January 23, 2024 • 22 mins
Welcome to the Minimalist Educator Podcast, where education meets simplicity. Ever find yourself buried under the expectations and chaos of our profession, barely keeping your head above water? If so, we promise you'll find solace and empowerment in our discussion on the power of minimalism in education. My co-host, Tammy, and I explore how a shift in focus can reduce the unnecessary stress frequently associated with our roles, giving you the room to breathe and thrive.
We also have the pleasure of conversing with the ever-insightful Christine, shedding light on the pivotal role of self-advocacy in establishing boundaries in our professional lives. We believe it's high time we prioritized our own well-being, granting ourselves the permission to take those much-needed mental breaks away from work. Join us as we plead the case for a balanced life, one where education and personal growth coexist harmoniously. Tune in and learn how to navigate the demanding terrain of our profession, and to embrace a simpler, more sustainable approach to education.
Buy The Minimalist Teacher book from ASCD+ISTE.
Follow on Instagram @PlanZEducation and @minimalist_ed_podcast.
The Minimalist Educator Podcast is a Plan Z Education Services adventure.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Welcome to the Minimalist Educator Podcast, a
podcast about paring down torefocus on the purpose and
priorities in our roles withco-hosts and co-authors of the
Minimalist Teacher Book, TammyMusiowsky-Borniman and Christine
Arnold.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
In this episode, Tammy and I settle into the new
season with a chat aboutadvocating for minimalism.
We discuss how important thisis to protect our time and
energy in order to besustainable in our profession.
Hi everybody and welcome totoday's episode of the
Minimalist Educator.
(00:59):
I'm here with Tammy today.
How are you, Tammy?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I'm pretty good, Christine.
I don't have any realcomplaints, which is sometimes
unusual.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah, pretty good, pretty good.
We are talking about advocatingfor minimalism today and
hopefully inspiring othersaround us with some aims and
aspirations in minimalism.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yes, yes, Because it can feel hard, as we've talked
about a few times in ourprevious episodes last season,
just how much we have to do, butwe really do need to advocate
for the not only the idea butthe actions that we can take for
(01:54):
just getting a little bitsimpler, because things are just
overly complicated sometimesand we lose sight of what it is,
that what we're doing in ourroles and what we're doing in
our schools, and it feels it'sjust too much.
And so if we can advocate forparing down and refocusing on
(02:15):
our priorities, it's going to bereally beneficial to not only
the educators in various rolesin schools but for students,
because then they know that youknow we're not floundering
around because of other thingswe can.
Actually, you know, they knowthat they're the focus rather
than sometimes you know teacherscan drop the stress on the
(02:38):
students without really meaningto, because that's what stress
does.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Exactly, and I think teaching is one of those
professions where not only is itvery busy, very hectic, whilst
you're actually at work, butit's very common and presumed
normal to work in the eveningsand work on weekends and work in
(03:06):
your vacation time, and I knowthat that adds to a lot of
overwhelm, a lot of fatigue, alot of stress for people that
it's not just while you're atwork, it continues on and you
really have to fight for yourown time and your own lifestyle.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah, that's definitely true.
One of the things that we tryto advocate for our teachers at
our little school is to do, youknow, we really do pack the days
, of course, because that's aschool day, but we do really try
to have, you know, support ourteachers and not taking things
home or as little as possible.
(03:51):
So we do have teachers thatwill, you know, a little bit
before the early start of 7.30,get themselves started and
acquainted with the day and dosome planning and then really
just leave at that end time atthree o'clock or three, you know
, slightly after three, andpeople are pretty good with that
(04:12):
and it makes a big difference.
So people aren't hanging out inthe building for endless hours
and it does actually help thatfor us it's a shared space.
So there's sometimes when wejust can't be there.
So we have to be thoughtfulabout the time that we are in
the building and because, youknow, sometimes there are those
things that when you're planningthings you need to go and get
(04:35):
prepared and things like that,but when you actually can't be
in the space it's almost ablessing, because then you're
forced out and then you know youcan't do the same things at
home, so you just kind of haveto let it go and realize that it
will be there tomorrow.
