April 30, 2024 • 23 mins
🎙️Welcome back to another enlightening episode of the "Virtually Impossible Presents Lazy Learning Land Podcast"! Join our seasoned hostess, SDot, as she delves deep into the critical subject of "7 Things That Happy Teachers Don't Do." Drawing from over a decade and a half of teaching experience in challenging inner-city schools, she unveils the clandestine survival strategies that have helped long-term educators find happiness amidst the rigors of the profession.
🔥In this distinctive episode, we dissect and analyze the seven habits typically avoided by joyful and content teachers. From turning down extraneous tasks to abandoning the pursuit of perfection, we explore key areas that contribute to educators' mental and emotional wellbeing. Discover how prioritizing self-care, personal growth, and healthy boundaries can lead to professional success and personal fulfillment in the demanding world of teaching.
🎧 Feeling overwhelmed by the demands of teaching? This episode offers invaluable insights from real educators who have mastered the art of staying happy while embracing their vital role in shaping young minds. Tune in for actionable tips and inspiring stories that will transform your perspective and enhance your professional experience. Don't miss out – your happiness and professional success await!
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https://virtuallyimpossible.net/7-things-happy-teachers-dont-do/
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
You are now tuned into Virtually Impossible Presents Lazy Learning Land Podcast,
where we teach teachers how to be lazier, yet more effective to increase student
performance, but decrease teacher burnout and stress.
I'm SDot, your hostess that always gives you the mostest while doing the least,
(00:25):
also known as the queen of working and not working.
With over 15 years of experience working in the hood schools,
aka the trenches, and still I thrive.
Today's episode is sponsored by the Virtually I'mpossible's A Teacher's Guide,
which can be found on virtuallyimpossible.net, no apostrophe.
(00:51):
Here, educators can enter the world of lazy learning land through blogging,
they can find the five teacher laws on how to be a lazier yet more effective
teacher classroom management tips and strategies and also general posts on other
pressing teacher topics,
now for today's episode.
(01:15):
Hello, hello, hello, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Virtually
Impossible Presents Lazy Learning Land podcast.
So excited that you guys are joining us today. I have a whole treat with a bonus
at the end, so make sure you stay tuned to the very, very end.
(01:35):
But today's episode is going to focus on seven things that happy teachers don't
do. Now, really listen up, y'all.
I'm 15 years in the game.
I have been working in the hood, Title I, inner city schools,
all 15 years consecutively.
(01:56):
So I have learned a thing or two about what happy teachers don't do.
Again, you're in for a treat, so don't move from your seat. All right. So happy teachers.
Is there even such a thing as happy teachers?
I mean, one may begin to believe that only happy teachers are,
(02:18):
y'all know those first year teachers when the school year first starts,
teachers come back before the students and it's those teacher planning days.
And you've got these first year teachers walking all in chipper and just,
you know, so excited. so excited.
They're green and naive, thinking that they are going to save every child while
(02:39):
being the coolest, most creative, most successful teacher to have ever done it.
We all know those teachers. And y'all know you're guilty of giving them the side high at some point.
But yes, the same ones that we see at these pre-planning luncheons and the ones
that make us say in our our head, you have no idea what you are getting yourself into.
(03:04):
Those are usually the happiest teachers, to be honest.
So now that we have not had to use rocket science to figure out that the happiest
teachers are the newest teachers that haven't even started teaching,
let's dive a little bit into the research on unhappy teachers.
So did y'all know, did you know that the average career span of a teacher only lasts 14 years?
(03:32):
And that's according to research conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics.
Statistics and in most states teachers
have to make it to 30 years to
qualify for pension and folks
are abandoning ship y'all I mean around the
time that they have hit the halfway mark they're just like I gotta get the hell
(03:55):
out of dodge and could it be that teachers are so unhappy are we so unhappy
that we are willing to start from ground zero start from scratch just to escape
the black hole of being an educator.
And what's even crazier is that about 30% of teachers quit within their first
three years of even starting in the profession.
(04:18):
So those new teachers that we consider one to three years, 30% of new teachers
quit in their first one to three years.
