Oh, Pinterest!

I have taken a long hiatus from reading blogs (other than a few standbys), writing blog posts, and {gasp!} looking on Pinterest.  Today was the first time I have gotten on Pinterest in a couple months and you know what I realized? Pinterest STRESSES ME OUT! 

I scrolled through hundreds of pins and felt my anxiety rise as I thought about all the things I am not doing, or am not doing well enough…or cute enough. Gack! (Isn’t that what Cathy from the comic strip used to say?)

Don’t get me wrong, I have dropped a bundle on awesome stuff on TPT that I have seen on a blog post or on Pinterest, but I also scroll through pages of purchases that I have never even opened. 

The stuffed filing cabinet and teacher resource bookshelf has been replaced by Pinterest boards and digital files.  It’s all too much!  I remember reading a quote recently by a teacher who was working on decluttering and she basically said that you don’t need a lot of things to teach well. I totally agree with that and need to remember it as I continue teaching in the coming weeks and months.

So, I guess I am saying that it is good to take a break every once and a while and not feel the pressure to keep up with everyone else.  I love making things cute and finding the most fun ideas that I can, but in reality, when I think back on my job in 20 years I probably won’t remember finding the perfect way to teach verbs or the perfect clip art to use on a project. 

I want to refocus on doing the best I can with what I have and doing what’s best for my students. Most of all, I want to not spend more time searching for ideas to make the good things I am doing even better – they were good to begin with and I need to remember that.

I hope that you have had a wonderful beginning to your week!