What does balance actually look like? We hear about it, we seem lovely captioned images on Instagram of people sitting under palm trees and reflectively gazing out to sea, but what does it actually look like? How can teacher approach this concept as we begin a new school term?

Here are a few thoughts:

Balance is not about control or perfection. In fact, it’s the opposite! To live a more balanced life, you need to learn to be ok with things not always going the way you want or expect it to.

Balance means focusing on what you’re good at and what it most important.
It means that you may spend hours focusing on a class project that will engage and excite your class, and spending half the time working on something that is less of a priority. It means that you spend a day having a fun and rewarding day with your family on the weekend and instead of perfecting the formatting of your letter to parents for Monday.

Balance is about saying “no” when it’s appropriate. Here’s a little reminder: you are a human. Humans need rest, social time, laughter and fun in order to function at their best. If you struggle with saying “no”, you will quickly find that the first areas that begin to suffer are the very ones that you need to keep you going. Working hard is a wonderful characteristic and we should all strive to do better, but adding more and more responsibilities to your plate will take its toll. You want to put an effort into some of the after hours activities, but you know it’s time to say “no” to some things when you seem to be the only one that is involved in every after hours activity, planning etc.

Balance means getting stuff done in the time you’ve given yourself.
Procrastination can be a devastating enemy. If you have exam papers to mark on the weekend, give yourself two hours to get it done and then just do it. Better yet, stay back at school and get it done so you don’t have to take any work home with you.

Balance means having a life outside of work.
Friendships, relationships, family time, exercise, social gatherings and learning new things are all a part of having a balanced and healthy lifestyle. All of these require ongoing effort from you. Be sure to block out some time to engage in activities that include at least two of these each week.

I hope this helps.

You can only burn the candle at both ends for a short period of time until the inevitable happens – you crash, and burn. Its not rocket science, you can’t keep giving out to your students if you are not taking the time to fill up your own tank. I’ve recently finished reading the exceptional, and confronting book, ‘Leading on Empty’ by Wayne Cordeiro. I highly recommend it. In it, Cordeiro describes the stages of his own severe burnout, and the painful consequences.  For me it was an eye opening experience, the book made me really pay attention to the signs of burn out in my own life.

As a recent graduate you will most likely go through times when you feel you’re losing your grip (and your mind). The responsibilities and pressures of teaching mean that at times you will feel overworked, stressed and under-prepared for the task at hand.

If you feel like you are starting to lose it, here are some tips to keep sane even when things get tough at work:

Review your calendar – block in time for yourself, your hobbies, your family and make time for a life outside the classroom.

Eat well – spend a few minutes each day planning your meals. Make sure they are nutritious and healthy.

Exercise – it doesn’t have to be rigorous and you don’t need lots of time. You can start with a ten minute walk each morning or a walk during your release time

Get plenty of sleep – try and get to bed at the same time each night. Develop some night time habits or rituals that help you to relax and prepare for a good night’s sleep.

Spend a whole weekend with your family or friends – when you are home, be home, be present and forget school. For some of you that might mean that you stop talking about your frustrations from school as soon as you walk in the door of your home.

Remember, you can’t give the best to your class if you’re feeling tired, burnt out or stressed.

Pretty dramatic, yeah?

Well it’s about damn time someone called it out.

“Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.” – Sun Tzu

No it’s not hatred, war or hollywood. It’s far more subtle and pandemic.

It dulls the eyes.
It eats  joy for breakfast.
It causes good people to do nothing good.
It saps courage.
It breeds selfishness.
Ultimately, it’s goal is to kill your soul.

It’s name is apathy.

No-one wants to live like this, but it’s so easy to fall into and so hard to get out. How does it latch onto us? Fatigue? Busyness? Lack of purpose? We start to feel weary, bored, stuck, sick. A hopelessness sets in and then we flat line, for weeks, months, YEARS.

I’m all for declaring war (especially when the enemy is the Greatest Evil on Earth), and I’m a bit of a “go in guns blazing” kind of girl – however, apathy is one of those tricky buggers that we have to be a little smarter with. I used to think I could fight apathy in myself with sheer determination and focus. That if I pushed harder, things would be better. But there’s one problem with this, who the heck wants to pick a fight when they’re feeling apathetic?

