It's the Most Craziest Time fo the Year

It’s that time of year. Midterms and holidays and review games and weird schedules.

It’s also a time for questions. Not big, existential questions. Practical, survival, get-out-from-under-the-to-do-list questions. Questions like

• How much content can I possibly cover before the test?
• How much of this are they really going to remember?
• How can I get everything graded before vacation?
• What the heck am I going to do for the rest of next week with the classes who have already tested?
• Can I get midterm grades done early so I don’t have to work on that Trade Day?
• Who the heck scheduled a Winter Concert/ Christmas Dance/PBIS Activity/Field Trip this week?
• Don’t they know how little instructional time I have?

And also

• How am I going to find time to cook that dish for the staff potluck?
• Who IS my secret santa?
• When do I have to turn in those gifts for the underprivileged kids?
• How am I going to get all this laundry done before I leave on vacation?

Questions are important. Survival questions (get-through-the-day questions) are just as important as deep, critical thinking questions.

Actually, I might argue that those are MORE important.  

If you remember back to Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, as humans, we need to take care of our physical needs first -- food shelter, etc.

This pyramid reads from the bottom up

The next thing we need are safety needs -- the feeling of safety, usefulness, necessary resources.

After those two things are satisfied, then we can connect to other humans -- friends, family, teachers, peers, community.

Finally, after those three categories -- physical, safety, and love/belonging are satisfied -- ONLY AFTER those are satisfied, then a kid can can work toward esteem (doing things that will make him proud of himself, getting recognition or good grades) and toward self-actualization (the desire to be something greater than he is now, future goals).

Boy, it’s a crazy time of year for us teachers

It’s also a crazy time of year for kids. Especially ...

• kids who get most of their nutrition from school and who might not get that over break.
• Florida kids who don’t have coats (or who outgrew last year’s coats)-- which are actually necessary sometimes during this time of year.  
• kids who live with one parent and are about to spend the holidays with the other.
• kids who aren’t getting along with their siblings or parents and who now have to spend a whole lot of time with them.

Just a reminder -- there is a lot going on in kids’ lives this time of year. I know you-the-teacher are stressed and exhausted and maybe fighting off that cold (again! still!).

But remember that it’s a rough time of year for some kids, too. And you don’t always know which kids are dreading winter break and which are looking forward to it. Kids often cover that stuff up.

Think of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs -- in your own life and in the life of your students. Take care of your own physical, safety, and relational needs so you can get to the upper part of the pyramid. And remember that your students may need a little help with those lower levels on the needs too. They might not be trying to rock that midterm grade if they’re super cold or hungry or angry.

How can we remember to take care of our kids -- and be aware of their needs as we get into the most ...craziest time of the year?

As always, email me! newmantr@pcsb.org

-Tracy