WEBVTT 00:00:06.829 --> 00:00:10.630 Hey friends, before we dive into today's episode, 00:00:10.669 --> 00:00:13.390 I just want to give you a little heads up that 00:00:13.390 --> 00:00:16.429 this episode is going to be brutally honest. 00:00:17.149 --> 00:00:20.710 It's the end of my last school year as a teacher. 00:00:21.070 --> 00:00:25.530 So it's not sugar coated. It's pretty real. After 00:00:25.530 --> 00:00:28.870 29 years in the classroom, I am in the final 00:00:28.870 --> 00:00:32.109 days, the last week of my teaching career at 00:00:32.109 --> 00:00:36.640 the time this podcast releases. And in this episode, 00:00:36.659 --> 00:00:39.799 I'm taking you behind the curtain, into the heart 00:00:39.799 --> 00:00:42.960 of what I built, what I loved, what I'm letting 00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:45.960 go of, and who I'm becoming on the other side 00:00:45.960 --> 00:00:49.179 of it all. This is for anyone who's ever poured 00:00:49.179 --> 00:00:51.740 themselves into something until it became a part 00:00:51.740 --> 00:00:54.560 of their identity and then found the courage 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:58.240 to walk away. I'll share the quirky, sacred, 00:00:58.420 --> 00:01:01.979 and straight up exhausting parts of the job from 00:01:01.979 --> 00:01:06.609 missing SD cards, an axe body spray to student 00:01:06.609 --> 00:01:10.150 poetry that moved me to tears. I'll talk about 00:01:10.150 --> 00:01:13.269 the invisible weight teachers carry, the grief 00:01:13.269 --> 00:01:16.310 of not reaching every student, and the guilt 00:01:16.310 --> 00:01:18.849 that lingers when you realize you just can't 00:01:18.849 --> 00:01:23.450 do it all anymore. I'll also explore the quiet, 00:01:23.750 --> 00:01:27.650 unfamiliar space of rediscovering who I am without 00:01:27.650 --> 00:01:31.269 the title, without bells, without the classroom. 00:01:32.609 --> 00:01:35.810 So, take a deep breath with me, whether you're 00:01:35.810 --> 00:01:38.650 a fellow educator, someone in the messy middle 00:01:38.650 --> 00:01:42.430 of a life transition, or just here to listen. 00:01:43.150 --> 00:01:46.209 I'm grateful you're here. Let's turn the next 00:01:46.209 --> 00:01:51.540 page together. Thank you for joining me for another 00:01:51.540 --> 00:01:54.359 episode of Life's Next Lesson Plan. I'm Rachel 00:01:54.359 --> 00:01:57.459 and I started this podcast during my 29th and 00:01:57.459 --> 00:01:59.939 last year as a high school teacher. The goal 00:01:59.939 --> 00:02:02.659 of my work with Life's Next Lesson Plan as well 00:02:02.659 --> 00:02:05.840 as my Live and Learn Patreon is to create a connection 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:08.620 where we are all teachers. We all have lessons 00:02:08.620 --> 00:02:11.599 and stories to share that can help others. I'm 00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:14.000 so fortunate to be able to extend the four walls 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:17.520 of my previous classroom to an unlimited audience. 00:02:18.169 --> 00:02:20.770 where we can all learn from each other. And my 00:02:20.770 --> 00:02:23.250 guests are some of the most inspirational people 00:02:23.250 --> 00:02:26.330 with the best stories and lessons I know, which 00:02:26.330 --> 00:02:29.530 is why I want to share them with you. Their words 00:02:29.530 --> 00:02:32.169 are something everyone should hear. It is my 00:02:32.169 --> 00:02:33.949 hope that you are able to take away something 00:02:33.949 --> 00:02:36.969 from each episode to apply to your own life, 00:02:37.270 --> 00:02:40.110 whether that be a career search, path to a more 00:02:40.110 --> 00:02:43.750 fulfilling life, or new ideas on current topics. 