Dear Teachers, What if This Year Could Feel Different?
How Do We Stay Centered as a New School Year Begins?
Another school year is almost here. For many educators, course planning isn’t the only thing on your mind. You may be anticipating administrative pressures or new tensions in the classroom. Many are also be grappling with a recent loss of funding or school resources.
Each school year the world feels a little heavier, the expectations feel higher, and somehow, the resources feel thinner. So how do you stay grounded and continue to find joy in the profession that you love?
It’s Not Just Back-to-School Anymore
In recent years, educators and school staff have taken on more than ever. Now you’re not just instructors, but also counselors and crisis responders. Often, you’re acting as mediators between students and systems that don’t serve communities as well as they could.
You’re not only teaching, but carrying your students’ emotions, looking out for their safety, and planning for their futures. It’s okay if sometimes that feels like too much. Maybe this school year, you can set a different kind of intention.
Changes in policy or school culture may be beyond your control, but your presence remains essential to your students. And to stay connected and present, you may have to tend to your own energy first.
Practices for Centering & Sustaining
Teachers
Start with grounding rituals, whether that’s a favorite playlist in the car, a few deep breaths before class, or a visual reminder of why you’ve chosen to show up each day.
Protect moments of joy. Plan something small every week that makes you happy: lunch outside, a group stretch, or a silly classroom ritual.
Name the good. Write down three meaningful moments each week. Or better yet, share this practice with your students. You have a greater impact than you think.
Staff
Anchor together. Start staff meetings with a centering question: “What’s keeping us grounded this week?” or “Where did we see joy today?”
Connect with your colleagues. Suggest a shared snack, organize a group walk, or start a funny meme thread. Be the one to shift the tone when things get too heavy.
Be gentle with one another. Remember, everyone is carrying something we can’t see. Empathy towards each other builds team resilience.
School Leaders
Name tensions but model stability. Your team doesn’t need spin; they need honesty, clarity, and your calm presence.
Create spaces for decompression: quiet rooms, reflection moments, opt-in wellness breaks. These don’t have to be luxuries reserved for Teacher Appreciation Week.
Infuse fun where you can. Allow teachers and staff to share laughter, rituals and shout-outs when needed. A little joy goes a long way when tensions are high.
This Year Can Feel Different
What if it can? Not because the world suddenly changed, but because we brought more intention to how we show up? Because we know that care, for each other and for ourselves, is an important part of the job. Because we made room for fun and play, even when things felt uncertain. Because we didn’t wait for someone else to create the culture we crave.
At Mirasol Consulting, we work with educators and organizational leaders to design retreats, workshops, and learning spaces that nourish the people at the heart of change. Reach out to talk about bringing grounded, practical support to your school community. We’d love to partner with you and your team of educators.