A Minimalist Teachers' Journey

Nothing elementary about it

The two wheels of my white Sukuzi moped sped down the bumpy riverside road. I daydreamed while the subtropical sunrise hugged the horizon and heated the pavement beneath me. Holding on to the clutch while repeating positive affirmations to make it through the morning meetings and greetings with aggressive administration and overcompensating tiger parents. The Minimalists podcast conversed in my AirPods with soothing sentiments to save me from another day of this elementary school terror. 

The Minimalists, two guys who ‘escaped the corporate world in search of a more meaningful life,’ share stories of their previous not-so-minimal lifestyles. And how this maximal way of life led them to search for new happiness through simple ways of living with less. 

Less of Marie Kondo, who helps you find joy in your jumpsuits, and more about minimizing what is not valuable. 

As I navigated my scooter and the elementary school system as a teacher, I tuned into one specific line about learning: 

‘Growth happens rapidly amid the terror and excitement of elementary school.’  The Minimalists

The days began with a huddle. Gathered up with my colleagues like a boxer in the ring, getting powdered and toughened up. A group of grunting teachers chugging our coffee as we prepared for endless principal demands, sat between bursting piles of paperwork and ungraded worksheets. 

An experience where I learned to juggle endless administrative requests, entitled private school parents, a year's worth of the required curriculum shoved into required boxes we had to complete, alongside little Johnny’s tummy ache and sweet Catherine’s tears when she fell off the slide.

There goes the bell. Good luck today - echoes down the halls as we disperse into our rooms. 

Bring on the growing kindergarteners full of (terror and) excitement!  

The most exciting part of the day was leaving the administrative needs behind and starting with morning greetings of half-asleep, adorably tired kiddos.

Parents and students burst through my classroom door to greet me with little Tommy’s daily ensemble of medicine, change of clothes, and not-to-be-missed extra needs of TLC after the nightly boogieman visits. The first of the 20 three-year-olds would arrive before 8 am. The excitement is exchanged with adorable and snotty greetings. 

Early mornings started with greeting one another in our circle time. The school year began slowly by introducing the hello song and the weather song and progressing quickly to the days of the week. 

In the classroom, I experimented as much as I could in science and made time for baking soda explosions and dinosaur digs whenever possible. Bringing out the minimal explosive wonders and love for learning in hopes of fostering a safe environment for all learners to grow into themselves.

This school building was the space where I was able to learn in my own elementary way. And when I felt broken down by the endless administrative fiascos, I embraced the challenge to find my own growth.

With the guidance of The Minimalists' not-so-minimal amount of books, podcasts, and documentaries, I decided to make a plan, drudge through the drudgery, and continue growing. 

Through my own terror and excitement.

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