Educating with Passion and Purpose: Keep the Fire Going without Burning Out

Stay engaged with your purpose to better serve your students—and yourself In an era of sky-high burnout, Educating with Passion and Purpose gives veteran educators everything they need to thrive in their profession. This book will help you avoid the disenchantment and frustration that can come from doing the difficult work of K-12 education. You are in this field because you want to make a difference, but you often lack the support you need to do that amid overwhelming demands. Experienced educators themselves, authors Meredith Matson and Rebekah Shoaf speak the truth about what today’s teachers confront—and how you can navigate the changing landscape to face the challenges and opportunities we encounter. Inside, you’ll find frequent opportunities for self-reflection on the topics that matter most to educators, including race, privilege, wellbeing, mentorship, and how to rise to the social–emotional demands that teaching asks. At a time when many teachers are leaving the field within the first years of their careers, Educating with Passion and Purpose offers you a way forward, so you can nurture your students and professional self. Gain perspective on why you teach and what matters most to you in your career Explore how race and identity impact interactions in your classroom Learn practical strategies for protecting your social and emotional energy and seeking help Find a new sense of inspiration in your teaching practice with hands-on activities and tools This book is perfect for educators with three or more years of experience. It also offers crucial insights for pre-service educators, staff developers, and experienced teachers looking for ways to avoid career burnout and other pitfalls traditional teacher-training programs did not prepare them.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Why We Wrote This Book Who This Book Is For How to Use This Book Why Reflection Matters Chapter 1: Finding Your Purpose Meredith’s Turn My Why, My Drive Pain and Loss Becoming Invisible My Drive for Leadership Rebekah’s Turn Schooling vs. Learning Finding My "Why" Your Turn Research to Help Excavate Your Purpose Excavating Your Why Refining Your Why Amplifying Your Why Connecting Your Why to Your Work Exploring Your Ikigai Meditating to Discover Your Why Personality Tests and Purpose The Roots of Your Purpose Troubleshooting Your Purpose Additional Considerations for Leaders Helping Your Community Articulate Their Why Finding Your Purpose as a Leader Supporting Teachers in Understanding Purpose Your School or District’s Purpose Asserting an Equity Stance Chapter 2: Purpose and Burnout Meredith’s Turn When Your Work Becomes a Job Rather than a Profession What Feels Like Burnout But Isn’t? Searching for an Identity What Do You Do When All You Do Is Complain? Rebekah’s Turn Shift Happens Losing My Prep Periods and My Purpose Your Turn Identifying Your Why Nots Burnout Self-Assessment I Burnout Self-Assessment II Using the Burnout Spectrum Identifying Possible Contributors to Burnout Visualizing Your Own Fire How Burnout Impacts BIPOC Educators How Burnout Impacts Antiracist Educators Additional Considerations for Leaders Is Distributive Leadership Leading to Burnout? What About Leader Burnout? Chapter 3: What You Teach Meredith’s Turn Bringing My Why Out on Day One Developing Daily Lessons Infused with My Why When Your Curriculum Leads You To Be Misaligned Coaching Teachers Using Their Why Rebekah’s Turn Designing for My Why The Hazards of “High Expectations” Designing for Transformation Your Turn Assessing Your Curriculum Analyzing the Lessons that Resonate What If You Hate Your Curriculum? Standardized Tests Aren’t Everything…But They Are Something What If You’re Still Learning Your Curriculum? Additional Considerations for Leaders Professional Development Curriculum Design and Support Chapter 4: How You Teach Meredith’s Turn Gaining Respect and Building Authentic Relationship Systems and Structures that Empower Take Control of Planning Rebekah’s Turn Keeping My Students’ Reading Fires Going Reframing Resistance Your Turn Assess Your Instruction What If You Have to Use Mandated Instructional Methods? Listening to Your Students How’s Your Sleep? Connecting Instruction and Classroom Management What If You’re Still Learning How To Teach? Additional Considerations for Leaders Clear Structures and Expectations Help Everyone Feedback Is Essential Chapter 5: Being the Lead Learner Meredith’s Turn Pushing Myself as a Learner Professional Development Within the School Setting My First Lesson as a Principal Rebekah’s Turn Professional Learning that’s Personal and Purposeful Summer Schooling Your Turn Who Are You As a Learner? What Do You Need to Learn to Fuel Your Purpose? How Do You Need to Learn It? What Do You Have Control of When It Comes to Your Learning? What if the PD at Your School Isn't Adequate? What If You Just Need a Break? What If You Need Time to Reconnect with Family and Friends? What If You Need a Change of Scenery? What If You Need to Earn Extra Money? What If You Need to Provide Childcare? What If You’ve Been Assigned a Mentor You’re Not Learning From? What If the PD Is Causing Your Burnout? Reading to Learn Additional Considerations for Leaders Chapter 6: Finding Your Professional Home Meredith’s Turn The Interview Process Can Tell You About Your New Community Finding My Home Rebekah’s Turn Doing the Hiring Aligning People, Positions, and Purpose Your Turn Reflecting on Purpose People, Not Positions When You Want To Be Hired Change Is Hard Additional Consideration for Leaders Creating Space to Connect and Explore Identities Knowing What You’re Looking For The Transformative Process Reflective Prompts for School Leaders Building a Bench Chapter 7: Nourishing Your Network Meredith’s Turn Being the Younger Sister to a True Inspiration Challenging Patriarchal Norms The Power of Mentors Who Believe in You Cultivating a Team and Helping Leaders Rise My Teacher Champions Rebekah’s Turn Team You Who I Learn From Who I Learn With Who I Teach Your Turn People Plus Purpose A Framework for Thinking About Your Network What If You’re Having Trouble Finding Mentors? Additional Considerations for Leaders Supporting Teachers Through Community Make Coaching a Priority The Staff Lounge Conclusion Meredith’s Turn The School Leader Within Me Rebekah’s Turn Why I Left Where We Go From Here Your Turn Where Do You Go From Here? Appendix Beginning of the Year Teacher Reflection Tool Burnout Self-Assessment Checklist Burnout Spectrum Connecting School-wide Policies to Your Purpose Excavating Your Why Reflection Tool Fire Visualization Tool The Five Whys Intentional Summer Planning Protocol Job Search Preparation Tool Mentor Matching and Reflection Modifying for Misalignment Tool Network Reflection Tool Planning Tool for a Sustainable Hiring Process Preparing for Conversations about Equity Professional Learning Reflection Tool Purposeful Planning Tool for Professional Learning Purposeful Planning Tool for Units and Lessons Reflecting on Community Spaces for Collaboration Reflection Tool for Burnout Factors Reflective Tool for Designing Classroom Systems Sample Student Feedback Survey Staff Member Community Involvement Survey Teacher-Led Inquiry Cycle for Professional Development Time Management Tool Back Matter Acknowledgements Meredith’s Turn Rebekah’s Turn Our Turn About the Authors

About the Author :
Meredith Matson is Principal at the Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction in New York. In her twenty-one years as an educator, she has also been a teacher, assistant principal, mentor to new teachers, history department chair, and grade-team leader. Rebekah Shoaf has been an educator for twenty years and is the CEO of the educational consulting firm What If Schools. She is also founder and owner of Boogie Down Books, a bookstore-without-walls® for kids, teens, families, and educators.