Vision Boards Can Help Us Reignite Our Career Goals

Date:


By Kelly Owens

A local columnist recently wrote a goals and priorities piece about why and how he entered his field. That got my wheels spinning. What made us get into education? And why does it matter years into our careers?


Job interviewers often ask why you chose your career. But once you’re established, do you self-reflect on those goals? If you know your ‘why,’ parlay it into a set of directions that will motivate your daily work.

Why Did You Become a Teacher?

And so began my informal survey of educators … and non-educators. Check out these eye-opening patterns!

Among the teachers, one overwhelmingly common denominator surfaced: many of us hail from teaching families. Childhood summers were prime times for us to help set up classrooms. Even watching relatives spend long hours grading and lesson planning couldn’t deter us from following in our family’s footsteps.

Except when the very relative we idolized advised, “Let go of the legacy.” Right when we were ready to wield the teaching pointer, some of our role models squashed our dreams.



Respondents said they were discouraged from inheriting the field’s demands, stress, and workload. But what about all those years prepping by playing school? With dropped shoulders, many of us followed our teaching idols’ directions and pivoted to something else. Often, we sought non-desk jobs where we could still be creative and hands-on. Multiple people I surveyed became chefs. Ultimately, though, we shifted gears again in pursuit of our original passion: teaching.

Professionals who’ve never felt the itch to educate will highlight their attraction to 9-to-5 jobs. Little to no homework provides them with a better work-life balance. So why am I different?

I’ve always felt teaching is a calling. Sharing aha moments and seeing students succeed, not business bonuses, are my motivation boosters. One like-minded colleague sums it up best: “I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”

‘Why’ Nourishes Daily Work

Teachers tend to be intrinsically motivated. We find satisfaction and fulfillment in the act of helping students grow and learn. Often, this spurs us to cultivate similar motivational mindsets in our students.

About a third of our day is spent at work. So, it helps to be in environments that energize us. Education is an attractive field for its many motivators:

  • We have opportunities to be impactful
  • We feed our own love of learning
  • We enjoy the surprise of new daily adventures
  • We like autonomy and creativity
  • There’s a sense of belonging to something bigger than ourselves
Know What Your ‘Why’ Looks Like

Classroom wall banners visibly keep motivation top of mind for students.
                                                  Reach for the stars!
                                                  You have what it takes!

Teachers need that too. Especially on challenging days when revisiting restaurant chef careers sounds delicious.

Here’s an easy strategy to build intention. Simple enough to fit on a sticky note.

In his 2022 article, “Knowing your ‘why’ is the secret to success,” Brian Fenerty shares author Simon Sinek’s method for creating actionable ‘why’ statements. These focus on what we do and our reason for it. Use this frame:

Bring your vision to life! Let’s give it a try.

If you are an excited lifelong learner and want to encourage students’ curiosities, try something like this:

To help students be excited about learning so that they can pursue meaningful work in their lives.”

Look how that focuses your efforts, so you can progress toward your purpose. How satisfying!

Take a look at this one. It’s for teachers who really want to amp up student engagement.

To create an active learning environment so that students and the teacher all participate.”

Own what you’re doing with a personal ‘why’ statement. Bye bye, time wasters and dull days. Hello, happier teacher!

Career Vision Boards for Teachers

Don’t just approach each day with a sense of purpose. Put your purpose in plain sight!

Assemble a collage of images, words, and quotes that encapsulate your career dreams. A vision board may be a physical or digital wish list. Visible intentions remind you to activate dreams day-in and day-out.

There are many benefits to creating a career vision board. It’s a fun way to channel your energy and focus. Plus, it’s an ongoing reference to breathe life into daily tasks. At a quick glance, see how those tasks fit into your big picture planning.

Career Coach Catherine Serusclat explains in People at Heart how to create vision boards in a few simple steps:

  1. Decide on your point of focus.
  2. Find pictures and words that inspire you.
  3. Make a physical or digital collage.
  4. Display your board in a highly visible place.


Vision Boards for Students

Ever see students daydream about their future? Provide poster board, scissors, and glue so they can go to town creating their own vision boards. Kids also like Canva, so offer a choice. If you’re already promoting a growth mindset, these boards support the idea that hard work and determination help reach attainable goals. What a confidence boost to display what you hope in your heart!

Steps to create student boards are pretty similar to yours, although kids may need more prompting. First, offer time for visualizing goals. Center questions on favorite things they enjoy now. Then, progress to short-term school year goals before moving to long-term. Afterwards, brainstorm design elements and power words (e.g., believe, create, smile, help, explore).

Vision boards make students’ dreams tangible.

These boards are great to create at new beginnings: first days, new units, semester starts. Begin a course with a visual roadmap; then provide checkpoints for regular reflections.

Kids love expressing their individuality. Vision boards empower them to focus on goals, effort, and fun.

Clarify Your ‘Why’ to Keep Growing

For you and for your students: Persist in your motivation to fulfill goals that support core values. Routinely reconnect with your ‘why.’ Watch how a clear vision fuels greater abundance!

References:

Fenerty, B. (2022, August 15). Knowing your ‘why’ is the secret to success. LinkedIn.

Serusclat, C. Create a Vision Board in 4 Steps. PeopleAtHeartCoaching.com.


Kelly Owens is a literacy interventionist who helps middle graders overcome past literacy struggles by building stamina, confidence, and a greater love of learning. As a teacher with over thirty years of experience, she has proudly represented Hillsborough Township Public Schools as a NJ Governor’s Teacher of the Year.

Kelly also co-created Buddies for the Birds, which was featured on Emmy Award-winning Classroom Close-up NJ. Kelly earned her Ed.M. from Rutgers University and her Reading Interventionist and Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner Certifications through Saint Joseph’s University. Additional writing credits include published work with The King School Series (Townsend Press), The Mailbox magazine, and MiddleWeb.

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