Finding Marigolds (Reflection Post 2)
Recently I’ve been thinking about how to maintain positivity in all areas of my life, but especially in the school setting. It inevitably becomes easy to find yourself overwhelmed at least once during the school year, and as this semester progresses, I find myself in that place. There is so much going on in school, work, and student teaching that I have found myself tired and drifting toward the negative more than I naturally do. Living a life of positivity has always been part of my identity and I thought this would be a good place to help me think of some strategies to keep positivity up.
One of my favorite memories of student teaching so far is from last Monday. My MT had each class post a positive quote or note on the board and she left them up all week. Every time I walked into the classroom I was reminded that everyone needs inspiration for positivity in their life, not just me. Those quotes reminded me to choose positivity instead of falling into the trap of negativity.
When looking for some inspiration from some of my favorite educational blogs, I found a blog called “Find Your Marigold: The One Essential Rule for New Teachers”. This blog is focused on the trials of a first-year teacher in the fight to stay positive. The author of the blog, Jennifer Gonzalez, shares the Marigold perspective. As a first-year teacher, it is especially important to find people in your school that are positive and like their jobs as teachers. Surrounding yourself with people who will push you to be the best teacher you can be is important in the first year of your career. These people are called marigolds. Gonzalez likens the people to the actual marigolds that are planted in a garden to assist the surrounding plants to flourish. The teachers she identified as marigolds act in a similar manner. This blog post really opened my eyes to not only be looking for those teachers, but to be one as well! Positivity is a choice, and even when the day does not go as planned, it is important to remember that tomorrow is another chance.
One of my favorite quotes from a student on the board stated: Every day may not be good, but there is good in every day. I just need to remember to look for marigolds and choose positivity!
Meagan, thank you for this post! I know that this semester/year can be overwhelming academically, and when you add to it the responsibilities outside of school/teaching, it can really throw you for a loop. Kudos to you for seeking out strategies for maintaining a positive outlook and looking for the good, even when things seem impossible. You might also seek out resources on work-life balance as you negotiate your increasing responsibilities this year. I’m glad you’re reflecting on this and sharing your ideas with us!
ReplyDeleteYour positive attitude shows in your posts. You will be a marigold for others. When you are seeking other marigolds, you might avoid the teachers' lounge. Sometimes it can be a place to air negativity. One thing I did to encourage positivity in my classroom was to write a "Thought for the week" on the board, quotes that were encouraging and uplifting. My students often copied these quotes. They encouraged them and me, as well. Love your conscious effort to remain positive.
ReplyDeleteMegan I love your post. It is so hard sometimes to stay positive with all of the commotion in our lives. In reality our student teaching is a small part of all that we have going on right now: work, family, homework, a social life, it can be a lot to juggle at times. I hope that you are surrounding yourself with the people who are supporting you in your journey. You always bring an gust of good vibes when you are with all of us so I am sure that once you gain your footing again you will be one of the marigolds for others that you are trying to find yourself.
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