The Summer Reset Series Part 3: Letting Go of Teacher Guilt

So today we're going to talk about the real life of teacher guilt.

That teacher guilt happens year round.

It's not just something that happens, of course, in the summer, even though it's just part of our summer series.

But we do want to talk about the why behind teacher guilt, or at least the why that we think is behind teacher guilt, especially how it creeps up a lot in the summertime.

And so I think just acknowledging the idea of, we talked about this before, the crash, what happens at the end of the year.

But then now you don't really know how to move on, right? And so that's where that guilt tends to sneak in a little bit.

Because...

I know for me, at least, I'll talk for myself, is that when I'm sitting down and resting, especially right after school's out or in summer, I do feel this bit of guilt.

I should be doing something.

And so I think we need to normalize that idea that rest is part of moving forward.

And I think that guilt part does sneak in because we haven't conditioned ourselves to allow ourselves to rest throughout the school year.

And so...

We do as teachers tend to wait to the summer to rest and we don't rest as much throughout the school year because we feel like there's not any time in that.

And I know I have to do better without myself, but we have to normalize that idea.

But sitting and doing nothing is a part of the process.

And that is rest for us.

I don't know.

Do you feel the same way? Do you get teacher guilt in the summer when you feel like you're not doing anything, Michelle? Yeah.

100%.

And I was just thinking as you were talking, during a school day, Nicole, to be honest, the only time I sit is when I'm eating my lunch.

And this has had to be something that I've developed over time because there was a time that I didn't even sit and eat while the kids were eating because...

I was circulating as I needed to be.

And then over the years, I thought, no, I'm not eating while they go out for recess or go to music.

I am eating while they eat.

And I had to really structure it and set up those expectations that while you're eating, I'm eating and explain to the kids, this is the time for me to eat too.