It's five a.m. on New Year's Day and all is not well. After a year and a half at my new school, I have returned to a state of despondence. Many days I do not look forward to work. I do not always enjoy teaching. I have lost hope for myself and my students.
But why?
I would chalk it up to a poor professional fit. Maybe I just chose the wrong career path fifteen years ago. I've given it a good go, but after all that, turns out I really don't have what it takes to be a teacher. Time to do some soul searching and move on.
But I see it everywhere. When I look at the faces of my best and brightest colleagues on any given day I feel the same hopelessness and exhaustion reflected back at me. When I ask almost teacher in my building on a Monday morning, "How was your weekend?" I can bet you the answer will be, "Too short." Even after a three day weekend. Even after a holiday break. Even after a seven week summer vacation. It's always, "too short."
This should not be the case. Schools should be fun, dynamic environments where everyone looks forward to coming to work. Learning is fun. Children are never boring. We chose this profession because (most often) we were called to it.
So what's the problem?
That's what I want to continue to explore with this blog: How is it I have come to a place where I no longer look forward to going to work to do what I love to do? What makes a school (and teacher) successful? How can schools become place where everyone thrives?
Is there hope? And, of course, where is the joy?
Education policies sometime make it very difficult for teachers to enjoy what they do. In case no one else ts you, you definitely were meant to teach. :)
ReplyDeleteEducation policies sometime make it very difficult for teachers to enjoy what they do. In case no one else ts you, you definitely were meant to teach. :)
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