Time Management
Education can be a pretty exhausting career. Most mornings, for me, start before 5am and I'm usually still responding to emails well after 10pm. I know that I'm not alone in that, and there are certainly educators who spend even more time wrapped in the world of academia.
We often here that educators have a great (easy) job. In at 7:30, out at 2, not to mention we get the summers off! However, most people who take the time to become acquainted with a teacher's schedule quickly realize the hours and level of commitment are much more than that. There are great examples of teachers in my building that get to school before 6am and some who stay till 7pm or later. Weekends can be swallowed whole grading a summative assessment or preparing curriculum for the next unit of study. Spring breaks turn into "get through that pile of assignments" week. Summers involve meeting with colleagues and co-teachers to tweak and improve last year's materials. Needless to say, teachers are on the clock, a lot.
So why do we even bother? Simply put, passion. Whether it is a passion for content or for working with youth, teachers' passion is what drives us to do what we do every day. It's the reason I get up in the morning and why I stay up so late. The changes we as educators see in the lives of our students, even if only incremental, are the push we need to continue to show up to welcome our students into our schools and classrooms.
But all that passion, all that energy, can quickly wear us down. Teachers needing coffee, principals and assistants principals with bags under their eyes, EAs running low on fuel. We become tired as we allow our passion to push us in our work. We know that all is worthwhile, that's why we keep at it. But as I've learned this year more than any, we need to find a balance.
Time with family can erase a tough day. Runs in the park with our dogs can refocus our attention and bring clarity. Playing with the cat while watching The Tonight Show can bring humor and much needed stress relief. Managing our time and our schedules is difficult, but necessary.
Ben Gilpin (@benjamingilpin) and Pernille Ripp (@pernilleripp) offer their insight and perspective on just how we as educators can manage our time. Take time to read what they have to say and incorporate what makes sense in your own life.
Time and energy are two very precious commodities in the world of education, let's make sure we are using them to our advantage.
Via @benjamingilpin
Via @pernilleripp
http://pernillesripp.com/2015/01/26/there-is-no-such-thing-as-balance/
Comments
Post a Comment