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:48.659 All right, for today's episode, like any good 00:02:48.659 --> 00:02:51.819 English teacher, I'm going to organize this in 00:02:51.819 --> 00:02:56.280 a little three -part story arc. So part one is 00:02:56.280 --> 00:03:01.039 going to be things from my 29 years of teaching 00:03:01.039 --> 00:03:04.860 that I'm taking with me. Part two is going to 00:03:04.860 --> 00:03:08.520 be things I'm going to be leaving behind. And 00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:12.719 then part three is going to be the becoming me 00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:18.620 again. All right, so let's get into it. Things 00:03:18.620 --> 00:03:22.539 I'm taking with me, what I learned as a teacher, 00:03:23.219 --> 00:03:27.580 my ability to read the room and adapt in real 00:03:27.580 --> 00:03:32.240 time. So whether this meant, you know, reading 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:35.379 the room to see that some young couple in my 00:03:35.379 --> 00:03:40.360 classroom is in a fight or maybe some friends 00:03:40.360 --> 00:03:44.740 are not getting along to, you know, Maybe two 00:03:44.740 --> 00:03:48.199 scholars who I see maybe would be better off 00:03:48.199 --> 00:03:53.439 together. Did I ever play matchmaker in my classes? 00:03:53.740 --> 00:03:58.520 Maybe a little bit. Did it work out? Yeah. So 00:03:58.520 --> 00:04:01.280 more so though, as a teacher, you just know when 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:04.120 something is not working or when you need to 00:04:04.120 --> 00:04:07.219 change up your intended plan. Isn't that just 00:04:07.219 --> 00:04:10.780 like life? Isn't that kind of like what I've 00:04:10.780 --> 00:04:14.740 decided to do? Exactly. So I guess teaching can 00:04:14.740 --> 00:04:18.720 be a metaphor for life. I am taking with me some 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:22.439 deep listening skills from years of mentoring 00:04:22.439 --> 00:04:28.120 teens. Oh boy, this can be a blessing and a curse. 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:33.139 So yeah, I got to hear a lot of light bulb moments 00:04:33.139 --> 00:04:37.360 of true learning. And I got to overhear some 00:04:37.360 --> 00:04:41.180 conversations I wish I never heard just this 00:04:41.180 --> 00:04:46.470 past week. I overheard students playing Smash 00:04:46.470 --> 00:04:51.050 or Pass with the yearbooks. That's a new one. 00:04:51.850 --> 00:04:54.629 Anybody who has middle school children or high 00:04:54.629 --> 00:04:57.589 school children or college age children or teachers, 00:04:58.449 --> 00:05:00.509 the first three colleagues I told this story 00:05:00.509 --> 00:05:04.129 to, none of them knew what Smash or Pass was. 00:05:05.069 --> 00:05:09.430 You need to look it up. I'm also taking with 00:05:09.430 --> 00:05:14.370 me a lot of compelling stories, whether the ones 00:05:14.370 --> 00:05:18.290 we told in journalism or the ones we read in 00:05:18.290 --> 00:05:22.389 our literature classes and the discussions that 00:05:22.389 --> 00:05:26.389 I heard and took part in, the proud moment of 00:05:26.389 --> 00:05:29.269 my little freshman journalist this year reaching 00:05:29.269 --> 00:05:32.569 out to interview a pro baseball player and a 00:05:32.569 --> 00:05:36.069 professional umpire, and an article on being 00:05:36.069 --> 00:05:39.560 able to compile the stories of our school. and 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:43.540 being circled up, as we called it, in AP Lit 00:05:43.540 --> 00:05:47.480 for great expectations discussions, where I sat 00:05:47.480 --> 00:05:52.199 in genuine awe at the inferences of the students. 00:05:52.839 --> 00:05:57.220 And this was before CHAT GPT. I always learned 00:05:57.220 --> 00:06:01.800 something from those students. I'm also taking 00:06:01.800 --> 00:06:06.079 with me an ability to build community. Countless 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:09.759 fun Fridays of Battle of the Sexes, BuzzFeed 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:14.160 quizzes, Minute to Win It games, where apparently 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:18.920 I learned how cringe I am by posting the videos 00:06:18.920 --> 00:06:22.680 of the students on Instagram. Apparently that 00:06:22.680 --> 00:06:28.399 is very mortifying, Ms. Rauch. Lesson learned. 