What helps you get back into “school mode”?

I think I ease back into school mode by not having unrealistic expectations of myself, of my own children or my new students. We start slowly, little by little, until the weather starts to cool, our sunburns start to fade, and our brains turn back on to full speed. My lessons in the class are centered on conversations and reflective writing, and my home life is low key dinners and as much time outside after school as we can muster. – Kasey Stecher

Creating a calendar for the first month of school helps me feel organized and prepared. Nothing is ever set in stone, but the visual reminder gently nudges my mind back into a daily routine. – Holly Spinelli

Buying a new pair of shoes! I know it sounds silly, but it really sets the tone for me and reminds me that September is a fresh start to a new school year with all new students.- Robyn McDonough

Getting into my school routine: meal prep, waking up, scheduled exercise, etc. for a week or two before the school year begins helps me have less to think about once kids are in the building.- Sapna Chemplavil

What do you do to ward off the “Sunday Scaries”?

Reading a novel or spending time on personal writing both help make me more mindful of how nourishing the practices of the ELA classroom can be for me as a teacher and for my students. They help ground me toward the power of the work, guarding against the feelings of frenetic busyness that so often threaten a Sunday night! — Meg Davis Roberts

I am currently in a season of my professional career where I try to get as much of my work done in the school building as possible. This has meant that I choose to focus on my personal well-being and goals during the weeks as much as possible. Things like ordering prepared meals from an online company, going for regular runs, getting to school early, and not socializing during my planning period (I save that for lunch and after school) helps me avoid Sunday night anxiety.- Sapna Chemplavil

My Sunday Scaries are warded off by hockey games! All 3 of my kids play, and Sundays are home games so we spend our mornings at the ice rink, then the bakery. Being together intentionally like this helps start the day with joy, and then the chores and planning don’t hold so much pressure. We also all work together on Sundays to make quick work of planning meals, grocery shopping, getting the week’s schedule straight. Since 4 of the 5 people in my family can now read, I write out the week’s appointments, plans, practices, etc on a calendar accessible to everyone in the kitchen. Knowing what’s coming in the week really helps to feel ready to take on Monday. – Kasey Stecher

I prepare for the week ahead by making a cup of tea, taking a few deep breaths and then plan out my week in my daily planner. It helps knowing what lies ahead, so Mondays don’t seem that bad. – Robyn McDonough

What excites you about this school year?

I’m excited to enter the world of GAI (Generative Artificial Intelligence) and delve into the areas of “hallucinations’ and “deep fakes” – My companions in this endeavor include a task force of students, administrators, teachers and parents. As this new frontier is evolving in nano-seconds, the challenges of finding pathways that make sense to teachers and help students navigate their futures with academic integrity are a satisfying work in progress.- Janet Matthews

I’m excited to meet the students and to have a fresh start. How lucky are we as educators to get a whole new start and to meet full classrooms of people each year? It’s thrilling! – Holly Spinelli

So many exciting things are happening for my family this fall. My son will be a senior in high school and will be applying to colleges, and my daughter will be a freshman at Penn State Abington playing collegiate volleyball. The future looks bright! – Robyn McDonough

What is it about education/teaching that brings you joy? How do you sustain this joy?

I became a teacher because I got a rush from the energy. The energy of the classroom, the energy of the building. The pure energy of young people is something that, when you allow yourself to really harness and appreciate it: can bring you joy. I don’t think I could be in a job where I had to be serious each day or do work in a silo. I love the very public nature of what we do— a passerby can pop into your classroom to see what you are doing, a parent can hear about it at the dinner table. The energy of learning is something that on my worst days is able to help sustain my absolute love for education. When I am depleted, the kids fill me up in the best way. – Bridgette Gallagher

Seeing kids understand and step into their awesomeness. Watching students understand themselves and the world around them better and then feel more confident about taking risks, owning their decisions, and navigating systems on their own terms keeps me connected to why I teach. As far as sustaining joy? We all know about celebrating small rooms. However, I also like to throw in awkward dances, terrible singing, and just general goofiness to remind us that embracing the weird keeps things fun. – Sapna Chemplavil

The connections I make with both students and staff brings me the most joy. – Robyn McDonough

What’s one focus or goal that you have for this school year?

“I’m 25 years into teaching, and looking for a fresh start. This year I’ll be returning to simplicity: asking my friends and colleagues what they’re excited about in their work. When I become curious about others’ experience of teaching and learning – ask them to talk about what’s lighting them up – the conversation about school shifts. When you ask a colleague about a unit of study, a new book, a writing prompt, a student who inspires them, you will notice this: their eyes and spirit shine. I find this not only inspiring and empowering, but healing.

I’m wondering today if this is a source of educational leadership and change: the power of the invitation to others to share their knowledge, experience, and passion. When we as colleagues empower others to share of their teaching, learning, and lives, possibilities open for all.

