Quiet Moments Matter: Finding Peace in the Noise of Teaching and Life
The essence of this podcast episode lies in the profound significance of quiet moments amidst the incessant demands of teaching and life. We explore how these rare intervals of tranquility can serve as a restorative balm, enabling educators to regain perspective and infuse their classrooms with a serene energy. Through personal reflections, we emphasize the importance of mindfulness and the cultivation of a calm classroom culture, which not only benefits teachers but also profoundly impacts students' learning experiences. We delve into the necessity of stepping back from the relentless pace of the educational profession to foster a healthier work-life balance. In this discourse, we reaffirm that embracing stillness is not merely an indulgence, but a vital component of effective teaching and emotional well-being.
A profound exploration of the often-overlooked necessity for quiet moments in the life of educators is presented in this episode. The speaker, reflecting on his own experiences, expounds upon the chaotic nature of teaching, which is often punctuated by a frenetic pace that can lead to exhaustion and burnout. He articulates that the incessant noise—from the ringing of bells to the constant influx of student inquiries—creates an environment where the need for stillness becomes paramount. In this context, he advocates for the incorporation of tranquil moments into the daily routine of teachers, asserting that they serve as vital intervals for reflection and re-energization.
The dialogue further delves into the concept of being present, which is often misconstrued as being perpetually productive. The speaker challenges this notion by underscoring the importance of attention and mindfulness, suggesting that true presence is achieved through embracing quietude rather than incessant activity. He brings to light the notion that the emotional toll of teaching necessitates periods of respite, during which educators can disconnect from the demands of their roles and engage in restorative practices, whether through leisurely activities or simple moments of reflection.
Ultimately, the episode culminates in the assertion that the energy educators bring into the classroom profoundly impacts their students. By cultivating an atmosphere of calmness, teachers can foster a more conducive learning environment, where students feel secure and engaged. The speaker’s insights serve as a reminder that amidst the whirlwind of educational responsibilities, it is imperative for teachers to prioritize their well-being and create spaces of serenity, thereby enhancing their effectiveness and overall fulfillment in the profession.
Takeaways:
- In the midst of the chaotic environment of teaching, quiet moments serve as essential pauses that allow educators to restore their energy and perspective.
- Engaging in stillness, even for a brief period, can significantly alter our mindset, preparing us to face the challenges of the day ahead.
- The act of cultivating calmness within ourselves is crucial, as this tranquility radiates into our classrooms, positively influencing our students' learning experiences.
- Teachers must recognize that moments of rest are not merely indulgent; rather, they are vital for maintaining mental and emotional well-being in a demanding profession.
- Creating a classroom culture that embraces calmness, through techniques such as dimming lights and playing soothing music, can enhance student focus and engagement.
- Ultimately, protecting one's peace is synonymous with safeguarding one's teaching purpose and effectiveness, allowing us to inspire greatness in our students.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Be a Funky Teacher
Transcript
Yeah, he's Mr. Funky.
Speaker A:He's Mr. Funky Teacher.
Speaker A:Mr. Funky Teacher inspires greatness, makes you feel good.
Speaker A:Like your favorite playlist.
Speaker A:Keeping that fresh and funky.
Speaker A:Yes, he does.
Speaker A:He got some funky cool ideas to share for all you teachers.
Speaker A:He can empower others, students and teachers.
Speaker A:It's all about hard work and creativity.
Speaker A:He brings out the kindness in everyone.
Speaker A:He's got the passion to teach.
Speaker A:You hear it when he speaks.
Speaker A:He knows how to build strong relationships.
Speaker A:If you're seeking the best bunkiest, he is it.
Speaker A:He will empower you to improve.
Speaker A:He'll be helping others and loving it too.
Speaker A:He's Mr. Funky Teacher.
Speaker A:Yeah, he's Mr. Funky Teacher.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:This is Mr. Funky Teacher with Be a Funky Teacher dot com.
Speaker B:I'm coming to you with another Be a Funky Teacher podcast.
Speaker B:Welcome back everyone.
Speaker B:Today's episode is Quiet moments Matter.
Speaker B:Finding peace in the noise of teaching and life.
Speaker B:That's what we're going to be talking about.
Speaker B:But before we get into it, let's talk about three things that I'm thankful for.
