Welcome to everyday. Issue 2

Tēna koutou. Ko Lizzie tōku ingoa.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. You are so important and valued by your community and by your country. Thank you for being here. We have been through a time that has brought so many challenges to educators and you are still here. Thank you for being there for the ākonga in your care, thank you for being there for their whānau and thank you for being there for your school community. The young people of Aotearoa are so lucky to have you show up for them everyday. 

No matter which way you look at it - the last few years have taught us all a lot. It is through these challenges that we learn. And underneath it all, we learn a lot about ourselves. 

At everyday. it is our dream to inspire you to love your mahi as educators. We want to encourage you to be creative in your approach to your work, we want to convince you that working together and really collaborating with your colleagues is the way forward and we want to motivate you to lead with kindness, approaching challenges with optimism and hope, remaining open, brave and curious. 

Recently I came across a quote, to which I don’t know who to credit, and it went like this: 

Human beings, it seems, are at their best when immersed deeply in something challenging. 

This is what being an educator is. It is hard because it is hard. The research is always being updated, the ideas keep evolving and the best practice is always getting better. It is a moving target. It is challenging but it is also immensely rewarding. We all know that absolute joy at the end of the year when you have worked to make connections with your students and you have seen them flourish and grow. Don’t lose sight of that. That is why we do it. It is challenging and through the challenge, we thrive. 

And when it gets too much, you need support and connection to get you through. Having support and connection outside of your kura is essential, and having support and connection within your school is just as important. Collaboration provides you this. Whether you are in an innovative, flexible space or whether you have your own space, working closely with your team helps, no teacher should be an island. Support each other and learn from each other. Educators who collaborate learn more than their peers who don’t. And educators who collaborate feel more supported, connected and better prepared to weather that storm. 

You must look after yourself. No one else is going to do that for you. You are in charge of you. You are in control of your attitude and your approach to life. Ensure you know your values. And align these to how you show up everyday. Create everyday. habits that support you in your life. At everyday. we believe that cultivating daily habits of movement, breathing (or stillness) and reading are key to keeping the cup overflowing. You may have others. Just remember to do a little bit everyday. What you do everyday, matters more than what you do some of the time. 

Read on and you will find pages of inspiration to help guide you through your own journey. 

This is for you to be inspired and love what you do, everyday. 

Ehara! Ko koe te ringa e huti punga! Yes, yours is the arm best suited to pull up the anchor!

You have it in you!