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:32.480 I'm also taking with me a fire for helping others 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:36.579 learn to think for themselves. I will be forever 00:06:36.579 --> 00:06:40.360 grateful for having attended summer trainings 00:06:40.360 --> 00:06:45.079 for classes like AP Seminar, AP Research, AP 00:06:45.079 --> 00:06:49.079 Literature, and Journalism where the structure 00:06:49.079 --> 00:06:52.819 of the class puts students in the driver's seat 00:06:52.819 --> 00:06:59.079 and empowers them to know they can be in control 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:03.680 of their learning. And also, these are the students 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:07.319 who actually don't line up at the door before 00:07:07.319 --> 00:07:11.879 the bell. Teachers, am I right? If you know, 00:07:11.899 --> 00:07:18.740 you know. I'm also bringing with me the genuine 00:07:18.740 --> 00:07:22.459 joy of being allowed into the deepest thoughts 00:07:22.459 --> 00:07:25.759 of my students in creative writing, from their 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:30.139 journals and their poetry, watching them bravely 00:07:30.139 --> 00:07:33.199 step up to the open mic to share their writing 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:37.779 with others. Their writing and their sharing 00:07:37.779 --> 00:07:42.500 encouraged me to take risks and step out of my 00:07:42.500 --> 00:07:46.360 comfort zone. I wrote with them. I shared with 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:49.420 them. And now look, I'm still stepping out of 00:07:49.420 --> 00:07:54.339 my comfort zone. And lastly, I'm bringing with 00:07:54.339 --> 00:07:58.480 me inspiration from brilliant and passionate 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:02.720 colleagues. There are still some there who get 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:08.060 it, who were there when things were good, and 00:08:08.060 --> 00:08:13.560 who still believe in high expectations and actually 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:18.279 holding students to them. Probably best if I 00:08:18.279 --> 00:08:23.180 keep that short. I'll miss our deep conversations 00:08:23.180 --> 00:08:27.629 at lunch. or at plays that we attended at APT, 00:08:28.610 --> 00:08:32.029 or gathering around a dinner table. It's not 00:08:32.029 --> 00:08:35.450 goodbye, it's just see you in the next chapter. 00:08:36.470 --> 00:08:42.549 Keep up the good fight. Part two, things I am 00:08:42.549 --> 00:08:48.889 leaving behind. Staff meeting icebreakers. Again, 00:08:49.230 --> 00:08:53.960 teachers, if you know, you know. the smell of 00:08:53.960 --> 00:08:57.779 Teenage X body spray or not being able to tell 00:08:57.779 --> 00:09:01.019 the difference between a fruity smelling vape 00:09:01.019 --> 00:09:05.600 or body spray in the bathroom. And I'll never 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:09.220 forget the day I walked into the bathroom with 00:09:09.220 --> 00:09:13.740 my teacher shoes clinking and my classroom keys 00:09:13.740 --> 00:09:18.840 around my neck jingling and I saw four feet, 00:09:19.299 --> 00:09:24.769 two sets of feet jump up onto the toilet. Still 00:09:24.769 --> 00:09:28.110 not 100 % sure what that was about. Not sure 00:09:28.110 --> 00:09:33.049 I want to know. I'm leaving behind all the missing 00:09:33.049 --> 00:09:37.330 SD cards, all the missing camera cords, all the 00:09:37.330 --> 00:09:41.450 missing lens caps, the disorganization of the 00:09:41.450 --> 00:09:46.110 camera cabinet and publications in general. I'm 00:09:46.110 --> 00:09:49.429 leaving behind grading 117 essays in a weekend 00:09:49.429 --> 00:09:54.820 or on the last day of a break. or the night before 00:09:54.820 --> 00:10:01.059 grades are due. Never again. Leaving behind questions 00:10:01.059 --> 00:10:04.200 like, how many points is this worth? Or is this 00:10:04.200 --> 00:10:07.539 for a grade? Can I go to the bathroom? What are 00:10:07.539 --> 00:10:10.620 we supposed to be doing? Three seconds