Speaker B:First thing that I am thankful for is my wife getting to spend some time with her sister.
Speaker B:She is on a little getaway right now with her sister.
Speaker B:I'm so thankful she gets some time to spend with her just to kind of get away from life and just to spend some quality sisterly time together.
Speaker B:It's good for her and it reminds me that we all need those chances to step away and reconnect with people who fill us up.
Speaker B:Supporting the people we love when they take time for themselves is also a part of living with gratitude, I believe.
Speaker B:Second thing that I'm thankful for is calm peaceful mornings.
Speaker B:I'm grateful for those calm mornings before the rush of life begins.
Speaker B:There's, I think there's something really powerful about sitting in quiet maybe, maybe with I don't know a nice.
Speaker B:I don't drink coffee but sometimes I like, like a, like a glass of water or some sort of like tea bomb or, or something just I don't, I guess a chai tea latte.
Speaker B:Sometimes I'll, I'll drink just sitting with that, drinking it in the morning, just listening, thinking or being, trying to do some meditating or praying.
Speaker B:That's a great way to start the morning.
Speaker B:Or just sitting with calmness and having a chill, calm kickoff to the morning can be powerful.
Speaker B:Those still calm moments often can really set the tone for really the entire day.
Speaker B:And now I'm thinking about like a T bomb or chachi latte.
Speaker B:As I think about it Right now, I don't.
Speaker B:I didn't start my morning with one of those, but I.
Speaker B:Maybe I should have as I'm thinking about it right now.
Speaker B:The third thing I'm thankful for is a few minutes to watch TV once in a while.
Speaker B:I watched after everyone was in bed last night and I just was kind of hanging out by myself.
Speaker B:I. I actually took a few minutes to watch tv.
Speaker B:I don't do much TV watching.
Speaker B:There's usually not time and it's usually.
Speaker B:I usually have lots of other things that I work on.
Speaker B:I watched a little bit of TV last night and I was just thankful for that, that little pocket of downtime, y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker B:Even something as simple as watching TV teachers are constantly on it seems like.
Speaker B:I think y' all can agree too.
Speaker B:So it's okay to sometimes disconnect or zone out once in a while and just enjoy something light, something that.
Speaker B:That is not.
Speaker B:Not heavier or un.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Rest doesn't always have to be some.
Speaker B:Something where you're trying to be productive during rest.
Speaker B:Sometimes it's just where we have to take some permission to give us to give ourselves this time to relax.
Speaker B:And that's okay.
Speaker B:And it doesn't have to be getting something done.
Speaker B:All right, y', all, I want to get into the main topic now.
Speaker B:Those quiet moments matter.
Speaker B:Finding peace and the noise of teaching and life.
Speaker B:That's what we're going to be focusing on.
Speaker B:First, I want to talk about the need for stillness in a busy profession.
Speaker B:Y', all teaching can be non stop.
Speaker B:Noise, non stop.
Speaker B:You got bells, you got questions, you got movement, you got conversations, you have students coming at you, you have teachers coming at you, you have parents coming at you, coming at you.
Speaker B:You have community members coming at you non stop.
Speaker B:It's non stop.
Speaker B:And I'm not saying it's a bad thing.
Speaker B:I'm just saying it just feels like it's non stop.
Speaker B:And sometimes quiet moments can restore energy and balance to our nervous system.
Speaker B:Our nervous system can sometimes be in overload.
Speaker B:And those quiet moments can help us to respond instead of reacting and, and listen instead of rushing.
Speaker B:It's not about having hours of silence.
Speaker B:Sometimes just a single peaceful moment is enough to reset ourselves.
Speaker B:For example, like a calm morning before the day starts can help shift our mindsets completely and get us ready for the day and put us into a space where we're ready to take on all of the challenges of the day, all of the busyness of the day.
Speaker B:Second thing I want to talk about is learning to be present without Doing this is hard.
Speaker B:This is hard for people who are very busy on the go.
Speaker B:Our culture often tells us that, tells us for teachers to stay busy, right?
Speaker B:Like, well, or for people in general.
Speaker B:We got to stay busy.
Speaker B:We got to plan more, we got to hustle harder.
Speaker B:We got to take care of things.
Speaker B:We got to be go, go, go constantly.
Speaker B:But presence, Presence isn't.
