Sometimes I feel as though I am on a lifelong quest to find my Zen. I am constantly trying to figure out ways to balance work and family, to maybe squeeze in some exercise, to take feel more positive about the challenges in front of me, to focus on all that I do have and, you know, take the occasional deep breath. Oh, and napping. I’m always trying to figure out where that goes.

As teachers, we are kid watchers. We diligently study our students each and every day in order to develop ways to best meet their needs. As a result, we often can’t help ourselves from noticing all that our students aren’t able to do—yet. We notice struggles, pay attention to difficulties, and try to diagnose why our friends cannot seem to do whatever-it-is more independently. This is a slippery slope, because it can quickly lead to thinking of our students through the lens of their deficits, not their capabilities.

When you see what your students need, flip your point of view to think about what is the next logical step for your students as learners. Set small goals. For example, your students may not be able to read for 20 minutes, but they can read for 10, so why not shoot for 11? One friend may struggle to engage with stories, but he is motivated by informational text. Let’s start there and celebrate that.

If we determine that our students are currently unable to reach a goal, it is our responsibility to simultaneously unearth what they are doing well so we have a starting point for our work, by emphasizing what they can accomplish and setting small milestones to move them slowly but surely toward that larger goal. We can celebrate growth and promote increased student independence. It is a win-win, people!

Let’s not forget how we view ourselves either. With all of the end-of-the-year demands, it might feel hard to breathe, much less tackle the enormous number of tasks that lie before you, as the days count themselves down to the bitter end. We start thinking of all we can’t possibly accomplish, haven’t done, don’t have time for, won’t be able to complete. Again we emphasize deficits, not possibilities. Instead of thinking, “Ugh, I have to get all my portfolios organized today” try thinking, “Today I get to put together evidence of all my students have accomplished and check a major to-do off my list.” Rather than avoid reorganizing your classroom library because it is a BEAST of a project, try setting aside 15 minutes a day to tackle this (or any other behemoth end-of-the-year project) a little at a time. You can do anything for 15 minutes. Especially to a killer playlist.

So enjoy your summer. Sit by a pool. Sleep in. Watch bad re-runs on TV and catch up on your magazine reading. Maybe clean out the closet that has been giving you the stink eye. Rest. Then begin anew your quest for Zen—next year is all possibility!

Mrs. Mimi, aka Jennifer Scoggin, is a teacher who taught both first and second grades at a public elementary school in New York City. She's the author of Be Fabulous: The Reading Teacher's Guide to Reclaiming Your Happiness in the Classroom and It's Not All Flowers and Sausages: My Adventures in Second Grade, which sprung from her popular blog of the same name. Mimi also has her doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University.