Teachers are the "Hosts" of their Classrooms

 Greetings teacher friends! I hope you all enjoyed your holiday! This week I want to take a moment to reflect how teachers are the "hosts" of their classrooms. If you've ever hosted any sort of holiday or celebration, you know the amount of time, energy, and thought it takes for it to be successful. Watching my mother host Thanksgiving every year for pretty much all of my life has given me a front row seat to this. When I was younger, I couldn't quite understand why she was exhausted after Thanksgiving (other than it must be the turkey like everyone else!) Now I have a clear understanding why she is tired for days after, and this has come from my own classroom experience.

Teachers work countless hours to plan and prepare lessons that have clear objectives, meet required standards, are differentiated for all students in the classroom, and of course, have a fun and engaging theme or components so students want to participate. Beyond that, keeping the classroom clean, having inviting decor, and always thinking how to improve is a lot, all to make the guests (the students) have a great experience. 

I've always been grateful to my mother for doing an amazing job with Thanksgiving dinner. I took a bit of time this weekend to reflect on all of the hard work I do in the classroom, along with my co-teacher and of course my other colleagues. What we accomplish in one day is pretty amazing if you think about it, and I laughed at the thought it took me so long to make this comparison of our work to hosting Thanksgiving. It's probably because year after year, it arrives whether or not we realize it, want it to, or feel prepared. Each new lesson, unit, and one could safely say at times each new day can feel like this. It arrives no matter what, and the truth is we don't always feel ready for it. No matter what, we always show up for our students and do our best, and that's what matters most. It's not about having the most elaborate place-settings, or the largest turkey, its about the time we spend together and what we remember and learn from one another that counts. 

For all the tired teachers/hosts out there- I hear you! I took generous time this weekend (probably more than I should have!) to rest, recharge and to get other things done for the holidays coming up. As I watched my own mother rest and enjoy her movie, I heard her talking about planning for the next holiday we celebrate- Christmas. I smiled and shook my head... as I took some time away from work to rest, I too was thinking about my classroom, my students, new ideas I have, and I felt eager to get going. Just like the Thanksgiving host, I know that all of the time and effort is worth it, and I'll do it all over again each and every year... well, for us teachers, that's each and every day! 

Final Thoughts- Keep in mind you are the host in your classroom, and you have choices. Keep honoring the fact you host everyday for your students and their families- and that's something to celebrate! Keep taking time you need to rest and recharge- it is not time wasted! Keep your ideas fresh and coming, and keep bringing them to the table; your "guests" (students) will appreciate you for it!