Hi Friends,
Today’s post will be a short and somewhat personal one.
Words cannot describe how grateful I- and all of my teacher people- are to have arrived at our first extended block of time off since August.
See, teaching isn’t like a normal job. We don’t get to take time off when we want. We don’t get to leave our work at home. It’s painful for us to take a break; so weekends end up filled with paperwork and professional development, evenings filled with tutoring gigs and lesson prep. There’s a tremendous amount of guilt that comes along with wanting-or needing- any “me” time.
My first year teaching in New York City, I was planning two lessons a day, writing IEP’s almost weekly, and taking graduate classes every night. I was swamped. I set little goals for myself just to get by; my first big milestone was heading home to Boston for Thanksgiving. I still remember hopping on a train headed north that Wednesday and feeling like I was able to exhale for the first time in months.
I expected that feeling of relief to fade over time, but it really hasn’t. I still see Thanksgiving as an accomplishment; it’s a time when I can hang out with my family, get some rest, and enjoy some down time without any guilt. It’s also, of course, a time to recognize all the amazing things in our lives and show gratitude for them.
So, teacher friends…WE MADE IT. Now let’s rejoice and give thanks:)
Happy Thanksgiving, Folks!
Enjoy your long weekend Kerri! Happy Thanksgiving 🙂
I really appreciated my teachers growing up… I was one of those kids who wanted tutoring and didn’t realize that it ate up into my teacher’s free time! “Teachers aren’t in it for the income… they’re in it for the outcome.” Thanks for all of your hard work!
I feel the exact same way. During my first year teaching, I had to make a strict “no work at home” rule and it’s kept me sane! Enjoy your holiday break 🙂