after 00:10:10.620 --> 00:10:13.759 you just explained it, and not to mention it's 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:17.480 on the screen in front of the room. This is just 00:10:17.480 --> 00:10:20.620 as good as, did we do anything while I was gone? 00:10:21.659 --> 00:10:24.620 No, Jimmy. We all just sat and stared at the 00:10:24.620 --> 00:10:30.059 wall. And lastly, I'm leaving behind people trying 00:10:30.059 --> 00:10:33.580 to submit their yearbook photos months and months 00:10:33.580 --> 00:10:37.960 and months after the due date. Or yeah, even 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:42.860 after the yearbooks have been distributed. And 00:10:42.860 --> 00:10:47.360 I'm also going to swallow the criticism of students' 00:10:47.559 --> 00:10:52.629 work in the yearbook. You know, perhaps... All 00:10:52.629 --> 00:10:56.210 homework assignments or projects for all classes 00:10:56.210 --> 00:11:01.090 should be shared with the whole school for feedback. 00:11:02.710 --> 00:11:06.830 I'm just gonna stop there. Oh wait, that wasn't 00:11:06.830 --> 00:11:10.129 it. I'm also gonna leave behind the invisible 00:11:10.129 --> 00:11:16.830 emotional mental load that no one sees. This 00:11:16.830 --> 00:11:18.730 is actually going to be the most interesting 00:11:18.730 --> 00:11:23.029 to me. How I feel on a Friday at the end of a 00:11:23.029 --> 00:11:27.090 week of work in a new job compared to teaching. 00:11:28.190 --> 00:11:33.289 Because, again, I don't know. A lot of teachers 00:11:33.289 --> 00:11:35.870 I know are in their pajamas after happy hour 00:11:35.870 --> 00:11:40.210 on Friday. I'm also leaving behind the guilt 00:11:40.210 --> 00:11:43.909 and growing impossibility of not being able to 00:11:43.909 --> 00:11:50.490 reach every student. I don't know. how this is 00:11:50.490 --> 00:11:53.769 going to work with the rise in student needs 00:11:53.769 --> 00:11:57.850 that I have seen and know for a fact is coming 00:11:57.850 --> 00:12:03.149 and just going to get worse. I'm also going to 00:12:03.149 --> 00:12:07.330 leave behind burnout culture where you're expected 00:12:07.330 --> 00:12:11.730 to do it all and then we'll just keep adding 00:12:11.730 --> 00:12:15.870 more every single year. We don't really understand 00:12:15.870 --> 00:12:21.379 what you're already doing. So we'll just stop 00:12:21.379 --> 00:12:24.059 there. I'm also going to leave behind the way 00:12:24.059 --> 00:12:29.220 education has switched so far to focusing on 00:12:29.220 --> 00:12:33.440 supporting students that we've forgotten that 00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:36.299 we still need to support the teachers teaching 00:12:36.299 --> 00:12:41.139 them and maybe not undermine them, maybe not 00:12:41.139 --> 00:12:44.259 go over their heads, maybe have a conversation 00:12:44.259 --> 00:12:47.580 with them, and maybe stop enabling students. 00:12:48.029 --> 00:12:50.950 and instead empowering them and believing them 00:12:50.950 --> 00:12:53.710 in them and holding them to the expectations 00:12:53.710 --> 00:12:57.129 we know that they can reach with proper support. 00:12:58.769 --> 00:13:03.490 Now lastly, I'm leaving behind the teacher martyr 00:13:03.490 --> 00:13:07.309 narrative. Eating and using the restroom when 00:13:07.309 --> 00:13:12.990 a bell tells me to. Having adults or students 00:13:12.990 --> 00:13:17.120 interrupt my short lunch or Come into my room 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:20.940 and interrupt my colleagues, lunch, read the 00:13:20.940 --> 00:13:24.419 room. This is our decompression time. We get 00:13:24.419 --> 00:13:28.379 20 minutes to take a breath, go to the bathroom. 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:31.720 I don't know, maybe make an important phone call. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:36.879 You feeling that you are more important than 00:13:36.879 --> 00:13:43.100 our well -being in our hectic day simply amazes 00:13:43.100 --> 00:13:49.029 me. All right. Let's take a little break. 