This is my (fingered crossed) final push to completing my National Boards and it has officially taken over my world for the past year and a half. If I don't pass, I will cry actual crocodile tears. I have a serious concern that I won't pass, so I'm preparing myself for the worst.
So that's what I've been up to...luckily I only have one component this year (C4), but holy cow it's a lot of pieces to tie together. My weekends are just hours and hours in coffee shops. On the upside, I'm testing out every local coffeeshop around and ranking my favorites.
I have high hopes of one day returning to this blog to share actual teaching ideas...
So this evening I didn't turn on the tv, and opted for some music instead and started baking some cookies since I have kitchen duty this week (does every school do this?). I was thinking over my day and wondering what how other teachers spend their day and what they do to unwind in their evenings. My school administration has sent out a bunch of information about "taking care of you" lately, and I'm a pretty strong believer in that, especially within the teaching career itself. It's just a tough job. A great job... but it's a lot on some days. But I started reflecting on my day and figured I'd share a day in the life of this teacher.
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| New cookie recipe tonight! |
6:55am: Alarm clock goes off. It's still a Christmas song that I have not changed in two months because the only time I remember is when it wakes me up and I want to throw it across the room.
7:10: I actually convince myself to move out of bed. In 30 minutes I get ready, text back and forth with a friend, make lunch, throw together a fruit infused water bottle, pack a gym bag, and run out the door.
7:50ish: I have kitchen duty this week so I grab my and water, fill it with ice, and unload the dishwasher while saying hi to everyone who walks by.
8:00: I had back to back meetings before school this morning because I was *invited* (couldn't say no...) to be on a teacher support team for teachers looking for additional ideas/support for struggling students. I actually really enjoy it.
9:10: The bell rings but I'm still sitting in my meetings. I grab my iPad and water, stop in my classroom to turn on the projector, and run down to get my students- no before school prep time today. Eek!
School starts. On the way in, multiple students tell me they wore read for Women's Day. My heart explodes-how cute are they?!? After announcements, a student asks if she can sing the National Anthem for the class. Nothing sounds more amazingly wonderful to me. Please, please do. She stands under the flag while the class hustles to grab their planners because "the words are in the back!!!" They sing along while I die of adorable American pride. I post a video of it to SeeSaw for her parents. Then I teach reading and writing.
11:55: I walk with my students to lunch. I go to the teacher's lounge to eat my Costco salad, one mandarin, snap peas and hummus, and yogurt. I actually just went grocery shopping, so this is impressive.
12:26: I look at the clock, clean up, stop at the restroom, and hurry back to my room to grab my math to make copies for today in the next 9 minutes.
12:35: Go pick up kids. Teach a completely different place to line up because yesterday we had a fun line issue that I'm trying to tackle, and hey, it's March, why not try a brand new routine? Only 2 kids will remember tomorrow anyway. When we get to the classroom, I have to have another teacher walking the hallway cover my class because the kids just reminded me that I forgot to grab their worry stones out of the oven from yesterday (the oven wasn't on) as promised. I run down to get them and hand them out. Two students cry because their's aren't there (yes they are, someone else took them, but no one claims it) and I promise we will make a couple more tomorrow (currently making a mental note to self to remember to do this in the morning).
12:50: I teach math very quickly. Luckily it's an easy lesson and only need to check in with a few during independent work time.
1:30: Wednesdays are early release days for kids. High fives all around. We pack up and catch busses. I rush to the staff room to load and run the dishwasher.
1:45: It's a professional development afternoon. We are working in teams to collaboratively score our end of year (it's March, but whatever) writing assessments. Luckily, I've already run off the GradeCam scoring forms and had students help me organize each piece so all I have to do is score them and scan them in. I get through 20 of 24 in two hours. One student wrote her opinion paper about how much she loves teachers. She is my current favorite student now. I check my email and my principal sent me an email telling me how thankful she is for the way I handled a situation yesterday. I'm feeling pretty great about this job today (yesterday was a different story).
4:00: I have a gym class that I like at 4:30 so I say bye to my team, drop my stuff in my classroom, and go change my clothes. With no prep time today, and meetings in the morning, my classroom is a disaster. I make a mental note to attempt to get there earlier than usual tomorrow. Then I head out.
4:30: Hit the gym for an hour with a friend.
5:30: Head to the grocery store to pick up a few groceries and some baking ingredients because I want to make cookies. I just went to the gym, so I earned it.
6:00: Home. I make an easy dinner and turn on the tv but don't watch it. I check in with every social media I have while I wait on dinner. I eat standing up and reply to a few texts.
7:00: Give up on the television I haven't watched and turn on music. Found a new cookie recipe to try and I'll take cookies to the staff tomorrow since I have kitchen duty (we bring treats for kitchen duty...). I whip up some cookies. Clean dishes, run the dishwasher, type this up. Pack up cookies to take to school.
9:45: I start the tea kettle and hop in the shower. Pour myself some nighttime tea (loving honey vanilla chamomile right now!) and I'll read a book in bed for a bit if I can stay awake.
Today was a pretty great day. I'm tired and my body hurts (this might be a gym issue and not a teaching issue), but it was good.
That was this teacher's day. Tomorrow will be totally different!
Does this look like your day? Is your's crazier? Calmer? Will you make it to spring break (ours isn't until April!)???
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