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A Teacher's Best Friend

Life Coaching for Teachers | Resilience Coaching for Teachers

Building Teacher Resilience

Most people define resilience as “the ability to bounce back after set backs”. Popular wisdom on the subject may even define resilience as the ability to pull an all-nighter for work and still show up to teach with a smile on your face the next morning. In our cultural cult of overwork and productivity, resilience has been twisted and confused. In building teacher resilience, we have to unlearn some of these messages and redefine the term.

So I define resilience differently…

Resilience is knowing how and choosing to cultivate the personal resources needed to meet the demands of your life.

Let’s break it down…

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First a Person, Then a Teacher

Do you ever feel like you put yourself last? That you get the “leftover” energy and time? You are last on your to-do list and forget that you are first a person, then a teacher?

Being a teacher can often feel all-consuming. It can take all the time and energy (emotional, mental and physical) that you have. In fact, there is always more that can be done, improved, reworked etc. And when teaching takes up all the oxygen in our life, teaching becomes more than a job. It becomes an identity.

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Cultivating Mindfulness as a Teacher

Unglued. Snapped. Exploded.

Not the most flattering adjectives – but ones I’ve used to describe my reaction to the 1 millionth annoyance of a stressful day. We’ve all been there. It’s not our prettiest, scrapbook-worthy, teacher-of-the-year moment.

What do you do when a moment like this hits? Do you react or respond? How can you make a wise choice amidst the stress? [Read more…]

Stop Taking Things Personally

It’s been a rough day. The lesson didn’t go well. The students didn’t respond how you wanted them to. They didn’t learn. They misbehaved. They were disengaged.

What’s the next thought that runs through your mind? 

> I failed 

or

> I’m a failure

It’s a subtle difference. But it’s important. Read more for tips for teachers on how to stop taking things personally and create emotional space between you and the work.

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Taming Your Teacher Gremlin

Taming your Teacher Gremlins - Blog Post by A Teacher's Best Friend - Life Coaching for TeachersYou know that little (loud) voice in your head that tells you that your ideas are bad, that you aren’t good enough, that you’re not beautiful enough, that you don’t have enough… I not-so-fondly refer to that voice as my gremlin. That gremlin is only out to steal our joy, kill our dreams, and make us play small. Read on for some tips on taming your teacher gremlin:

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10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Renew Your Teaching Contract

10 Questions to ask yourself before renewing your teaching contract | A Teacher's Best Friend | Life Coaching for Teachers

“I’m so exhausted,” she said through tears, “I just don’t know if I can do it another year.” This came from one of the teachers I coach this week in our session. She is fried crispy, overwhelmed, and just ‘done’. And she is also trying to decide whether or not to sign her teaching contract for next year. So – want to know what I asked her? I’m going to share with you 10 questions that you can consider if you find yourself in this predicament.

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How to Have More Time and Money as a Teacher

How to Have More Time and Money as a Teacher

“Abundance” isn’t a word used a lot by teachers. In fact, the opposite phrase “not enough” is used by all of us probably a dozen or more times a day.

Not enough time.
Not enough money.
Not enough support.
Not enough resources.
Not enough sleep.
Not enough of me to go around.

And for 2020…Not enough PPE/space/ventilation/masks…you name it!

But here is the crazy thing: You will never have more time, money, support, resources etc. if you continue to tell yourself there isn’t enough. [Read more…]

Happy Teachers Take Time to Rejuvenate

Happy Teachers Take Time to RejuvenateHappy teachers take time to rejuvenate. It’s that simple. When we burn our candle at both ends, we cannot keep our flame going forever. We need time to refuel, rest, and rejuvenate our bodies, minds, and spirits. [Read more…]

Teachers: The Struggle Is Real

Teachers- The Struggle is Real - Blog Post from A Teacher's Best FriendFrustration, negativity, and struggle are part of the teaching profession. Teachers: The Struggle is REAL. These are emotions we all have to deal with as teachers. So how do you deal with them in a wholehearted way without burying them or coming completely unglued and consumed by the struggle??

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Top 5 Reasons Teachers Seek Coaching

Top 5 Reasons Teachers Seek Coaches

People often ask me, “what do you work with people on when you coach them?” So I decided to outline the most common reasons teachers come to me for coaching. Can you guess what they are? And if one of these resonates, check out my coaching page for more information about coaching or schedule a call to see if coaching would be a good fit for you. [Read more…]