I hope this finds you well. I can't believe I am already in my fifth week of school.
Thanks for joining us for #moveyourbusmondays! I'm so excited to be hosting this book study with Kacie from Second Grade Sizzle! I love this book. I find it so powerful and inspiring. I've said it a million times before but there hasn't been a page that I've read that I haven't connected with something and said "YES! That's so true!" If you didn't catch Kacie's kick off post last Monday, you can check it out {here}.
If you want to join us and host a week of discussion, we still have spots open and we would absolutely LOVE to have you. Sign up here!
And if you need a copy of the book, click {here}!
Okay, Let's dive right in to Chapters 1-3! :) I apologize in advance for how ungodly long this post is. I felt like Chapters 1-3 had a lot of good information and discussion points!
First thing I'm curious about is how would you define yourself right now? Are you a runner, jogger, walker, or rider? Is anyone a driver? I would consider myself a jogger who has to take the occasional walking lap or two. Of course, I want to be a runner but I have a long way to go before that happens but it's still a goal!
So I'm really excited I get to discuss the idea of runners, joggers, and walkers with you! I think the majority of teachers fall in one of these categories, but sadly there will always be some riders :(. Personally, I have to get better about ignoring those people and focus on me and my students. As Mr. Clark says - I have to stay in my own lane! I've adopted that as my motto this year!
Let's talk about the three type of people on your bus! First up we have runners. Mr. Clark summarizes runners as those who consistently go above and beyond for the good of the organization. I think it's safe to say that if you a reading this, you probably strive to be a runner. I think it's ingrained in us as educators. We want to do it all, and we want to do it all perfectly. At least I sure do. I took away 2 key points from chapter 1. 1) When you first start out, you have to prove yourself. You can't be a runner right off the bat. That's just unrealistic. I'm 4 years into my teaching career and I still feel like I'm trying to prove myself. 2) Runners usually end up devoting so much time to their careers that they neglect their personal lives. GUILTY AS CHARGED. I'm definitely not a runner but any means but I definitely spend entirely too much time on work. I'm a single lady so my job is my life. I'm trying to get better but I feel like no matter how much work I do, I'm always scrambling like a chicken with my head cut off! It really irks me. I can get to work an hour and a half before kids arrive and I still feel like there is no dent in my to-do list! Who else can relate? I'm sure I'm not the only one out there! I'd love to hear some of your tips and strategies to dealing with this. Because I'll be honest, I tend to work so hard that I feel burnt-out multiple times throughout the year. I know I'm a better teacher when I take time for me, but I have such a hard time doing it.. OK, I'll stop rambling now and get onto joggers.
Joggers! This is my camp! I would say that I am part runner, part jogger. I work hard but sometimes when I've just finished sprinting (because let's be honest that's what happens with me most of the time. There is no stamina like a runner has. It's an all out sprint and then I'm exhausted and grumpy and just doing what I need to do to get by...) Anyways, according to Mr. Clark, Joggers do their jobs without pushing themselves. I found it interesting how Mr. Clark said most joggers believe they are runners. This made me question myself... What is with the reverse psychology Mr. Clark? I do have to admit I literally LOL'd when he talked about how at book signings people tell him they are runners and he thinks to himself.. "Hmm.. Jogger." I just found that hysterical because I do think it's true. I think most runners would never tell you they are runners. They're too busy running to tell you! Now, I connected the most with page 15.. I felt that Mr. Clark made 2 very valid points which I connected with. First being joggers absorb the energy around them. My very best friend went from teaching next door to me to teaching on the other side of school and I miss her dearly. I don't feel as supercharged as I did when teaching with her next door. I'm having a hard time adjusting to not seeing her daily and my new team. I'm trying to be strong and keep a positive energy but sometimes I struggle. The other point I found important and powerful was joggers need recognition and praise as our "fuel". I admit, shamefully, that when I feel I'm working my tail off and I get zero recognition or appreciation (or what I believe to be zero recognition/appreciation) it really burns me out. I want to know that my boss is taking note of what I'm doing. I try to tell myself that my boss does take note of what I'm doing even if she isn't constantly mentioning it. She is sort of busy after all.
Finally, we have walkers. Walkers are the people of your organization who are just getting pulled along for the ride. Oh Wanda... If I'm being completely honest, Wanda annoyed me to no end. She seems so whiny too me. Wanda the Whiny Walker...Sadly, I work with quite a few Wandas, which might be why she irritates me so much! I have to make a very conscious effort not to get sucked into Wanda's black hole of whiny-ness. Remember: walkers complain because they are trying to pull you down to their speed. Don't let them. Don't trust the bundt cake! Run away and run quickly! The last point Mr. Clark made in chapter 3 that I just love is that at RCA the goodies go to the Runners. They go to the people who work their tails off, and I feel like that's how it should be! Mr. Clark is exactly right when he says that there is nothing more frustrating that working your tail off to see that your co-worker who puts in less than half the time as you getting the same benefits and rewards as you. This has happened to me and it's part of what ends up putting me in a bad place professionally. I have to try very hard to stay in my lane and not worry about what is going on with others - but it can be so difficult! He's also 100% correct that if you don't reward your runners for their hard word they begin to feel unappreciated and they are either going to decelerate or leave your institution.
WOW! I guess I had a lot to say about these 3 chapters. I told you, I love this book. There isn't a page that I read which I don't connect with something. I'm exhausted (and it's only 8:00 here on the west coast). Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for stopping by and reading this blog. Bless you if you actually read my entire rambling. I would love to know your thoughts on Chapters 1-3.
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Happy Teaching!