Unfortunately, it does take some kind of desire for more from life. If you don’t have that desire, I’m sorry, but I don’t think there are enough self-help books in the world to help you manufacture it. You either want more for yourself or you don’t.

If you have a little bit of desire, a little bit of hunger for more, I think a great place to start is to imagine what life could be like without apathy. I mean, imagine it, having a sparkle in your eye, a bright outlook, a willingness and the energy to do something truly great. What would that feel like? Cultivating a strong sense of purpose and determination in ourselves sounds like hard work, but what if it wasn’t hard? What if it was easy for you? What if you did more than just the minimum requirement, what if the work you did made you feel good about yourself?

You may not realise it, but you’re already taking a little bit of ground by just entertaining the thought that things could be better. When I think outside of what I’m feeling, I start to realise that apathy was not actually a part of me. It sits on me, making a meal of my despondency, but it is not actually in me. I don’t have to stay flat. I don’t have to stay down. And that’s when I realise I have what it takes to haul ass and kick ass. What I’m saying is, when you let your thinking rise above a feeling, you learn that you are in control –  and that my dear dear people is where the power is. (Boomtown baby!)

In a war there are many tactics used to take ground. Every battle is different and you win some, you lose some. When fighting the Greatest Evil on Earth, it’s important to remember that it will take time and practise to win and keep ground. Don’t beat yourself up if you fall down. Keep dreaming even if your dreams are mere shadows of what they used to be or could be. Keep rested and healthy – sounds simple, but apathy strikes when our defences are down. Keep taking steps forward, because the next one could be a breakthrough.

This month I decided to become a problem-solver and to stop (to the best of my ability) adding to the incessant whining of the negative we’ve-got-a-problem, it’s-not-my-responsibility, I’m-tired-busy-overwhelmed people that seem to inhabit every workplace, organisation and circle of friends.

I think problem-solvers are people who have a solutions mindset, rather than stellar talent or skills. They are attractive, dynamic and they move things forward. They can apply their mindset to all  areas of their lives: work, creative pursuits, personal life, relationships and so on and so on.

So, from now on, when a problem falls in my plate, I will:

1. Choose to solve it. I will not tell myself it can’t be done.

2. Not complain. I know that if I start whining, I will never stop and the problem will still be there tomorrow.

3. Focus on what needs to be achieved. I will work out what the goal or best outcome is and work backwards from that.

4. Make a plan. I will work out the specifics. I will figure out who needs be involved and who needs to be excluded.

5. Write down the plan and make it as visual as possible.

6. Take immediate actions to make things happen. I will recruit help, I will kick things off, I will sharpen the skills I need to succeed. I will stop putting off till tomorrow what I can do today.

7. Ignore the whiners, the nay-sayers, the uncommitted. It’s not their problem, it’s mine and I’m going to solve it, and when I do I’ll be better equipped to solve the next problem and then the next one, and those left behind will probably still be complaining about something.

8. Stay enthusiastic despite set-backs, rejection, disappointment, heartache, anger…

9. Smile about it – misery is draining.

Wanna try it out?

Welcome back to another term.

I hope that you have all had a refreshing break and that you are ready for the next term. For those of you that are new to the profession welcome to the best job in the world, and thank you for being part of the I’m a New Teacher community. For all of you, thank you for your continued support, comments, tweets and feedback. As always, I’m a New Teacher exists to support and champion new teachers.

I thought that I would share a touching video that my wife found over the holidays.  This is the story of a nine-year-old boy named Caine Monroy who spent his entire summer holidays building an amazing cardboard arcade in his father’s used car shop. Caine waited the whole of summer and then, on the last day, a customer walked in to buy a door handle from Caine’s father. While the customer was waiting he decided to buy a ‘fun pass’ and became Caine’s first customer.

The customer decided to make a short film about Caine’s Arcade and that changed everything.  Please watch to find out what happened.

