Wow!  I am so impressed.  It does pay to stay in shape.  I started working out after years of teaching and at first thought I could never find the time.  Like you, I found that it actually gives me more energy, so it is definitely worth it.  At one school several of us pitched in and hired an aerobics instructor to come to our gym twice a week after school.  We had so much fun.  

Well, I can relate to this. I used to have a bad back until I started running. I was a first grade teacher at the time.  I don't have back problems anymore.  I do struggle with finding the time to exercise during the school day.  I wanted to set up a bike trainer for lunchtime but my principal wouldn't let me. That was years ago. I have a different principal now.  

It was nice to be off today. I went on a bike ride and mowed the lawn.  

But it's a challenge to fit it all in.  Glad to see others are trying to do this.

carolgoodrow.com

P.S. Way back then, for a time, I met a running buddy early in the a.m. WE used to run at 4:15 a.m. with flashlights. I don't do that anymore. Now that was an adventure.

Carol, I love your website.  The after-school club is such a good idea.  

What a wonderful way to get kids interested in fitness and reading.

I have had an after-school kids club for a few years. I just finished my 9th season.  I have a club in the fall and one in the spring.  That's my time to give to the kids. I never get as much of my own exercise on club days, but the kids get a lot! I first started running with my kids when I taught first grade. That was before the high-stake standards.  My principal let me take them out running whenever I wanted. We just ran a little and then we would journal write, or draw a seasonal picture. We watched the seasons change this way. I turned this into a little Run the Seasons ribbon program and it was one of my favorites.  It's really fun to share the things you love with kids.  I became a children's author from all of this.  

But teaching is still my first love and I'm looking forward to the fall already.

carolgoodrow.com

To emptynester: I started teaching in 1978 so I think I'm a 30 year teacher also. I'm not burnt out yet so we can chat.  Oh, I'm a special ed teacher now.

I'm 51 and I just finished my first year of teaching. It's hard to find peers, my agemates have been teaching for a long time, the new teachers I know are a lot younger. So, I talk to lots of people and read a lot to help me learn. I wanted to respond to your Messie Bessie posting, which I greatly enjoyed. I appreciated your candor so much, not just about the state of your room (same here, and my house is worse. I've even branched out to a rented storage unit, and it's chaos there, too!) but about your pride. Nevertheless, you have figured out exactly how to address the issue: to learn from others. I enjoyed the 2 comments to your post (Why are comments to that closed off? Is there a deadline on the site?), but was sorry that there were no responses from neatniks. We know they're out there! Don't really agree with Mysterious Teacher's implication that we can't be organized and creative, both. I'm sure we can; I just haven't figured out how to do it, yet. And your question about mental preparation was eminently sensible!! In fact, I think state of mind is more than half the battle. I have the same approach to cleaning and to losing weight, both are areas of personal challenge where I've had some great success. When I work on establshing a positive attitude, re-thinking the desired behaviors as things I enjoy rather than as punishment or deprivation, I've been able to establish some really good habits and make positive changes. I continue to struggle, however, because when life happens and stress comes into the picture, I revert to my old patterns in both arenas. Anyhow, thanks for a great posting. I'll look forward to reading more from you.

I got away from exercising this year, and I know not exercising is tiring.  I still have kids at home (in high school, but not driving), so I feel my time is taken getting them everywhere they need to be.  My husband keeps bugging me to do something for me.  After reading your post - I'm going to make my summer resolution to start exercising again.  Hopefully I can find a routine that I can stick with when I go back to school!  You've inspired me!

It is so true that you must burn energy in order to gain energy! Running or doing some sort of exercise always makes me feel ready for the day ahead and the endorphins just improve my overall mood.  I like how you integrate exercise into your busy day.  Taking care of physical health is so beneficial to one's career because it lowers stress and improves thinking skills.  In college,  i tend to stay in a fairly consistent work out routine but i am nervous that it will be very difficult to make time for exercise during my first year of teaching that is quickly approaching.  Working out with teachers after school is a great way to hold each other accountable.  I volunteered at a school where the teachers met in a classroom at the end of the day, moved all the desk aside, and did a workout video.  Reading about how much it is worth it to set aside time for exercise is encouraging for me to keep it when school starts!

Wow! It's good to find some other teachers my age. I turned 53 yrs. old today. This will be my second year teaching. I said to myself this morning, "Fifty three!! Am I too old to teach?"   I have five children. they are all married but one. He is 22 yrs old. It's nice to be able to get out and teach school. I really do enjoy it. I teach first grade. I'd like if you would drop by my site and leave some thoughts and ideas about the question I have about incentitives and motivation. I'm sure you have lots of good advice!!  I'm glad to have found your site. I'm adding it to my favorites.

I need your ideas on exercise. Sounds like fun. A year ago I had lost 10 lbs. Then I started teaching school and gained all 10 lbs back again. I thought I would get back to some serious exercise as soon as school was out. But... it didn't happen. Actually, I'm planning on getting started with weight watcher just to have someone to be accountable to and have some control. I sure don't want to gain 10 more lbs this next year. :-)