100 00:13:49.029 --> 00:13:52.610 % of men and women have hormones, and with the 00:13:52.610 --> 00:13:55.590 increased presence of processed foods and environmental 00:13:55.590 --> 00:13:58.129 toxins, it's more important than ever to make 00:13:58.129 --> 00:14:00.690 mindful choices in the products we use every 00:14:00.690 --> 00:14:04.789 day. That's why I trust Q and Grace, high -performing, 00:14:04.789 --> 00:14:07.970 clean products designed to support hormone health 00:14:07.970 --> 00:14:10.590 while reducing exposure to harmful chemicals. 00:14:11.280 --> 00:14:14.559 Because this topic has been my primary focus 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:18.320 since ending birth control in 2024 and an attempt 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:21.500 to regulate my changing midlife hormones, after 00:14:21.500 --> 00:14:24.480 making healthy swaps in my diet, personal care 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:27.820 products, and exercise routine, I've been able 00:14:27.820 --> 00:14:30.620 to lower my dose of anxiety medication I once 00:14:30.620 --> 00:14:34.200 relied very heavily on and have restored balance 00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:36.779 to my nervous system and cleared up the brain 00:14:36.779 --> 00:14:40.220 fog I was experiencing in perimenopause. Hugh 00:14:40.220 --> 00:14:43.159 and Grace has played a key role in this transformation, 00:14:43.860 --> 00:14:46.940 offering safe, effective, non -toxic solutions 00:14:46.940 --> 00:14:50.360 that support my wellness journey. If you listened 00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:54.139 to episode 16 with certified Mayo Clinic health 00:14:54.139 --> 00:14:56.320 and wellness coach Tracy Danielson Mitchell, 00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:59.120 you heard our talk about the importance of hormone 00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:02.580 health. To share with you everything I did throughout 00:15:02.580 --> 00:15:05.259 my journey to balance my hormones, I did a deep 00:15:05.259 --> 00:15:08.480 dive on my Live and Learn Patreon about all of 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:13.360 the tests and supplements that I use in order 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:18.399 to navigate this journey in my 50s. To find this 00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:22.100 episode, you can just visit patreon .com slash 00:15:22.100 --> 00:15:25.330 live and learn. Some of my favorite products 00:15:25.330 --> 00:15:28.230 I use every day include Hue and Grace's Hydrate 00:15:28.230 --> 00:15:31.830 and Detox that contains powerful antioxidants, 00:15:32.350 --> 00:15:36.169 electrolytes, and prebiotic fiber. Their popular 00:15:36.169 --> 00:15:38.669 blue drink you see me drinking on Instagram is 00:15:38.669 --> 00:15:41.529 their triple boost hormone support protein powder 00:15:41.529 --> 00:15:44.909 with blue spirulina that I mix with their daily 00:15:44.909 --> 00:15:48.629 collagen supplement. I also keep my skin hydrated 00:15:48.629 --> 00:15:52.490 and smooth with their spray -on body oil. I love 00:15:52.490 --> 00:15:55.090 putting this on before going out and it gives 00:15:55.090 --> 00:15:59.210 my aging skin a more dewy look. I've also switched 00:15:59.210 --> 00:16:01.669 out my hair care products to Hue and Grace's 00:16:01.669 --> 00:16:05.210 Your Best Hair Day line with all natural ingredients 00:16:05.210 --> 00:16:08.210 that help nourish my hair and stretch out time 00:16:08.210 --> 00:16:11.610 between washes. If you're on this journey with 00:16:11.610 --> 00:16:14.429 me and are interested in exploring Hue and Grace's 00:16:14.429 --> 00:16:18.149 trusted non -toxic products for 10 % off and 00:16:18.149 --> 00:16:21.470 free shipping, you can use my discount link at 00:16:21.470 --> 00:16:25.049 hueandgrace .com slash lesson plan and reach 00:16:25.049 --> 00:16:29.190 out anytime via email at nextlessonplan at gmail 00:16:29.190 --> 00:16:33.330 .com with questions. Live and learn with me as 00:16:33.330 --> 00:16:36.570 we focus on living fully and feeling our best. 00:16:36.909 --> 00:16:40.769 Visit hueandgrace .com slash lesson plan to see 00:16:40.769 --> 00:16:43.570 how easy it is to start making some healthy swaps 00:16:43.570 --> 00:16:49.590 on your way to non -toxic living. There's our 00:16:49.590 --> 00:16:52.730 bell. So we are ready for ask the teacher anything. 