Fine, and it always is.
(04:55):
You know, we try not to makeanything like overly a big deal.
If something's not quite right,it's fine.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Yeah, it's.
I don't know if you strugglewith this, but sometimes if I'm,
you know, leaving and I feellike you know maybe I've hung
around a little bit longer thanusual, and then I go and see
other teachers still in thebuilding, you know I might give
them a little like, hey, it'sfive, it's 530, let's go
everyone.
You know time to go, but I dofeel like you know these are
(05:28):
adults, they have they havetheir own.
You know decision makingfaculties and you know, maybe,
that they don't need me to comeand scoot them out of the
building.
How do you fall with that sortof thing?
Do you try and encourage peopleto go home or do you leave them
to their own devices?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Yeah, most people are pretty good with with leaving
soon and that was just from thebeginning.
Like you don't have to staysuper long hours, like, try to
just be here.
You know 730 to three, thoseare the hours for teachers and
there's planning time and, youknow, during specials and things
(06:08):
like that.
So teachers are really goodabout using their time
efficiently at school, which isgreat.
There is one day where we'vehad to add a short after school
meeting for like for a specificpurpose, because, because we are
a small school with a smallstaff, it was just not possible
(06:29):
to have a full team meeting witheveryone at the same time, and
so we had to say, okay, we'regoing to do this on Wednesdays
for 45 minutes after school forthis specific reason, but if we
don't need to have that meeting,we won't have it.
So, like next week we don'tneed to have it because we
finished everything last week.
So we really wanted to you know, again, try to really stick
(06:52):
within, like we're done at three.
You can stay if you need to,but you don't have to.
And so I do hear, like theappreciation for thank you for
just saying that we don't haveto do things all the time
(07:13):
because you don't.
So, yeah, and I think too, withthis time of year in particular
and we've earlier in our kind ofNorth American school year
we're right at the beginning ofAugust.
I know you guys start a littlebit later, mid-september, with
your students, but still thistime of year, with we're moving
(07:38):
into the fall season and peopleare starting to get the seasonal
flu and bugs and things likethat.
And it just makes me think abouthow, like we've really been
pushing ourselves, like thestamina has been like super high
.
It's like we're just going andgoing and going, and now people
are like, ooh, I'm starting tonot feel great, and so I always
(08:01):
wonder, like, is it possible forus to slow down a little bit at
the beginning of the year,which doesn't seem possible,
even though, like I felt likewe've been very intentional
about the things that we've beenbringing to teachers and like
the timing of things, but it'sstill so much right Because
everyone they're students andlike we have lots of projects
(08:24):
going on in field trips andthings like that, and so people
are starting to feel thatbreakdown, and so this is a time
of year for sure, and Iremember just in years past to
where it's like, okay, how canwe make sure we're still
advocating for ourselves here,where we are starting to not
feel well and we have theteacher guilt of but then I need
(08:48):
to have some plans, or butthough, because I'm okay, you
know, but really your body'stelling you to stop and but it's
so hard, right, like I'm sureyou guys have the same thing.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Yeah, absolutely.
You've got people starting toget run down.
But sometimes it feels likeit's more work to take a day off
and get a sub in and do all theplans and make all the
provisions for that.
And, oh my goodness, don't youfeel the pressure when you are
at home and it's the day off tojust check your emails to make
(09:25):
sure that you know if Johnny'sgoing home with somebody else,
that the subteacher knows whothey're going home with?
Like you're still partiallydialed in to school.
You're not really 100% resting.
So it is really important toset yourself up with as many
strategies and protocols andsystems to make these things as
(09:49):
easy as possible, if you can.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Yeah, and unfortunately we don't have like
a guilt off button.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
No.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
What he is.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
I don't think teachers about like that, no.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
No, no, it is so apparent, though, when we don't
feel well, it shows with ourstudents, and even the kids know
when something's not quiteright and it isn't really, even
though it's short and we're sick, you know.
