Like last year, my slices will be daily things, but I’ll also be taking from Mike Krzyzewski’s book titled, Beyond Basketball: Coach K’s Keywords for Success.

Today’s word is balance, so I noticed the things around me that dealt with balance. First, I know that my school to home to family balance is better, but not where I’d want it to be because school invades home at every opportunity. I don’t do school work on Saturday, I try my hardest to keep that day free for family things. But then I feel guilty when I don’t respond back to emails or hop into discussions.

Last week, we had parent teacher conferences, followed by a T.I.N.A. meeting (Teachers In Need of Assistance), something we’ve really gotten away from because of my daughter’s marching band and swimming schedule, along with my 8th grade basketball team’s practice schedule. During our meeting, I was given “permission” to end the basketball season. We started before the varsity, ended after the varsity, and the girls really wanted to keep practicing. I was told, “It’s been a good season, but it’s time to be done.” That’s all I needed. We had two snow days this week, and I canceled practice Wednesday because of travel concerns, and told the girls we were done. It was sad, but freeing as I felt a sense of balance return. On the flip side, the end of the quarter is coming, and I’m procrastinating, avoiding the monster pile of papers to correct. No balance there, let me tell you what!

I have students who are so over scheduled, it’s crazy. They go from activity to activity to activity, all in the course of one night! Where is the balance there? Why do parents feel the need to over schedule so much that their child is stressing over things?

The last sentence in this chapter says:

Balance can put things into perspective, can bring you joy even when you are down, and can allow you to be at your best in all aspects of your life.

#how

That’s the million dollar question, and if I had that answer, more than 11 people would be reading my blog. How do we find that balance where ALL aspects of our lives are working in harmony with each other? Even right now, after school, I don’t feel balance because I have to drive to the high school for one, possibly two meetings, one about a trip were taking with the band and choir next week, the second about cell phones in school.

#Ugh

Do we scratch out time for our wives, husbands, significant others, working all the time (because teacher could easily work hours at night, every night!)? Do we avoid working at home, setting our teaching up to be more an 8 – 5 kind of job? And then there’s the coaching, the before/after school meetings, the work on the weekends, and it goes on. I’m not sure how much balance a teacher, a good teacher, can expect any more in this time of fewer teachers rights.

And me? I’m sitting here, blogging about something near and dear to my heart because I know I’m not good at finding balance, listening to a podcast from Deep House Cat, letting the deep bass get into my bones and drive me forward. This is balance, right, for another 5 minutes. 🙂

This has gotten a bit rambly, so I’ll shut it down. My point: we as educators work ourselves to the bone between students, data, family, and everything in between. We need to find that balance to keep our sanity, but most importantly, so we can be there for all involved!

Sometimes, balance in possible. Most of the time, no. 🙂