HELP - April is upon us

I'm not going to lie, the month of April is TOUGH. It is arguably the toughest month of the year for everyone in schools (students, teachers, support staff, and administrators). I would venture to guess that for those not in the business of education, and more specifically, secondary education this post might seem a little foreign because let's face it, most people don't follow the same life cycle of schools.

As I reflected this weekend about the upcoming month of April, I was reminded of an article that was shared with me a while back. The article by Dr. Mark and Pam Littleton from Tarleton State University focused on the Phases of First Year Teaching, but I would argue that this is a model for the yearly life cycle of all teachers, regardless of experience. 

As you can see from the graph below, April marks the end of the disillusionment phase, but believe me, the graph is deceiving. I would contend that April should be the lowest point on this graph for a whole host of reasons. The payoff, however, comes in May with the rejuvenation cycle beginning. Just like spring when flowers begin to bloom, grass starts turning green, and the days get warmer, high schools become happier places to be.

So, to all my administrator peeps out there, keep in mind that your teachers are going through a lot at this point in the year. Step back and give them some space to rejuvenate. It just might make for a very happy spring.