Tina H. Boogren - 180 Days of Self-Care for Busy Educators: (A 36-Week Plan of Low-Cost Self-Care for Teachers and Educators)

DAYS
of
SELF-CARE

FOR BUSY EDUCATORS

TINA H. BOOGREN

Copyright 2020 by Solution Tree Press

Materials appearing here are copyrighted. With one exception, all rights are reserved. Readers may reproduce only those pages marked Reproducible. Otherwise, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission of the publisher.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Boogren, Tina, author.

Title: 180 days of self-care for busy educators / Tina H. Boogren.

Other titles: One hundred eighty days of self-care for busy educators

Description: Bloomington, IN : Solution Tree Press, [2019] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019017614 | ISBN 9781949539271 (perfect bound)

Subjects: LCSH: Teachers--Psychology. | Self-care, Health. | Educators. | Self-help techniques.

Classification: LCC LB2840 .B655 2019 | DDC 371.1001/9--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019017614

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Edmund M. Ackerman, President

Solution Tree Press

President and Publisher: Douglas M. Rife

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Managing Production Editor: Kendra Slayton

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Editorial Assistant: Sarah Ludwig

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

T his book is dedicated to all the members of the Self-Care for Educators Facebook group (aka my happy place) as well as to the various self-care clubs meeting in classrooms, living rooms, coffee shops, and restaurants all over the world (which is a dream come true for me). I am so grateful for each and every one of you, and I am cheering you on so hard.

Solution Tree Press would like to thank the following reviewers:

Stacie Beaman

First-Grade Teacher

L. J. Daly Elementary School

Fayette, Missouri

Carmen Chavez

Fourth-Grade Teacher

Sundance Elementary School

Los Lunas, New Mexico

Maria Krum

Special Education and Mathematics Teacher

Valencia Middle School

Los Lunas, New Mexico

Jill Maraldo

Associate Principal

Buffalo Grove High School

Buffalo Grove, Illinois

Donna Shillinglaw

Facilitator of Professional Learning

Tyler Independent School District

Tyler, Texas

Visit go.SolutionTree.com/teacherefficacy to download the free reproducibles in this book.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1
Surviving the Season of Sacrifice

CHAPTER 2
Dealing With Disillusionment

CHAPTER 3
Finding Balance

CHAPTER 4
Finishing Strong

EPILOGUE
Create Your Own Self-Care List

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

T ina H. Boogren, PhD, is a former classroom teacher, English department chair, teacher mentor, instructional coach, professional developer, athletic coach, and building-level leader. She has presented at the school, district, state, and national levels and was a featured speaker at the International Literacy Association annual conference and Barnes & Nobles educators nights.

Tina was a 2007 finalist for Colorado Teacher of the Year and received the Douglas County School District Outstanding Teacher Award eight years in a row, from 2002 to 2009. In addition to writing articles for the National Writing Projects The Voice and The Quarterly, she authored In the First Few Years: Reflections of a Beginning Teacher, Supporting Beginning Teachers, The Beginning Teachers Field Guide: Embarking on Your First Years, and Take Time for You: Self-Care Action Plans for Educators, an Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) gold winner in the workbooks and resources category. She coauthored Motivating and Inspiring Students and contributed to Middle School Teaching: A Guide to Methods and Resources and Becoming a Reflective Teacher.

Tina holds a bachelors degree from the University of Iowa, a masters degree with an administrative endorsement from the University of Colorado Denver, and a doctorate from the University of Denver in educational administration and policy studies.

To learn more about Tinas work, visit www.facebook.com/selfcareforeducators or follow @THBoogren on Twitter and Instagram.

To book Tina H. Boogren for professional development, contact .

Introduction

I dont know about you, but heres how things typically work for me: I read a compelling article or new research that gets me fired up to begin a new planan exercise regimen, a diet plan, an organization method, or a new appliance (hello, Instant Pot)and I am fired up for a few weeks and then, against all hope and desire, the new plan slowly drifts away and I revert to my original habits, lamenting another failed attempt at changing my life.

That is, that used to be typical for me. It has been over three years since I turned my life around through an intentional, deliberate focus on self-care, happiness, and well-being. Three entire years. On that realization, Ive spent considerable time contemplating why this time is different, why Im not back where I started, and how I was able to truly change my life in such meaningful ways.

Heres what I know for sure: self-care and the pursuit of personal well-being and happiness is an intentional practice. A daily, deliberate, mindful practice. This pursuit is a constant and continual work in progress. Its not something that someone simply checks off a list and forevermore changes things. Its not a place you get to just so you can slack off and reap the benefits for an extended period of time. Its so much more difficult (but rewarding) than that. Its also not commercial or consumer based. Well-being is not found in an app or a pill or a vacation or a wine glass (although those distractions can certainly feel good for a little while). We have to do the work. Every single day. That work is all about three things.

1. Developing a deep, keen understanding of our own needs

2. Checking in with ourselves throughout each day

3. Responding to our individual needs with targeted action

This targeted action is individual. Just because something works for your brother or your friend or the teacher next door doesnt guarantee it will work for you. Its personalvery, very personal.

In my 2018 book, Take Time for You: Self-Care Action Plans for Educators, I outlined a framework that educators can use to begin their own self-care journeys. It is the same process that I used to start my own path toward wellness. And now, after that initial work, Im committed to staying on track. One way I stay on track is by recommitting to the work every single day. I do this by journaling every morning and setting goals for that day as well as outlining my vision for the future. Ive also continued keeping up with the latest research and experimenting with different strategies that I learn about through that research. This book is a result of that continued work. If you read