Week Six

Self-care. It is one of the most vital things I can ever do for myself. At the end of Week 5 I came down with a nasty cough and cold and as much as I “took rest” over the weekend, I still went into Week 6 not feeling 100%. Surrey was lucky enough to have a short week in the classroom as Friday was the Surrey Teacher’s Association Convention and there were workshops running all day at one of the local high schools. I was excited about this day because… professional development! My first workshop was titled Asking the Right Questions. We discussed essential questions, wonder, and student-focused questioning. The second workshop was Teaching with the Heart in Mind, a workshop about Social and Emotional Learning. The presenter opened with something along the lines of “you’re here because you need something for yourself”. I was hooked. We discussed typical SEL lingo like attachment theory, the prefrontal cortex, mindfulness, and the fight-or-flight response. However, what stood out for me the most was the underlying message of self-care. Taking care of ourselves is the most important step to taking care of our students. How in the world could we tend to the needs of 24 tiny humans if we can’t tend to our own needs? I began thinking about how the whole week I had been feeling tired, I had a headache most of the week, coughed whenever I laughed, and had a very very short patience. This workshop was the wake-up call I needed. It also inspired me to infuse for SEL into the classroom in the coming weeks. My last workshop I was attending for the day I had originally chosen for myself. After a day full of professional development, I wanted to go into the weekend feeling refreshed. Laughter Yoga was the last workshop I did and it was incredible. Not only was it just fun to do, I took away so many ideas that I can use for Daily Physical Activity, transitions, Physical Education and Health, and just everyday fun! Heading into Week 7, I am committed to taking care of myself by moving my body every day (for a minimum of 30 minutes), getting enough sleep (between 8-9 hours per night), and eating home-cooked meals 90% of the time.