Transcript

Hey Teacher Friend. Welcome to the Teacher Support Network podcast. I'm your host, Antoine McCoy, and today we're kicking off a brand new series called, “The Whole Teacher: Life Beyond the Lesson Plans,” because let's be real, most of us have been taught to live for the job, the lesson plans, the IEPs, the grading case management, the meetings on top of meetings…

But what happens when our life starts shrinking behind the role we play? What if we could live, lead, and love out of a place of wholeness?  Well this series is here to help you do just that? Not by adding more to your plate, not by giving you another Pinterest perfect canva self-care checklist. But by walking you through seven areas of life that deeply impact your wellness, your joy, and your longevity in this teaching profession of ours.

Now I'm gonna give credit where credit is due. The seven key areas I'll be sharing throughout this series are inspired by a book called, What Really Works, Blending The Seven Fs for the Life You Imagine by Paul Bax and Tim Schmid. I came across this book a while back and immediately thought, ‘Teachers really need this,’ and not because it's practical, but because it speaks to the whole human behind the profession. 

So if you wanna check it out for yourself, I've dropped the link in the resource section of the show notes for this episode. Over the next few weeks we're gonna explore these seven areas: faith, family, finances, fitness, friendships, fun, and the future, and how they shape your personal and professional life as a teacher each week. 

I'll keep it short and sweet. Just about five to ten minutes to reflect, breathe, and just kind of realign.  You’ll get a reflection prompt to journal or talk through with someone else. And one small next action step. 

So here's the first reflection prompt to start off this series.

What does it mean for me to live as a whole teacher in this season of my life? I'll repeat that again. What does it mean for me to live as a whole teacher in this season of my life? So take some time to really think about that, journal it, talk it through with somebody, and I want you to think about it not as a perfect teacher, not as a super teacher, but just a whole one.

And if you're not already receiving my weekly emails, you can also subscribe to the Teacher Support Network newsletter,  where I share weekly encouragement strategies and give you sneak peeks at what's coming next. You can join our Teacher Support Network family here at antoinemccoy.com/newsletter, or just click on the link in the show notes as well.

All right. That's it for now, friends.  Next week we're gonna dive into Faith, what grounds you when everything else is shifting. Until then, may grace and peace flow to you throughout this week. Bye now.

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