Dear Kaleidoscope,

I came to teaching after a long career in the corporate world. What I love and appreciate about being a teacher is that, unlike my previous work in Corporate America, no two days of work are the same. My time as a teacher has been filled with interesting lessons learned and memorable experiences. I have always wanted to document these experiences on a regular basis as a way to reflect on what I have learned and share with others. Unfortunately I have not yet found a way to write in a consistent and sustainable manner. Throughout my life, despite my desires to do so, I have not developed the habit of journaling or keeping a personal diary. Now that I am in a stage of life where I manage my time as a teacher, father, and husband, I find it harder to dedicate time to writing. As the years progress, I am worried that the valuable daily lessons that come out of my classroom will continue to be ephemeral moments replaced by the latest crises. What approaches or strategies can you recommend to consistently and sustainably document the experiences of my teaching practice in writing?

Sincerely,
The Aspiring Journaler

Dear Aspiring Journaler,

This is a common experience we hear: people wish they could write, but have too many tasks to attend to each day. “Writing”, with a capital ‘W’, is a big undertaking, where long stretches of time are set aside to think and reflect, culminating in a fully formed piece. However, this is simply not the reality for many, including many prolific authors.

Kaleidoscope peer advisors recommend recognizing the writing that you are already doing and developing small (truly small) habits that leave a breath for reflection. Some ideas may include:

• • • • • • • Don’t write in full sentences: use bullet points, key words, and diagrams, all of which are easier and faster to work with.
            • Write one sentence, yes just one, at the end of each day.
            • Tell a story about the day to a voice notes app while you are driving in the car.
            • Make it a family practice! Have all members of your family (or a subset) take a moment each day to write down what happens in a notebook or a common document. You can also draw pictures!
            • If you want to capture information about a lesson, you can utilize a commenting feature. Some set aside time at the end of the day to write a comment about each lesson, while others add comments quickly while students are completing an end-of-class reflection or exit ticket. If you copy lesson plans from year to year, your comments from previous years will be available to you.

Most importantly, remember to offer yourself grace in this process. If you set a goal of writing one sentence per day but you miss a few days, do not get discouraged! There is no perfect attendance prize. Start again, the page is always waiting for you.

Sincerely,
Kaleidoscope

Dear Kaleidoscope,

I have loved teaching. I have poured my whole-self into my teaching practice and my friends are my fellow teachers. Teaching is my life. I get sick when I finally rest during winter break and in the summer when school is out. I know I need to rebalance my life, but I don’t know how. How can I live a life in balance while teaching?

Sincerely,
Off Kilter

Dear Off Kilter,

For many teachers, our entire identity is centered around being a teacher. As you are discovering, this can lead to imbalance and one-dimensionality.

One way to delve deeper into your question is to begin to write about it! Many of the articles we publish in Kaleidoscope are explanatory writing (first, I did this, I did this next, and so on); however, authors also use exploratory writing for self discovery. Consider taking a prompt, such as “What would balance feel like?” or “What role does tension play in a feeling of balance?” and writing for a few minutes, uninterrupted. As you reread your work, you might see something that catches your eye, which may then prompt further reflection and exploration. As you write, you may start to discover other facets of yourself, your values, and your beliefs, which then inform how you can next take action in the world.

We do want to caution you that this process is not easy. Self discovery does take time and space. We encourage you to let ideas percolate rather than surge, to breathe rather than contract, to savor rather than gorge. While we don’t know what you might find, the act of self-discovery is always worthwhile.

Sincerely,
Kaleidoscope

Dear Kaleidoscope,

I have always enjoyed reading Kaleidoscope. Others have so much to share! However, whenever I think about writing and sharing an idea from my classroom, I can’t seem to find a story that other people would want to hear about. I’m not sure that I can live up to some of the amazing things that other teachers have done. Most of the things I do are either copied or are insights that only apply to my classroom. What would you suggest writing about for a broader audience?

Sincerely,
Nothing To See Here

Dear Nothing To See Here,

The first sentence of Kaleidoscope’s mission reads: “Kaleidoscope strives to provide readers and writers a public space for discourse and dialogue about the knowledge and expertise of teachers and the complexity of our profession.”

Often, people see the word “dialogue” and think this is out of place for a written journal, which is presumed to be static. However, it is our belief that both the writer and the reader are contributing to Kaleidoscope in two important ways.

First, each offers a lens for understanding the world. The writer is presenting a look into their own practice, but the reader is also overlaying their experience onto the piece. While a writer strives to be as clear as possible, the reader will always join the conversation and there is no way to predict how a piece could affect them. Second, both the reader and writer learn from the article. For many it is clear how the reader learns—by understanding the idea presented in the article—but the writer also benefits from crafting a piece and honing their ideas. The act of writing makes the thinking clearer.

All of this is to say that local knowledge is important! Writers tend to underestimate their ideas and impact, but remember that the act of interpretation is not up to you, nor are you writing solely for the reader’s sake. The idea will take on a life of its own— for others and for yourself.

Sincerely,
Kaleidoscope

Do you have a question you’d like to ask Kaleidoscope? Send your “Dear Kaleidoscope” submission to kaleidoscope@knowlesteachers.org to be included anonymously in a future issue.

Citation

Dear Kaleidoscope. (2025). Kaleidoscope: Educator Voices and Perspectives, 11(2), https://knowlesteachers.org/resource/dear-kaleidoscope.