Re-energize Yourself When Fatigue Sets In
Original Article: https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/article/re-energize-yourself-when-fatigue-sets
A: I remind myself that in my life, just as in my classroom, certain things are non-negotiable. An important non-negotiable for me is exercise: I swim every morning before school. When I’m stressed, it’s tempting to think about skipping my swim. But I remind myself firmly that lack of exercise will compound my stress and ultimately make me feel worse. The sense of well-being I feel after swimming reinforces my belief that I have to take care of myself if I’m going to have the energy to take care of others.
Author
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A public school teacher for 15 years, Mike has also had many other roles in education: preschool aid, high school and age-group swim coach, camp counselor, graduate class instructor, and Responsive Classroom presenter and developer. He now works as a consultant providing professional learning for teachers throughout the US and beyond.
As a classroom teacher, Mike was awarded a national Milken Educator Award and was a finalist for NH Teacher of the Year. In 2020, he was awarded the Outstanding Educational Leader Award by NHASCD for his work as a consultant. A best-selling author, Mike has written many books about great teaching and learning. His latest book is Hugging Porcupines: Month-by-Month Strategies to Support Our Most Challenging Students.
When not working, Mike can be found hanging with his family, tending his perennial gardens, sorting baseball cards and searching for new running routes around his home in Durham, NH.
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