This year is one of big changes. At work we’ve got a new: VP, math curriculum, lesson plan format, accountability standards and direct instruction model. Let’s also not forget all the new kids that were previously in private school and therefore haven’t been working with the procedures and routines in our curriculum since kindergarten. Can you say freaking out?!?

My personal life is also full of huge changes.  The most obvious biggies are my yoga teacher training and our impending adoption.  Nothing like taking huge projects on all at the same time… (no time like the present, right?)

The first week of school when I didn’t know who was going to be in my class or even how many would be in my class I found myself with very sore teeth from constantly clenching my jaw. It’s as if I forgot all my summer vacation/ yoga teacher training goodness (where was my patience? and lightheartedness?) . I seemingly picked up my prickly, itchy wool school-year-grumpy-teacher-sweater and put it on despite the stifling heat. Once I entered the building, it looked like I picked up right where I left off.

Or so I thought. 

The second week of school (coincidentally the very day I found out the number of students in my class and the names of all of them) I felt some my summer vacay goodness return. After I moved my students to my favorite desk configuration, I audibly sighed (I didn’t realize I’d been holding my breath for a week!) and felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders. I found myself standing straighter, my jaw unclench, my breathing deepen and my soul feel lighter. What a difference!

As a result of this physical release, I found myself more relaxed and present in the moment. I found myself smiling  during instruction and showing so much more patience than usual. Time flew by and kids were busily working as if they’d been in my class for months. We looked and acted like a highly functioning team. I even sang some instructions to lighten it up a bit and a boy in my class looked up at me smiling and said, “Teacher you sing a lot!”

So even though I feel like I’ve been not giving my full attention or even what’s left of my attention to my YTT the last couple weeks, the message is still being received. Stay present, do the work and the practice will take care of itself.

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