Wow, it has been a month since I last posted. Oops. It's funny how the energy and momentum when you first start out with something fades a little when the newness wears off. But, have you ever noticed this is mostly when you are doing something by yourself? When you have a co-pilot, an accountability partner, someone else to make sure the ball doesn't get dropped, momentum seems to maintain a little more oomph (or umph? ...a technical term).
I think this probably happens the most when we think about that work-out plan we are going to stick to until those 10-15 lbs come off, or that healthy eating thing we've been meaning to get serious about. But, the principle applies just as easily to working with kids.
For those of you who get a summer break, picture the first day of school. You are wearing the outfit you most likely picked out at least the night before, your classroom is pristine, and you are so excited to start off the year with a new classroom full of kids. New faces. New opportunities. New minds to mold.
Fast forward to 4 weeks in (right about now for a lot of you)... all of a sudden, you are throwing on whatever's clean in the morning, hoping your classroom isn't really the disaster zone you remember it being when you left yesterday, and the kids... somehow I bet the newness has worn off, taking some of that glimmer with it.
Recently, I came across the picture you see to the left. If you have ever worked with toddlers (or been on the same planet as them), you know just how accurate this is. While it's cute on the first day of school, this is not so cute by the fourth... but think about the difference of having someone do it with you vs. having to tackle these challenges alone. All day. Everyday.
Just as kids need adults as their partners to help them understand what positive choices and good behavior look like, teachers need each other to pick up the slack when one is tired or to remind each other what you CAN do vs. what you can't. People were designed to live in community. You are not expected to be perfect and tireless at your job all by yourself. That's not humanly possible. It's just not.
Even when the beginning is easy and you're thinking "I got this... I can do this by myself," remember that a day will come when your motivation may not match your goal. Lean on someone else. It's okay to ask for help... or to accept it even when you didn't ask.
Hang in there. Work together. You can do this!
-Lillian Passauer & the CCC team
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