00:16:53.870 --> 00:16:58.269 And first question is, what are some of my favorite 00:16:58.269 --> 00:17:02.889 podcasts? What do I listen to? I'm often sharing 00:17:02.889 --> 00:17:07.349 some of my favorites on My Instagram, if I think 00:17:07.349 --> 00:17:09.630 there's something worthy of sharing. I have kind 00:17:09.630 --> 00:17:13.849 of an eclectic mix, definitely. It goes by my 00:17:13.849 --> 00:17:16.630 mood for when I'm in the car or going for a walk 00:17:16.630 --> 00:17:20.009 or cleaning the house. One of my favorites for 00:17:20.009 --> 00:17:22.950 sure. Yes, I know we're very excited, Elliot. 00:17:23.289 --> 00:17:25.990 One of my favorites for sure is my girl Shailene 00:17:25.990 --> 00:17:30.029 Johnson. She has the Shailene show. She also 00:17:30.029 --> 00:17:32.690 has a Patreon. She has two levels of Patreon. 00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:36.279 I'm so far just at the between friends level. 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:41.359 That's awesome. I love, and I'm not listening 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:43.559 to it much lately, but it definitely helped me 00:17:43.559 --> 00:17:46.519 when I was starting this podcast. Jenna Kutcher's 00:17:46.519 --> 00:17:50.859 The Goal Digger podcast. I actually took one 00:17:50.859 --> 00:17:54.279 of her online courses, the podcast lab, and that 00:17:54.279 --> 00:17:59.880 is what helped me start my podcast. Used to listen 00:17:59.880 --> 00:18:04.150 to a lot of Jay Shetty. on purpose and a lot 00:18:04.150 --> 00:18:07.410 of motivation with Brendan Bouchard. Haven't 00:18:07.410 --> 00:18:09.769 listened to that as much lately. A little bit 00:18:09.769 --> 00:18:13.490 of Tony Robbins, a little bit of Ed Milett, a 00:18:13.490 --> 00:18:16.349 little bit of Mel Robbins. Used to listen to 00:18:16.349 --> 00:18:19.710 We Can Do Hard Things a lot during the pandemic 00:18:19.710 --> 00:18:24.430 and during my divorce. I listened to the Model 00:18:24.430 --> 00:18:28.009 Health Show a lot during the pandemic. Now I'm 00:18:28.009 --> 00:18:32.210 kind of into more lighter, more lighthearted 00:18:32.210 --> 00:18:35.289 things. So I listened to smartless every Monday. 00:18:35.630 --> 00:18:38.650 Love, love, love that show. My daughter turned 00:18:38.650 --> 00:18:41.490 me on to Brittany broski and she's all over the 00:18:41.490 --> 00:18:45.250 place, but she cracks me up. And yes, I'm a Swiftie. 00:18:45.250 --> 00:18:48.029 So I listened to New Heights and I also listened 00:18:48.029 --> 00:18:53.410 to Kylie Kelsey's not gonna lie. I have listened 00:18:53.410 --> 00:18:57.579 to call her daddy from time to time. I have listened 00:18:57.579 --> 00:19:00.200 to the skinny confidential, which is now called 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:03.660 him and her. I've listened to armchair expert 00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:07.779 if there's someone on there that I enjoy. And 00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:11.900 then I just saw someone last night actually recommend 00:19:11.900 --> 00:19:15.279 Chloe Kardashian's podcast and I'm like, No, 00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:17.420 I'm not doing it. I'm not doing it. But she said 00:19:17.420 --> 00:19:21.309 it's not what you would expect. so I think I'm 00:19:21.309 --> 00:19:25.170 going to try that one as well so there's still 00:19:25.170 --> 00:19:29.250 more there's some podcasts of people I know people 00:19:29.250 --> 00:19:32.809 I've had on the show whose podcasts that I listen 00:19:32.809 --> 00:19:36.910 to but I don't need to go over that again but 00:19:36.910 --> 00:19:40.450 yeah it varies and I'm constantly changing it 00:19:40.450 --> 00:19:46.549 up in my car a lot so I