“It goes back to really working to achieve a sense of self-awareness. For me, it was finding an awesome therapist.”
I'm an energy gal. I'm social—that fills my cup. I also need a little bit of spontaneity (….) ‘I have never done this before, so I'm going to go do that’ (…) ‘I know I've never gone left here, I've only gone right. What happens if I go left?’ So then I I need to go left.”
“That self-awareness of the things that you know feed you. We're big foodies. I like being around a lot of culture. I want to try different things. We like to order the thing on the menu that I don't know what it is. Those are exciting things for me (…) That fills my cup. That keeps me happy.”
“I don't code switch. My students know I'm the exact same person (….) They know that I am actually no different outside of school (…) I clean up my language a little bit—and even that, not always with my high schoolers. I'm pretty transparent. I don't code switch, so I actually don't feel the exhaustion from doing that. I don't wear a mask that I need to take off (….) I never feel like I have to put on a persona (…) I think that's important. Honestly, I think it helps keep you happy in the classroom and helps your kids connect with you.”
“And if you know you're doing a good job, you're going to feel good, period. You're going to have a good day. That's the personal responsibility piece.”
“Another component is (…) being able to accept (….) your life changes. You have babies, you move, you start living with someone, you get married. And you have to do what you can. You have to be able to accept that. So while I can't sign up for everything, I do make sure that I am able to do things—but I'm really choosy about them. I want to see my kids at their volleyball game. I don't want it to be just a Music context. I don't want them just coming in and talking to me about music. No, I want you to tell me what you have for your birthday dinner and I want to see what you did in the baseball game. But I can't go to every baseball game. I can't be the baseball coach—and that's what I used to do before I had a kid (…) I did all the things, which is what young teachers do. I think that as you become a veteran teacher—you still have to do it, you have to be a part of your school culture and family, but you’ve got to be choosy. And bring your family—we do that too, which also goes to people being able to see queer families being very normal and successful.”
“I think that you just have to be self-aware in that sense.”