Tommy Hilfiger shirtdress, Macy's
belt, Old Navy
I initially planned on wearing a strand of purple-ish beads with this outfit, but when I looked in the mirror, it felt too busy. A shirtdress is the first type of dress that I felt comfortable wearing, and while I've added other silhouettes to my closet, it remains a favorite. It's perfect for those days that I want a feminine yet unfussy outfit.
I've been thinking a lot about balance lately, as it relates to my profession. As much as I care about what I do, as much as I strive to reach every one of my 23 students everyday, there has to be a balance. That balance can be hard to find, especially when you tend to fall into self-criticism and self-doubt the way I do. At the same time, I can see the positive side of being self-critical ... at its best, questioning what I do pushes me to keep looking for new methods and new ideas. We're entering the crazy last two months of the school year, which is packed with some fun stuff (field trips and May Day), and some challenging stuff (standardized testing). I'm already realizing where I fell short this year, and that in two months, I cannot significantly remake key aspects of my instruction. However, I am still game to make small tweaks and try new things. There's a lot that needs to be accomplished before the students race out of the classroom on that last, joyous day of school, and my goal is to tackle what I need to do, learn from my mistakes, and let go of the rest.
