Advice for future teachers:
As you prepare to join the immensely rewarding field of education, it may be strange to read this bit of advice. Teachers need to step away from work to maintain a healthy and balanced life beyond the classroom. Just as it is necessary to "unplug" from technology, it is important to disconnect from the classroom to invest in your spiritual health, to be present with your family, and participate in activities that bring you joy. Stepping away from schoolwork helps teachers to fully engage while in the workplace. Engaged educators are able to persevere through instructional challenges, embrace opportunities that expand educational visions, collegially exchange resources, and thrive in a continuously evolving work environment. Pausing to consider how the Messiah College Education Department and community supports the development of your school-work life balance will help you replicate a school/work life balance in your teaching career. As a servant leader and passionate teacher, I still have to remind myself, that I am a better educator when I maintain a healthy balance.