And if we zoom out a little bit further, roughly 50% of teachers leave the profession
within their first five years.
So we're really and truly talking about teachers having a maximum of a five-year average shelf life.
(04:43):
If 50% of teachers are out of here within their first five years,
the ones making it to 15 plus years or making it to retirement,
I mean, that's less than 50% of the people that actually initially started.
So we're not even getting half of us across the finish line.
But this post is not.
This post is not centered around discussing these insurmountable concerns that
(05:08):
we as teachers have regarding this particular career path.
However, it is focused on exposing what happy teachers don't do so that maybe
if we are unhappy, we can stop doing some of those things so we can be happier in our profession.
But I'm talking about, you know, the teachers that end up going the distance
(05:30):
and end up retiring, the ones who truly enjoy going to work every day.
All right. Okay. Most days. I'm telling you the seven secrets plus a bonus. So stay tuned to the end.
The seven things that happy teachers don't do.
So let's dive right into it, y'all.
(05:51):
Happy teachers don't do.
So number one, the first thing that happy teachers don't do is they don't say yes to everything.
I will say it time and time and time again.
The education system is not set up in the favor of the teacher.
(06:13):
We are the last priority.
And in most instances, we are more powerless than the actual students that we teach.
So in a system that is not even set up in our best interest,
you must set yourself up to look out for your own best interests.
Because if you're so busy taking care of everybody else, who taking care of you?
(06:36):
This includes not saying yes to everything.
I'm going to let y'all know administrators, they love them a yes teacher.
We all know that one teacher that volunteers to stay late, comes early,
chaperones everything,
volunteers to work during their lunch, heads several committees,
does the special after school programs, and even does the special programs on the weekends.
(07:01):
They love them a yes teacher. And that's basically because administration benefits
from having that go-to person that's willing to do any and everything that is
asked of them. By no means.
By no means am I saying that you should not be a team player,
but being a yes teacher can take a toll on the individual.
(07:24):
Just keep this in mind, that opportunity costs.
Every time you say yes to something, you are trading time and energy you could
be spending with someone else or doing something else.
So every time you say yes to something, understand you are also saying no to something else.
(07:45):
So to sum this section up, happy teachers realize the importance of work-life
balance and are intentional about protecting their peace, their time, and their energy.
Okay, the second thing that happy teachers don't do is they don't expect perfection.
(08:07):
Majority of teachers have a slight to severe touch of OCD, whether it is directed
towards the organization of our classroom or towards the organization and detailing of our lessons.
Others of us have OCD regarding classroom management. management well if you're
a person that has like classroom management OCD I tend to prefer to say.
(08:30):
There's some control issues there but I'm not trying to poke the bear each of
these are great in a general sense on the other hand too much OCD in these areas
can drive you absolutely insane Insane!
The school year is a marathon. It is extremely easy to stress yourself out because
(08:53):
you have some unruly piles of papers or because you had to handwrite instead
of type, so on and so forth.
I mean, hey, some of us even flip a wig because we don't have enough time to
add more pictures or more colors or the little extra thoughtful pizzazz to whatever
we're going to be given out to our students.
Happy teachers understand that a little mess adds character,
(09:19):
that they can always go back and tweak it before they use it again next school year.
You don't have to be a rock star at everything this year, okay?
Happy teachers accept small daily victories as milestones.
Maybe little Johnny didn't stay seated for the entire circle time,
(09:39):
but he did manage to to keep his hands to himself.
Or that one student may not have done any work today, but at least they took
out paper and pencil instead of having a completely blank desk in front of them.
Progress. So again, happy teachers realize that progress beats perfection.
(10:00):
The third thing that happy teachers don't do, they don't stop growing.
I have been teaching for 15 plus years and I am at the point where I can point
out drastic changes in the evolution of teaching strategies and tools from the
time of year one all the way up until time this year.
Okay, happy teachers do not say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
(10:23):
They actually embrace the new tricks. You see, many of these new tricks come
about to help us to be able to better reach the needs of the particular generation
of children that are sitting in front of us in our classrooms.
