Teach & Serve V, No. 32
R-E-L-A-X
March 11, 2020
Let’s take a moment. Let’s take a pause. Let’s take a break.
Simple message today:
R-E-L-A-X.
Really, that’s it. Relax.
It is early March. Spring Break is a few days away (at least for me) and the end of the school year feels as though it’s a few dog years away. Pressure tends to mount this time of year as we begin to realize the end is closer than the beginning and we have So. Much. To. Do.
In these days of looking at the world around us and marveling, perhaps, at the unpredictability of life, of structure, of systems, it might be hard to relax. In my own context, the conversations and decisions about what to do to ensure the safety and security of our students, staff and faculty in light of all that is happening have been significant. The decisions we have made have been as well. The processes and time and energy poured into them have been intense.
That’s okay. At any point we can pull back… re-focus and..
Relax.
Take the foot off the gas. Let some air out of the balloon. Give yourself a break.
This work we do can be non-stop, but we’re not all Alexander Hamilton. (If that is a reference with which you are not familiar, take a listen.)
If we are educators who are paying attention to our students’ needs, to research and to our own stress levels, we know that what we do can add to our students’ stress. I know that what I do as a principal can (and does) add to the staff’s stress.
We can be part of the problem, but we do not have to be. We can give ourselves and our students what we all need. We can give them and us downtime. We can. We should.
Let’s take a moment. Let’s take a pause. Let’s take a break.
It’s okay to relax. Give yourself permission to do so.