96. Getting Back to Your Circle of Influence for Educators with Dan Tricarico

Teachers are (still!) not okay, and that’s coming straight from the mouth of a teacher. The pandemic continues, and teachers continue to struggle with making the impact they went into the profession to make. 

The result is a lot of burnout and frustration, a lot of complaining (from teachers, students, administrators, parents), and a mass exodus of teachers leaving the profession. This week’s guest is not one of those teachers. In fact, he’s a teacher on a mission to help others get back to themselves and the impact they want to make.

This is Dan Tricarico’s second appearance on the podcast and it won’t be his last. As a school administrator, it was helpful to hear Dan’s perspective on what he’s seeing and hearing from other teachers. And he shares what teachers, leaders, and parents can do to help support the wellbeing of their educators.

It’s an enlightening conversation that will leave you with a different perspective of what teaching and learning look like right now.

After 30 years as a high school English teacher, Dan Tricarico found himself heading toward burnout and knew something had to change. Wanting to continue as a teacher, he cultivated strategies that helped him reclaim his control and stay in the classroom.

Today, Tricarico is a national speaker who shares his expertise and insight to show teachers how to reduce their stress and improve their self-care, so they can thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

He is author of The Zen Teacher: Focus Simplicity and Tranquility in the Classroom and Sanctuaries: Self-Care Secrets for Stressed Out Teachers. Creator of The Zen Teacher 5 Step Blueprint, he has also been featured in Fast Company Magazine, EduTopia, Teacher 2 Teacher, and The Truth for Teachers and Talks with Teachers Podcasts.

• [2:51] -  Dan becomes international resource for teachers
• [6:02]  - Dan’s second book: Sanctuaries
• [6:25] - You have more control than you think as an educator
• [7:18] - You can control your response to the next shutdown
• [7:47] - Teachers’ situation as pandemic drags on
• [8:18] - Teachers master the pivot 
• [11:05] - Business as usual?
• [11:46] - Underlying friction makes the whole thing harder
• [13:28] - This is where we are; accept it
• [14:07] - Key recommendations for educators
• [16:21] - Give yourself the gift of stillness and silence
• [18:28] - What can school leaders do right now to help teachers
• [20:12] - Tired of talking about self care
• [21:40] - Trying to walk my talk
• [22:45] - What parents can do to help in the schools
• [25:12] - Message to parents: Trust us
• [26:23] - Turbo Time
• [30:19] - Dan’s Magic Wand
• [31:36] - Maureen’s Takeaways

• The Zen Teacher
• Circle of Influence
• Episode 50: Zen Teaching
• Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning
• The Zen Teacher: Focus Simplicity and Tranquility in the Classroom
• Sanctuaries: Self-Care Secrets for Stressed Out Teachers
• Email Maureen

• Maureen’s TEDx: Changing My Mind to Change Our Schools

• The Education Evolution
• Facebook: Follow Education Evolution
• Twitter: Follow Education Evolution
• LinkedIn: Follow Education Evolution
• EdActive Collective
• Maureen’s book: Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids

• Micro-school feature on Good Morning America
• The Micro-School Coalition
• Facebook: The Micro-School Coalition
• LEADPrep