In my last post, I mentioned that this summer has been full of Waldorf mentor experiences and professional development opportunities for yours truly.
Connecting with colleagues in three different conferences has filled my bucket with all kinds of awesome take-aways. (And my iPhone camera is full of random snapshots I didn’t want to forget about in the future.)
But these aren’t the only takeaways I’ve found this summer.
The best thing about all of this professional development has been spending those full days with colleagues who have similar thoughts, ideas and experiences. Sharing and connecting in that way for days on end just isn’t something I usually get during the school year.
When you think about it, teaching is a pretty unusually lonely profession.
I mean, when I think about my friends and family who work in corporate environments, I realize that they spend all day long in an office connecting with people who share their vision, hopes and goals. When the situation is right, colleagues feed off of each other’s ideas and work together to constantly renew and revive their commitment to their work’s mission.
Teachers just don’t have this experience. For years I’ve noticed that I tend to go to my own little corner of the school, spend my days with my students, do my work and go home. While I’m at school, I know that my colleagues are out there, in their own little corners of the school, but we don’t have that daily renewing contact that invigorates and inspires our commitment to our work.
Don’t get me wrong . . . I love spending my days with my students, but they don’t usually help me to reframe, recommit and see my work in new and interesting ways. My colleagues are GREAT at that.
And my colleagues and I do our best to connect with one another, but we’re so busy working with our students, our only time is during our weekly faculty meeting. And while we try to make that time inspiring, we’re tired after a long day and our minds are full of the practical work that needs doing.
So, I’ve been thinking . . .
What if there was a way to connect with teachers and colleagues to re-inspire our work, without making it just one more thing we have to do?
What if there was a simple way to tap into a little bit of inspiration, just when I’m ready for it?
These thoughts have been running through my relaxed summertime mind at the same time that many of my readers have reached out with questions about the coming school year. The time spent responding to those emails and Facebook messages has been just as nourishing for me as it is for those readers I’m helping. I LOVE connecting with you all — offering my thoughts and suggestions and providing a platform for you all to help each other.
This is why I was so excited to launch a new pilot program this summer to help a small group of teachers with their summer planning. The group is nicely underway (sorry, it’s too late to join this year) and the feedback has been fantastic! Teachers are finding the motivation to get their work done, they’re connecting with other teachers and getting their questions answered.
I can’t tell you how inspiring it was this Sunday to participate in a call with teachers and homeschoolers from all over the globe — from Norway to Kenya to Australia to right here in Portland, OR!
Now THAT’S the inspiration I’m looking for!
So, my mind is reeling with ideas for keeping the good energy going.
Something big and wonderful is on the horizon and I can’t wait to share it with you all.
If you want to stay in the loop, hit this link to get on the early-interest list. You’ll be the first to know the details when they’re available.
And if you’ve got ideas — send them my way. The more we work together, the more we fulfill our collective mission and the more we’ll all feel inspired to keep up the good work!
When do you feel the most inspired and energized by your work? Leave a comment below or email me at meredith@awaldorfjourney.com.
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