How to keep your motivation as a teacher

It is almost time for Christmas break and to all my fellow colleagues out there, I feel you! It's extra hard work this time of year: bugs are going round with a vengeance, students are all excitable for Christmas and us teachers are utterly exhausted!
​Sometimes it's just hard to keep motivated, so I have come up with a little idea that I will be doing in 2016 to try and keep my spirits high!

The "Joy Jar" concept is very simple: every time you have one of those 'special' moments as a teacher (you know, the ones that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside: a student appreciating you, a colleague complimenting your lesson or wall display, a parent saying they've heard wonderful things about you from their child or hearing students say you're their favourite teacher etc), jot it down on any piece of paper you find and pop it in the jar. Then, whenever you get a low moment or are struggling to stay motivated, stick your hand in the Joy Jar and pull out a positive experience you've had as a teacher! This will help you remember why you teach and give you the strength to keep going during the more difficult times.

I am really looking forward to doing this next year - I only wish I had thought of this when I first started teaching! I can only imagine how many amazing moments I had in the past that I have long forgotten about over the last 10 years! It's never too late to start though - so if you choose to join me with your own Joy Jar, let me know how you get on!

Here's to getting through the last stretch before Christmas break :)