But it isn't really asustainable practice long term
(10:24):
either, and I know againspeaking of sustainability, with
schools like there's just notenough subs either.
So there's that guilt on top ofthings, and but we're talking
about teacher wellness here, andso if we don't have well
teachers, then students aren'tgoing to be well either, and so
it's unfortunate that we have tohave the guilt, but I don't
(10:48):
know, there's like no, there'sno like easy thing here.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
There's not.
No, there's not, and I thinknot just in your day to day,
week to week, month to monthwellness.
I think if people are pushingthemselves to these limits, we
can only do that for so manyyears.
So if we want to keeppassionate, caring professionals
(11:13):
around in the field, they can't, they can't do that endlessly
for 30, 40 years.
You've got to, you've got tofind some sort of balance
somewhere along the way, becauseyou can't.
You literally, your bodyliterally can't push itself and
remain sick that long withoutsome pretty dire things
(11:35):
happening to you.
And sharing, sharing any tricksor tips or strategies you have
to pare down and make thingseasier for yourself is going to
be really helpful to the peoplearound you, for sure.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
I think one of the things that is really helpful
and I saw it in action this weekand heard about it and read
about it actually with one ofour teachers.
She got some good structures inplace for her students.
Having some of those structureshave really helped release some
(12:12):
of the pressure off of her andsome of the things that she was
feeling.
And you know, this is like oneof the things that we talk about
a lot, especially when we'retalking about like learner
agency and like when does theteacher let go of some of that
control and we can take off someof the stress of like all of
the things that we're doing forstudents when they can actually
(12:35):
do them for themselves?
Right, we want our students todo the doing and the thinking
and then we can watch, observeand facilitate.
That takes up a lot of stressfrom a teacher, right?
So you're talking less and youget to listen more and observe
more, and I think that's a huge,it's a huge lift off of the
(13:00):
teacher when you can actuallystep back from that and just
kind of enjoy the fruits of yourlabor.
I feel like where you're justwatching your students in action
, you're like, yes, like we'regetting to this point where I'm
not putting in so much energyhere.
That is a huge step, and if wecan get more teachers on board
(13:23):
with that type of thing too,like that's a huge piece of
sustainability in education,right?
Sometimes we just like talk toomuch, we teach too much, we're
giving too much to the students,so we need to step back, which
is hard because, like a lot ofus, are controlled people.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
I don't know what you're talking about, but you
said that's so, true though.
We're so on the money with that, because if we see our roles as
I have to be prepared foreverything and I am the decision
maker and I am controllingwhere this lesson, this learning
, is going, and I am thetransmitter of information as
(14:02):
well as the giver of allfeedback then, yeah, that's a
lot to be doing.
And what's the students role?
Are they just passivelyreceiving all of these things
that we're doing to them?
We want it to be an equalsharing of the education
experience, really, don't we?
Speaker 3 (14:21):
We do, yeah, and I feel like when teachers have
success with handing over thatbaton kind of to their students,
that's something we really haveto celebrate and invite other
teachers in to see, because itis really a hard process, it's a
hard thing to let go of, butit's so amazing to watch
(14:42):
students in action when you'relike, oh yeah, that hard work
that I did at the beginning isreally paying off now and not
just I, I mean, but, like youknow, with them and that is I
mean.
Isn't that the point of schoolRight?
We're preparing students forlife.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Absolutely.
I hope so.
I hope that's what we're doing.
That's been my plan anyway.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Right, mine too.
And yeah, I think you know theself advocacy piece for teachers
is is a tough one because, likewe were talking about before,
you feel bad for taking a daywhen you're not well but no one
(15:32):
else is going to tell you to dowhat's best for you.
Or you might, someone mightright, like you're not well, you
stay home, but you're the onethat has to take the action.
Like it's one thing to thinkand feel even I don't feel great
I should stay home or whateverit is.
(15:52):
You know, I'm just kind ofsticking with that same example,
but also, like you have to doit.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Mm, hmm.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
You know, and like we tell parents okay, it's sick,
sick season, blues are happening, stuff's going on, keep your
kids at home if their nose isdripping or they're coughing.
