TL;DR:
- Everyone has hard days when nothing seems to go right.
- What can you learn from those days? How can you flip your perspective?
- This post shares 6 lessons learned from a less-than-optimal day.
Lessons Learned from My Less-Than-Optimal Day
Folks, today was less than optimal.
I forgot to do attendance. Again.
A couple of my lessons flopped, resulting in frustrated kids, an embarrassed teacher, and an aide who was scrambling to compensate.
One child forgot their meds and another forgot their lunch.
My admin arrived at my door during one of my better lessons: an engaging, unruly-looking math task. He was a good sport, but his facial expression told me he didn’t see the lesson in the same positive light as I did.
Two of my students had an argument as they prepared for recess, resulting in an exchange of “non-school” words, and a lunch-kit battle.
I received several parent emails saying the link for my carefully crafted parent video wasn’t working.
I had forgotten until the end of the day that educators are born helpers and that we are the only people on the planet who truly understand the teacher life. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Click To TweetReflection
My first thoughts were: How could I let this happen? I have several decades of teaching experience! I studied the Grid Method and Standards-Based Grading this summer. How could I plan a crummy lesson, much less two? My mission was to make kids feel important, not frustrated. A positive class culture is my top priority. I am supposed to set the stage for respect and strong relationships with, and among, my students. How can I have a goal to become a teacher leader when this is my classroom? Besides, what is wrong with me that I can’t even manage to take attendance?
A year ago, I would have played this loop in my head for hours, even days. Today, I used the tools I’ve learned and the confidence I have gained. I spent time looking for the lessons to learn from this day. Here’s what I’ve found out so far:
Lesson #1 from My Less-Than-Optimal Day: Set goals with your students.
I am big on goal-setting with my students. They have monthly goals and daily goals. If one of them was struggling with a task, I would encourage them to set a goal and work towards improving. Why can’t I do this with my attendance issue? I can model writing the goal and reflecting on it at the end of the day with my class. If I mess up, I model what to do about that. Win-win.
Lesson #2 from My Less-Than-Optimal Day: Who I am is more important than the content.
I consumed content by fabulous educators and forgot to put my own spin on it. I forgot I am the expert on these kids, at this time in their lives. To live up to being the educator my students need, I have to prepare with them in mind. I can pivot mid-lesson to make things work, even if it means I veer from the path set by the amazing model educator.
Lesson #3 from My Less-Than-Optimal Day: I can only control my own actions.
Like all educators, I want my students to be happy in our classroom, all the time. Sometimes, things happen that result in kids being worried or scared, needing to call home to have something delivered, needing a little (or a lot of) extra understanding. Instead of seeing this as a difficulty, I forgot to see it as an opportunity to build my relationship with the students in need. My actions when things are not running like clockwork may be remembered in the future, especially by those who needed to see a compassionate smile under the mask, instead of a flustered sigh.
Lesson #4 from My Less-Than-Optimal Day: I know what engagement looks like.
During my math lesson, the kids were engaged and I was excited. If I felt my admin was concerned about the noise and perceived chaos in the room, I should communicate directly with him. Next time, I will invite him all the way into the room and guide him to see what I see. Happy kids becoming empowered by their own thought processes may even make up for forgotten attendance a time or two!
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Lesson #5 from My Less-Than-Optimal Day: Even good teaching doesn’t replace practice.
Every educator wants kind and respectful students, but none of us truly desires completely compliant kids who never express themselves. There are better ways to communicate than with lunch kits and bad language, but if all students could already do that, they would need us less. I expect to teach a mini-lesson, then spend time observing and facilitating as my students practice their academic skills. SEL lessons and class meetings do not eliminate the need for individual practice in authentic situations. I forgot that today.
Lesson #6 from My Less-Than-Optimal Day: Ask for help.
A year or so ago, I would have hidden in my classroom after school, over-preparing until I felt I “deserved” to go home. Instead, I spent half an hour chatting with my teacher BFF and grade-level partner, who also happens to be some of my students’ former teacher and a technical wizard. She helped me solve the link problem and gave me some great advice about supporting my kids. Best of all, I was able to support her, too. I had forgotten until the end of the day that educators are born helpers and that we are the only people on the planet who truly understand the teacher life. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Perspective
As I write this on my sofa at home, with my dog at my feet, I can acknowledge that a beautiful, sunny Friday, before the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend, featuring Picture Day and a fire drill, is a recipe for some challenges. At least there was no full moon in the mix! I will go to bed tonight thankful that I am an educator and ready to continue to do better, thanks to the learning opportunities I had from my less-than-optimal day.
About Sandra Weir
Sandra Weir lives in Québec, Canada. She taught every grade from Junior Kindergarten to Grade Eight. Sandra is currently a Grade Six English and Math teacher. She is a wife, mom to three wonderful adults, and a definite dog person.
