Prosperous Teaching Key #1: Take Care of Yourself

In this upcoming series, I will be examining 7 Keys to Prosperous Teaching. Being prosperous as a teacher can mean many things to different people. When I refer to prosperous teaching it implies that you are moving towards vigorous and healthy growth in both your professional and personal life, which ultimately impacts your students and your own family life.

In this 7 part series, I will use the acronym “T.E.A.C.H.E.R.” to describe each of the 7 Keys to Prosperous Teaching.
Here’s part 1 of this 7 part series…

“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.”

– Eleanor Brownn

 (T) – A Prosperous Teacher Takes Care of Themselves
As a teacher or home educator, we teach out of who we are. What that means in essence is what is in us, comes out of us, and spills onto our teaching practices and the people we serve-our students and kids.

Teaching is one of the few professions where we are on stage 5-6 hours a day with a very captive and easily influenced audience. Unlike some professions where one can hide behind computer screens, telephones, or desks full of paperwork, teachers have to have constant interaction with their students in-person and online in order to effectively teach the material.

Let’s be honest. You can’t fool kids. If you are having a great day, they know it. If you are having a difficult day, they know it, too.

Children and teenagers tend to have this innate ability to discern our moods and know just which buttons to push, whether good or bad.

I remember times during my teaching profession when I stepped into the classroom feeling, “tore up, from the floor up!” I was tired, things were not going well in my personal life, my desk was unorganized…

You get the point. Just going through the motions. It was during those days or seasons of my teaching profession where it absolutely had a direct effect on the students in my classes and my personal life outside the classroom.

But, I also recall times when I felt like I was at the top of my game. Lesson plans were more creative and engaging. I brought more energy to the classroom, papers were graded, my files were in order, and I was all-around less irritated. This allowed me to be more fully engaged with my students at school and family at home.

Kids don’t model what you say, but what you do.
That is why prosperous teaching key #1- Take Care of Yourself is so important.

Spiritual Life
I don’t know what your religious or spiritual background or beliefs may be, but all are welcome here.

Personally, when I take time to spend time engaging my faith through prayer, scripture reading, inspirational books/podcasts, and journaling, I feel connected to a power much greater than myself. That strengthens me on a daily basis as I face the challenges in the classroom, at work, or in my own personal life.

What keeps you spiritually grounded? Feeding your spirit is crucial in taking care of yourself.

Mental/Emotional Life
The greatest war we face as teachers and educators is fought right between our two ears- In the Mind.

Often we want to blame some external force like our spouses, students, kids, admins, the government, etc…when things get out of order emotionally for us. However, in my experience it’s not these external people or forces that are the enemy.

The “enemy” is really the “Inner Me” that we carry around with us everywhere and can’t get rid of even if we try.

That’s why taking care of your thought life and emotions is so important.

Who or what are you allowing to enter into your life on a daily basis?

Are these people or ideas helping you grow personally and professionally or are they making you passive, bitter, and lazy?

Take an inventory from time to time on your mental and emotional life. I do this often. And if you don’t like what is coming out of you, then change what you allow to come into your life.

Physical Life
To teach or work in any capacity with students, youth and kids, you need a lot of energy. So often teachers, myself included, are exhausted and lack sufficient energy to do our job effectively. By the middle of the school year many of us are like turtles trying to reach the finish line, which appears miles away.

As teachers and home educators it is so important to do what is necessary to take care of our bodies physically so we can be on top of our game consistently in the classroom and when we are at home with our families. .

Exercise, proper diet, adequate sleep, and nutritional supplements are all ways to improve your physical life.

How do you take care of your physical body and keep your energy levels up during the day?

Relational/Social Life
There’s a saying, “No man is an island.” We were meant to exist in the context of relationships with other people. Often our social life is one of the most neglected areas that teachers tend to ignore. It’s important to work hard, but then equally, you have to learn how to play hard as well.

All work and no play is not healthy.

There need to be times when you step away from the lesson plans, preparing for IEP meetings, grading papers, and calling parents and do something that nurtures your soul. Go to a play or concert with a friend, go to the local bookstore and purchase a fiction book, or do some karaoke.

What’s the point of gaining the whole world and prospering in your career, but disconnecting or losing the people closest to you in the process?

Learn to walk away from the teaching and classroom arena for a while and just play.

I guarantee you that the work will still be there when you come back to it. However, you can attack it with fresh eyes and with new energy because you nurtured your soul and brought some balance to your life.

Will there be seasons when you may have to burn the midnight oil and work longer and harder? Of course, but strive to make those times the exception, not the norm.

In closing, Prosperous Teaching Key #1, Take Care of Yourself is an area we can control. With some major or minor adjustments, it can increase your teaching effectiveness and personal life exponentially.