What would our classrooms and schools look like if they were built solely around the needs and the learning styles of the students?
How do we cater for the unique learning styles of our students within the classroom?
We know that every student excels differently and has a number of ‘intelligences’ (thanks Howard Gardiner), so how do teachers differentiate the curriculum and learning styles accordingly?
This seems like a mammoth task, but there are a few simple ways that we can cater for the needs and learning styles of our class:

• Create opportunity for collaboration and discussion: Organise your tables, or at least have a place where students can go and discuss tasks

• Deliver the subject content in a number of ways; Utilise technologies such as Interactive White Boards (IWBs), iPads, books and images to present information.

• Give students opportunities to reflect on their learning: After each maths lesson my class writes a reflection about what they have leant and how they are going to use that knowledge.

• Think across Key Learning Areas; build links and connections across KLAs. How do the learning outcomes apply to other subjects.

• Have lots of colour and text around the room: Classrooms should be interesting and engaging.

Designing your classrooms and your teaching content around your students’ learning styles can have a huge impact on student learning.

It is so great that many of you have received your copy of ‘Avoiding Accreditation Disasters.’ I hope you found the resource useful and I’d love to hear any feedback that you have. Also, please feel free to forward the resource to any teachers that you think will find it useful.

Writing resumes and applying for jobs can be a long, and often exhausting process. In order to improve your chances of getting to interview there are a few things that are crucial for your application.

Organise your referees

Make sure you read through a copy of the job application and find out which referees are required. Quite often, but not always, the application with ask you to put your principal and teaching supervisor to speak about your suitability for the profession.

Proof read your resume for errors

There are few things that will get your resume thrown out immediately, careless grammar and spelling mistakes are some of them. If grammar and spelling aren’t your strength, ask someone else to proof read your application.

Use the correct school name 

It sounds obvious, but this is a common oversight! Because we write so many resumes, most teachers create a template and then personalise the application for each school. This makes it very easy to send the wrong application to the wrong school.

Ask a supervisor, school executive or your principal to have a read through your resume

A trusted colleague, or experienced teacher familiar with the application process, can offer invaluable advice. When I asked one of my first supervisors to take a look at my very first permanent teaching application, it came back covered in red pen, with multitude of errors highlighted and changes galore. It was a little awkward, but it’s far better for someone you trust to pick up the mistakes on this end than failing to make interview.

The classroom is a magical place. It’s a place where knowledge is created, a place where concepts are explored and a place where questions are provoked. The classroom is also a dynamic place, which grows and develops around the needs of the students. Wall displays change, new word banks are created and work samples are proudly presented. How will you make your classroom engaging and enticing in Term 3?

Here are some tips to keep your classrooms full of energy and life:

Inspire your students. Have you ever sat in a doctor’s surgery waiting for a consultation? I have, and it’s pretty uninspiring. Many are out-dated; with drab pictures hanging off the off-white walls. The atmosphere is sterile, it’s not a place that you would want to spend more than a few minutes. Here’s the scary thing: I have been in many classes that feel exactly the same! They are lifeless, depressing and do little to stoke the creative minds of their students. It’s time to be honest with yourself, take a good look at your classroom and assess the damage. It’s never too late to change things and it’s never too late to inspire your students.

Empower your students to take responsibility for their own learning. One of the things that I love about infants’ classrooms is that they are typically visually rich. They are colourful and engaging environments. Creating an environment in which students take responsibility for their own learning and where they solve problems for themselves is vital. This could mean adding cards with new words or letters to the room. It could mean keeping your reading corner stocked with interesting books. For high school teachers it could mean mixing thing up and creating more collaborative seating arrangements from time to time.

Provide a safety net to make mistakes and discover new solutions. Classroom dynamics are not only determined by the space, but also by the attitudes and expectations of the teacher and the students. One thing I am passionate about it making my classroom a safe place where students can experiment with ideas, ask any questions and try things out without the fear of failure or judgement. Mistakes are a part of life and classrooms need to be places in which students feel comfortable and confident to try and solve problems even if they might get it wrong. In my opinion, making mistakes and learning from your mistakes is not encouraged enough in schools. Championing students who take a risk for a positive outcome is one of the best things you can do as a teacher.

