Mission Possible- Making Teaching Your Happy Place

If I had to narrow down to one thing that has made the biggest impact on me being positive about the teaching profession and has inspired me to continue to strive to reach my students, it would be this...
I am secure in my teaching vision and how to measure its fulfillment.

It wasn't always like this. I hit rock bottom about four years ago when I felt like a failure because not all my students were scoring satisfactorily on the required standards. Of course, there were other factors contributing to my being disenfranchised with the profession, but in large part my defeated feelings were due to my negative interpretation. My students weren't achieving their predetermined goals for every concept, and I took that personally. I was ready to give up on teaching and began exploring other career options. In the midst of my deep soul searching, I made an important discovery that turned everything around.

The main reason I was jaded and in a constant state of angst about education was because I had unwittingly let my personal vision and calling be overshadowed by numbers. The number of a test score. The percentage of students not grasping a developmentally inappropriate concept. Quite by accident, I had lost sight of why I chose to be a teacher and succumbed to the pressure and stress of winning a numbers and data game.

Now, no one told me to exchange my mission for data. I LET myself become a victim, blaming my dissatisfaction on curriculum, Common Core, the poor home environment of my students, etc., etc. Honestly, there is virtually no end to the "problems" a teacher can point out in education. But the reality was I was operating from a negative mindset and a framework of deficiency rather than a positive mindset with a belief of abundance and opportunities.

The first step for me in re-igniting my passion for teaching was reclaiming and enlarging my personal vision as an educator. After nineteen years of instructing at various grade levels in different states at both private and public schools, my teaching story is unique in its own right and has evolved. As I learn more about myself, my strengths, the needs of my students in the world in which we live, it just makes sense that my vision will reflect that evolution. But what remains the same is my core belief that I am investing in kids and their families by the relationships I build with them.

The following steps were vital in transforming my mindset and breathing new life and excitement into my teaching. I share them with you now in hopes that if you feel on the edge of burnout or disenfranchised with education, you will be moved to receive a fresh perspective and renewed purpose in your calling.

1. Write down your teaching vision as a personal mission statement. Really give it thought and dig deep. Freely and fully explore what you hope people would understand about your heart for kids and why you think teaching is the way to reach them.

2. Establish your own standards for how you will measure your success. If your teaching vision is not primarily concerned with your students achieving a certain test score, then it doesn't make sense that you measure your fulfillment based on that score either!
My own teaching mission statement is shared in the example photo below:

The way I measure the fulfillment of my vision is all about being so immersed in the sharing of my passion and in the caring of my kids, that I can't help but observe the evidence of fulfillment in the daily interactions I have with students and their families.


Here are just a few ways I measure the fulfillment of my vision:
*When a student asks me 'why' questions during a science experiment and later repeats the experiment at home with his mom, I know I've cultivated discovery.
*Escorting my kids downtown to meet the mayor during a community caroling trip and hearing them exclaim, "This is my first time to see City Hall!" lets me know I have created an impactful experience.
*Giving my students freedom to build a new 'invention' in the Makerspace frequently results with me being amazed at the creativity and problem-solving taking place on their level. That gets celebrated!
*When we reflect on their achievements in the framework of tracking PROGRESS in their individual learning folders, I see beaming faces full of pride and radiating confidence based on their accomplishments. So rewarding.
*Communicating with parents on my class Facebook page has been vital in strengthening connections with parents. My efforts are constantly validated by their comments and expressions of appreciation because they are always 'in the know' via pictures and posts about what their children are doing at school and given opportunities to participate in class activities.
*I strive to set the example of embracing a positive mindset, so I'm ecstatic when I hear a student who used to say, "I can't do it" with frustration each time a new skill was introduced, say, "I guess I just need more practice- right, Mrs. E?" with an attitude of perseverance instead!


Each day holds some sort of success when you figure out how to measure in terms of your vision. Teaching IS my happy place. That is where I'm making a difference. That is where my mission is made possible.

Do I still have rough days? Sometimes. Do I wish some things in education were radically different? Of course! This isn't a perfect world. BUT, a bad day does not mean I've failed. I am no longer a victim giving over control of my mindset to a national testing culture. I evaluate my performance as a teacher against my core values of what my kids deserve.
What's your vision? How do you measure success? If you can't immediately answer these questions and are feeling discouraged about teaching, then exploring these answers would be a GREAT place to start. To this end, I am sharing a simple mission statement outline that might be helpful to you. Nothing fancy, but the thoughts you contemplate and the positive focus of your efforts could very well change your life!  It's free and available for downloading here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tjt-e9Paj7p6xyIqbPsbRMeY5YpYuJ1g_WtXDVKsmpc/edit?usp=sharing
Basically, it comes down to this- you create the joy in your classroom. I'm always uplifted by hearing the ways that other teachers stay inspired...how they remind themselves that while they instruct in standards, they TEACH STUDENTS. How will you stay positive and inspired? Your students will feed off of your abundance that recognizes the goodness and opportunities afforded to you as a teacher. Choose now to carry out your mission daily and make teaching your happy place.