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Sep 30, 2021

#197


“ … Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them work, family, health, friends and spirit. And you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – family, health, friends and spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.”

The closing words of Brian Dyson’s commencement speech to the class of 1991 at Georgia Tech.

Apt then, twenty years ago, and perhaps even more apt now as a result of the pandemic as people take stock of their lives and make adjustments accordingly.

In conversations with teachers and school leaders, it is evident that the return to school has not been easy. Aside from knowing that the delivery model can change very quickly in response to a cluster of Covid cases, a directive from the Department of Education and/or Health etc., this year administrators are also facing the reality that many positions are left unfilled and substitute teachers are few and far between. Over the last few days many teachers have posted this WeAreTeachers image (see below) in reference to this being the third school year of the pandemic. Teachers are mindful of how the pandemic has and continues to directly impact students and especially those from socio-economically deprived backgrounds.

During these times of uncertainty and stress, it is even more important to remember the closing words of Brian Dyson’s commencement speech and strive for balance. Prioritize self-care. I wholeheartedly believe that the ten attributes of the IB Learner Profile applies to the whole school community and not only to the students therein. The balanced attribute states, “We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives—intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.”

In my previous post, Self-care for Eductors [Part IV], I referenced the words of Buchanan and Palmer when sharing the importance of self care for oneself and the benefit thereof for the wider community:



I concluded that post, with the words of Etty Hillesum, “Sometimes the most important thing in the whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths”. I love the truthful simplicity of this quote. I am mindful of Steven Covey’s quote, "Most of us spend too much on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important" and as an advocate of self care, I was delighted to see this recent series of quotes and images from PassItOn.






How will you strive for balance in your life?

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