Transcript

Hey, teacher friends. Welcome to the Teacher Support Network podcast. I'm your host, Antoine McCoy, and today we're continuing with the Whole Life Teacher series and talking about something we all need, but often struggle to maintain in the whirlwind of school life. And that's our friendships. That's right…The whole teacher and their friends.

Because this journey we're on, it's just better when we don't have to do it alone. But let's be real,  friends help us keep grounded. They remind us who we are outside of lesson plans and grade books, whether it's a teacher buddy who gets it or lifelong friends who help us laugh when we want to cry.

Having strong friendships truly do matter, but friendships just don't happen, especially as adults and especially as educators. They take time, they take energy, and they take intentionality. And when we're swamped with school responsibilities and just plain life stuff, those connections can start to fade.

So let's talk about it. Teacher life makes friendships hard. We're tired. Our schedules are packed. Sometimes it feels like we have nothing left to give after we've poured into everyone else. And over time we lose touch or we find ourselves isolated, even when surrounded by people.

Some teachers also struggle to build trust at work.  Maybe you've been burned by drama or felt left out by your team. It's real, and it can keep us from reaching out at all to other people who can really help us. But here's the thing, connection is still possible and it's so, so worth it.

I wanna tell a little personal story about myself and a friend of mine who started off just as a colleague.  I've been blessed to experience this firsthand. Years ago I co-taught in an inclusive classroom with a gen ed teacher who had a big heart and a strong inclusive mindset. From day one, we clicked professionally. We were committed to supporting all of our students, especially those with disabilities and learning difficulties, especially in math because we were working together in Algebra 1.

Our connection grew beyond just the classroom. We started hanging out outside of work, drilling hot dogs and hamburgers with our kids in his apartment complex. Meeting up for happy hours now and then and some other activities that we did together. We built a friendship that lasts to this day, even though we are no longer in the same building, and now professionally, we're doing different things within the education space.

We don't see each other as often, but we still check in. We still make time to catch up, encourage each other, and just laugh. That friendship has been life-giving to me both personally and professionally.

So whether it's a work friend who understands your teacher madness and the teacher madness that happens on a day-by-day basis and all the busyness of our schedules or personal friends, who knows you outside of the school.  Friendships do matter. We need both.

Someone to vent with, someone to dream with, someone to tell us to put that laptop away and go and take a walk.  Or someone to tell us to just,  “Shut it down. We're not talking about school anymore!!!” And if that sounds outta reach right now, I get it. But small steps make big differences.

So here's your reflection question for the week. Who's one friend at work or outside of work who helps you feel seen, supported,or uplifted? And your action step for this week is simple. Simply do this, reach out, send a text, plan a quick coffee, or just check in and say, Hey, I was thinking about you to someone who's your friend, who you might have to talk to in a while.

Because friendship isn't just about being nice, it's just a necessary part of helping us to grow as individuals and as professionals. It's part of what makes us whole.

So in closing, be sure to check out the show notes for this episode where you can find the transcript, resources, and also follow me on my social media networks.

That's it for now, teacher fam.  I want you to be encouraged. You're doing better than you know, and you don't have to walk this path along. Until next time, bye for now!

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