It's almost the end of the year!

We're almost there! I know my students are starting to feel it, and to be honest, I'm starting to look forward to a bit of a break too! It's definitely a challenge because teaching (and learning really) is a marathon. I sometimes feel as though I have a lot of energy and excitement, while on other occasions I feel like I'm just trying to make it to the end of the day- or more realistically, to the weekend.

Thankfully, I have a lot of great students. Yes, there are some who for whatever reason aren't always into what we're doing or don't quite "click" with me, but I try to realize that you can't win over everyone. Of course there are also days where we may not have gotten enough sleep, or things aren't going great at home, or maybe we're just distracted by the fact that we're hungry, or it's not at a comfortable temperature in the classroom. It's always hard to say. I try my best to focus on the positive students, while also encouraging and helping those who aren't quite with it for whatever reason.

I find that it's especially important as an educator to try to focus on the positive during this time of the year. It can be far too easy to focus on the negative when everyone is feeling more tired and stressed out with all that needs to be done at the end of the year, and let's face it, it's sometimes easier to daydream about our upcoming vacation- not that this is necessarily bad all the time. We all need a break!

So, if you're a student, teacher, or a part of the education system take heart and be on the lookout for the positive things that are going on. Also, when the kids (or you) are feeling antsy and/or irritable take the time to take a deep breath and remember that we're all human, and while we may not be at the top of our game all of the time we can still make it through challenging times together. Also, if you really need that mini break- take it! Take a moment to daydream, but then use that positive energy to reinvigorate yourself and others around you!