Do you see experienced teachers who are getting everything done and doing all the right things? Their classroom looks organized, their students are well behaved and they are on top of the curriculum. They appear calm and in control.
They look like peaceful ducks swimming along contentedly in a pond.
Do you ever wonder how they do it all? Do you feel just a little bit jealous?
Like the peaceful duck swimming on the pond, ease is often an illusion.
Most teachers are swimming like ducks in that even though it may appear to be all calm and controlled, they are actually working hard and sometimes you can’t see the effort. Under the calm waters, those legs are paddling furiously!
It reminds us of something else that is famously hidden.
Take a look at these icebergs. Impressive, aren’t they?
What you don’t see when you look at an iceberg is the the depth of the iceberg below the water.
What you see is literally, the tip of the iceberg.
With the duck, the iceberg, and teachers, there is always more to the story. There are things you don’t see or don’t understand because you don’t always have the complete picture.
Don’t be quick to judge yourself against someone else. Comparison is the thief of joy.
You don’t know what goes on underneath the facade that you see. There is more to someone than what may first appear.
As you navigate the landscape of your school, consider that you don’t always have the big picture. You won’t always understand the reasons for behaviors, or why things are done the way they are done.
Ask. Listen. Learn.
And know that if you are swimming like a duck, you are in good company.
Our best,
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