Let's face it, this time of year is often stressful for many reasons—both professionally and personally. This month we're looking at ways to revamp your current goals and mindset to take control of the remaining half of the school year.

Setting Focus-Area Goals

Jessica Kazigian walks us through her 4-step cycle for collecting and analyzing feedback to help grow your practice.

"I realize most of us don't like to watch a recording of ourselves, but this part has been critical for me professionally as a coach. Without seeing yourself doing something, it's hard to understand what you're really doing. I begin by picking one recorded session monthly to watch and focus on one specific area. This could be questioning, feedback, engagement of adult learners, encouraging participants to do the heavy lifting, or engaging with all types of adult learners."

The Three Ts: Toss, Tweak, and Treasure

Anabel Gonzalez asks educators to take a second to reflect on their current routines, practices, and health in order to remain positive this school year.

"Most of us could have never imagined having to teach through such challenging times. And while we may feel as if we barely have time to breathe, rethinking and prioritizing our workload will not only be good for our health, it will make us better educators, and impact our personal lives as well. Being intentional and reflective, figuring out what can be tossed or tweaked will help us to find the treasures in our practice that will restore our energy and love of teaching and learning."

Seeking Feedback as an IC

Fiona Hurtado shares the benefits of simply asking teachers for their honest feedback and how these insights shape her coaching strategies moving forward.

" If we ask teachers directly to describe how coaching is supporting their growth, we can gather concrete data about our impact, and glean tips on how we might enhance our practice. . . . As I considered how to seek the feedback I desired, I realized the format had to be simple and broad—allowing teachers to respond in ways that were relevant to them."

Redefining Your Coaching Purpose

Nicole Turner provides a four-step activity ICs can follow to create their coaching vision and turn it into a written purpose statement.

"When thinking about your coaching purpose, I encourage you to dig deep! What are your personal strengths and values?. . . I am committed to helping teachers to become their best selves. It is the small, personal, acts of kindness and respect that we show to teachers and kids that make a difference."

Mid-Year Reflection: Setting PD Goals

Monica Burns encourages educators to revamp their yearly goals after the holidays and find a PD buddy to help hold them accountable.

"The halfway point of a school year is the perfect opportunity to reflect, take stock of what you've accomplished, make an action plan to move forward, and determine how you'll hold yourself accountable for the goals that you've set. . . . This can give you some direction as you reflect on areas where you'd like to focus during the remainder of the school year."

Positive Strategies to Avoid Burnout

Donna Wilson and Marcus Conyers cover five ways to recharge your creative juices by becoming more optimistic.

"Research suggests that happy people are more likely to have positive relationships with family, friends, and colleagues; to perform better on the job; and even to enjoy greater physical health than those with negative outlooks. . . . Avoid burnout through positive self-talk and self-reflection, managing your workload, embracing the little joys of teaching, becoming more resilient, and temporarily setting your problems aside. "

Bonus Roundups 😌

Here are additional ways to recharge and find your inner zen.

• Tips for Dealing with Stress and Anxiety
• Reducing Educator Fatigue