But then if we come in withthose things, what message are
we sending?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Yeah, and we strangely think we're showing
some sort of like aspirationalstrength or something they're
like look at me, I can powerthrough this situation rather
than modeling what we actuallywant to see from the family.
So if, like, let's protect thecommunity.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Yes, exactly, and we know that teachers are
superheroes anyway, right?
We know that we can powerthrough these things, but it's
not healthy and sustainable atall.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
No, you know, I had a great reminder from one of my
colleagues just recently.
We were tackling this issuethat really wasn't shouldn't
have been on our shouldersreally, but we were trying to
tackle it anyway and at onepoint she emailed me and she's
like look, here are someresources, but I'm out.
(17:11):
Like this is, I've got to drawa line.
This is the.
I don't really have thebandwidth to deal with this
right now.
So over to you and I went.
You know what.
I'm going to pass this along aswell.
You've reminded me that Ishouldn't be taking on things
that are not in my remit andthey're not in your remit.
So thank you for the reminder.
Good on you.
I'm really endorsed yourchoices here and I'm going to do
(17:34):
the same, and so I forwarded italong to the people that it
should have been dealt with inthe first place, and I think you
know in that sort of way thatwe can remind ourselves and each
other, remember what we need tobe doing, what our priorities
are, and if it's not one of yourpriorities in your role, then
(17:55):
pass it on.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Yeah, yeah, no, that's great.
Yeah, it's hard to do, hard todo.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
It is hard to do, it is, but I think it is.
It is helpful when we can, andyou know, encourage each other
when it does happen.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Yeah, yeah, exactly Well.
Thank you for this conversation, christine.
It's always enlightening totalk to you.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
It is good, it is good to chat.
Do you have any pay-downpointers for us today?
Speaker 3 (18:25):
I do.
I'd say that my pay-downpointer for today's episode is
to actually more self-advocating.
So, you know, really live up tonot only being aware that
you're doing a lot of thingsright and you know that, or like
(18:47):
understand that you have topare down some things in order
to really focus on priorities.
But it's one thing to think itand it's another thing to do it,
taking action on, like justsaying no or saying I'm sick at
home or I'm going to handle thatresponsibility to my students
(19:08):
because I know they have thecapability and I'm going to step
back.
So you know you're takingactions on those pieces so that
you can be better in your role,you can have clarity in your
thinking because there's less inyour own mind cluttering that
space and just feeling that thatbit of stress around carrying
(19:29):
around things that you don'tneed to, because there are other
people to support you in theprocess.
Absolutely, I think.
An additional pair down pointer.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Yeah, I think I've got a few things in my mind, but
I think the one that I'm goingto talk about is being mindful
of what you're talking aboutwith your colleagues.
So when we're being mindful ofwhat we're talking about with
our colleagues, we really havean opportunity to keep that
(20:04):
focus on that work life balance.
So if all of our discussionwith our colleagues when we're
getting a cup of coffee orgetting lunch is all about
what's happening in ourclassroom, what's happening
after school, before school,that email you got from that
parent, yeah, when you got toschool this morning, that sort
of thing, where we're reinhabiting this world of like,
(20:25):
this is everything.
This is everything all the time.
But if you make that consciousdecision to say you got any
plans this weekend, what did youdo last weekend, got anything
going on tonight?
What show are you watching, whatbook are you reading, and keep
the conversation around the restof you, the rest of your life
and what you've got going on,because that is so important in
(20:48):
who you are as a person, I thinkyou know you're really trying
to inhabit that idea of this.
This is your job and, yes,you're passionate, but this is
your job and there is so muchmore to you and I value the rest
of you as well.
And it's also probably reallyhealthy for us to have that
mental break away from workbecause it's it's very hard when
(21:10):
you're in a school campus toget a break from it because the
constant reminders all aroundyou all the time.
So it's if we can do that foreach other and and provide that
little mini break for each other, I think that's going to be
really helpful.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Yeah, I love that, very true.
