The Whole Teacher: The Ripple Effect

Being a teacher changed so many aspects of my life—my ability to think on my feet, my compassion for others, and my confidence to think creatively, among many other things. Sometimes, these changes felt empowering, while other days, they felt draining. 

Some of the hardest days are seared in my memory—the days where I felt I needed to sit in silence on the way home, the days I just wanted to hide in my classroom undisturbed, the days I found out about abuse or the days I thought I’d never reach a particular student. But, also most memorable, are the days that really filled me up—the days where I loved my lesson and so did my students. The days when the energy in my classroom felt like the perfect mixture of calmness, compassion, and hard work. The days when I realized certain coworkers felt like family.

When working in a profession that involves young, impressionable, energetic, opinionated students, compassion fatigue and absolute exhaustion are inevitable. Educators are responsible for managing 25+ students at a time, energetically and effectively communicating new skills, engaging students in meaningful practice while still managing behaviors, differentiating the material in a way that reaches each student appropriately, all while keeping their cool and embracing patience, compassion, and awareness. Feels exhausting just reading it, right?

Anyone who has ever worked in a school knows—the undeniable hardships of a career in education have the power to consume us.

You know the feeling when it’s just one of those days? The technology in your room isn’t working right, the students are HYPED up, meetings take over your planning period, and you have an evening full of activities for your own children. On a day like that, it’s very easy to skip meals, not drink water, complain, go to bed late, let out frustrations on the ones you love, fill any free second with social media, etc. You know what you do on these types of days.

We need to establish this first—we’re human and we can absolutely have bad days. But, the negative spiral strengthens when a day like this happens again, and again, and then again. Suddenly we find ourselves uninterested in and unable to enhance our daily experiences because we are at a 0. 

What makes this conversation so important for educators specifically is that their daily experiences directly impact their students’ moods, learning, and overall comfort in their class. That’s an overwhelming realization, isn’t it?

Think about it—students feel safe when their teachers feel safe. Students feel inspired when their teachers feel inspired. Students feel happy when their teachers feel happy. Students are taken care of when their teachers are taken care of. Our future depends on our students. And our students depend on our teachers. It is a non-negotiable of modern-day education to equip teachers with practical ways to prioritize their mental and physical health. Our future depends on it.

When teachers are not actively managing stress, they are much more likely to react poorly to student misbehavior. When teachers do not eat meals that fuel them, they might start running out of steam by noon. When teachers are not getting enough sleep, negative thoughts kickstart the day. And when teachers’ mindsets are consistently negative, they criticize in meetings and exude judgment. Vicious cycle, right?

So, let’s break this cycle together. How?

By equipping educators with sustainable, practical strategies to prioritize the 12 Whole Teacher categories at school and at home. Recognizing the power these 12 categories have on your demeanor, mood, interest, excitement, energy, etc. can be life-altering, both inside and outside the classroom.

Imagine if the majority of The Whole Teacher categories are rarely prioritized. Of course, teaching is going to feel absolutely draining. Now, there are certainly things in the world of education that are out of your control, but you do have control over aspects of your physical health, your mindset, and your state of being. It all starts with how these 12 categories show up in your life.

A Whole Teacher feels this deeply and is intentional about reclaiming control over their well-being, especially on the tough days. A Whole Teacher’s refreshing mindset, calmness, and realistic optimism are evident in their daily interactions, classroom culture, and attitude toward teaching and life.

Never underestimate the power of a Whole Teacher; they empower students, inspire coworkers, energize their home, and can even impact the well-being of their entire school. This ripple effect starts with you.

Some reflection questions to ponder:

1. Which categories spark excitement for you?

2. Which categories do you admit need some extra love for you?

3. Which categories do you already proudly prioritize?

4. Which category feels most uncomfortable for you to prioritize?

5. Which categories are prioritized among coworkers?

6. Which categories feel most important for your school?