Yes, I know I'm a bit late, but KEEPING this resolution won't begin until Monday when I go back to school.
I don't make a whole list of things I need to do. For one thing, I'm getting to the age where, if I don't write it down, I forget it. And even if I DO write it down, I forget where I put the list. *sigh*
Anyway, here's my New Year's Resolution:
Less Stress
Now, now. I can hear you laughing all the way down here in Podunk, Texas. Go ahead, but here's the thing. I have high blood pressure, and I've already survived one small stroke (in 2000). I'm on blood pressure med, but that doesn't mean my job isn't going to be less easy to deal with.
I love my babies that I teach (as of today, that's 19, with no assistant). But sometimes Administration and all the lah-dee-dah that comes down from the Crystal Palace gets to be a bit too much. And that's not mentioning some "other factors" which are best not singled out here.
I am 1 1/2 years away from Retirement. I'm also at the point where I am going to pick and choose my battles. If someone is having a tirade, let 'em. I'm walking away. If some diva administrator who has never taught, or has never taught Kindergarten, tries to tell me how to teach, I'll bobblehead them, then go do it the way that works best for my kids. (By the way, my two principals are WONDERFUL to work with!)
I refuse to "let them get to me". I will not be someone's doormat. And I will not let someone denegrade me any longer. Just because I teach Kinder does NOT mean I'm the low man on the totem pole. (Just as teaching high school does NOT mean you're a better teacher.) Teachers choose which grade level best suits them and their style of teaching, just like doctors choose which field of medicine they would like to study. One is not "demoted" to elementary school, or "promoted" to secondary.
Whew. Got a bit windy there for a moment. Sorry. But there you have it, take it or leave it. :)
Oh, and by the way, there hasn't been "3 months off for the summer" since the 1970s (I began teaching in '76, in case you're wondering.) Education has changed in ways you can not imagine.
Now...let's see how long I can keep this resolution. :D
3 comments:
Good luck with that resolution! Wouldn't it be great if we could just TEACH? All the other stuff is what gives us stress, not usually the kids. I can't even write my own lesson plans anymore (not that I miss the work, but I enjoyed the creativity.)
And I admire ANYONE who can teach kinder. I teach 4th. The babies are cute, but all day, every day...not for me!
Ack! You could not pay me enough to teach 4th. That is THE Major TAKS Grade in elementary (the one with the most tests to conquer.)
I could take 1st if it boiled down to it. Or go back to Pre-Kinder (the 4-year-olds). But nothing older. I taught music/choir up to 8th grade for several years, and I have a very low tolerance for "attitude". LOL!
How funny - I taught music for 7 years and just couldn't wait till the time of day when the older kids came in :)
5th grade, though, I wouldn't teach that again. That's the attitude, and the hard math :)
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