A bonus is that some of these new tricks make your job easier to do,
helping to lessen the stress.
(10:47):
So if you would like more tips and tricks on how to make your teaching job easier,
You guys can check out my post on the five laws to be a lazier,
more effective teacher, better known as the five lazy laws.
But again, happy teachers live by work smarter, not harder.
So keep growing so you can keep knowing what to do.
(11:11):
Number four. Oh, yeah, I like this one right here, y'all. Number four,
happy teachers don't compare themselves.
There are millions of teachers in this world, and no two teachers are exactly the same.
Happy teachers recognize that every teacher has their niche,
however you want to pronounce it, inside of the niche, the niche of teaching.
(11:37):
Individual teachers possess skills and gifts that are unique to them,
that makes them an asset on your team and an asset to your school. Cool.
Happy teachers learn to embrace the strengths of others.
Really happy teachers not only embrace, but they capitalize on the strengths of others.
(11:57):
They allow others to take the lead when it is appropriate.
They also steal and use other teachers' great ideas and activities.
So when I say really happy teachers embrace and capitalize on the strengths
of others, that's also part of thinking smarter not harder working smarter not
harder happy teachers don't compare we share.
(12:22):
But seriously, happy teachers refrain from being jealous of the gifts and talents
that other teachers have.
They also don't get their panties or their boxers in a bunch when others get
recognized for their contributions and they don't.
They accept their own strengths and their own shortcomings. If you are in the
teaching profession, for somebody to come up to you and tell you how great of
(12:45):
a job you are doing, you are in the wrong profession because teaching is not
a cheerleading profession.
You do not get told that you are
doing a great job enough for you to believe that
you're doing a great job so if you cannot cheer yourself on
then teaching is probably not for you but just keep in mind that happy teachers
understand that they are fearfully and wonderfully made and they love the skin
(13:10):
they are in i think that's like ole dove i kind of bit off of them but it fits it.
All right, so we're past the halfway mark.
Happy teachers. Happy teachers don't forget to prioritize their tasks,
time management priorities, y'all.
A teacher's job is never done.
(13:32):
No, like literally a teacher's job is never done.
We only get paid for 10 months out of the year, and some counties,
they spread out that same amount of money over 12 months, but we still end up
working 12 months because most of us are doing stuff in the summer to prepare
for the 10 months that we actually get paid for.
I'll just leave that thought right there. The list of things we need to accomplish
(13:56):
in a day is asinine and daunting.
Like heck, just the thought of our to-do list can cripple us into not wanting
to do anything, cripple us into wanting to call out sick or just say,
bump it, I don't want to do none of it. And then we don't.
With that being said, happy teachers prioritize their task.
(14:17):
Now, what is considered a priority does change day to day.
Sometimes hour to hour. I mean, we do end up with these last minute meetings
after school and you must have blank done before that meeting.
You got a parent teacher conference today. You need a documentation folder.
It's testing season and you have to attend a PD training session.
(14:38):
Grades are due this week and you have a formal observation to prepare for.
I mean, I could go on and on for hours listing the potential scenarios of the
list of things that teachers have to get done in a day.
But the bottom line of this is you will always have something else that needs to be done.
Knowing the difference between what requires your immediate attention and what
(15:02):
can wait until the end of the day can literally save you peace of mind.
So if you are looking for secondary math resources, is you can check out my
Virtually I'm Possible store on virtuallyimpossible.net or on TPT.
Again, Virtually I'm Possible. No apostrophe.
(15:24):
Bear this in mind, y'all. Happy teachers know how to do the opposite of this popular quote.
Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today.
And they make sure they do what is dire today and save the rest for tomorrow.
That's deep. All right, second to last, number six, number six, we in the caboose.
(15:47):
Happy teachers. Happy teachers don't neglect family and friends.
I learned early in my teaching career from a coworker, and this is what she said to me.
She said, if they won't let you bring home to work, then why are you bringing
work home? Y'all, that resonated with me as if it were an entire book of poetry.
(16:13):
It really forced me to understand that our teaching job does not let us bring
our sick kids, spouses, or parents to work with us.