Thank you, christine.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Thank you, Tammy, Till next time.
Today's episode was brought toyou by Plan Z Professional
Learning Services ForwardThinking Educator Support.
Find out more at Plan Z PLServicescom.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Be sure to join Tammy and Christine and guests for
more episodes of the minimalisteducator podcast.
They would love to hear aboutyour journey with minimalism.
Connect with them at Plan Z PLSon Twitter or Instagram.
The music for the podcast hasbeen written and performed by
Gaia Moretti.
Welcome to the Minimalist Educator Podcast, a
podcast about paring down torefocus on the purpose and
priorities in our roles withco-hosts and co-authors of the
Minimalist Teacher Book, TammyMusiowsky-Borniman and Christine
Arnold.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
In this episode, Tammy and I settle into the new
season with a chat aboutadvocating for minimalism.
We discuss how important thisis to protect our time and
energy in order to besustainable in our profession.
Hi everybody and welcome totoday's episode of the
Minimalist Educator.
(00:59):
I'm here with Tammy today.
How are you, Tammy?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I'm pretty good, Christine.
I don't have any realcomplaints, which is sometimes
unusual.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah, pretty good, pretty good.
We are talking about advocatingfor minimalism today and
hopefully inspiring othersaround us with some aims and
aspirations in minimalism.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yes, yes, Because it can feel hard, as we've talked
about a few times in ourprevious episodes last season,
just how much we have to do, butwe really do need to advocate
for the not only the idea butthe actions that we can take for
(01:54):
just getting a little bitsimpler, because things are just
overly complicated sometimesand we lose sight of what it is,
that what we're doing in ourroles and what we're doing in
our schools, and it feels it'sjust too much.
And so if we can advocate forparing down and refocusing on
(02:15):
our priorities, it's going to bereally beneficial to not only
the educators in various rolesin schools but for students,
because then they know that youknow we're not floundering
around because of other thingswe can.
Actually, you know, they knowthat they're the focus rather
than sometimes you know teacherscan drop the stress on the
(02:38):
students without really meaningto, because that's what stress
does.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
Exactly, and I think teaching is one of those
professions where not only is itvery busy, very hectic, whilst
you're actually at work, butit's very common and presumed
normal to work in the eveningsand work on weekends and work in
(03:06):
your vacation time, and I knowthat that adds to a lot of
overwhelm, a lot of fatigue, alot of stress for people that
it's not just while you're atwork, it continues on and you
really have to fight for yourown time and your own lifestyle.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah, that's definitely true.
One of the things that we tryto advocate for our teachers at
our little school is to do, youknow, we really do pack the days
, of course, because that's aschool day, but we do really try
to have, you know, support ourteachers and not taking things
home or as little as possible.
(03:51):
So we do have teachers thatwill, you know, a little bit
before the early start of 7.30,get themselves started and
acquainted with the day and dosome planning and then really
just leave at that end time atthree o'clock or three, you know
, slightly after three, andpeople are pretty good with that
(04:12):
and it makes a big difference.
So people aren't hanging out inthe building for endless hours
and it does actually help thatfor us it's a shared space.
So there's sometimes when wejust can't be there.
So we have to be thoughtfulabout the time that we are in
the building and because, youknow, sometimes there are those
things that when you're planningthings you need to go and get
(04:35):
prepared and things like that,but when you actually can't be
in the space it's almost ablessing, because then you're
forced out and then you know youcan't do the same things at
home, so you just kind of haveto let it go and realize that it
will be there tomorrow.
Fine, and it always is.
(04:55):
You know, we try not to makeanything like overly a big deal.
If something's not quite right,it's fine.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Yeah, it's.
I don't know if you strugglewith this, but sometimes if I'm,
you know, leaving and I feellike you know maybe I've hung
around a little bit longer thanusual, and then I go and see
other teachers still in thebuilding, you know I might give
them a little like, hey, it'sfive, it's 530, let's go
everyone.
