Be Where Your Feet Are

"Focus Kate" I told myself. "Be present". 

There was a decision that feels big circling round in my head, a couple of friends weighing on my heart, a new report card and way to import grades consuming my mind, at least 3 emails that desperately needed responses, a text from a fellow teacher with a question they were hoping I'd answer quickly, and 18 kids looking at me waiting for class to start.

Its moments like those that are hard ... When there are a million paperwork-y, secretarial, behind the scenes parts of teaching that need my attention ... And a classroom full of kids who need it more. 

So, I chose a student leader to kick off class with good news. While they finished, I fired off a text with a plan I hoped would get my teacher friend's problem solved enough she could keep going with her day. I picked up the read aloud book and walked to the carpet. I looked at my feet for a moment to ground myself,took a deep breath, and started read aloud time. 

You see, I read a book a whole back called "Be Where Your Feet Are". It's all about being focuses and present in the moment so that you can take care of the job at hand. And thank goodness it came to mind today. 

In teaching, but also in the world and life in general, there are usually a million and three things on our minds. We all have more jobs than we can count. But the most important one HAS to be the one at hand. For me, today, it was my classroom full of kids. 

The decision weighing on me? It's one my team and I will process and make together. The paper work,emails, and grading card changes? They patiently waited on my desk until lunch time and then again paused patiently until after school. But those kids in front of me? They needed their teachers full attention in the moment. And so that's where my focus needed to be. 

I like things to be done and decided and wrapped up in neat little bows. I can multitask with the best of them. But I've learned that most of the time the best way to get things done well is to tackle them one at a time - starting with what is right infront of me. 

"Be where your feet are" has become a mantra repeated in my head that helps keeps my priorities and my focus in check. It doesn't rule out all multitasking (mom and teacher means multitasking is a necessity to say the least). But it does help remind me that I can't take on everything at once. I have to move through things patiently and give each thing - especially the "things" that happen to be my personal and school kiddos - the focus and attention it deserves when I'm working on it even if that means other things have to simply wait. After all, they'll get their turn when they are the thing in front of me. 

It isnt always easy (today it was straight up hard), but once I've fought through the fog and found my focus, its always way less stressful (and things always work out better when I'm able) to truly be in the same place my feet are in.