So why do we take home papers? Why do we create lessons and lesson plans at home?
Of course, we all know the real answer to that. And it's because there's not
enough hours in the day to do the work at school. where we can actually get
(16:38):
a chance to sit down and work on those things.
We don't have much planning time at work.
Again, taking it back to the overarching theme here, the demand on a teacher
is for them to be present and fully engaged with their students when they are on campus.
So the flip side to this is happy teachers are fully engaged and present with
(17:01):
their friends and family when they are not at work.
For many of us, we find it dang near impossible to not do anything for work at home.
But I simply charge you with this task, okay?
With this first task of just trying to create a system that will free you from this stronghold.
(17:22):
If not, then I charge you with the second task of carving out sacred time to
spend with family and friends where you are fully present, where you're not checking emails,
where you're not doing grades, where you're not grading papers,
where you're not cutting out things for the activities for the upcoming week,
where you can just be fully present.
So if you can't come up with a system where you don't take work home at all,
(17:45):
Maybe there's certain days where you don't take work home or you carve out sacred
time for family and friends where you are fully engaged and there's nothing
happening with work during that time. So again.
Time when you are fully present and in the moment, creating and storing memories
with those people who love you the most.
(18:07):
Because in education, if a teacher cannot come to class, then they get a substitute.
But who will your family and friends get to substitute you if you cannot show up for them?
And the correct answer is nobody. So again, happy teachers know how to prioritize
(18:28):
those to whom you are irreplaceable.
For those who can replace you will.
All right, pulling in the rear, pulling in the rear. Number seven, happy teachers.
Happy teachers don't neglect themselves.
(18:50):
You cannot pour from an empty cup. There has been a sense of urgency in recent
years to prioritize self-love and self-care.
Happy teachers know that if they are unhappy, they do not possess the energy to keep others happy.
They don't possess the energy to help others, to pour into others.
(19:10):
So being selfish is sometimes essential. Saying no is sometimes essential.
Leaving work right at the end of the duty day is sometimes essential.
Essential engaging in activities that brings you joy
is sometimes essential taking sick
days off and not being sick is sometimes essential
(19:30):
creating days where your students work more
independently so they don't need you as much is sometimes essential all of these
are forms of self-care all of them are okay and all of them are sometimes essential
so know that happy teachers know I am no good to anyone else until I am good to myself.
(19:54):
And the bonus, happy teachers. So happy teachers.
Okay, this is what happy teachers do. Happy teachers are money savvy.
Okay, happy teachers are money savvy. Unfortunately, we have chosen a lower
(20:16):
paying profession, one that does not pay us close to what we need to survive
based on the cost of living.
However, happy teachers are savvy with their money.
They know how to make the pennies we get work for them, be it couponing,
investing, or using their talents to create a side hustle.
And I want y'all to notice my word choice very carefully.
(20:39):
I did not say happy teachers work multiple jobs.
I did not say happy teachers work a second job. In fact, I believe the opposite is true.
Although there is extra income coming in, working an actual second job comes
with demands on time and energy.
And yes, I know side hustles do too, but an actual job tends to come with a
(21:05):
less flexible schedule.
It takes valuable time away from family and friends and your self-care.
And when you create your own side hustle, you are more of your own boss and
you have more control over when you do and do not work.
So that is why I chose to say side hustle and not a second or multiple jobs.
(21:27):
So, happy teachers know how to make a dollar out of 15 cents.
All right, y'all, so to sum it all up, to tie it all together,
happy teachers do not do any of the seven things mentioned above.
Happiness can be fickle, changeable. My favorite word I learned in seventh grade, capricious.
(21:47):
We are responsible for doing what is in our power to protect it.
Please do not beat yourself up if you are guilty of doing any of these seven things.
But the first step to change is self-awareness, and it may not happen overnight. night.
The goal is to be more intentional about making positive progress with any area that you struggle with.
(22:09):
Those small, consistent changes have the ability to make a great impact on your
mood and your mental sanity, ultimately potentially extending your longevity in the profession.
Thanks for tuning in to today's episode of Virtually I'mpossible Presents. sense?
