If you are like many educators, you can feel exhaustion creep in until the joy of teaching starts to dim. In those seasons, the remedy is not always more planning. Often, it is more wonder. The NICE Teacher framework calls for integration between heart, mind, and spirit, while WAND reminds you to be Divinely Directed, not system-driven. Wonder heals the teacher’s heart by reawakening gratitude, curiosity, and joy.
Every time you pause to notice something beautiful—a student’s laughter, a colorful sky, a classroom breakthrough—you heal a piece of burnout. Wonder is medicine for the weary soul.
Good news: you can use wonder to reconnect and restore yourself with five simple practices.
These steps include:
- Step 1: Celebrate Small Miracles
- Step 2: Play Again
- Step 3: Reconnect With Nature
- Step 4: Practice Gratitude Daily
- Step 5: Read Something Uplifting
Let’s look at each step in more detail…
Step 1: Celebrate Small Miracles
Burnout trains the mind to notice what is missing. Usually, you can avoid that spiral by noticing what is working—especially the tiny breakthroughs that carry real meaning.
For example: When a student finally “gets it,” pause and name it: “That moment mattered.” Write it down on a sticky note and keep it in a small “miracles” folder. Evidence of progress is healing.
Step 2: Play Again
When teaching becomes heavy, play becomes medicine. Usually, you can avoid emotional fatigue by adding small moments of lightness—movement, humor, creativity, and games. Play restores connection to your inner child.
For example: Turn review into a quick team game, add a silly 30-second brain break, or let students create a skit to demonstrate learning. You do not need an elaborate plan. You need permission to be human.
Step 3: Reconnect With Nature
Nature resets the nervous system in a way screens cannot. Usually, you can avoid carrying tension all day by stepping outside—even briefly—to remember you are part of something larger.
For example: Between classes or after school, take a three-minute nature pause. Notice three things you see, two things you hear, and one thing you feel (wind, warmth, cool air). Let your breath match the slower pace of the natural world.
Step 4: Practice Gratitude Daily
Gratitude strengthens your ability to notice wonder again. Usually, you can avoid ending the day only with what went wrong by recording one moment of beauty before you leave.
For example: Keep a “moment of wonder” note on your phone. Each day, write one line: “A student thanked me,” “We laughed together,” “The class calmed after one breath.” Over time, these small entries become a lifeline.
Step 5: Read Something Uplifting
What you consume shapes what you carry. Usually, you can avoid feeling drained by returning to words that remind you why you teach—poetry, children’s books, spiritual readings, or stories of hope.
For example: Choose one uplifting piece and read just one page a day. Keep it on your bedside table or in your bag. When you feel fried, read a paragraph and let it soften your inner world.
Wonder will not erase every hard day, but it will return you to yourself. When you practice wonder, you rebuild your capacity to notice beauty, meaning, and connection. And that is how the teacher heart heals.
I hope that you enjoyed reading this blog post, written especially for you. It was taken straight from my mind and heart as I felt vulnerable to share glimpses of my world with you. The article was polished and meticulously reviewed to make sure it was in the best possible light before it was published so that it may serve you well.
If you’re seeking additional resources or personalized support, feel free to reach out at www.insightfuleducation.org. Together, we can cultivate classrooms where you and your students feel empowered to learn and thrive, which is aligned with the NICE Teacher framework (Nurturing, Integrated, Courageous, and Encouraging).