Teaching is a profession filled with hustle and bustle, with days that feel like a sprint from the moment the bell rings to when the last student leaves the room. But what if we paused? What if we allowed ourselves to slow down, to breathe, and to embrace the moments that make this career so beautiful? Today, I want to remind you of something simple yet profound: it’s okay to slow down, to soak in the good moments, and yes, even to still have your Christmas lights up in January (or beyond!).
The Beauty of Slowing Down
In a world where everything feels urgent, teaching can sometimes become a checklist of tasks. Grade these papers, prepare that lesson, respond to those emails. But when we’re running at full speed, we can miss the magic that happens in our classrooms.
Slowing down isn’t just about pacing yourself; it’s about making space for the moments that matter. It’s the spontaneous laughter during a lesson that didn’t go as planned, the quiet “aha” moment when a student finally gets it, or the heartfelt conversations that remind us why we chose this profession. When you slow down, you’re not just teaching—you’re connecting, inspiring, and being present.
Soak in the Good Moments
Every day in the classroom is filled with little gifts if you know where to look. The student who doodled a picture of you on their math worksheet, the one who stayed behind to say “thank you” after class, or the way your students’ faces light up when they finally understand a tricky concept. These moments are the heartbeat of teaching, and they deserve our attention.
When we rush through our days, we risk glossing over these precious snippets of joy. Make it a habit to notice them. Write them down in a journal, share them with a colleague, or simply let them be the highlight of your day. These moments are not interruptions; they are the essence of why we teach.
The Christmas Lights Stay Up
Now, about those Christmas lights. If you’ve still got them twinkling in your classroom well past the holidays, let me tell you something: it’s okay. More than okay, actually. Those lights might be the cozy glow your students look forward to each day. They might be the small piece of joy that makes your room feel like a home away from home.
Teaching isn’t about perfection; it’s about connection. If your Christmas lights bring a little happiness to your students (and let’s be honest, to you too), why rush to take them down? There’s no rule that says holiday decor must disappear with the new year. Sometimes, the best traditions are the ones that linger.
Permission to Be Human
We often feel pressure as teachers to have it all together all the time. But here’s the truth: it’s okay to be human. It’s okay to leave the decorations up, to have a stack of ungraded papers, and to not always have the perfect lesson plan. Your students don’t need you to be perfect; they need you to be present.
When you slow down and let go of unnecessary pressures, you create a space where both you and your students can thrive. And isn’t that what teaching is all about?
Final Thoughts
As you move through this week, give yourself permission to pause. Take a moment to notice the joy around you. Keep the Christmas lights up if they make you happy, and remember that some of the best parts of teaching aren’t found in the lesson plans or the to-do lists—they’re in the connections, the laughter, and the moments of shared humanity.
Here’s to slowing down, soaking it in, and shining—just like those twinkling lights. You’ve got this. -Adam
adampetersoneducation.com 