You know time to go, but I dofeel like you know these are
(05:28):
adults, they have they havetheir own.
You know decision makingfaculties and you know, maybe,
that they don't need me to comeand scoot them out of the
building.
How do you fall with that sortof thing?
Do you try and encourage peopleto go home or do you leave them
to their own devices?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Yeah, most people are pretty good with with leaving
soon and that was just from thebeginning.
Like you don't have to staysuper long hours, like, try to
just be here.
You know 730 to three, thoseare the hours for teachers and
there's planning time and, youknow, during specials and things
(06:08):
like that.
So teachers are really goodabout using their time
efficiently at school, which isgreat.
There is one day where we'vehad to add a short after school
meeting for like for a specificpurpose, because, because we are
a small school with a smallstaff, it was just not possible
(06:29):
to have a full team meeting witheveryone at the same time, and
so we had to say, okay, we'regoing to do this on Wednesdays
for 45 minutes after school forthis specific reason, but if we
don't need to have that meeting,we won't have it.
So, like next week we don'tneed to have it because we
finished everything last week.
So we really wanted to you know, again, try to really stick
(06:52):
within, like we're done at three.
You can stay if you need to,but you don't have to.
And so I do hear, like theappreciation for thank you for
just saying that we don't haveto do things all the time
(07:13):
because you don't.
So, yeah, and I think too, withthis time of year in particular
and we've earlier in our kind ofNorth American school year
we're right at the beginning ofAugust.
I know you guys start a littlebit later, mid-september, with
your students, but still thistime of year, with we're moving
(07:38):
into the fall season and peopleare starting to get the seasonal
flu and bugs and things likethat.
And it just makes me think abouthow, like we've really been
pushing ourselves, like thestamina has been like super high
.
It's like we're just going andgoing and going, and now people
are like, ooh, I'm starting tonot feel great, and so I always
(08:01):
wonder, like, is it possible forus to slow down a little bit at
the beginning of the year,which doesn't seem possible,
even though, like I felt likewe've been very intentional
about the things that we've beenbringing to teachers and like
the timing of things, but it'sstill so much right Because
everyone they're students andlike we have lots of projects
(08:24):
going on in field trips andthings like that, and so people
are starting to feel thatbreakdown, and so this is a time
of year for sure, and Iremember just in years past to
where it's like, okay, how canwe make sure we're still
advocating for ourselves here,where we are starting to not
feel well and we have theteacher guilt of but then I need
(08:48):
to have some plans, or butthough, because I'm okay, you
know, but really your body'stelling you to stop and but it's
so hard, right, like I'm sureyou guys have the same thing.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Yeah, absolutely.
You've got people starting toget run down.
But sometimes it feels likeit's more work to take a day off
and get a sub in and do all theplans and make all the
provisions for that.
And, oh my goodness, don't youfeel the pressure when you are
at home and it's the day off tojust check your emails to make
(09:25):
sure that you know if Johnny'sgoing home with somebody else,
that the subteacher knows whothey're going home with?
Like you're still partiallydialed in to school.
You're not really 100% resting.
So it is really important toset yourself up with as many
strategies and protocols andsystems to make these things as
(09:49):
easy as possible, if you can.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Yeah, and unfortunately we don't have like
a guilt off button.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
No.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
What he is.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
I don't think teachers about like that, no.
Speaker 3 (10:03):
No, no, it is so apparent, though, when we don't
feel well, it shows with ourstudents, and even the kids know
when something's not quiteright and it isn't really, even
though it's short and we're sick, you know.
But it isn't really asustainable practice long term
(10:24):
either, and I know againspeaking of sustainability, with
schools like there's just notenough subs either.
So there's that guilt on top ofthings, and but we're talking
about teacher wellness here, andso if we don't have well
teachers, then students aren'tgoing to be well either, and so
it's unfortunate that we have tohave the guilt, but I don't
(10:48):
know, there's like no, there'sno like easy thing here.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
There's not.
No, there's not, and I thinknot just in your day to day,
week to week, month to monthwellness.
