“I am what I am. Take it or leave me alone.” Rosario Morales
In times when I have been closest to burnout and giving up, it is usually because in my effort to comply and get along, I have strayed too far from my core beliefs and commitments–what leads me to work in education in the first place.
Eventually (so far) I remember to step back and reconnect with what Parker Palmer calls a teacher’s “true north.” I have found some questions to help me get my thoughts and practice back on track, reconnect to my purpose, and hold onto my bottom line through times of compromise.
What matters most to you and your students?
What will happen if you don’t do everything you’re told (recognizing no one can anymore anyway)?
How scared do you or the school need to be of test scores?
What consequences would be unbearable or unacceptable?
What do you feel in your heart your students want, deserve and need?
What do you know you can provide no matter what?