This blog post is not meant to be a double entendre. I know it’s been a while, but I’m not losing anything when it comes to writing. School is back in momentous full swing, and I’m struggling to find time to write. Of course, after an afternoon with my professional tribe, I’m again inspired.

That leads me to what this post is really about. I’m not going to delve a whole lot into what my friend, Kelli Coons, so articulately wrote in her ‘By My Side’ guest post. But it’s times like these, on the edge of losing it, that my tribe is SO important.

My Google Calendar is graffitied with meetings and trainings and after school things this week, and just the thought of it has me a little anxious. The last I looked at it and took it in was Thursday in the midst of an admin meeting. It’s now etched into my memory, and I am unapologetically looking forward to Friday.

I know, however, that my tribe has my back. I’ve got ten awesomely uplifting, inspiring, hilarious educators that are just two thumbs and 127 text messages away. It seems like finding a teacher tribe has been the theme of this week: Thursday, I co-hosted a twitter chat with 2 of them about it, and we just wrapped up recording our first podcast.

Teaching can be so isolating and consuming at times. If you don’t have a strong, positive professional support system, I can guarantee you that “losing it” will be inevitable. Find yourself a tribe of educators with a shared vision and growth mindset to help boost you up when it feels like you may succumb to the looming stressors of the job.

To stay in line with a metaphor once used today, Beyoncé wouldn’t be where she is today without Kelly and Michelle… y’all will get that one later. Stay tuned…