Wouldn't it be nice to feel like we are loved and appreciated as teachers?  That the work we do is celebrated and rewarded?  For many of us, this is just not the reality and it is not attainable.  So, how do we stay in a "thankless" job and keep ourselves from going into a downward spiral?  Reevaluating our sources of validation can make a massive difference.  

Most of us were raised in a world where adults shaming us was normal.  As teachers, are we carrying on this tradition to the detriment of the students, and to ourselves as well?  When was the last time being shamed motivated you to do something?   (Note:  I realize that shaming is still a tool in many cultures and may seem effective.  This episode addresses shaming in cultures similar to the American one, where students are more apt to fight back or shut down in the face of shaming.)

Children and teenagers love to talk about themselves!  They are their own favorite subject!  Getting kids to engage with our material can be challenging, particularly toward the end of the school year.  If we can create some personal "buy in", their motivation to engage can increase and we can get the type of engagement we hope for.  Here I share my personal techniques for creating buy in, and I believe we can all find ways to do this no matter what we teach.  

Life in the United States always includes the possibility of a school shooting.  This is a sad reality that we must reckon with to stay in the job.  How do YOU handle that?  I have my own way, good or bad.  I thought I'd share.

Have you ever felt this way about a relationship you were in:  it feels out of control?  It feels one-sided?  It sucks you dry emotionally?  It doesn't meet your expectations?   Do those thoughts apply to your teaching job as well?  They did mine, for a long time, until I began to take control and stop feeling like a victim in my own career.  But how do we reframe this job in a way that feels healthy?