Gender

Female

Location

Denver, CO

Are you a...

Teacher Librarian

Hometown:

Brentwood, NY

Name of Your School / Library / Organization:

Eaglecrest High School Library

Library, School, or Professional Website:

https://eaglecrest.cherrycreekschools.org/Library/Pages/default.aspx

Blog or Personal Website:

https://www.teachingbalance.com/

LinkedIn URL:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-mckeown/

About Me:

I help hard-working teachers reduce their stress so they can be at their best for their students, colleagues, and families. What began as a quest to reduce my own stress and be a happier, healthier teacher has evolved into a mission to bring mindfulness-based strategies and self-care to my educator colleagues locally and beyond. You are in the right place if you love being a teacher but are tired of feeling stressed out and exhausted by the challenges of the job. The information you will find on this site is a reminder of what you already know in your heart: You must prioritize your own self-care in order to enjoy your work and life with a sense of happiness and ease. Teaching Balance is all about incorporating mindfulness into your everyday life so you can truly embody these qualities. Through my site, newsletter, and other offerings, I reference the different challenges teachers face and how to use mindfulness to best engage with them. Since meditation is the foundation of mindfulness, I will encourage you to make it a regular practice. My seven-session "Learn to Meditate" video course can be used by beginners as a jumping off point, or can help experienced meditators to refresh their practice. I know first-hand how difficult and stressful teaching can be. As a way to reduce my own stress, I learned mindfulness meditation and it profoundly impacted my life. Due to my ever-growing passion for bringing mindfulness to my peers, I have trained through several programs, including the Mindful Education Institute, Mindful Schools, and SMART in Education. I geek out about many topics and enjoy taking a deep dive into things that inspire me. As a former high school English teacher and current teacher librarian, it's probably not surprising that reading is my preferred way to learn and engage with new concepts. One of my two favorite genres is rather practical and applicable to what I aspire to offer here: I am fascinated by books about personal development and which offer wisdom about how to live a full, happy life. The other genre is less practical but equally enjoyable: fantasy novels (I like to say, "If it's got a map in the front, I'll probably like it!"). I like to think of these two seemingly contradictory preferences as complementary to one another. One represents getting real about how I can grow and evolve as a person, and the other provides a healthy dose of escapism. :-) Want to hear more about how mindfulness can help you to reduce your stress? Sign up for updates on how to use mindfulness-based strategies and join your fellow educators making the choice to prioritize self-care! I look forward to learning from and being of service to you!