(22:32):
Lazy Learning Land podcast. Comment below your thoughts on the seven things
happy teachers don't do.
Which of these do you already not do? And which ones will you be more intentional about?
Since there is strength in lazy, be sure to like, follow, and subscribe to this
podcast, my blog on virtuallyimpossible.net, no apostrophe, and our social media
(22:57):
platforms, forums, Pinterest, and Instagram.
You can find us on Instagram at virtually_Im_possible.
So you can feel more at home among other lazy learners.
This is your girl SDot signing off. And until the next episode,
remember to live long and lazy and never, ever work too hard.
You are now tuned into Virtually Impossible Presents Lazy Learning Land Podcast,
where we teach teachers how to be lazier, yet more effective to increase student
performance, but decrease teacher burnout and stress.
I'm SDot, your hostess that always gives you the mostest while doing the least,
(00:25):
also known as the queen of working and not working.
With over 15 years of experience working in the hood schools,
aka the trenches, and still I thrive.
Today's episode is sponsored by the Virtually I'mpossible's A Teacher's Guide,
which can be found on virtuallyimpossible.net, no apostrophe.
(00:51):
Here, educators can enter the world of lazy learning land through blogging,
they can find the five teacher laws on how to be a lazier yet more effective
teacher classroom management tips and strategies and also general posts on other
pressing teacher topics,
now for today's episode.
(01:15):
Hello, hello, hello, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Virtually
Impossible Presents Lazy Learning Land podcast.
So excited that you guys are joining us today. I have a whole treat with a bonus
at the end, so make sure you stay tuned to the very, very end.
(01:35):
But today's episode is going to focus on seven things that happy teachers don't
do. Now, really listen up, y'all.
I'm 15 years in the game.
I have been working in the hood, Title I, inner city schools,
all 15 years consecutively.
(01:56):
So I have learned a thing or two about what happy teachers don't do.
Again, you're in for a treat, so don't move from your seat. All right. So happy teachers.
Is there even such a thing as happy teachers?
I mean, one may begin to believe that only happy teachers are,
(02:18):
y'all know those first year teachers when the school year first starts,
teachers come back before the students and it's those teacher planning days.
And you've got these first year teachers walking all in chipper and just,
you know, so excited. so excited.
They're green and naive, thinking that they are going to save every child while
(02:39):
being the coolest, most creative, most successful teacher to have ever done it.
We all know those teachers. And y'all know you're guilty of giving them the side high at some point.
But yes, the same ones that we see at these pre-planning luncheons and the ones
that make us say in our our head, you have no idea what you are getting yourself into.
(03:04):
Those are usually the happiest teachers, to be honest.
So now that we have not had to use rocket science to figure out that the happiest
teachers are the newest teachers that haven't even started teaching,
let's dive a little bit into the research on unhappy teachers.
So did y'all know, did you know that the average career span of a teacher only lasts 14 years?
(03:32):
And that's according to research conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics.
Statistics and in most states teachers
have to make it to 30 years to
qualify for pension and folks
are abandoning ship y'all I mean around the
time that they have hit the halfway mark they're just like I gotta get the hell
(03:55):
out of dodge and could it be that teachers are so unhappy are we so unhappy
that we are willing to start from ground zero start from scratch just to escape
the black hole of being an educator.
And what's even crazier is that about 30% of teachers quit within their first
three years of even starting in the profession.
(04:18):
So those new teachers that we consider one to three years, 30% of new teachers
quit in their first one to three years.
And if we zoom out a little bit further, roughly 50% of teachers leave the profession
within their first five years.
So we're really and truly talking about teachers having a maximum of a five-year average shelf life.
(04:43):
If 50% of teachers are out of here within their first five years,
the ones making it to 15 plus years or making it to retirement,
I mean, that's less than 50% of the people that actually initially started.
So we're not even getting half of us across the finish line.
But this post is not.
This post is not centered around discussing these insurmountable concerns that
(05:08):
we as teachers have regarding this particular career path.
However, it is focused on exposing what happy teachers don't do so that maybe
if we are unhappy, we can stop doing some of those things so we can be happier in our profession.
