Motivating Yourself this Summer

Dr. Barbara R. Blackburn, a consultant from Boiling Springs, NC, is the author of 13 books aimed at raising the level of rigor and motivation for professional educators and students alike.  (I wonder if she is a DKG member?)

Her newest book, Motivating Struggling Learners: 10 Ways to Build Success will be out in early July.

Barbara's newsletter this month made me think about how much we need to motivate ourselves.  Some of our biggest challenges as educators are not standardized testing, problem students, or interfering parents, or paperwork.  It is keeping ourselves motivated enough to deal with those things. 

One of the things that she shares freely on her website is a Success Journal.  This great template can be printed and used throughout the year and read when you need some motivation.  It works!

 

Recommended resources for additional motivation are:

 

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teacher Tales (book)   What if There Were No Teachers? (book)   Today I Made a Difference (book)   20 Awe-Inspiring Quotes for Teachers and Parents

 

Barbara offers a perspective for administrators and supervisors as well:        

Don't forget to take some time this summer for renewal and rejuvenation!  Reflect on what happened this year that you consider a success, think about challenges you overcame, and list all the students you impacted in a positive way.  Then, describe how you helped your teachers be successful.  Now, read everything you wrote and remember that you made a difference!