February - We're Halfway There!!
Getting to the middle of the school year is reason to celebrate; however, many educators find that February is the hardest point in the school year. In this month's blog, we offer five tips to get over the hump slump to help teachers keep their productivity at optimal levels.
The Wright Stuff Chics is off to a great start this year with the anticipation of our book release and other projects we can't wait to share with you. With your support, we continue to expand our audience which means we are growing as a support resource for our fellow educators!
We still have space available for Our Teach Your Heart Out Conference Cruise in 2021, so if you're thinking about signing up, NOW IS THE TIME!! See details below.
As always, TWSC and Pink Santa Hat promotes breast cancer awareness throughout the year, but this is heart month and we want to take this time to promote heart health. Heart health doesn't just mean physical health, but it also means taking care of your heart emotionally. In this month's blog, we want to focus on your emotional heart health.
We've all made it this far, so let's keep our year end goals front and center!!
Lisa, Tosha and the Wright Stuff Chics Team
Tips for Getting Through the Halfway Hump!
February is the time to revisit and evaluate your beginning of the school year goals. What's working/not working for you? What's working/not working for your students? Do changes need to be made? Do you have effective support systems in place for yourself and your students? Does your classroom provide a stimulating environment? Here are our top five tips for those who may be in a mid-year slump.
1. Let's begin with the front of the class, and that means you! Teaching is a 24/7 job that often leaves you running on fumes. Mid-year is the time to check in to make sure you have healthy routines in place that support both your mental and physical health. Exercise and diet are critical aspects of stress relief and must be a priority for teachers. If you don't have an exercise routine in place, now is the time to implement one, even if it's just a daily walk around the block. Now is also the time to check your cabinets and fridge to assess how much (or how little) you're fueling your system. Make a note of what you want/need to change health wise, and work toward that goal. Exercise and diet play a big role in your daily endurance capacity.
2. Do you have personal support networks in your working life and your personal life? If not, seeking positive support in all aspects of your life can make you a better teacher. Do you have role models at work whom you connect with frequently or are breaks used mostly for venting? While venting plays a role in everyone's working life, too much venting can lead to negative feelings about your job. Seek out positive vibes at work and this will help you remain focused and energized.
3. Make sure you're making time for some fun in your life. Hobbies are a great way to offset work or personal stress. Find others with your same interest and connect with them, or fly solo and enjoy this time set aside just for you. Think about getting yourself a side-gig and possibly making some extra cash. You can read more about that in our upcoming book The Edupreneur's Side Hustle Handbook coming soon!!
4. The classroom can be a place that adds energy or depletes it. Take a look around at your physical space and change it up to create a new energy source for yourself and your students. What was fresh at the onset of the year, may now feel dated. Place positive quotes where they can be seen and reflected upon daily. Start a new routine for your students that will provide both levity and...yes, more energy! A joke a day, or jumping jacks to get the blood flowing. A quick read of a positive thought of the day takes little time but can promote a positive stance for the class.
5. Check in with your students to see where each child is. Which students are excelling and which students are falling behind. Now is the time to check for red flags that can and must be remedied now.
Midyear is the time to take notice of where you are as an educator and where and how your efforts are impacting your student's ability to absorb the material you are offering. Midyear accountability for both teacher and student will make the rest of the year run more smoothly and more productively for all.
February is Heart Health Month!
Heart health is vital and this month we hope you will take the time to make the necessary changes needed to enhance not only the physical health of your heart, but your emotional heart health as well. The loss of a loved one, including a pet, or a bad breakup with a loved on, including an estranged family member, can take a toll on your heart health. If you have suffered a loss that is hurting your heart, reach out to those who can comfort you and if that's not enough, seek professional help to aid in your healing. Walking around with a broken heart keeps you from functioning at your optimal level and the emotional pain of a broken heart can be equally as hurtful as heart disease. It's not healthy to be in emotional pain for long periods of time. Seek out the help you need to heal your broken heart.
Teach Your Heart Out!!
We hold TYHO conferences all over the country throughout the year, providing cutting edge, researched based education to teachers who want to enhance their classroom experience. Want to learn some new and innovative classroom strategies and have fun doing it? Join us!!
"Does your passion for teaching need to be reignited? You will be learning from top educators all while having loads of fun! Come join us at a Teach Your Heart Out Conference." - The Teach Your Heart Out Team
Last year we offered a TYHO conference on the high seas and it was such a hit, we're doing it again in 2021!! Register now to reserve your space. There are different price levels offered and you can spread your payment out over time! For more information on any of our conferences, or for the cruise conference, please visit our Teach Your Heart Out website - https://www.teachyourheartoutcon.com/.
The Wright Stuff Chics Boutique
Shop our Tee Shirt and Gift Boutique here - https://thewrightstuffchics.com/
We have new arrivals as well as sale items. Come shop with us!!
The Wright Stuff Chics wishes you all a reflective midyear and we will see you here again next month!!
Lisa, Tosha and the The Wright Chics Team
"I turned to education, and I never felt so alive. As a first year teacher, even though I was exhausted every evening, I could not wait to get to school the next morning for one more chance to inspire the next generation." - Casey Bethel, Georgia Teacher of the Year 2017