I think if people are pushingthemselves to these limits, we
can only do that for so manyyears.
So if we want to keeppassionate, caring professionals
(11:13):
around in the field, they can't, they can't do that endlessly
for 30, 40 years.
You've got to, you've got tofind some sort of balance
somewhere along the way, becauseyou can't.
You literally, your bodyliterally can't push itself and
remain sick that long withoutsome pretty dire things
(11:35):
happening to you.
And sharing, sharing any tricksor tips or strategies you have
to pare down and make thingseasier for yourself is going to
be really helpful to the peoplearound you, for sure.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
I think one of the things that is really helpful
and I saw it in action this weekand heard about it and read
about it actually with one ofour teachers.
She got some good structures inplace for her students.
Having some of those structureshave really helped release some
(12:12):
of the pressure off of her andsome of the things that she was
feeling.
And you know, this is like oneof the things that we talk about
a lot, especially when we'retalking about like learner
agency and like when does theteacher let go of some of that
control and we can take off someof the stress of like all of
the things that we're doing forstudents when they can actually
(12:35):
do them for themselves?
Right, we want our students todo the doing and the thinking
and then we can watch, observeand facilitate.
That takes up a lot of stressfrom a teacher, right?
So you're talking less and youget to listen more and observe
more, and I think that's a huge,it's a huge lift off of the
(13:00):
teacher when you can actuallystep back from that and just
kind of enjoy the fruits of yourlabor.
I feel like where you're justwatching your students in action
, you're like, yes, like we'regetting to this point where I'm
not putting in so much energyhere.
That is a huge step, and if wecan get more teachers on board
(13:23):
with that type of thing too,like that's a huge piece of
sustainability in education,right?
Sometimes we just like talk toomuch, we teach too much, we're
giving too much to the students,so we need to step back, which
is hard because, like a lot ofus, are controlled people.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
I don't know what you're talking about, but you
said that's so, true though.
We're so on the money with that, because if we see our roles as
I have to be prepared foreverything and I am the decision
maker and I am controllingwhere this lesson, this learning
, is going, and I am thetransmitter of information as
(14:02):
well as the giver of allfeedback then, yeah, that's a
lot to be doing.
And what's the students role?
Are they just passivelyreceiving all of these things
that we're doing to them?
We want it to be an equalsharing of the education
experience, really, don't we?
Speaker 3 (14:21):
We do, yeah, and I feel like when teachers have
success with handing over thatbaton kind of to their students,
that's something we really haveto celebrate and invite other
teachers in to see, because itis really a hard process, it's a
hard thing to let go of, butit's so amazing to watch
(14:42):
students in action when you'relike, oh yeah, that hard work
that I did at the beginning isreally paying off now and not
just I, I mean, but, like youknow, with them and that is I
mean.
Isn't that the point of schoolRight?
We're preparing students forlife.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Absolutely.
I hope so.
I hope that's what we're doing.
That's been my plan anyway.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Right, mine too.
And yeah, I think you know theself advocacy piece for teachers
is is a tough one because, likewe were talking about before,
you feel bad for taking a daywhen you're not well but no one
(15:32):
else is going to tell you to dowhat's best for you.
Or you might, someone mightright, like you're not well, you
stay home, but you're the onethat has to take the action.
Like it's one thing to thinkand feel even I don't feel great
I should stay home or whateverit is.
(15:52):
You know, I'm just kind ofsticking with that same example,
but also, like you have to doit.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Mm, hmm.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
You know, and like we tell parents okay, it's sick,
sick season, blues are happening, stuff's going on, keep your
kids at home if their nose isdripping or they're coughing.
But then if we come in withthose things, what message are
we sending?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Yeah, and we strangely think we're showing
some sort of like aspirationalstrength or something they're
like look at me, I can powerthrough this situation rather
than modeling what we actuallywant to see from the family.
So if, like, let's protect thecommunity.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Yes, exactly, and we know that teachers are
superheroes anyway, right?
We know that we can powerthrough these things, but it's
not healthy and sustainable atall.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
No, you know, I had a great reminder from one of my
colleagues just recently.
