Some Days Are Hard For All of Us

There are days in the classroom when everything feels off. The energy is heavy, emotions run high, and it seems like no one, students or teachers, is functioning at their best. On these days, a simple misunderstanding can quickly spiral out of control. Frustration simmers just beneath the surface. The classroom becomes less of a learning space and more of a pressure cooker.

For students with emotional and behavioral challenges, these moments can arrive suddenly and intensify quickly. What may seem like a minor disruption to one student can feel overwhelming and unmanageable to another. For us as educators, especially those in special education, this is where the real work begins.

During these critical moments, our response can either escalate the situation or create space for regulation, reflection, and resilience.

Sometimes, it's as simple as taking a breath and choosing connection over correction. It's pausing before responding. It's recognizing that the student in front of us isn’t giving us a hard time—they’re having a hard time.

Other days, we need to recalibrate the entire class. Perhaps that means stepping away from the lesson plan to do a grounding activity or engage in some breathing exercises. Maybe it means giving students space to reset or allowing ourselves a quiet moment behind the desk, letting go of the need to “fix” everything right now.

We all have hard days. During these hard days, we need to be gentle to ourselves and accept the things we cannot control.

And what matters most is that we lead with empathy, not ego. That we model emotional regulation, even when we're struggling with it ourselves. That we let students know they are safe, even when things feel uncertain. That we give grace to our students, and just as importantly, to ourselves.

So if today was one of those days, you're not alone.

Breathe. Reset. Tomorrow is a new opportunity to try again.