In this episode, James shares how he’s used his experience as a classroom teacher to support his wife, who is a first-year teacher in an urban Charter school, dealing with many of the struggles that "burned out" teachers all over the U.S. are challenged by. He shares his perspective of what partners of teachers should know and can do in order to support the teachers in their life to prevent them from getting burned out.

1. Different people want and need different types of support. Some want to hear ideas on how to solve the problem at hand and others just need someone to listen and ask questions of them to help them feel heard and understood.

2. Great coaches, mentors, and supporters ask great questions. Although you may want to pour on the support, be sure to take the time to listen intently, without waiting to speak. Something I, myself, struggle with because I LOVE HELPING!

3. Expect for shifts in responsibilities that may have been evenly distributed in your home, may have to rely heavier on you during the ‘busy season’ of school years. A partner, spouse, or significant other who is a teacher will really appreciate sharing the workload with you.

4. Ask for what you need. Assuming all responsibility for all things on your own is not sustainable. You aren’t weak when you ask for help.

5. Make time to process the positive. It’s so easy to focus on the negative things that happened especially when we’re in groups. Be intentional about what you choose to focus on. Find time to share the things that went right.

6. Create strong boundaries and keep you and your partner accountable for making your life fun outside of work. Make an effort to take time out for hours of enjoyable activities and memories. Building boundaries between work and your partner’s personal life and helping them to look forward to the things that are coming up will help them to be motivated to respect those boundaries and to leave work at work.

7. Being flexible with your spouse and the support that you offer them and when. You won't get your support right all the time. Show grace to yourself and your spouse

James shares his project called Park Based Learning bit.ly/parkbasedlearning trying to get curriculum into the hands of teachers who are passionate about national parks and outdoor learning.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• The Buck Institute

• James’s Project - Park Based Learning

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