So often we think of leadership as a function of a job title, experience, status, or stature in the building, district, or profession. But when it comes to leading later in our careers from our positions as classroom teachers, I’m learning that it all begins with asking others what’s lighting them up.” – Chris Mazura

Last January I made myself a promise to read more for pleasure. I was stuck in this cycle of only reading the books I taught, and it was frustrating. I think I’ve read Gatsby at least a dozen times by now! I try to choose titles that are just special to me, but I also sneak a few YA books into the pile so I can give current recommendations to my students. I plan to keep this promise for the upcoming school year, too. – Robyn McDonough

My first principal used to say, “We’re in the people business.” This is something I remind myself at the start of a new year. It’s not going to be about the perfect slidedeck or the lesson that perfectly matches state standards, it’s going to be about the people. You get to usher young people into their adulthood and make an imprint on their learning. You get to be a part of a formative part of their life and help them to see themselves in the world. If we all remember the people in our classrooms, the rest will come easily. – Bridgette Gallagher

What’s one focus or goal that you have for this school year?

Mandates, adoptions, collaborations, and articulation are all pushing and pulling me to plan and prioritize. Reshaping and reimagining ways to engage and empower are abstract goals, but the granular focus that causes my heart to hum to the tune of happiness is supporting teachers who desire to take risks that will affect sustainable change. How do I start to do this? As an administrator I learned that I have to listen…I vow to hear teachers when they speak to solutions that they are trying to create…I vow to follow up with teachers about their progress…I vow to softly fan flames. Fanning flames for strategic planning. Fanning flames of collaboratively sharing and making alterations. Fanning the flames of reflection for reconstruction. I want to prove to be a fan for the teacher who is willing to take a stand for all students.

This year is going to be a year where I focus on teachers who are willing to attack a critical need. Working for the student who underperforms for any reason and addressing the root cause is noble. Inspiring a student to exceed standards and to reach beyond expectations is noble. I want to spend my year doing all I can for these royal servants. They are loyal to the community of learners and I want to reciprocate without faltering. – Dr. Felicia Cooper-Prince

What’s something that you do to keep yourself motivated?

Professional and personal connections keep me inspired and focused and give me respite when I need that. – Michelle Bulla

I try to stick to a routine so there won’t be any surprises. I love to plan out my week and set tangible goals for myself that I can check off as I accomplish them. – Robyn McDonough

Keeping myself motivated is an ongoing mindfulness practice that I find myself returning to anytime I start to question, “Why am I doing this again?” Sometimes my answer to that question takes me back to my eleventh-grade in high school when I first made the decision to be an English teacher; other times the answer to that question leads me to a social media post by a challenging student that I taught in middle school who is now a thriving adult and has accredited some of their direction in life to the time we spent together in our class all those years ago. Whatever the scenario, at the root of what I do to keep myself motivated is a deep connection to a (re)membrance of my ancestors and the hardships they endured to survive, to learn how to read and write, to build everything from one room schoolhouses to historically Black colleges and universities in their quest for them – and future generations of which I’m a part – to live in this world as a full-fledged human being. Along with exercising, praying, volunteering in my community, connecting with friends, and loving on my family, these (re)membrances motivate me to keep going – in my career and in all aspects of my life – in ways that nothing else does.- Vivett Cereta Hemans Dukes

Right now? Frequent, short runs are doing wonders for me as is intentionally disconnecting from work (even in conversations) when I am not at work. I think this separation is helping me remember that I am a full human being independent of my being an educator which is a concept that I have struggled with and been drained by in the past. – Sapna Chemplavil

I remember that teaching comes in waves. There will always be difficult days, but the good ones seem to outweigh the tough ones. I try to keep this in mind as the year goes on. – Holly Spinelli

Seemingly every year since 2020, I keep coming back to the word “hope.” In writing about moving towards a world where we don’t see prisons and punishment as a solution, Mariame Kaba writes that “hope is discipline.” Decades earlier, activist, politician (and former teacher) Harvey Milk said queer adults have to “give ‘em [queer youth] hope.” Practicing hope and seeing hope in action keeps me motivated. It’s not a shock to say that K-12 teachers are managing crisis after crisis right now: the lingering impact of COVID, AI run amok, legislative attacks from politicians who know nothing about education, the list goes on and on. Yet, so many teachers wake up every day and try their best to push the needle a bit closer to a fairer, more just world through their classrooms and work in schools. – Henry “Cody” Miller

Whether you teach by the Canadian border, the edge of Montauk, or anywhere between, NYSEC is here to support you. Visit our professional development page to learn more about virtual professional learning opportunities. If the in-person experience is what you seek, our annual conference is an excellent way to connect with fellow educators as you attend outstanding professional learning sessions. Invite a colleague, friend, or pre-service teacher to join NYSEC . You can visit our membership page for more details. NYSEC is passionate about building a strong, supportive, and sustainable professional community. We invite you to join us as we continue to grow and learn together. Keep your eyes peeled for the next installment of the “Back to School” series on the Voices of NYSEC blog. We wish you, your colleagues, your students, and your communities a joyful, safe, and fantastic start to the school year.