EACH ACADEMIC YEAR can feel like a roller coaster ride with a pace and timing all its own. Since our students (and sometimes even our teaching assignments) always change, we never know what to expect—what twists or drops might be coming around the bend. As teachers, we can climb aboard and buckle up, holding our breath and clenching our teeth until it’s over. Or, with a little preparation, we can relish the peaks and manage the valleys, knowing it’s all part of the process and that each element is there for a reason.
When we think of preparation for the school year, we often think of setting up our physical classrooms and laying out our management plans. But, as we prepare for the ups and downs and thrilling speeds of a new school year, we can also take the time to prepare our minds for what’s to come by examining the following aspects of our mindsets.
Our Priorities
Identifying and writing out our top three priorities can help us keep track of what matters most. Then, we can add Scripture next to each priority to support why each one matters. We can prominently display this list where we’ll see it often, refer to it for encouragement any time we’re exhausted, overwhelmed, or losing heart, and use it when we need to make adjustments to keep what’s important front and center.
Our Peace
To help us transition smoothly from the easy flow of summer to the regimented schedule of school days, we can incorporate life-giving elements from our summer schedule—or some version of them—during the school year. We might not have time to spend an hour each morning lingering over coffee, a devotional, and a crossword puzzle, but maybe we could pencil in a shorter time frame for these refreshing activities. Anything that helps keep stress and overwhelm at bay and connects us to the Lord is a valuable pursuit with a big payoff, especially when the practice aligns with our stated priorities.
Our Expectations for Ourselves
Often, Christian educators feel a strong proclivity for saving the world (our students, their families, our colleagues, etc.), and we tend to like being in control of it. However, only God can do that. Even trying to fix everything that’s wrong in our little corner of the world is an unrealistic burden that can lead to discouragement and feelings of failure. Before we begin our school year, we can consider setting realistic goals for ourselves—goals that take our humanity into account and temper the need to be everything to everyone at all times. A good first step is to consider what we can and cannot control so that we focus our energies on the former and give the latter to God.
Our Expectations for Our Students
The students we greet on day one—especially elementary students—are in the process of transitioning to the next level or grade. It takes a few weeks for last year’s kindergarteners to adjust to being this year’s first graders. Maturation sets the stage for them to take the next steps, but they’re like actors onstage at the first rehearsal. Not only do they need a copy of the script, but they need a lot of grace-filled direction as well. Because it takes time for them to put it all together, we can arm ourselves with patience, realistic expectations, and a clear script to set the scene for our students.
While we might not be able to anticipate what this new school year will bring, preparing our mindsets can make a big difference for us and those around us. We might even find ourselves with our hands raised in the air as we enjoy the thrilling ride this time around.
Lisa Lawmaster Hess, a retired school counselor, has authored seven books, including the award-winning Know Thyself: The Imperfectionist’s Guide to Sorting Your Stuff. Lisa teaches psychology at York College of Pennsylvania.