typically need a variety 00:19:46.549 --> 00:19:50.460 question two How was your first camping trip 00:19:50.460 --> 00:19:55.059 in the new camper? Yeah, yeah, so we took the 00:19:55.059 --> 00:19:59.619 Luna Rover on its first voyage for Memorial Day 00:19:59.619 --> 00:20:03.119 weekend and we were only an hour and 15 minutes 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:06.440 from home in Green Lake and we purposely kind 00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:09.720 of scheduled all close Wisconsin trips for the 00:20:09.720 --> 00:20:12.369 summer just because we're Feeling out the new 00:20:12.369 --> 00:20:15.329 camper. We learned a lot from the first trip. 00:20:15.329 --> 00:20:19.569 We did have electric and water For this trip. 00:20:19.869 --> 00:20:22.890 We discovered that the fireplace which is the 00:20:22.890 --> 00:20:26.509 heating source for the camper After the first 00:20:26.509 --> 00:20:28.750 night of waking up every time you were cold and 00:20:28.750 --> 00:20:31.250 turning on the fireplace Brett realized that 00:20:31.250 --> 00:20:33.690 you can set it like a thermostat So you set it 00:20:33.690 --> 00:20:35.869 at the temperature you want it to be at and it 00:20:35.869 --> 00:20:39.960 will turn in turn on on its own. So that was 00:20:39.960 --> 00:20:44.400 really nice. We slept a little bit better after 00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:48.099 the first night. The mattresses are a little 00:20:48.099 --> 00:20:51.480 uncomfortable so we're looking into trying a 00:20:51.480 --> 00:20:54.700 mattress topper that we have or ordering additional 00:20:54.700 --> 00:20:59.799 cushions for that. We learned that you're not 00:20:59.799 --> 00:21:02.359 going to want to pack how you traditionally pack 00:21:02.359 --> 00:21:07.339 for a vacation and so I'm going to buy Three 00:21:07.339 --> 00:21:10.019 totes three Rubbermaid totes we already were 00:21:10.019 --> 00:21:12.940 using some but that's how I'm going to pack my 00:21:12.940 --> 00:21:15.059 clothes and shoes so we're going to have a tote 00:21:15.059 --> 00:21:18.180 for shoes and that can just slide right under 00:21:18.180 --> 00:21:21.339 the camper and then I'll have a tote for my clothes 00:21:21.339 --> 00:21:23.920 and he'll have a tote for his clothes and That 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:26.819 will also slide on either side. We have two doors 00:21:26.819 --> 00:21:30.950 one on each side of our beds of the camper And 00:21:30.950 --> 00:21:33.470 that will be much easier because there's not 00:21:33.470 --> 00:21:35.690 much room in our camper. So we were having to 00:21:35.690 --> 00:21:38.450 put our suitcases or duffel bags in the truck 00:21:38.450 --> 00:21:41.210 every night and then getting our clothes out 00:21:41.210 --> 00:21:46.109 for the day. And we have a bathroom in the camper 00:21:46.109 --> 00:21:49.890 for emergency number one only, but we do have 00:21:49.890 --> 00:21:53.049 to shower at the campground. And so, you know, 00:21:53.089 --> 00:21:55.509 it's just easier to have everything in a tote 00:21:55.509 --> 00:22:01.180 that you can just pull out of. We didn't cook 00:22:01.180 --> 00:22:06.079 a ton on this trip So we haven't we we used the 00:22:06.079 --> 00:22:09.940 microwave for heating up water The sink was great 00:22:09.940 --> 00:22:14.160 for doing dishes Everything else I would say 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:17.759 went pretty well sleep masks were very helpful. 