But I'm talking about, you know, the teachers that end up going the distance
(05:30):
and end up retiring, the ones who truly enjoy going to work every day.
All right. Okay. Most days. I'm telling you the seven secrets plus a bonus. So stay tuned to the end.
The seven things that happy teachers don't do.
So let's dive right into it, y'all.
(05:51):
Happy teachers don't do.
So number one, the first thing that happy teachers don't do is they don't say yes to everything.
I will say it time and time and time again.
The education system is not set up in the favor of the teacher.
(06:13):
We are the last priority.
And in most instances, we are more powerless than the actual students that we teach.
So in a system that is not even set up in our best interest,
you must set yourself up to look out for your own best interests.
Because if you're so busy taking care of everybody else, who taking care of you?
(06:36):
This includes not saying yes to everything.
I'm going to let y'all know administrators, they love them a yes teacher.
We all know that one teacher that volunteers to stay late, comes early,
chaperones everything,
volunteers to work during their lunch, heads several committees,
does the special after school programs, and even does the special programs on the weekends.
(07:01):
They love them a yes teacher. And that's basically because administration benefits
from having that go-to person that's willing to do any and everything that is
asked of them. By no means.
By no means am I saying that you should not be a team player,
but being a yes teacher can take a toll on the individual.
(07:24):
Just keep this in mind, that opportunity costs.
Every time you say yes to something, you are trading time and energy you could
be spending with someone else or doing something else.
So every time you say yes to something, understand you are also saying no to something else.
(07:45):
So to sum this section up, happy teachers realize the importance of work-life
balance and are intentional about protecting their peace, their time, and their energy.
Okay, the second thing that happy teachers don't do is they don't expect perfection.
(08:07):
Majority of teachers have a slight to severe touch of OCD, whether it is directed
towards the organization of our classroom or towards the organization and detailing of our lessons.
Others of us have OCD regarding classroom management. management well if you're
a person that has like classroom management OCD I tend to prefer to say.
(08:30):
There's some control issues there but I'm not trying to poke the bear each of
these are great in a general sense on the other hand too much OCD in these areas
can drive you absolutely insane Insane!
The school year is a marathon. It is extremely easy to stress yourself out because
(08:53):
you have some unruly piles of papers or because you had to handwrite instead
of type, so on and so forth.
I mean, hey, some of us even flip a wig because we don't have enough time to
add more pictures or more colors or the little extra thoughtful pizzazz to whatever
we're going to be given out to our students.
Happy teachers understand that a little mess adds character,
(09:19):
that they can always go back and tweak it before they use it again next school year.
You don't have to be a rock star at everything this year, okay?
Happy teachers accept small daily victories as milestones.
Maybe little Johnny didn't stay seated for the entire circle time,
(09:39):
but he did manage to to keep his hands to himself.
Or that one student may not have done any work today, but at least they took
out paper and pencil instead of having a completely blank desk in front of them.
Progress. So again, happy teachers realize that progress beats perfection.
(10:00):
The third thing that happy teachers don't do, they don't stop growing.
I have been teaching for 15 plus years and I am at the point where I can point
out drastic changes in the evolution of teaching strategies and tools from the
time of year one all the way up until time this year.
Okay, happy teachers do not say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
(10:23):
They actually embrace the new tricks. You see, many of these new tricks come
about to help us to be able to better reach the needs of the particular generation
of children that are sitting in front of us in our classrooms.
A bonus is that some of these new tricks make your job easier to do,
helping to lessen the stress.
(10:47):
So if you would like more tips and tricks on how to make your teaching job easier,
You guys can check out my post on the five laws to be a lazier,
more effective teacher, better known as the five lazy laws.
But again, happy teachers live by work smarter, not harder.
So keep growing so you can keep knowing what to do.
(11:11):
Number four. Oh, yeah, I like this one right here, y'all. Number four,
happy teachers don't compare themselves.
There are millions of teachers in this world, and no two teachers are exactly the same.
Happy teachers recognize that every teacher has their niche,
however you want to pronounce it, inside of the niche, the niche of teaching.