Speaker B:It's not productivity, it's attention and taking time for, for stillness, family, or even little entertainment gives you the, the mind, breathing room that you need.
Speaker B:Our minds need some breathing room.
Speaker B:Our brains need that y' all to, to survive and to thrive.
Speaker B:Those posits can really refill that emotional tank that, that teaching can sometimes drain.
Speaker B:I love teaching, but I'm.
Speaker B:I'm gonna tell y', all, teaching is draining.
Speaker B:I think you know that.
Speaker B:I know that.
Speaker B:I think sometimes society forgets that or sometimes people are not teachers forget or don't even realize really how draining teaching can be.
Speaker B:It's not.
Speaker B:And it's not that it's bad.
Speaker B:It's just the reality of teaching.
Speaker B:I don't care how great of a teacher you are, how skilled of a teacher you are, or how much you can balance things, it is, it's draining.
Speaker B:And so taking a moment to maybe watch, you know, watch a TV show or reading a book.
Speaker B:It's, it isn't wasted time, y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker B:It's decompress or decompression.
Speaker B:It's, it's, it's, it's letting your, it's giving you an opportunity to let your creativity flow back in by decompressing, which is so important for us to do as educators, y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker B:It is.
Speaker B:And then the third thing that I want to talk about, y', all is bringing calm energy into the classroom.
Speaker B:The peace you cultivate personally spills it, It's.
Speaker B:It spills into your teaching.
Speaker B:Let's just be real.
Speaker B:Students respond to calmness.
Speaker B:They can feel it, they can mirror it, and they can actually internalize it.
Speaker B:Calmness is an important part of teaching.
Speaker B:Now I'll be the first one to say I'm the Mr. Funky Teacher, right?
Speaker B:You're a funky teacher.
Speaker B:And there it's important to.
Speaker B:I think it's very important to bring some high level energy into the learning environment.
Speaker B:Intensity.
Speaker B:High intensity.
Speaker B:I teach at a very high intensity.
Speaker B:But as, as, as a funky teacher, we also have to bring some calmness into the classroom also.
Speaker B:And when we're, when we're centered, when our classroom becomes a place of safety and focus in moments of calmness, that can be very powerful for students.
Speaker B:And it's important to model.
Speaker B:It's important to model it for students.
Speaker B:Pause before transitions, dim lights, or play quiet background music.
Speaker B:Sometimes that can be powerful.
Speaker B:Calm doesn't just help you teach better, it.
Speaker B:It helps students to learn better.
Speaker B:So I think there's a time and a place for calmness in the classroom, even for funky teachers.
Speaker B:It doesn't have to be go, go, go, go, go.
Speaker B:High intensity.
Speaker B:I would argue 100 times over.
Speaker B:That's not good to model all the time.
Speaker B:As intense as I am, as boisterous and loud as I am with my teaching and working with students, I also really work on bringing a sense of calmness into the classroom, too.
Speaker B:That is so important to model.
Speaker B:So I want to encourage you to bring some calm energy into your classroom as well.
Speaker B:So some reflective takeaways here.
Speaker B:Stillness isn't the absence of work.
Speaker B:It's the foundation for meaningful work, y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker B:It is the quiet moments, a tasty drink before sunrise, a few moments of laughter, a peaceful drive.
Speaker B:They're not small little things.
Speaker B:They're sacred, precious things for us to appreciate.
Speaker B:And so a key takeaway here, y', all, when you protect your peace, you protect your purpose.
Speaker B:And I talk a lot about teacher burnout and not burning out, taking care of yourself, taking care of your.
Speaker B:Your mental health.
Speaker B:We've talked about physical health before.
Speaker B:We talked about different aspects to protect and to take care of yourself.
Speaker B:You've got to protect your peace, y'.
Speaker B:All.
Speaker B:Especially in a profession where it's go, go, go.
Speaker B:And so I hope that this episode was valuable to you and gave you some things to think about here.
Speaker B:If you found it helpful, jump on over to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcast episodes and hit me up with a five star review and give me a comment.
Speaker B:And I want you to remember to inspire greatness in young people and.
Speaker B:And don't forget to be a funky teacher.
Speaker B:Bye now.
Speaker A:He's Mr. Funky Teacher yeah, he's Mr. Funky Teacher yeah, yeah, yeah.
