'Tis that season: the school year is coming... or perhaps for you, it's even already here and has begun.
The transition time for teachers from "Summer You" to "School You" can be a little bumpy. It's hard to let go of one, and then move into the other. (Especially if summertime is your thrive time of feeling alive through the gift of time.)
"Summer You" knows how to breathe and decompress, reading entire book chapters at end without interruption, basking in the pool. "Summer You" loves late sunsets, patio-sitting, day-tripping, and vacation-jaunting. "Summer You" adores the "real time" of being in the moment, not living in the "scheduled time" of the school year.
But "School You" has its own perks: loving and being energized by work. Making a difference. Connecting with colleagues. Capitalizing on the creativity that comes from an inspired lesson plan, feeling that flash of brilliance. Being lit up from the joy of engaged students and their electric current of learning, all a part of what put us in this career to begin with.
But work comes with work, busy-ness, and sometimes weightiness: planning lessons, answering questions, writing emails, updating paperwork, tweaking slides, assessing students, and definitely being "on" for everyone! Including our families or our kids and maybe even making time for our own friends.
August comes like clockwork, with a collision when "Summer You" and "School You" comes crashing together. "Summer You" is still sun-kissed and hopeful, relaxed and fresh. "School You" is sharpening pencils and multi-tasking with too many open computer tabs and brain compartments. You are feeling the wistful melancholy of "Summer You" slowly slipping away, all too soon. You really, really liked her and don't want to see her go!
If only there was a way to merge the two, bringing "Summer You" into the school year, perhaps even creating the most sustainable version of you?!
Probably starts with boundaries. Making time for weekend and after work fun. We have all probably learned the hard way that no one gets points for working 24-7, being exhausted, or burnt out. No one wins from that... including our students. I remember my workaholic days in the early years of my career! Sleep, laughter, the outdoors, and time for the people in our lives that matter are restorative. Same for stepping away from the computer, carving out some down time, and not checking every chore off the list in one fell swoop. Laundry can be very, very patient and doesn't all need to get done "today." We all need breathing room and pockets of "summer" in our lives... even in the middle of winter! That comes by the way of our own "me" time with activities we enjoy. Likewise "we" time with our families building in group fun and relaxation.
Add in, there is no denying that we live in the land of AI now. It's a huge productivity tool that can carry some of the weight. Can it do everything? No! Nor should it! We need to be human, and relationships in particular need empathy, creativity, time, nurturing, and humanity. But AI can save time working as our personal assistant, buying us energy when it helps us differentiate material for our students, create project rubrics or slide shows, or streamline mental loads.
Along those lines, our lives are more tech-centric than ever before. The gravitational pull to our phones, iPads, computers, TVs, and more is strong! I circle back to my long-time
love-hate relationships with devices. They are an amazing in all they can do... and equally amazing in the level of "time-suck" they can bring. Often, when talking with teachers or parents about how students/kids are using technology, I ask: are they "creating" or "consuming?" Are they active or passive? It's a good question for all of us. It's especially a good one to ask as the educational pendulum continues to swing back and forth between the "to tech or not to tech" question in classrooms.
I landed on these questions, and I think they serve as a good reminder during this quest for "Sustainable Me." Points to ponder when I am thinking about creating (or redesigning) meaningful and engaging activities for my students. (I think they also will serve
me well when I find myself going down the rabbit hole of tech-consumption wasted time, whether it's
doomscrolling social media or mindlessly playing that silly phone game when I need to decompress!)
- Does this activity ask students to create: code, design, compose, build?
- Does it help them connect: collaborate, give feedback, see perspectives beyond their own?
- Does it invite them to contemplate: reflect, question, think about thinking?
Perhaps all of this helps create a preservation plan that leads its way to "Sustainable You." A mix of the best of both worlds. A hybrid where "Summer You" and "School You" peacefully co-exist, maximizing potential and harnessing inspiration & innovation. A way to maintain your well-deserved, vital energy for the school year ahead. May we all find our very own sustainable selves! Have a great school year ahead.
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