Introducing: Tuned-In Teacher Mantras

Both during my summer travels and in online teacher communities a recent pattern has stood out: anxiety for the new school year, often in spite of—or perhaps because of—extensive prior experience. Others experiencing anxiety are new to the profession or, like you, are boldly trying new ways of teaching.

I identify so strongly with this experience that I started a series of super-short videos with 'mantras' teachers can use to increase their calmness and effectiveness. I've tentatively termed these Tuned-In Teacher Mantras. Here are the first two:

The plan is to release a new mantra every Sunday. You might then watch that week's video every morning or evening to help you internalize the mantra. Tuned-In Teacher Mantras could even function as a weekly theme for your department or school. Subscribe to be notified as soon as a new one comes out! You can view the growing playlist here anytime.

I wish you a peaceful, joyful school year!

See also: Guided Meditation in the TL; Cut Yourself Some Slack, YOU Are What's Best for Your Students; Can You Cut One Thing?

 

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2 Comments

  1. Justin-
    Just wanted to share my own personal mantra that I have adopted for this year (or at least this semester until I am inspired differently )

    Its acronym is L B C C B L. I have those 6 letters posted in the back of my 3 classrooms this semester as a reminder.

    To delineate:

    Love (your students, what you do, etc.)
    Be (present, yourself, honest, genuine, in-tune, in the moment, etc.)
    Connect (with your students, your students to each other, your students to the world, etc.)
    Celebrate (the positives, the successes, the progress, in a true and honest way, etc.)
    Believe (in your students, in yourself as an educator, in the communicative-based approach, etc.)
    Laugh (with your students, often in class, etc.)

    In any case, those have been some good touchstones for me to S T O P and slow down & take a pause from the “buzz & chatter” in my own brain of my own thoughts in thinking about what the next item on the day’s class agenda is, etc.

    They really help me center in on being right there, in the present moment with those students that I have been given the opportunity to be with, in that very space.

    In any case, thanks for reading. Again, just wanted to share and rebound back to you in “my own so many words” what I feel you may be touching on in your 1st two mantra clips.

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