Planning, Purpose, and Prayer: A Teacher’s Strategy for Balanced Living
Written by Lori Brown
With ten years of classroom experience, elementary teacher Lauren Beck knows a thing or two about children and the compassion they need to thrive as learners and leaders. In addition to serving as a hard-working second grade teacher in Buncombe County Schools (Asheville, NC), Lauren is a busy mom whose home is filled with the delightful squeals of laughter and love from her nine-year-old twin girls, Ryleigh and Braelyn, and four-year-old son, Liam. With Caleb (her best friend, husband, and encourager) by her side, Lauren is also the proud parent of three dogs whose demands focus on toys and treats.
As is often the case in education, Lauren comes from a family of successful teachers. Lauren’s aunt, grandmother, and great grandmother were public school teachers, serving children in Western North Carolina. As a rare fun fact, each generation of teachers in her family has, at some point, worked at the same elementary school – West Buncombe Elementary School.
But teaching has changed significantly since Lauren’s great grandmother first held the title of “teacher,” as today’s young learners experienced a global pandemic that for many, haltered or hindered their developing literacy and social-emotional skills.
Today’s students present highly diverse learning needs, and it is this commitment to addressing the multi-faceted needs of young learners that drives Lauren to give 110% of her effort to students. Whether it’s an academic, behavioral, or social-emotional need requiring support, she will go the extra mile to find the solution that empowers each student to thrive. Lauren learned from the best, as she spent much time alongside her beloved Grandmother Sue, absorbing impactful strategies to serve others well. Her level of compassionate care does not go unnoticed, as evidenced by the fact that prior students often return as young teens to see their beloved “Ms. Beck.”
But teaching and parenting both take extra doses of time and energy. Between papers to grade, lessons to plan, laundry to fold, and yards to mow, it would be easy for Lauren to feel overwhelmed and exhausted, as there is rarely enough time for everything that needs to be done. Yet Lauren is making her busy personal and professional schedule work so that she is not destroying her own wellness and sanity. She does this through purposeful planning and relationship-building efforts.
When she is at school, Lauren pours deeply into her students, addressing their needs, and spending before and after-school time engaged in comprehensive lesson planning, grading papers, and more. She builds an intentional, trusting relationship with students so they can communicate truthfully, which helps avoid major behavioral blow-ups and builds long-term confidence for learning. As she explains: “When your students trust you, they will learn and grow in the classroom.” Intentional relationship-building empowers Lauren to work successfully toward broader, long-term student support for learning.
But at the end of a busy day of teaching, as she reflects on the day’s challenges and sets up resources for a new day of learning, Lauren purposefully turns off the lights, grabs her bag, and switches gears to intentionally engage with the ones she cherishes deeply – her family.
Much like she plans purposeful classroom lessons, Lauren and Caleb jointly plan their family schedule with precision, engaging in a true partnership to address individual and family needs, and to make intentional decisions about how they spend their time and energy.
As Lauren pulls in the driveway each evening, she is reminded of advice provided by a wise mentor in the early days of her career: “Family first. Don’t leave your family behind in this job.” Although it is tempting to continue her school day at home, she intentionally makes herself present for her family. She is eager to experience the school day again through the eyes and experiences of her twin daughters, while also watching the evolving spirit of inquiry in her growing four-year-old son.
From lunch prep to laundry, Lauren and Caleb have modeled for their children how to become young leaders, how to help with chores, and work in partnership with mom and dad to keep the home tidy. As coach to her daughters’ travel softball team, Lauren is able to continue her love of the game by mentoring young players and using her full toolkit of teaching skills in an outdoor classroom.
Whether in the classroom at school or church, on the softball field, or nestled under her children’s blankets, Lauren admits that finding balance and being intentional about her time at home or school is not an easy challenge. Yet she has found deep joy in this life journey by appreciating her family’s support, through intentional school and home planning, and with the loving partnership of her husband, Caleb. Covering each day in prayer, Lauren acknowledges that she is busy, but so very blessed.