.com/book.

You can download the Teachaholic Action Guide to begin your journey back from burnout here.

Download your FREE checklist, The Great 88: Rules, Routines, and Expectations to Go Over and Over, and feel confident establishing classroom management.

For more resources on classroom management, time management, and preserving mental well-being to avoid teacher burnout, visit www.erinsponaugle.com.

Find more upper elementary classroom resources by visiting Next Chapter Press on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextchapterforteachers/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinsponauglewv/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/erin_sponaugle/

This school year is starting unlike anything you could have anticipated. If you're a new teacher, perhaps you didn't even get to have your graduation to mark the milestone of completing your degree, or are still saddened by not getting to properly wrap up the year with last year's class. Months of isolation may be in stark contrast to the daily routines, favorite activities, and interaction with your family and peers. And now you're about to be a teacher, right in the throes of a pandemic.

When you step into the classroom on the first day of school, you also step into the lives of hundreds of people. The one commonality we are certain to share with our students and their families is the loss, grief, and change we have all experienced in some degree over the past few months. Regardless of how you'll be teaching, you’ll have group of students and the fabric of all they have endured since March meeting you on the first day of school. Here are some steps to work through the feelings of disappointment and other emotions you may be having prior to the start of this school year.

For more guidance on how to prepare for teaching in a year of unknowns, go to erinsponaugle.com and download your free copy of my ebook The Thrive Guide: Beginning a Teaching Career in Uncertain Times. There’s something in there for everyone, but especially if you are starting your teacher journey.

Get your copy of Teachaholic: The 7-Day MindSET Shift to Conquer Burnout, Build Life-Changing Boundaries, and Reignite Your Love for Teaching at www.erinsponaugle.com/book.

You can download the Teachaholic Action Guide to begin your journey back from burnout here.

Download your FREE checklist, The Great 88: Rules, Routines, and Expectations to Go Over and Over, and feel confident establishing classroom management.

For more resources on classroom management, time management, and preserving mental well-being to avoid teacher burnout, visit www.erinsponaugle.com.

Find more upper elementary classroom resources by visiting Next Chapter Press on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextchapterforteachers/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinsponauglewv/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/erin_sponaugle/