Balance

Everyday provides an opportunity to increase balance. Physical balance. Mental balance. Job balance. Family balance. Spiritual balance. 

To avoid the crushing reality losing balance can deliver, some of us require a strategy. 

Is it a daily workout? Word games? Saying no once or twice? Baking cookies with extra chocolate chips? Lighting candles?

I certainly don’t know the answer, but I’ve made many attempts... and continue on my journey. 

While I envy those who exude balance, and recognize their commitment to maintain it, mostly I just wish there was a magical switch to flip on for myself! Magical switch not withstanding, putting one foot in front of the other is a great place to start.

For today’s step, I’m thinking about work balance. As a teacher of young children, there is something I’ve increased my focus on- significantly- over the past few years. That thing is community.

Building a classroom community has always been a critical component of our transition to a new year, and the foundation for all things related to creating a high-functioning shared living space with relative strangers that will carry us through about one hundred eighty days, and the many hours in each of those days... 

In the thirty plus years since becoming a teacher, there has been one constant and essential truth when building a classroom community: it takes time. 

I’m talking up to eight weeks time. Everything from hanging up a backpack, to finding the nurse’s office, to voicing fear or confusion or joy. My efforts seem fairly simple and straightforward every September; but by October, the struggle to protect time for maintaining community is consistently met with hurricane force winds driven by academic goals. 

Enter, the Responsive School, Culturally Responsive Teaching, and Restorative Practices movements. Specifically, for today's purpose, the Morning Meeting. For me, shifting some of my community building pedagogy into the routine of the Morning Meeting has identified the dedicated space for continued, and responsive, community building that I was seeking. 

Building community, maintaining community, managing in-the-moment community needs:

Does it take time? Yes. Is it a challenge to carve out the necessary time? Yes. Is it hard to do? No. Does it take patience? Yes. Can anyone do it? Without a doubt, yes! Do you have to read the book? (Did you know there’s a whole book about The Morning Meeting? There is…) No, not necessarily. Will it help? Hmm, probably... it will help reinforce the thinking- the pedagogical component. Once you have it up and running though, my favorite part kicks in- the creative and fun component that allows you to weave in some academics- maybe a skill you want to reinforce through a quick fun activity; an opportunity to take a quick litmus test of the individual progress made by your students. Best of all- an opportunity to have a difficult conversation is built into every single day you have together, even though you may never need to have a difficult conversation. 

My school district has recently begun work with Restorative Practices and Community Circles which provide another amazing structure to strengthen the functionality and benefits of classroom community. I’ve been told by trainers that in classrooms where there is an existing Morning Meeting routine, students are transitioning seamlessly into community circles. 

I hope this doesn't sound like a commercial for Morning Meeting… I'm just reflecting on balance- specifically, in my work. I love routine. Crave it. Rely upon it. The classroom balance I have is because I spend many weeks in September and October committed to building a predictable and safe routine. Morning Meeting took existing parts of my routine and packaged them in a way that makes sense to me and offers a creative outlet to introduce and reinforce skills while building and strengthening relationships with students. Win-win.

Balance at work? Check.

Well, a few steps closer... gotta stay in the growth mindset! 😉