Bottom of the First Hill

A school year is very much like a super awesome thrill ride at an amusement park. We anticipate it all summer as if we are listening to the chink, chink, chink of the chain pulling us to the top of that breathtaking hill. Then the year begins and we are off at a blinding speed with lesson planning, staff meetings, parent nights, and staff development. It is a thrilling experience to say the least, but as we near the bottom of this first hill, teachers begin to tire, we are overwhelmed by all the meetings, paperwork, and the Hurculean effort to keep it all under control and still be the top notch 21st century educator that our students need.

By this point in the year many teachers feel exhausted by the effort to hang in there, knuckles white from holding on to the lap bar to be sure they stay safely in the coaster seat. We love the ride way too much to want off, but need some relief so we can hang in until the end. There's just so much thrill anyone can handle in a thrill ride. So what's an educator to do? How do we get some relief in order to take care of ourselves, and continue to be our best in the classroom?

I'd love to hear from other educators about your ideas of how to get this relief, how to take care of ourselves, and keep the roller coaster car on the track so to speak.