We were tackling this issuethat really wasn't shouldn't
have been on our shouldersreally, but we were trying to
tackle it anyway and at onepoint she emailed me and she's
like look, here are someresources, but I'm out.
(17:11):
Like this is, I've got to drawa line.
This is the.
I don't really have thebandwidth to deal with this
right now.
So over to you and I went.
You know what.
I'm going to pass this along aswell.
You've reminded me that Ishouldn't be taking on things
that are not in my remit andthey're not in your remit.
So thank you for the reminder.
Good on you.
I'm really endorsed yourchoices here and I'm going to do
(17:34):
the same, and so I forwarded italong to the people that it
should have been dealt with inthe first place, and I think you
know in that sort of way thatwe can remind ourselves and each
other, remember what we need tobe doing, what our priorities
are, and if it's not one of yourpriorities in your role, then
(17:55):
pass it on.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Yeah, yeah, no, that's great.
Yeah, it's hard to do, hard todo.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
It is hard to do, it is, but I think it is.
It is helpful when we can, andyou know, encourage each other
when it does happen.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Yeah, yeah, exactly Well.
Thank you for this conversation, christine.
It's always enlightening totalk to you.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
It is good, it is good to chat.
Do you have any pay-downpointers for us today?
Speaker 3 (18:25):
I do.
I'd say that my pay-downpointer for today's episode is
to actually more self-advocating.
So, you know, really live up tonot only being aware that
you're doing a lot of thingsright and you know that, or like
(18:47):
understand that you have topare down some things in order
to really focus on priorities.
But it's one thing to think itand it's another thing to do it,
taking action on, like justsaying no or saying I'm sick at
home or I'm going to handle thatresponsibility to my students
(19:08):
because I know they have thecapability and I'm going to step
back.
So you know you're takingactions on those pieces so that
you can be better in your role,you can have clarity in your
thinking because there's less inyour own mind cluttering that
space and just feeling that thatbit of stress around carrying
(19:29):
around things that you don'tneed to, because there are other
people to support you in theprocess.
Absolutely, I think.
An additional pair down pointer.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Yeah, I think I've got a few things in my mind, but
I think the one that I'm goingto talk about is being mindful
of what you're talking aboutwith your colleagues.
So when we're being mindful ofwhat we're talking about with
our colleagues, we really havean opportunity to keep that
(20:04):
focus on that work life balance.
So if all of our discussionwith our colleagues when we're
getting a cup of coffee orgetting lunch is all about
what's happening in ourclassroom, what's happening
after school, before school,that email you got from that
parent, yeah, when you got toschool this morning, that sort
of thing, where we're reinhabiting this world of like,
(20:25):
this is everything.
This is everything all the time.
But if you make that consciousdecision to say you got any
plans this weekend, what did youdo last weekend, got anything
going on tonight?
What show are you watching, whatbook are you reading, and keep
the conversation around the restof you, the rest of your life
and what you've got going on,because that is so important in
(20:48):
who you are as a person, I thinkyou know you're really trying
to inhabit that idea of this.
This is your job and, yes,you're passionate, but this is
your job and there is so muchmore to you and I value the rest
of you as well.
And it's also probably reallyhealthy for us to have that
mental break away from workbecause it's it's very hard when
(21:10):
you're in a school campus toget a break from it because the
constant reminders all aroundyou all the time.
So it's if we can do that foreach other and and provide that
little mini break for each other, I think that's going to be
really helpful.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Yeah, I love that, very true.
Thank you, christine.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Thank you, Tammy, Till next time.
Today's episode was brought toyou by Plan Z Professional
Learning Services ForwardThinking Educator Support.
Find out more at Plan Z PLServicescom.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Be sure to join Tammy and Christine and guests for
more episodes of the minimalisteducator podcast.
They would love to hear aboutyour journey with minimalism.
Connect with them at Plan Z PLSon Twitter or Instagram.
The music for the podcast hasbeen written and performed by
Gaia Moretti.
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.