I used to work in the ed sector and one of my greatest pleasures, as a non-teacher, was helping to strengthen teachers for the important work they do. One thing I could do, and did often, was give educators a break from the press of expectations. In fact my office, an unused classroom in a busy school, became the second teachers' lounge. This was popular because in my room they could curl up, laugh, play with toys, and cry if they needed to, or fearlessly use VERY bad language! The usual visit was about 4 minutes long, but highly effective!

If you are working without that kind of support, don't be too hard on yourself. It's hard enough even WITH that kind of support. (E-mail me if you want to correspond and vent from time to time!)

And every teacher I have ever known has been caught up in a system that takes them farther and farther away from their original reasons for becoming a teacher. So ask yourself, "What was my first vision of myself as a teacher?"

If you can reconnect with that, and with the reasons why you put in all the hard work to get into the classroom, you should see this in a new light, and find your own unique, completely accurate solutions. After all, you know more about this than anyone else.

Always work from that first vision. It's part of your best self.

~Susan

motormice@hotmail.com

PS, you can always try black leather. Why should the students get the only opportunity to employ shock value? *G*