Surviving or Thriving?

My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.
~Maya Angelou

I don’t know if you’ve seen it, but there is a show on the History Channel called Alone. Contestants are dropped off in a remote area where they won’t have anyone for company but themselves for as long as they can stand it. They are allowed a small pittance of supplies, which may or may not help them build a shelter, catch a fish, or ward off a wolf. The winner is the one who can survive the longest in the harsh and isolated conditions. It is brutal.

After watching a few episodes, I began to notice that all the contestants work hard to survive, but some also focus on thriving. Those who seek to thrive in the harsh climate with limited supplies seem to do better for longer.

And I can’t help but think of education.

Because let’s face it: the climate is a bit harsh right now. And many of us feel we are being asked to survive with limited resources, in our own rooms, isolated from each other. How might we focus on thriving instead of just surviving?

In the classroom: Let your gifts and talents shine.

*Do you love music? Infuse it into the day. Bring it in wherever you can, like Mr. Reed does. 

*Love drama? Bring the history book or social studies curriculum to life by acting out scenes or reliving history.

*Make time to read books that make you all laugh, cry, and wonder.

Outside the classroom: Find your tribe. There are a lot of teachers out there who haven’t lost their idealism, their enthusiasm, and their passion. We become like those we hang out with. So find people in the staff room, on Twitter, and on Facebook whose spirit of reflection, tenacity, and joy is contagious, and become part of their tribe.

At home: My husband and I kiss each other on the first day of school and say, “See you in June.” Teaching can be all consuming. An important part of thriving is letting that be a joke and not a reality. We need to eat well, sleep enough, find time to play, and feed our souls by

     *taking a walk outside,
     *listening to beautiful music,
     *getting lost in a good book,
     *learning something new, and
     *making something with our hands.

Things might seem harsh right now. But we can rise above it.

Let’s not just survive. Because unlike the people on Alone, we can all be winners who stand victoriously on day 180 knowing we gave it our all—and thrived. 

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