SPRING BREAK!!!

It's SPRING BREAK!!!

Yes, I did just use all the possible formatting on that header.  That's how excited I am.  Actually I am EXHAUSTED!  Like many teachers, this last week has been a mad rush to "get it all in" before we take a week off.  The students were appropriately distracted by the upcoming break that the behavior incidents were up, but we expect that.  I took more time to write out "B.O.B.C.A.T" bucks (an incentive program our school uses in its PBIS system... more on that another time), and I did more reviews of expectations,

cruising the room to check that students were on-task, and so on.  Yesterday was a professional development day.  It was one of the "teacher quality" days that are optional, and you are paid per diam.  I was tired, I had a headache, but I attended because I appreciate professional development time.  I am always looking for new ways, new ideas, new perspectives on the same-old.  The speaker was through-the-roof energized and enthusiastic, and I felt like it was a worthwhile day.  By Friday afternoon I was totally pooped, but I made it.  

I know many people think teachers have an easy job.  They are either unfamiliar with what teachers do, or they are willfully blocking themselves from finding out.   The truth is, all the teachers I have ever known are incredibly hard workers.  I have consistently heard reports of "I stayed up until 1:30am on this project," "I spent my Saturday creating this lesson," "we stayed and worked until 5:00 to get our plans together," and so on.  It is different with a job where you work 9-5, a job where you complete all your work during your paid hours at the job site, and then you go home. 

Spring Break pencil sharpening fun!

I cannot remember a day I did not take something home from school.  I know some teachers do stay at school late and/or come in early to do that extra stuff, rather than take it home, but I don't know anybody who teaches who doesn't need extra time to finish all the work.  Typically, teachers have a lunch break and a single 40-minute planning period.  This year I have used most of my lunch breaks to invite students to have "lunch with the teacher," and many of the following recesses going over incomplete work or reviewing behavior expectations.  The 40-minute planning period at this school is dedicated two days a week to PLCs (Professional Learning Community meetings) where test data is reviewed and plans are made to meet the needs of the students who did not pass.  My team spends another of the days planning the following week's lessons.  The two days left I often spend organizing upcoming lesson material, making copies, swapping books in the book room, and checking work.  In my experience, a 10-hour day at the school is followed by a few more hours doing checking / planning / revising / grading / etc. at home.  There is simply not the time in a contract day to do all the work needed to be done. 

The mantra "work smarter, not harder" might come to mind, but I promise you, teachers are constantly reflecting on what is working and what can be done differently.  I am very open with students about why a system might change - what we were doing didn't have the expected results, so I am going to change the way we do X.  The purpose is constantly in focus, the means to get there ever-flexible.

I should be clear that I am not complaining.  I love teaching, and the fact that I care about what I do reflects in the way I am constantly trying to do it better.  If I didn't care, I'd be at work at 8:15, and heading out the door at 3:45 with nothing more than my purse and lunch bag.  A fun fundraiser at school sums up my feelings.  the PTO was selling carnations, a dollar bought you one flower with a note.  I bought one for each student.  As we were going out to an extra recess Thursday afternoon, after our spring party, a student asked me why I bought everyone a flower.  I told her it was because I liked everyone in the class!  Her friend who was nearby said, "I love you too."  It's that kind of relationship building that leads students to do their best.  As students left that day for their spring break, I gave each kid the same message, "Have a great spring break! I'll miss you!"  I hadn't planned to say that, but it was how I felt.  I will miss them this week.  I'll appreciate the break, the chance to sleep in, to read what I want to, to take long lunches, and to go to the bathroom whenever I feel like it, but on the following Monday morning, I'll look forward to seeing them all again.