Some days you just need to write a list–and lucky for me, that was the prompt provided by Denise over at #verselove. It turns out that this was not my typical list, it is more like advice to myself. After all, it is April and there are 37 more school days in this school year. What that means is that things start to get a bit frantic in the world of teachers. There is all the uncertainty that comes with staffing from year to year–a third grade teacher needs to move to 4th grade. Will they hire anyone this year? Who will retire? And there’s also the drama…on the playground, in the teacher’s lounge, sometimes even in the classroom.

So here we go…

How to Maintain Sanity with 37 Days Left in School

• Introduce students to amazing mentors like Amanda Gorman, Jan Goodall, Rachel Carson and more.
• Take long walks–everyday–even when you don’t feel like it.
• On those super stressful days, indulge in a class of red wine.
• Make time for some trashy and/or light reading. Get lost in a world different from yours.
• Keep learning activities light and varied. Remember, students learn and remember more when they’re having fun.
• Buy yourself flowers (Trader Joe’s is a great source)–smell them, photograph them, enjoy them.
• Break out the play doh! Give students challenges: make something that is food; create an animal; something with straight and curved lines… Be sure you are building too!
• Breathe. Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat as needed.
• Laugh. A lot. With your family. With your students. By yourself. In your car. In the shower. Just laugh.
• Write poetry. Read poetry. For yourself and with your students. Leave a poem where someone will find it. Or better yet, post it on your blog!