Conclusion

You made it! Let’s check in one more time.

How are you feeling?

Hopefully this paper has given you permission to take care of yourself or to try some new ideas with your students, or maybe it’s helped you feel lighter.

Even though being an educator can seem like the most stressful job in the world, it’s also a job with an amazing community. The best way to get through difficulties is to get through them together. We have the power to combat stress, anxiety, and burnout and to take back our classrooms and lives. The choice is simple. The work might be hard at times, but remember that you are not alone.

What now? It’s time to let go of old habits that didn’t leave you enough time and space to take care of yourself. Adjust your mindset so you can believe that self-care is as necessary for educators as lesson planning. Act on one of these concepts you’ve just read about. Pick one and try it today—with your students, your staff, your family, and your friends! If you’re still struggling to give yourself permission to take care of yourself, think of how much more effective you’ll be at teaching when you’re not stressed and therefore better able to focus on the present. By taking care of yourself, you’ll also be modeling the kind of behavior you want your students to demonstrate.

Which one of these self-care techniques do you see yourself using?

Positive Mindset
Laughter
Singing
Movement

The human experience involves feeling emotions, sharing emotions, and knowing you are not alone in your emotions. Please reach out and stay connected to yourself and one another. We can be the change we want to see in this world. Thank you for being in education and for being a champion for children. You are doing an amazing job.

Until we meet again, be you, be true, and be amazing!

Ready to start your
self-care journey?

Check out our Teacher Wellness quick tip series here.

Danielle Sullivan brings 10 years of teaching experience to her role as a national director of content and implementation at Curriculum Associates. She specializes in establishing and strengthening middle school implementations with an emphasis on student engagement and motivation. Her popular webinars, presentations, and professional development training sessions have established her as a thought leader in educator well-being, personal development, self-care, and community building. Sullivan is the cohost of the Curriculum Associates’ Extraordinary Educator podcast, a prolific writer, and a dedicated colleague to the schools and districts with which she partners.

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