I grew up reading collections of Calvin and Hobbes comic strips.
You, too? Weren’t they just the best?
Like this one, for example:
This particular strip became more and more pertinent to me as I gradually realized that today was the kind of day that, in order for me to actually make it through, just needed to have low expectations.
Just shift it.
C-level reactionary thinking did me quite well today.
Couldn’t find my pile of brilliant support sheets for first grade reading? All good. Just get them independently reading their good-fit books. They still soared.
Couldn’t eat my lunch because my yummy Ecuador-inspired potato soup had, overnight, rudely turned into something that smelled like dead fish? Disappointing but all good. Just shop the snack stash I have under my desk and get outside to eat and chat with the kiddos. I got more food later.
Couldn’t present my second grade writing lesson because my technology plans were stymied by a not so smart smartboard? All good. Bullet points on a whiteboard will do the trick. They still wrote and peer conferenced.
Couldn’t remember the actual and I’m sure brilliant example from my day that inspired this slice of life post? All good. Just get something written down and submitted. I still communicated and connected.
But, wait. Hold on.
Now that I read this back to myself, it seems like I maybe did a little something magical. Did I adjust my expectations for myself while keeping my expectations high for my students? Hmmmm. There might be a little future learning in that…
…if I actually wanted to dig in and do some A-level deep thinking. 😉
Writing and Laughing 
I have never really thought of this as lowering expectations. I think of it as it as being flexible and the more experience you have, the easier it gets. I used to get so bent out of shape and worried. Now, ehh, it will be fine.
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I enjoyed your story about feeling mediocre and then realizing you were more. And yes, we raised our boys on Calvin and Hobbes…and now the grand kids read C and H!!!
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If the students aren’t working harder than the teacher then something is wrong. I love the idea of C-level expectations for yourself. I may have to try this myself because last week I was beating myself up for not being A+ every day! You are on to something!
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So cleverly done. I’m snatching this comic as my husband tells me all the time my expectations for others is too high!
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Wow. This is actually brilliant and I love the voice that talks to the reader and is self-reflective. I have the anthology of all the Calvin and Hobbes ever printed and those comic strips were also brilliant. You’ve really provided a lesson in expectations so I think I’m going into Tuesday with C-level expectations as well.
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