For many teachers, school has already started.
Sadly for many teachers, school as already started.
Don't get me wrong, I love teaching (which for some reason when typing I always put teachering first and have to change it, brain fry?). But the first few weeks, maybe 2 months of school are horrendous.
New schedule. New students. Teaching your routine to a new group of people. Mounds of paper work. New state mandates. New district mandates. New, new, new.
To an extent I like change. Somethings need changing.
But I am a creature of habit. I like lists, schedules, planners. I nearly spaz if I don't know what the "plan" for the day is. I live by an agenda.
You can even take one planner from me, I have multiple one that I keep up. It's obsessive.
All that to say, I feel like I've hit a wall. I have no energy what so ever. I want so badly to workout, but can't find it in me to do it. My whole body hurts, and I can barely sleep at night. I know it is all new school year stress, but goodness it has to end soon.
All of the new Louisiana Teacher Reform things are totally blowing my mind, even though I was at a school that piloted them last year and they weren't so awful. It is just something extra. What happened to just teaching? I feel like only a small percent of my brain is allotted to teaching. I have to be worried about covering my own butt so that I can actually teach. I am not against accountability, but woah it is like a convoluted RTI teir for teachers. When do I get my IEP? I really feel like I am in need of minutes right about now.
The only thing I really worry about is getting sick, I always get sick when I am overly exhausted. It wouldn't matter if I was willing to take off work, but I hate playing catch-up. So I tend to go just to keep from dealing with the aftermath of a sub. Which essentially means I have to have enough "me" centered down time to not feel that way. Just because I am not at work doesn't mean my mind is resting. I seriously have to read something or watch mindless tv shows to get away from the teacher brain.
So to break all of this I am going walking this afternoon and listening to podcasts no matter how I currently feel...which isn't so hot. I will email the people I need to an check a few more things off my school to-do list. If only a laminater would appear in my living room I could get everything done ha!
Has this made any sense?
Good thing I'm not a drinker or a pill popper, I'd have a real problem then. Blue Bell ice cream and peanut butter is my only self soothing issue these days. But you don't see exhausted teachers hanging out at ice cream shops much do you ha!
Maybe I'll just open an ice cream shop and gear it towards teachers. I'll have flavors like Rocky Road but call them "LEAP Test Prep Week". Or Neapolitan and call it "The Inclusive Classroom". Maybe I could just mix up all of flavors and call it "Because I Said So."
Oh teaching how I can love and hate you so much at the same time.
Ugh!
So teacher people, and everyone in between. If you could name an ice cream flavor after your job situation what would you call it?