00:22:17.880 --> 00:22:22.680 I did have my weighted blanket So, I mean I just 00:22:22.680 --> 00:22:27.559 sleep so well when I'm in the outdoors and so 00:22:27.630 --> 00:22:30.549 much better than in a tent as well. So all in 00:22:30.549 --> 00:22:34.029 all success. We're going to go again in June. 00:22:34.109 --> 00:22:37.329 So thank you for asking. But we learned a lot 00:22:37.329 --> 00:22:40.289 on that first trip. Okay, so let's finish out 00:22:40.289 --> 00:22:44.710 this three part story arc with who I'm going 00:22:44.710 --> 00:22:48.970 to become now after taking with me what I'd like 00:22:48.970 --> 00:22:52.309 to take with me and leaving behind what no longer 00:22:52.309 --> 00:22:55.490 serves me. This is going to be my identity shift 00:22:55.490 --> 00:23:01.710 outside the role of teacher. So part of my Rachel 00:23:01.710 --> 00:23:08.410 2 .0 is going to be learning to not define my 00:23:08.410 --> 00:23:14.640 worth by productivity, awards, favoritism. other 00:23:14.640 --> 00:23:18.759 people's opinions, students' opinions of me. 00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:24.619 That will be nice. I'm going to learn what off 00:23:24.619 --> 00:23:30.700 the clock feels like. Pretty much every day off 00:23:30.700 --> 00:23:36.339 and weekends and summers and holidays definitely 00:23:36.339 --> 00:23:39.900 had to do something for publications or the yearbook. 00:23:40.700 --> 00:23:46.319 So... or grade or lesson plan or respond to emails 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:50.000 until I took email off my phone. Highly recommend 00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:53.019 doing that. I'm going to learn who I am when 00:23:53.019 --> 00:23:58.359 I'm not Ms. Rauch, the teacher. So I'm excited 00:23:58.359 --> 00:24:01.039 to see what that looks like starting in July. 00:24:03.589 --> 00:24:07.369 I'm going to explore the space that this closure, 00:24:07.609 --> 00:24:10.150 this ending is going to create for me to grow 00:24:10.150 --> 00:24:14.549 into something new in this new position. I mean, 00:24:14.930 --> 00:24:20.109 ah! It's getting a lot more real now, so just... 00:24:19.900 --> 00:24:23.579 Yeah, I don't know what to expect. And I'm just 00:24:23.579 --> 00:24:26.839 holding a lot of positive hope for my new role. 00:24:27.380 --> 00:24:30.980 I'm going to use my current skills and learn 00:24:30.980 --> 00:24:34.160 so many more skills. I think that'll be so fun. 00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:36.799 A lot of things that I've been wanting to learn 00:24:36.799 --> 00:24:39.259 more about, photography being one of them, like 00:24:39.259 --> 00:24:43.460 I'm going to do a whole training. learning from 00:24:43.460 --> 00:24:46.460 the best photographers out there, paid professional 00:24:46.460 --> 00:24:50.039 photographers. So cool. I love taking pictures 00:24:50.039 --> 00:24:53.960 as it is. So we'll see, you know, if I could 00:24:53.960 --> 00:24:57.599 upgrade my social media pictures a little bit. 00:24:57.940 --> 00:25:02.500 And just, you know, being valued for my knowledge, 00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:09.720 being valued for having high expectations. Yeah, 00:25:10.019 --> 00:25:16.319 that will be refreshing. So there it is. My official 00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:20.759 lasts as a teacher. No more rubrics, no more 00:25:20.759 --> 00:25:24.759 late work accepted, no more is this for a grade? 00:25:25.220 --> 00:25:29.559 Questions allowed. I'm going to walk out this 00:25:29.559 --> 00:25:34.299 week with my head held high, my sarcasm probably 00:25:34.299 --> 00:25:37.660 still intact, and the idea that sometimes the 00:25:37.660 --> 00:25:40.980 most important lesson isn't what we teach others. 00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:46.420 but how we ourselves learn and grow and change 00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:50.759 along the way. So to everyone still in the classroom 00:25:50.759 --> 00:25:56.880 trenches, I see you. Oh, I respect you. Oh, good 00:25:56.880 --> 00:26:00.539 luck. To those thinking about making a bold move, 00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:06.440 you're not crazy. You can do it. And to anyone 00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:09.539 trying to find themselves again after a long 00:26:09.539 --> 00:26:13.740 chapter, difficult chapter. I've been there with 00:26:13.740 --> 00:26:18.980 you. I'm here. You're gonna be okay. I'll catch 00:26:18.980 --> 00:26:22.640 you next time on Life's Next Lesson Plan where 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:25.299 I'll be the one ringing the bell.