How To End A Teaching Slump

This week, I broke out of a slump.  In one day.

Way back in my very first year teaching, I figured out how teaching slumps work. I remember the day vividly.  During that year, I went through the typical ride known as “the first year teacher dip.”
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I recall sitting at my desk one day, squarely in the middle of the disillusionment phase and realizing, “you work with kids all day.  It's supposed to be fun sometimes.  That’s why you wanted to try this in the first place.”

I’ve since learned, through many more slumps that a slump isn’t only about fun, but to this day, lack of fun is what makes me realize I’m in the middle of one.  Lucky me (and I honestly mean lucky), I like my students and I usually like teaching.  I’m generally energized and the time passes quickly during the part of the day they’re around.  When that isn’t the case, I’m in a slump.

Wednesday, I broke free.  All in one day.  It took three ingredients.

Ingredient #1 - I told the kids certain things they were doing that were draining my spirit.

At this time, this seemed risky.  It felt too vulnerable.  It felt like something that was my responsibility to fix, and not theirs.  It felt unprofessional to need something from them.  It also felt trivial; these were not major issues, after all.

But I told them, and they fixed it.  Right away.  Without complaining. Without any more effort.  It was that simple. They weren’t trying to drain my spirit.  They weren’t even aware of what they were doing, as kids so often aren’t.  When kids know what they need to do, as long as the instructions are specific and actionable, they usually respond.  It always seems harder than that, but it usually isn’t.

Ingredient #2 - Success

We went through a stretch in science recently that was deep, detailed, and took a lot of “head down hard work” time.  On top of that, I fell into some old, bad teaching habits during that stretch, and everything took twice as long as I expected.  

It was a drag. It constantly felt like it was going badly, the kids weren’t enjoying it, and I was having to re-plan everything every day because the activities were taking so long.  Assessment time rolled around.  I was thrilled to be done with that part of the curriculum, but also knew the assessments were going to be a disaster.  They’d been so disengaged, that I just knew the learning couldn’t have stuck.
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Boy, was I wrong.  Highest assessment average since school started.  Both the kids learning from home and the ones coming into school.  They nailed it.

Success can be a real slump-buster, and boy did I need it.

Success can bring a smile to your face that no mask can hide.

Ingredient #3 - Fun

The next standard in science was an easy one to make fun.  Some of them are just like that.  Fun isn’t the goal, but it sure is nice when it can be part of the process.

And that’s it.  Slump over.  In one day. All it took was

• Being frank and specific with the kids
• Experiencing some success
• Having some fun

This has been a hard year for a lot of teachers, and I imagine there are some very, very deep slumps happening out there.  This time of year has a reputation for being one when a lot of teachers fall into a slump anyways.

If you’re a parent reading this, now would be a great time of year to send some encouragement or gratitude to your students’ teachers.  Just a quick note of thanks.  Thanks from parents and students tends to come clustered 1) right at the beginning of school, 2) at the holidays, and 3) at the end of the year, all of which aren’t particularly slumpy times. Hearing a positive note of thanks or encouragement in the middle of February would be unexpected and really lift a teacher’s spirits during slump season.
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If you’re a slumping teacher out there, make this the week you break out.  If you need your kids to rise to a challenge, tell them.  Plan your heart out, teach your heart out, do all the little things, and make sure the results on that next test, quiz, or project remind you of the incredible difference you’re capable of making.  

And have a little fun.  

Make fun of yourself.  Talk to your kids at a non-academic time about non-academic things.  Play a joke on them.  Pose a challenge.  Hold a contest.  Surprise them with something.  Whatever fun means for you, do it this week.

You work with kids all day.  

It's supposed to be fun sometimes.  

That’s why you wanted to do this in the first place.

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