Zen Remedy: During the meeting, many laughs with the greatest English Department ever. Hot coffee, music, and meditation, post-meeting back in the classroom before teaching day begins.
Stressor: The 40 Sophomores in Period 4 go in 40 different directions, including being out of assigned seats, a cacophonic (is that an adjective?) noise level, projectile debris, negligible effort on Macbeth review, and already answered questions answered again multiple times in multiple ways.
Zen Remedy: Focus on stillness, silence, and deep, slow breathing until they settle and are ready to proceed. Laugh with them when and where I can.
Stressor: Private tutoring client sends text cancelling afternoon session. In fact, cancels any further tutoring period.
Zen Remedy: Walking meditation to office from classroom. Appreciate birds, sky, clouds. Music on prep period. Unexpected, after school drop-in visit from old friend where we talk about writing, Zen, family, and life.
Stressor: A class set of Great Gatsby essays to be graded after dinner.
Zen Remedy: Grade ten essays followed by slippers, hot buttered popcorn, and Netflixing (is that a verb?) The Dick Van Dyke Show. Much laughter.*
These days, the Yin and Yang of education shows that for each stressor in our professional life, we should arrange for an equal and opposite Zen Remedy.
So, what are yours? TZT
*
It’s worth noting, I think, that laughter seems to be a recurring theme in the remedy of it all.