Robyn Neilsen creates curriculum and instructional materials for educators and writes a weekly Substack blog about teacher mental health called The Bookish Classroom. Previously, she taught high school English in the Newark, N.J., public schools for 13 years.
As we near the first days of a new year, you're likely inundated with "back to school" emails from admin. Or maybe you've noticed the office supplies and backpacks in abundance when you make a Target run.
It may make you want to shut your eyes and pretend that time isn't marching forward. I mean, didn't the school year just end?
Even if you're not ready to go full steam ahead into the new school year, a little gentle planning for the coming months might set your mind at ease a bit. And by gentle planning, I mean creating systems to support your mental health.
This year, prioritize your mental health, create boundaries around your time and energy, and schedule time to rest and recharge.
Like the sound of that? Then, let's talk about the ways we are going to gently prepare to take care of ourselves and our mental health this school year!
I think this is a good place to start when we're talking about planning for the upcoming school year.
Wanting to make your classroom a safe environment is essential to learning. Wanting to make your classroom a beautiful space that students want to be in is an admirable goal.
Your classroom does not have to look Pinterest-perfect to be a safe place where students want to learn and be.
What matters is the relationships you have with your students. They will want to be in your class because you make the space safe, not the decorations on your bulletin board.
Now that we've got the Pinterest elephant out of the way, let's get down to the nitty-gritty.
The next bit of planning you can do with a cup of coffee on your couch.
Right now, before the school year gets too far underway, make a list of what matters to you most.
At this point in the summer, right as we tip over into full-on back-to-school season, is when you're probably feeling your best. What have you been doing this summer that got you feeling the way you do right now?
How you've been spending your time every day is what matters most to you. And how you've been spending your time is what makes you feel calm, inspired, and joyful. So, take inventory of it. And then block out serious time (that you commit to!) during the school year to bring what matters most into your teacher life.
Everyone can benefit from a check-in. It gives us important information about where our minds are so that we can reassess and recalibrate to get back on track emotionally.
This should be a daily activity for you personally but also an activity that you share with your students.
It doesn't have to be an hourlong check-in. It might be 10 minutes of journaling between classes. Five minutes of meditation after the last bell. A 20-minute walk. All these activities get you in touch with your brain and body.
You can do the same for your students through free-writes at the beginning of class or five-minute games to get them started. (I used to play a game called whoosh woah with my classes.)
To avoid burnout, it's important to realize that simple is actually best.
We all want to create the most interesting, innovative lessons and have every day be fresh and new. But remember, the hits are the hits for a reason. And if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
If you have a certain lesson type that works for your students, it's OK to reuse that lesson with different content. You do not have to reinvent the wheel.
Not every lesson needs to be the most exciting lesson ever taught.
It's OK to rely on and improve on what you already have. Don't drive yourself crazy trying to be perfect in a profession where perfection doesn't exist ... no matter what the curated images of Instagram or Pinterest tell you.
This school year, perfectionism is out, and simplicity is in. Focus on prioritizing joy for your mental health and making serious time in your busy schedules to spend it with the people you love and do what makes your hearts happy.
Creating boundaries this school year isn't about alienating anyone or making people angry. It's about creating sustainable schedules so you can continue to enjoy your career as you show up for your students.
You are more than who you are in the classroom. And you don't have to wait for next summer to be that person again.