My student teaching and first teaching job in the U.S. were both at inner-city schools. Most of our kiddos came from pretty tough neighborhoods. My first graders knew more about rap and gang gestures than me. Some of my older students were bigger and scarier than me a (although I never let them know it). They often came to school in torn-up hand-me-downs clothes and some serious “hand-me-down” stress.
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I have never been a great sleeper. I find it particularly difficult to sleep during stressful times. Whether its work, relationships, or some other aspect of my life, I tend to lie in bed circulating through a series of anxiety provoking thoughts. This is very destructive, as it only increases stress levels and makes it even more difficult to deal with the stressors the following day (I don’t know about you but most of my melt downs happen when I’m exhausted).
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