The past few years in education have been marked by relentless change. Whether in pedagogy, mindset, or geography, teachers everywhere have felt stretched and challenged. Each of us, on our own classroom islands, has had to adapt in ways we never imagined. Change, it seems, has been the one certainty.
Settling in a New Place
My family is finally finding stability on Kwajalein. Yet even as routines form, lingering questions remain. One continues to surface: Am I capable of relaxing? Years of devotion to school communities brought meaning and even recognition, but I still wrestle with discomfort when stepping away from work.
The Guilt of Stillness
After a five-week quarantine, a friend’s simple question revealed an uncomfortable truth: I feel guilty when not working. I only relax when others ask me to join them. A student asked if I planned to get scuba certified—a local rite of passage. I had no answer, only hesitation.
Learning from Students
That same student, only 19 and unburdened by adult obligations, explained why scuba matters to him. Underwater, he loses track of time. He is free from complexity, anchored only by the present moment. His words reminded me how distant I’ve become from leisure, reflection, and joy for their own sake.
What Fun Really Means
A Washington Post article recently asked what “fun” even is. For me, this question struck deeply. Years in the Arizona educational system ingrained a habit of pushing without pause. Pandemic or not, the pattern was the same—always striving, rarely stopping, forgetting that balance is not indulgence but necessity.
A Double Standard for Teachers
We tell our students to rest, to sleep well, to disconnect from screens, to play outside. Yet we rarely give ourselves permission to do the same. Fun and restoration should not be luxuries for educators. They are essential moments that renew our energy and sustain us for the work ahead.
The Mental Health Reckoning
As pandemic teaching recedes, what lingers most for me is not policy or pedagogy, but mental health. Teaching demands care, presence, and creativity. It asks us to give a piece of ourselves to build something new and valuable. To give that fully, balance must be nonnegotiable.
Beyond Structures and Systems
Funding inequities, standardized tests, and mask mandates have all shaped the profession. But at its core, the most urgent questions remain: Who are we as teachers? How do we persist in meaningful ways? The answer cannot be endless work. It must include wellness, rest, and self-preservation.
Teachers as Treasures
If change has tied us together in recent years, another truth has also emerged: teachers are national treasures. We sustain communities, nurture futures, and guide students through uncertainty. Recognizing this worth means not only public praise, but also our own commitment to protect and value ourselves.
Shining Ourselves Up
The time has come to shed guilt over rest and embrace balance as a professional responsibility. To restore ourselves is to honor the profession. As we continue navigating change, teachers must allow themselves the same compassion and care they offer their students. It is time we shined ourselves up.
