Professor Sharon

100 Days Project – Day 8 – 9:31 a.m.

Last Friday it dawned on me that 100 days project in school meant 100 days in school!   I had to debate with myself whether I was going to plan to write everyday or give myself permission not to make an entry on non-school days.  So as you can see – if you count and really why should you? –   I didn’t write on these two weekend days, but I counted them!  Confused?  Suffice it to say I’ll count the days as they pass, but may not have written on weekend or holiday times.   And, this serves as a reminder for me to do research on how the 100 Day Project in schools got started as a curriculum idea.

This weekend was so wonderful, and so exhausting, and didn’t include a bit of schoolwork!  This is pretty unusual in the lives of teachers.  While most of the teachers I know take Saturday off from their work – although most of us will tell you our brains are always thinking about the children or adults we work with – they generally sit down to some task on a Sunday afternoon, knowing Monday mornings just around the bend.

Due to the Hurricane and follow-up tropical storm rain of 10 inches plus, we needed to spend Saturday mowing, helping our neighbor clean rain gutters (and hubby had to do in at least 5 paper wasp nests – likely a record of some kind), and stoop painting.  Sunday, we went to the local agricultural fair with daughter and granddaughter.  We won ribbons for entries; some of us ate ice cream for lunch and fudge for dessert.  Exhausted and still hungry we came home to drag ourselves to bed.

But, I tell you this because these are the kind of weekends that more teachers should have.  Time to relax, recharge and spend loving time with their families.  Burnout is a real issue for teachers.  I recently read that almost 50% of new teachers leave within the first five years due to lack of recognition, and low wages.  I’m closing in on the years that many take retirement, and I must admit there are days when the job is too full, with too many administrative tasks (called administrivia by a friend), that have nothing to do with direct teaching for me that I would be tempted to leave the field as well.  Fortunately for my students, and I suppose for me, I’m trying to build up my savings and retirement income so that I must take the tough days with the good and find my reserves of energy and push through to the good day.  I’m not saying that all days should be perfect for teachers, I am saying our nation does not honor the job enough; and we teachers feel that disrespect.

What to do?  Give yourself permission to have a whole weekend of joy, of fun with the family, okay, even some chores like painting the stoop that uses a different part of your brain and recharges the other part for the classroom and your students.  They and you will be glad you did.  Today I’m thinking about Monday mornings!