Enrich their lives and their learning experience. Your students should leave your classroom – whether at the end of the day, at the end of the term, or at the end of year – feeling inspired and encouraged to be their best. In many of the schools that I have worked in the classroom is sometimes the most stable and encouraging place in a child’s life. Your classroom should represent a place where children are encouraged to be themselves, try new things, challenge their thinking and be their best. I find laughter and personal encouragement are vital to making the classroom an enriching place.

Cater to many learning styles. Howard Gardiner (1983), the famous educational researcher, identified at least eight types of intelligences. If you have been living in a cave and you are not familiar with his work you need to be. He argues that each child is gifted in a type, or a variety of, intelligences. When setting up your classroom you must ensure that every intelligence is catered for. For example for the special learners have content that stimulates spatial judgement and the ability to visualize with the mind’s eye. When designing your classroom and your teaching program make sure that each of these intelligences are equally catered for so that all students are engaged.

Never underestimate the difference your classrooms can make in a student’s life. For many students the class may be the only place of refuge and encouragement they have. We owe it to our students to provide them with an engaging environment, which challenges and inspires them.

What do you do in your classroom to make it an engaging and fun space?

What will you change this term to make it even better?

Teachers are great at being self-less. I know many brilliant teachers who struggle when it comes to being selfish. The thing that many people don’t realise is that by failing to look after themselves they are actually less able to help and take care of others. Like the flight attendants always remind us before take off. Put your own oxygen mask on first, then you are able to help others put theirs on.

Before I go any further, I am not suggesting that it’s always acceptable to put yourself first. If you feel a little peckish for example, you cant just walk out of the classroom, leave your students and grab a sandwich. Neither can you turn up to work wearing a singlet, board shorts and no shoes just because you ‘felt like putting yourself first’. There are, however, some instances that you can, or should be,  a little selfish.

Be selfish with your sleep

Make sure that you are getting adequate rest and relaxation. You cannot function properly if you do not get adequate sleep. If you’re staying up late with marking or with lesson planning you need to take a good look at your workload and or your time management skills. Allowing other priorities to consistently eat into your precious pillow time may cost that spark you have in the holidays and your health! It’s not worth it.

Be selfish with your mornings

Mornings for me are sacred. I get up at 5am, run, read, eat, stretch, get ready and go to work. The none morning people out there may read that and gag! Your ritual may look like nursing a coffee while you hide from the sunlight in a corner of the staffroom. Whatever your morning ritual, protect it (Michael Hyatt link), because starting the morning well can set up your whole day.

Be selfish with your ‘you’ time

I timetable ‘meetings’ with myself. For me, Wednesday nights at home are extremely important. There are plenty of things that I could be doing, but I don’t as I have an ‘appointment.’ You time can be whatever you like to do. My wife took a beginners painting class for a term last year. Once a week she had a three hour class learning to hold a paintbrush, mixing colours and painting pictures that she refuses to show anyone. I don’t understand it, but she loved it because it was three hours a week of creativity with no agenda. Your “you time” could be spent lying on the couch or reading a book, there are no rules.

Be selfish with your school and extracurricular commitments

Just learn to say ‘no.’ I understand the desire to do everything. You are passionate about meeting expectations and not letting people down. However focus on a few things and do those few things well (Link to recent article).

Be selfish with your health

This is one of those more subtle things. Look at your calendar at the beginning of each week and allocate time for exercise. It could be a morning walk/run/swim or a sporting commitment. We all know the importance of exercise and we all have the same excuses, but if you don’t prioritise this area you will pay for it in the long run.

Being a little selfish is great. As a teacher you have to learn how to prioritise yourself. I have seen time and time again teachers that give everything to their students, schools and colleagues at the expense of their health, peace, marriages and well-being.

Failing to do this will limit your effectiveness and your ability to help others. Choose to invest into yourself this year and watch how much more you can accomplish.

How can you be more selfish next term?

