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One year I’d had enough. My students and I took the reins, putting on a teacher buffet and treats extravaganza. Unsurprisingly, the “student leaders” who were supposed to be running these things were all in my clubs anyway—#SmallSchoolProblems, right? Suddenly, everyone was on their toes and scrambling to show some staff gratitude.
But here’s the kicker: as lovely as the treats and lunches were (when they finally appeared), did I feel more appreciated? Not really. I appreciated the efforts, sure, and it did create an initiative for future years. Ultimately though, I realized the best appreciation has to come from within myself.
By now, May had become not just Teacher Appreciation Month, but my own appreciation month—and conveniently, my birthday month too! I started giving myself some grace. I’d let the kids do the heavy lifting: projects (with a creative, hands-on twist like Play-Doh, kinetic sand, or digital yearbooks), less traditional lecturing, and more time truly connecting with the humans in my room.
Can we talk about May brain, though? It’s REAL. I’d have students I called by name all year long, and suddenly—poof!—total blank. Sometimes, after teaching for decades, I’d forget a key point I’d been presenting for years, or swap my debits and credits. Bless those attentive teens who’d gently correct me (and then ask a million times if this was going to be on the final). Forgetting a staff meeting? Been there. Husband asking about my day? No words left, but trust me, it was eventful!
All this to say: teacher burnout is at an all-time high in May because we do so much. We answer the same questions a thousand times, we repeat ourselves and act unbothered, and we keep everyone else afloat. So friend, if you’re feeling scatterbrained or like you’re dropping balls left and right, you are absolutely normal.
This month, prioritize yourself. Let the students take the wheel with engaging projects: home-buying simulations, budgeting with Play-Doh, beach trip planning, or digital yearbooks. If you haven’t tried using 3D models in Microsoft Office, do it—I’ve never heard classrooms so quiet outside of a fire drill.
Most importantly, take a moment and enjoy your students. Some you’ll never see again, and now’s your last chance to make (or notice) that human impact. Chat with them. Thank them. Let them thank you. Realize you might be the teacher they remember in twenty years—and sometimes, they’re the students you’ll never forget.
So throw your hands up, laugh at the madness, and celebrate the fact that you showed up. May is a wild ride, but the only way through is giving yourself the appreciation you so truly deserve.
Thank you for all you do, for your grit, and your heart. Here’s to surviving another May—and enjoying the journey, however bumpy the road!
To learn more, listen to Episode 25: Teacher Appreciation in May: Finding Grace Amid End-of-Year Burnout podcast. You can stream my podcast straight from my website. My podcast is also available on all the major stream platforms including Apple Podcast and Spotify.
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