Is Running Away An Option?

While I love to email and IM, this blog assignment was just "one more thing" to add to my plate. But then I caught myself acting just like my students; judging the activity before I even began it. So I decided to have a positive attitude (that employability skill) and try to look forward to learning something brand new. Since blogs are firewalled at my school, I am depending on my "dial up" internet and that is frustrating but again a positive attitude will get me through.

OK....why DOES administration think that as teachers we are just sitting at our desks waiting for yet another "project to be completed TODAY"? This is more than being able to multi-task. Trying to give everything 100% of myself is becoming overwhelming.
We are completing the textbook adoption process and receiving new textbooks which have to be inventoried (in my spare time). And the curriculum map we submitted last year to accompany that adoption was not detailed enough so a new map needs to be created now (again in my spare time. )
As we have received full Title 1 status, money has been found for us to spend and our request for large equipment needs to be submitted YESTERDAY. We do the research. (in my spare time)
We are also in the process of adopting the Middle Years Program (and I still don't understand all of that). But I do know that it doesn't apply to my particular class but nevertheless it still affect me and what is expected.
I have to create a brochure for my class including pictures, mission statement and careers students can pursue after taking my class. This sounds great but I am a nurse not a graphic artist. Maybe they will accept one with stick figures drawn in crayon. (Oh...and I will do this in my spare time)
Now we have been told that we have to create a display of some sort for 8th grade registration that will occur in the next couple of weeks. This sounds like fun (in my spare time)
SkillsUSA region competition is in a couple of weeks and I must continue to prepare the students. We've come too far to slack off now and administration does expect this to be done in my spare time.
Yes all this and teach with that positive attitude.

Is running away an option?........................

Seriously, teaching would be so much fun and incredibly rewarding if it were not for the other expections placed on us. So I dig down to find that positive attitude with which to greet each day.
I find myself looking forward to Tuesday nights to receive that encouragement, that confirmation that I am not alone in this, that what I do WILL make a difference. And to know that I may never see the results of my efforts but that is OK