come·​back | \ ˈkəm-ˌbak: a return to a former position or condition

So how are you? No really.

Wow, what a year. In some ways, I am willing it to be over soon than it should, and in other ways, I am wishing it not to end. Happy/Sad tears are flowing and I am noting that my regular self-regulation techniques are not quite making it with the emotional roller coaster of ending a ‘not so normal year’ while building the bandwidth to start a new position at the same time. 

The next four to six weeks can become a countdown to the finish or the start of an incredible comeback. A chance to recapture the why of our work, the purposeful interactions with others, and the opportunity to leave a lasting memory for the students and staff we work alongside that will be felt far beyond that final bell this year. 

…and finding ways to self-regulate during this stressful season will be essential in finishing strong. Below are three ways to create a strong comeback for the end of the year.

Purpose in Planning: May for me is exhausting. It is the end of the marathon of the school year and always seems to be sprinkled with extra evening commitments for school as well as spring/summer activities kicking in for my own children. From track meets, to spring basketball practices in a neighboring town, I seem to be gone more than I am home-all for good reason-but all the more reason I have to be intentional with my time. 

As a way to create more purpose and accountability in my days, each Sunday I complete a weekly preview in my Full Focus Planner. I make sure to outline how many nights I have family commitments so I really know what I need to say no to at work to make sure I get the rest at night to have the bandwidth to be ready for the next day. 

Pause in the Pace: what was that famous line from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? 

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

In the race to get grades done, schedules for next year prepared, final newsletters, and assemblies, it is easy to get caught up in the race to finish the year that when you get to the end you don’t remember many of the details. 

The danger of pushing instead of pausing is you lose the chance to do your best work. Think about when you are tired, stressed, and frustrated: is the email you wrote and sent your best? Was the interaction with the student or staff member tougher or terser than needed? Self-regulation means taking the time necessary to be ready for what comes next, and sometimes that will require you to pace down instead of pushing through. 

During this season make sure you have more margin in your day than normal. Leave work at a reasonable hour at least three days a week, and whenever you leave, leave work at work. No email replies at night, and try not to send emails out to staff after hours either. Modeling boundaries helps to give others explicit permission to do the same. 

Praise in the Process. Too often we race through the day that we don’t give others, or ourselves the recognition we need. As educators, we can focus on the negative noise and feedback, more than the great things we are doing every day. Flipping the switch and learning how to focus more on the good will pay off in building resiliency for the next few weeks ahead.

This week during our team meetings we took the time to write words of affirmation to each other and then we each read them aloud. Following the activity, we reinforced the importance of prioritizing the compliments from those we care about most, and to stop giving time and space in our minds for the complaints and criticism from those in the cheap seats. 

As the final weeks of my days as principal at Ellis come to an end I set a goal of making connections with each staff member at least once a week for the month of May. I keep a staff directory in my planner and check off the staff I connect with each day.  This activity keeps me grounded in the why of my work: to build a caring community and a positive school culture. 

So as you are wrapping up your 1st, 4th, or 40th year in education make sure to find ways to bring back the comeback to your calling as strong as when you started teaching.

Here if you need anything,

Jessica