(11:37):
Individual teachers possess skills and gifts that are unique to them,
that makes them an asset on your team and an asset to your school. Cool.
Happy teachers learn to embrace the strengths of others.
Really happy teachers not only embrace, but they capitalize on the strengths of others.
(11:57):
They allow others to take the lead when it is appropriate.
They also steal and use other teachers' great ideas and activities.
So when I say really happy teachers embrace and capitalize on the strengths
of others, that's also part of thinking smarter not harder working smarter not
harder happy teachers don't compare we share.
(12:22):
But seriously, happy teachers refrain from being jealous of the gifts and talents
that other teachers have.
They also don't get their panties or their boxers in a bunch when others get
recognized for their contributions and they don't.
They accept their own strengths and their own shortcomings. If you are in the
teaching profession, for somebody to come up to you and tell you how great of
(12:45):
a job you are doing, you are in the wrong profession because teaching is not
a cheerleading profession.
You do not get told that you are
doing a great job enough for you to believe that
you're doing a great job so if you cannot cheer yourself on
then teaching is probably not for you but just keep in mind that happy teachers
understand that they are fearfully and wonderfully made and they love the skin
(13:10):
they are in i think that's like ole dove i kind of bit off of them but it fits it.
All right, so we're past the halfway mark.
Happy teachers. Happy teachers don't forget to prioritize their tasks,
time management priorities, y'all.
A teacher's job is never done.
(13:32):
No, like literally a teacher's job is never done.
We only get paid for 10 months out of the year, and some counties,
they spread out that same amount of money over 12 months, but we still end up
working 12 months because most of us are doing stuff in the summer to prepare
for the 10 months that we actually get paid for.
I'll just leave that thought right there. The list of things we need to accomplish
(13:56):
in a day is asinine and daunting.
Like heck, just the thought of our to-do list can cripple us into not wanting
to do anything, cripple us into wanting to call out sick or just say,
bump it, I don't want to do none of it. And then we don't.
With that being said, happy teachers prioritize their task.
(14:17):
Now, what is considered a priority does change day to day.
Sometimes hour to hour. I mean, we do end up with these last minute meetings
after school and you must have blank done before that meeting.
You got a parent teacher conference today. You need a documentation folder.
It's testing season and you have to attend a PD training session.
(14:38):
Grades are due this week and you have a formal observation to prepare for.
I mean, I could go on and on for hours listing the potential scenarios of the
list of things that teachers have to get done in a day.
But the bottom line of this is you will always have something else that needs to be done.
Knowing the difference between what requires your immediate attention and what
(15:02):
can wait until the end of the day can literally save you peace of mind.
So if you are looking for secondary math resources, is you can check out my
Virtually I'm Possible store on virtuallyimpossible.net or on TPT.
Again, Virtually I'm Possible. No apostrophe.
(15:24):
Bear this in mind, y'all. Happy teachers know how to do the opposite of this popular quote.
Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today.
And they make sure they do what is dire today and save the rest for tomorrow.
That's deep. All right, second to last, number six, number six, we in the caboose.
(15:47):
Happy teachers. Happy teachers don't neglect family and friends.
I learned early in my teaching career from a coworker, and this is what she said to me.
She said, if they won't let you bring home to work, then why are you bringing
work home? Y'all, that resonated with me as if it were an entire book of poetry.
(16:13):
It really forced me to understand that our teaching job does not let us bring
our sick kids, spouses, or parents to work with us.
So why do we take home papers? Why do we create lessons and lesson plans at home?
Of course, we all know the real answer to that. And it's because there's not
enough hours in the day to do the work at school. where we can actually get
(16:38):
a chance to sit down and work on those things.
We don't have much planning time at work.
Again, taking it back to the overarching theme here, the demand on a teacher
is for them to be present and fully engaged with their students when they are on campus.
So the flip side to this is happy teachers are fully engaged and present with
(17:01):
their friends and family when they are not at work.
For many of us, we find it dang near impossible to not do anything for work at home.
But I simply charge you with this task, okay?