I’ve been reflecting on my teaching progress over the last few years. I feel more excited and inspired about teaching than I ever have. I still get a buzz from standing in front of a class and watching as my students begin to understand what I’m explaining. I still love listening to students’ stories and learning about their lives. I still get excited about improving my teaching practice and striving to deliver engaging and challenging lessons to my students.  I love the teaching profession, the chaos of the classroom and this constant endeavour to improve and redefine learning experience for students. However, I feel as though my understanding of the complexities of the teaching profession, the impact of school culture, leadership and politic climate has given me much more insight into the realities of the profession.

Looking back, it all makes sense – For me, starting work in the private sector then taking a position in an area of Sydney that most people would be afraid to even visit didn’t seem to make sense. To be honest, it seemed like a step backwards, but looking back it was the best professional decision I have ever made. It allowed me to see the disparity in educational outcomes and the need for quality teaching and passionate educators in all schools.

Don’t fight every battle – I have learnt that you can justify every battle and while some of them are important, many are not essential.  Having to take on that extra playground duty, a unfair kitchen roster or the provision of two-ply toilet paper instead of three, doesn’t really matter. You only have a limited amount of energy, save it for your students.

Look after yourself – If you’re tired, uninspired and sick then your students will suffer. It’s as simple as that. It’s OK to be a little bit selfish sometimes; you can’t give your best to others if you are not looking after yourself.

Take pride in your work – At Uni I met a lot of incredible people who were aspiring to be scientists, doctors, lawyers and engineers. Most of them were young adults just like me and sometimes I felt a little discouraged about “just” doing education at Uni. But I knew that teaching was the direction I wanted to go in, I knew I was meant to do it. Teaching is a vital and incredibly rewarding profession, don’t let anyone try to tell you otherwise.

Do whatever you can to leave work at work – School can be a highly stressful environment and it’s easy to let the day spill over into home life. I was very newly married as a new teacher and my poor wife had to listen to every complaint and grievance I had left over from each day. Not to mention the marking and paperwork. Needless to say, things got pretty boring! Instead of bringing negativity home, resolve any issues as they arise and/or choose to leave the drama at school and enjoy rest, fun and life at home

There are many things that I would say to my first year teacher self. I would give him a clip around the ear, tell him to stop worrying about things outside of his control and tell him that it all works out in the end, so don’t sweat the small stuff.

What would you say to your first year teacher self?

I’m an overcomitter – I often want to do everything, and enthusiastically put my hand up for new roles, responsibilities, opportunities and projects.  It all starts with good intentions; that lunch appointment, helping a friend move, that birthday party, but soon ends in burnout. Can you relate?

This kind of lifestyle is not sustainable. I learnt a very hard lesson, very early on in my teaching career – ‘Doing a few things well is far better than doing a lot of things badly.’ I understand the pull, as a new teacher you want to be seen to being doing extra-curricular activities; that extra band practise, joining committees, debating and the Clean Up Australia’ incentives. This is partly because you are excited to be in the profession and want to gain as much experience as possible in a variety of roles, it may also be to impress your supervisor with your ability to handle multiple responsibilities, or it may just be to add depth and to your resume. All of these things are good and part of the profession, but you do have to learn to exercise a little bit of caution.

Remember why you are teaching – first and foremost, you are employed as a teacher. Your primary responsibility is to teach those children in your care. If you are a primary teacher, you are already teaching multiple Key Learning Areas.

Have a careful look at your resume – Adding value to your resume and making it attractive to prospective employers is really important, but be wise. Maybe choose a couple of specific commitments per term.

Speak up – There are have been so many times that I have had to ask for help in my career. If you’ are feeling overwhelmed speak to someone. Maybe ask another teacher to help you co-lead the choir, or take turns in coaching soccer.

Decide what is necessary – Each term I do an audit on my extra-curricular commitments.  If the need arises you can negotiate out of previous commitments. and

Say no – It is OK to just say no. Stress and over commitment is a huge problem with beginning teachers. If there are not enough people to run all of the extra-curricular activities that the school would like to initiate, itf is not your problem.

I understand the desire to do everything yourself. You want to prove to yourself, and your superiors, that you have what it takes to cope in the profession. The truth is, burning the candle at both ends is not sustainable. In order to not only survive the complexities of teaching and thrive in your career you have to be selective about the commitments your take on.