Teacher Tip #28 Pick Your Battles

Take it from someone who chose to speak their truth seconds into the start of summer – pick your end of year battles wisely. As my principal pokes and prods at your clearly established summer boundaries all June, the lesson I have learned is to maintain control over your own words and actions, is the hardest at the end of the year. My working theory is that principals are so angry and resentful that they have to work over the summer, they are determined to bring their staff down with them. Damn, I am already dreading next school year.

If you school leader comes to you during the last few weeks of school, just make those decisions and have those conversations with the knowledge that soon – you shall be free. Those assholes in power will not. Also, based off of the years I have spent in education, even if there is this “really important” conversation you need to have, chances are high that things will change before the start of the new school year. So, pick your battles. If there’s ever a time to put your head down, do your job and then escape for freedom- it is the end of the school year.

Teacher Tip #29 Schedule Fun Goals

As a teacher, I live by my to-do lists and my checked boxes. When I transition into the summer months it is honestly, actually really hard for me. I know the majority of teachers will laugh and scoff at this notion- somewhere along the line I missed the ability to have an on/off switch for stress and productivity. My hack for June was to make my “fun checklists.” Whereas before it might have included tasks like report cards and contacting parents and writing lessons plans- now, it is take a nap, watch one stand up comedy special, relax, sleep in. This has helped me still scratch my itch to feel accomplished and also empowered me to own my own summer. Plan things that are fun for you, make a list of things to do, and for heavens sake I hope you are able to truly relax over the summer.

Addendum – I just went back and read my first post from last July (one year ago exactly) and laughed at myself for hypocritically suggesting to NOT make a fun check list. Maybe it was with the intensity of travel and no rest or breaks last summer, maybe it was with the surfing into summer attitude I tried to maintain. Or maybe I just cannot give any more fucks about education right now. The world is collapsing and honestly I would rather be Nero playing the violin as Rome falls than a soldier out on the front line. That is the chaos neutral energy speaking. When you find humor in the world, and don’t take anything too seriously, you realize quickly just how hilarious life can be.