This week's entry comes from Jessica, who teaches 8th grade math in Ohio.
Distance yourself from negativity.
During the course of the year, some things are guaranteed: you'll be asked or required to complete a task you'd rather avoid, parents/guardians/advocates will contact you with concerns or complaints, and at least one colleague will say or do something irritating. These lead to frustration and other negative feelings and leave you with two options. You can deal with the feelings and move on for the sake of yourself and your students, or you can let them fester until you become one of those teachers we've all seen who is constantly complaining and angry.
To help yourself avoid this emotional burnout, surround yourself with friends and colleagues who'll lend a supportive ear and help you deal with feeling overwhelmed, and avoid the places in your building where negativity breeds. You'll feel more grounded and productive, and best of all, your upbeat personality will transfer to your classroom and students. It's truly a win-win situation.
Read more about this project here, then email your entries to teachforever AT gmail DOT com. Week 32 will be posted next Monday, October 5th.
As promised, the PDF version of Ten Cheap Lessons: Second Edition will be available for free all day today! Thank you to Jessica for making this possible! The book is available here.