“Teaching is hard.” ~ Captain Obvious

Anyone who’s ever taught knows this — feels it in her bones.

There are a million demands on your time — administrators, students, colleagues, and parents pulling you every which way! There will be many days you wonder why chose this profession. There are easier ways to make a living. So, so many ways.

If you’ve been in the classroom a few years, it can become hard to connect with what made you want to teach in the first place. Why did you want to be a teacher? What was that beautiful idealistic picture you painted for yourself?

Connecting with this “why” is so important for keeping your sanity and finding joy in the profession when things get hard.

My advice to you, define your teaching mission. Oh, no! Please don’t leave!

I know how boring and corporate that sounds, but I promise this is such a powerful exercise. It brings up all the feels, re-focuses and re-energizes.

So write it out. It’ll help you keep your head next year. It’ll help you figure out when to say no and when to say yes. Filter out the noise and do you and the serve the kids you came here to serve.

I explain just how to do it and include my free template below.

And please share your mission in the comments!

Links mentioned in the video:

Classroom Mission Statement Free Template

Tarheelstate Teacher’s Morning Meeting Blog Series

Teachers Resource Force Character Education for Secondary Students Blog Post

Check out the advice from my upper elementary teacher friends. Click on the advice to learn more about their tip for a successful school year and grab free reflection tools, checklists, questionnaires, and more!

Kerry Tracy of Feel-Good Teaching says, “Take the time to reconnect with your calling to get you through the rough patches!”

Tammy of Tarheelstate Teacher says, “At the end of the school year, reflect on your favorite lessons and experiences. Consciously plan to take what worked into the upcoming school year.“

Tanya Yero Teaching says “Parent conferences are an excellent way to bridge the gap between school and home, but they can sometimes be a hard discussion to have. Here are six tips that will help you conduct successful, yet truthful parent conferences.”

Brittany Hege of Mix and Math says, “Incorporate call and response chants as part of your classroom management…It will work for you and is fun for students!”

Jeanine Schneider of Think Grow Giggle says, “The time spent building student relationships is the best time you will spend all year!”

Laura Hurley of Reading by Heart says, “Build decoding independence by giving your readers white boards and teaching them to ‘operate on’ words they want to decode. This tip shows you how.”

Kathie Yonemura of Tried & True Teaching Tools says, “Find your teacher tribe!”