Midcareer Teacher and Parent

Who better to discuss the importance of separating home from work than Blaine’s guest this week, Lucas Tynkila, whose home life actually overlaps his school life - three children who have all been his students at Stanfield Secondary School and his wife who teaches at the same school. It makes for an easy carpool, says Lucas. And he has enjoyed having his children as students; he gets to spend more time with them as individuals. Having his wife, Tracy, as a first-grade Stanfield Elementary teacher adds the benefit of a spouse who shares his educational ideologies and can relate to the stress of the job. 

Even with the strong connections between his home and school life, though, Lucas stresses the importance of a healthy work-life balance. The best advice he received early in his career was simply to go home at the end of a work week, spend time with family and friends, and avoid being a perfectionist at school. He suggests that new educators take care of themselves to avoid burnout. The job gets easier and the rewards greater, he promises, as relationships are formed with students, who are able to learn only when they feel safe and comfortable asking questions. Advances in technology may have affected the education process in the sixteen years that Lucas has been teaching, but student-educator connections and trust remain essential to student success. 

 

Resources

5 Tips to Maintain a Healthy Work-Life Balance

 

Life Outside of the Classroom

 

Importance of Self-Care as a Teacher 

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