Sunday
Blues
Okay,
it’s Sunday again, and if you are like me, you are beginning to feel that push.
You know the one where you start getting ready for Monday. You are rushing to
eat Sunday dinner so you can start grading papers and posting grades. And, if
you are honest, Sunday has become a regular school day for you. It is not only
sad. It is depressing. As teachers, we tend to be workaholics. Well, to survive
this profession, you almost have to be. But, there is hope.
I
read an article today by Christi Wilson on avoiding teacher burnout. It is
located at www.educationworld.com.
It listed some great strategies on how to deal with the stresses of teaching.
One of the strategies she suggested was to leave schoolwork at school over the
weekend. Wilson suggests doing all you need to do on Friday BEFORE
you leave for the weekend. If that isn’t possible, use some of the
plans from you substitute folder. Wow! Sounds awesome. After reading this
article, I made a pledge to do just that and stop working on schoolwork on my
Sunday.
Here
are somethings that I suggest:
Hire Help: Okay…okay.
I know you don’t make a lot of money. However, I have found over the years that
I am so much more effective when I don’t have to waste valuable time do mundane
tasks like grading simple multiple choice papers. I hired an assistant who helps
with grading my papers and organizing me classroom. The angels began to sing
the first day that I did this, and they have continued to sing. This frees up
more of my time for my family and other activities like Teachers Pay Teachers.
Give Up a Few Moments of Sleep: It
has been proven that most of us do our best work during the earliest part of
the day. So, why not get a few minutes earlier and complete those activities
that you couldn’t finish earlier.
It
also helps to start prepping for school early in the year. I mean like in the summer.
I like to create substitute teacher folders, bell ringers, and etc. during the
summer.
Be Realistic: Let
reality set in. Stop dragging those same papers home and back to school. I know
a teacher who gets to school early. She stays late. She lugs a bag full of
papers in each day and the same bag of papers back home again each day. Don’t
get me wrong. I’m not talking about her because I have been guilty of the same
type of behavior. However, there comes a point when reality has to set in.
There is only so much that we can accomplish in a day.
So,
now finish grading those papers. And, promise yourself that this is the last
Sunday that you drag all those papers home.
