Don’t Forget to Water Your Heart

Week 2! Teachers, how are you feeling?

Is that a loaded question? 

If I think back to those first few weeks of school, the first word that comes to mind is: Exhausted. Do you feel it?

The first-week excitement has settled in. The new shoes have been worn a few times. The classroom looks a little more lived-in. You are finding your rhythm… or at least attempting to.  And your body is saying, “What just happened?” You are getting back into the school-day routine. Talking. All. Day. Long. Teaching routines and expectations over and over and over again. Answering questions. Hearing your name. Over and over.

“Mrs. Cooper…”

“Mrs. Cooper…”

“Mrs. Cooper…”

The tap on your shoulder. The hand that needs something. The student who needs help. The student who needs reassurance. The student who just needs you. Everything takes longer than you planned. The lesson that was supposed to take 20 minutes takes 45. The transition that should have been quick somehow becomes an event. Someone forgets their Chromebook. Someone spills their water. Someone is crying. Someone is arguing. Someone needs a pencil. Someone needs a hug.

And somehow, in the middle of all of it, you are supposed to teach fractions, reading strategies, writing skills, science, social studies, problem-solving, kindness, perseverance, responsibility, and approximately 57 other things.

It’s no wonder you are tired.

But here is the beautiful thing about the second week...

You are beginning to see them. And they are beginning to see you. They already know your heart. They know what makes you laugh. They know the things you are passionate about. They are beginning to understand how invested you are in them. They feel that you already love them. They are opening up. They are sharing their stories. They are taking risks. They are beginning to trust you. They are already doing things you have taught them. You may have only been together for a week or two, but sometimes it feels like you have known these kids for months.

And look at you! You have already changed your plans. You have adjusted a routine. You have created an expectation you didn't realize you would need. You have abandoned something that looked great on paper because it simply wasn't working with this group of kids. You have flexed. You have adjusted. You have improvised. You have been handed something from every direction and somehow figured out what to do next.

You are mighty.

But friend, please hear me: You were never meant to do all of this alone.

Not even close. God is in every detail of your classroom. The planned moments. The interruptions. The hard conversations. The unexpected laughter. The student who needs you more than you realized. The lesson that doesn't go as planned. The tiny victory you almost missed. He is there.

So today and every day… PAUSE.

LOOK.

NOTICE Him.

You don't need an hour-long quiet time in the middle of your school day. You might not even have five minutes. But what if you started booking a few little “office hours” with God throughout your day? A moment before your students walk in. A breath while they are working. A quick prayer before a difficult conversation. A pause in the hallway. A whispered, “Lord, I need You right now.”

Just a moment.

Pause.

Look.

Notice.

Because He will meet you right where you are planted. And He will water you there. “The LORD is the strength of my life.” — Psalm 27:1 Not your lesson plan. Not your classroom management system. Not your perfectly organized calendar. Not your ability to hold everything together.

Him. He is your strength.

And while you're at it… Don't forget to celebrate. There is already so much good happening in your classroom. So much to be thankful for. So much worth noticing. So much worth celebrating.

I remember during COVID when John Krasinski created Some Good News—a little corner of the internet dedicated to finding and sharing good news when the world felt incredibly heavy.

I loved that idea. I brought it to my classroom as soon as we returned.  And I think teachers need some SGN, too. Some Good News. What if you made it part of your classroom rhythm? Share SGN during morning meeting. Share SGN at the end of the day. Use it as a brain break.

Try a little SU-HU-PU:

Stand Up.Hand Up.Pair Up.Share SGN.

“Tell someone something good that happened during our lesson.”

“What did you learn today?”

“What are you proud of?”

“Who helped you today?”

“What made you laugh?”

“What is something you are thankful for?”

You could even make SGN part of your weekly classroom routine. Because when we intentionally look for the good, we begin to notice the good that was already there. And something happens when a classroom starts looking for goodness. The atmosphere changes. The vibe changes. Joy starts showing up in the ordinary. Gratitude begins filling the down moments. Students begin noticing one another. And you begin remembering:

This is why I do this.

Yes, teaching is exhausting. Yes, there are hard days. Yes, there will be moments when you wonder how you are going to make it through Friday. But there is also goodness. There is connection. There is laughter. There is growth. There are little hearts beginning to unfold in front of you. And there is a God who is present in every single bit of it.

So, teacher… Take a breath. Pause. Look. Notice. Celebrate the good.

And then remember: You have the strength in you, through Him, to do what you have been called to do. You just don't have to do it alone.

Jeremiah reminds us: “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.— Jeremiah 17:7–8

A tree planted by water doesn't have to panic about where its nourishment will come from. Its roots know where to go. And maybe that's what you need to remember in this second week of school. Your roots matter. Before you pour into your students, let God pour into you. Before you water everyone else's hearts, remember to water yours. Before you try to hold everything together, remember Who is holding you.

You are planted. You are called. You are loved. And you are not alone. So go into this week with your heart turned toward the Gardener. Let His love flow through you. Let His strength carry you. Let His goodness become visible in your classroom.

And when the questions come…

when your name is called for the hundredth time… when the schedule falls apart… when the lesson takes twice as long… when everyone needs you at once…

pause.

look.

notice.

Your Gardener is there. And He will water your heart right where you are planted. You've got this, teacher.

But more importantly…

He’s got you.

Be JOY filled! ❤️❤️❤️Maria