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hour stretch with students.

3) H20 is your friend: Drink lots of it. It doesn't matter if it means having to ask your neighbor to watch your class so you can dash off to the restroom. It does wonders for me in fending off headaches, and, at times, curbing hunger.

4) Teaching is a big part of your life, but not your ENTIRE life: I've come to cherish time spent with friends, engaging in new adventures like rock climbing, finding that they enhance my lessons while giving students a glimpse into my life, something they (and I) enjoy.

5) Colleagues are your best resource: When I first began teaching, I thought I had to create original lessons every. single. day. I was exhausted. As I got to know my fellow teachers, I spent a great deal of time asking them how they were executing specific lessons. Modifying them to meet the goals and objectives set forth for my classroom was much easier than what I'd been doing and I enjoyed hearing the thought processes of a wide variety of teachers - from beginners to veterans.

6) The sooner you realize that you can't save every child, the better: This has been the hardest part of teaching for me. The part that has left me the most overwhelmed and ready to climb under the covers and never come out. You go into teaching (I did, anyway) thinking that you'll have a monumental effect on every child who sets foot in your classroom. Chances are, it'll be more like 1-2%. Realize that you're only one person, that you can only do so much, and give your students 110% for the six hours they are in your care.

Then...let it go. Otherwise, you risk bringing on a plethora of stress-induced issues that, truly, are just not worth it.

Teaching is a tough, often thankless job. Do as much as you can for your students while they're with you, but don't make yourself sick going that extra mile every single day. Life is all about balance, and that is especially true with teaching.

Just as our students need time throughout the day to run around, releasing pent-up energy and taking in some fresh air, so do we.

If we don't take that time for ourselves, to recharge our batteries, how are we ever going to be of use to the children we are responsible for educating day after day?

Learn more about this author, Melissa Bregani.
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