With this first task of just trying to create a system that will free you from this stronghold.
(17:22):
If not, then I charge you with the second task of carving out sacred time to
spend with family and friends where you are fully present, where you're not checking emails,
where you're not doing grades, where you're not grading papers,
where you're not cutting out things for the activities for the upcoming week,
where you can just be fully present.
So if you can't come up with a system where you don't take work home at all,
(17:45):
Maybe there's certain days where you don't take work home or you carve out sacred
time for family and friends where you are fully engaged and there's nothing
happening with work during that time. So again.
Time when you are fully present and in the moment, creating and storing memories
with those people who love you the most.
(18:07):
Because in education, if a teacher cannot come to class, then they get a substitute.
But who will your family and friends get to substitute you if you cannot show up for them?
And the correct answer is nobody. So again, happy teachers know how to prioritize
(18:28):
those to whom you are irreplaceable.
For those who can replace you will.
All right, pulling in the rear, pulling in the rear. Number seven, happy teachers.
Happy teachers don't neglect themselves.
(18:50):
You cannot pour from an empty cup. There has been a sense of urgency in recent
years to prioritize self-love and self-care.
Happy teachers know that if they are unhappy, they do not possess the energy to keep others happy.
They don't possess the energy to help others, to pour into others.
(19:10):
So being selfish is sometimes essential. Saying no is sometimes essential.
Leaving work right at the end of the duty day is sometimes essential.
Essential engaging in activities that brings you joy
is sometimes essential taking sick
days off and not being sick is sometimes essential
(19:30):
creating days where your students work more
independently so they don't need you as much is sometimes essential all of these
are forms of self-care all of them are okay and all of them are sometimes essential
so know that happy teachers know I am no good to anyone else until I am good to myself.
(19:54):
And the bonus, happy teachers. So happy teachers.
Okay, this is what happy teachers do. Happy teachers are money savvy.
Okay, happy teachers are money savvy. Unfortunately, we have chosen a lower
(20:16):
paying profession, one that does not pay us close to what we need to survive
based on the cost of living.
However, happy teachers are savvy with their money.
They know how to make the pennies we get work for them, be it couponing,
investing, or using their talents to create a side hustle.
And I want y'all to notice my word choice very carefully.
(20:39):
I did not say happy teachers work multiple jobs.
I did not say happy teachers work a second job. In fact, I believe the opposite is true.
Although there is extra income coming in, working an actual second job comes
with demands on time and energy.
And yes, I know side hustles do too, but an actual job tends to come with a
(21:05):
less flexible schedule.
It takes valuable time away from family and friends and your self-care.
And when you create your own side hustle, you are more of your own boss and
you have more control over when you do and do not work.
So that is why I chose to say side hustle and not a second or multiple jobs.
(21:27):
So, happy teachers know how to make a dollar out of 15 cents.
All right, y'all, so to sum it all up, to tie it all together,
happy teachers do not do any of the seven things mentioned above.
Happiness can be fickle, changeable. My favorite word I learned in seventh grade, capricious.
(21:47):
We are responsible for doing what is in our power to protect it.
Please do not beat yourself up if you are guilty of doing any of these seven things.
But the first step to change is self-awareness, and it may not happen overnight. night.
The goal is to be more intentional about making positive progress with any area that you struggle with.
(22:09):
Those small, consistent changes have the ability to make a great impact on your
mood and your mental sanity, ultimately potentially extending your longevity in the profession.
Thanks for tuning in to today's episode of Virtually I'mpossible Presents. sense?
(22:32):
Lazy Learning Land podcast. Comment below your thoughts on the seven things
happy teachers don't do.
Which of these do you already not do? And which ones will you be more intentional about?
Since there is strength in lazy, be sure to like, follow, and subscribe to this
podcast, my blog on virtuallyimpossible.net, no apostrophe, and our social media
(22:57):
platforms, forums, Pinterest, and Instagram.
You can find us on Instagram at virtually_Im_possible.
So you can feel more at home among other lazy learners.
This is your girl SDot signing off. And until the next episode,
remember to live long and lazy and never, ever work too hard.
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