If I had a new teacher moving in across the hall from me, my first instinct would be I hope he or she knows what he/she is getting him or herself into :) Then once that feeling passed, I would welcome him or her and offer this piece of advice--find at least one hour a day that you can set aside to work in your office/classroom away from distractions. I would give this advice because if there is one thing that I have realized is there is just not enough time in the day to get it all done. Yes, we get a planning period, but do any of us really actually get to plan? My time is spent watching other classes, covering for IEP's, advisement, and oh yeah once I get my bathroom break--it is time to start again. Setting aside at least one hour a day allows for uninterrupted time to read your emails, make a to-do list, get your copies or lesson organized, etc. To me, often it is getting to school early when the kids aren't in the building yet that I can get a lot done. I can't stress how important I think this is to teachers so that they don't get overwhelmed and burnt out so quickly. This is definitely one of the hardest jobs I have ever done, so take the time to breath and enjoy the ride!
JT
You couldn't have said this any simplier. I so agree setting aside an hour a day to stay on task. I purposely get to school at least one hour prior to kids entering the building. It alleviates hearing announcements, knocking on the door, questions being asked, etc.
ReplyDeleteIt works for me. Yes it's a sacrifice to get up earlier but I realize my sanity is more important than simply saving time. Plus it just helps to stay organized. This piece of advice is something I would definitely add to giving a new CTE teacher.