Good News!
We all could use some good news in our daily lives.
Lord knows teaching is so hard and so full of “news” that can bring us down in a hurry.
How do we keep our “spirit of teaching” up and running?
I have tried a few things to help with that, and they are working.
I would like to share a few thoughts with you.
Take a minute here to ponder what habits or best practices might help you lift up your “spirit” of teaching.
Okay, now here is what I have found has helped.
I don’t watch the news…at all!
I am becoming more and more selective on my social media input.
In fact, I am becoming extremely selective about my input in general, whether it is from media, people, my surroundings, the environment, food sources, etc.
As a second language teacher, I know about the power of words and their effect on us.
As an intuitive and HSP (Highly Sensitive Person), I understand a great deal about energy and the input from my surroundings and environment.
As a human being, I have a lot of insight into what is called the affective domain…feelings, emotions and attitudes through our subdomains of receiving, responding, valuing, organization and characterization. (read more about these here).
I thought I would share with you a website that gives several options for managing input and consciously choosing to receive only good news about kindness, good deeds and people doing good in the world.
It is called Kindness Champions, and I hope you will check it out.
You can also listen to heartwarming stories on Story Corps here.
Or better yet, listen to a few or even ALL of the Teacher Tales podcasts and be inspired by other teachers who know what it is like to “walk in your shoes”, so to speak.
I think I have mentioned in previous newsletters that I never went to the teachers’ “lounge” or “workroom” at school because I didn’t want to hear any complaining, gossiping or targeted judgments of particular colleagues, parents, students, admin, etc.
I was once even accused and shamed for being “anti-social” and asked “Do you think you are too good to join us in the workroom?”
Ouch! That stung A LOT. And it also was shocking because I never thought in a million years that the other teachers saw it that way. For me, I was just managing my input.
Teaching was hard enough without taking in added “burdens” to my psyche based on what others were saying in the workroom.
Another strategy that has helped is to ask three questions before I speak and after I receive input/feedback from someone else:
- Is it true?
- Is it kind?
- Is it necessary?
If what is said and what is received and interpreted in return can honestly pass the litmus test of these three questions, then, we are keeping things real without allowing toxic positivity or delusional, made-up stories in our heads to overshadow our day.
I always wanted and still do want to see the good in everyone.
I guess that is why I relate so much to Don Quixote and hope that I don’t meet the Knight of the Mirrors. There can be many of these “knights” in school, and my wish is that you are able to manage them and your input for a happier and healthier experience in the classroom.
Image credit:
“Charlie Brown: Good News Charlie Brown” by A.M. Kuchling is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
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