As a teacher, I find it extremely difficult to make sure that I am filling my cup during the school year. My work life increasingly interferes with my home life. Papers need to be graded, lessons need to be planned, shopping needs to be done, parents want to meet, emails need to be answered, students need help after school, and courses must be taken to keep up with my certification. Not to mention, many teachers are also parents, which means that these responsibilities get pushed back into late hours. I find myself staying up to eleven o'clock and waking up at five to do it all over again.
The reality is, teachers need to make time for our own lives. We need to live enriched lives in order to do our best for students. This is advice that I need to follow, since I often give myself time only during summer vacations. There will always be a kid in need, a paper that needs to be graded, and parent who wants to meet. We need to set limits for ourselves in order to be our best selves.
These are some things that I have found helpful:
1. Stop answering emails in the evening. It is okay to respond the next day.
2. Give time to the people and things that you value. It is okay to take time for yourself and your family each day. You cannot fix every problem. Do the best you can within the hours that you are working.
3. Find ways to limit grading. It is important to provide students timely feedback, but you should also find ways to do it more efficiently. I will write about my journey with this later on.
4. Don't be afraid to say no. Unfortunately, one of the downsides to doing your job well is that you will be asked to take on more. Don't be afraid to say no when your plate is full.
Now I know that these tips are easier said than done, but, as teachers, we need to try our best to achieve better work and life balance. We need to do it for ourselves, so that we don't get burnt out. Students want to be inspired by their teachers. This can not be done if a teacher is running on fumes. Achieving balance is better for us and our students. Read this blog to learn more about reaching this balance.
Thank you for saying this. I know all of these rules, and yes, they are easier said than done. I feel like I make more exceptions to them than times I actually follow them. It occurs to me that perhaps we should each make poster-sized rule sheets and post them in our homes--like the rules we make with our students and post in the classroom. Maybe if they were giant-sized and in my face, I'd find it easier to follow them and hold myself to these limits which are more than reasonable and also downright necessary for survival.
ReplyDeleteI think even with a poster it would be hard to do, although it would probably help. Class sizes have been increasing in my district. I have been working very hard at finding more efficient ways of scoring student work, providing feedback in a reasonable time. I wish professional development would focus more on how we can do our jobs well, but also with efficiency. We teachers hold ourselves to such a high standard. We need reminders (thankfully my husband helps me with this) that it is okay to take time for ourselves.
DeleteThis is what I really needed to hear today. Thank you. I have been go, go, go all week, and thinking to myself - Okay, it is Friday, I have to go home and work on my class now, and do this and that. My head is pounding and it is time for me to stop. But you're so right, stopping and saying "no" as a teacher is really tough. I don't want to let anyone down, but you can get burnt-out so easily. I really connected with this post. Sorry for my little rant!
ReplyDeleteIt is so difficult to stop sometimes. With teaching, there is always something to be done. I am trying to be better about saying no. I need time with my family, and I think it makes me a happier person, which, in turn, makes me a better teacher.
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