Learning to Juggle the Responsibilities of Being in Charge (Online Reflection #2)

As Spring Break draws near, I often just feel worn. I feel like I give too many chances, yet have to apologize sometimes for my classroom management missteps. I have really enjoyed taking over the class this last unit, but it was very eye-opening to see the myriad of responsibilities that a teacher takes on beyond teaching the class. I always said I knew that in my head, but to be handed it all in the span of a month was a bit overwhelming.

I spent a week not putting in any grades and had my teacher nervous the students were all failing, I forgot to send work down to the In-School Suspension room and made a student fall behind, I had to call parents for behaviors then forgot to input them in the spreadsheet, I lost first hours graded paper piles not once—but three times—before I entered them into Synergy, I didn’t make dinner for two weeks straight and woke up on a Friday genuinely believing it was Saturday.

What it really came down to was that the plan hours and after work moments didn’t and don’t feel like enough time to “purposefully plan,” go to IEP meetings, eat lunch with kids, and fill out all of the various forms and documentation required to be teaching. I began wondering how I was going to remember to do it all and stop dropping the different balls I’ve been trying to juggle. My desk is covered in sticky notes and my phone is full of reminders, but things still seem to slip through the cracks.

As I started searching for some input for this issue, I found some disheartening statistics as well as some encouraging tips from administrators and teachers alike. As it turns out, teachers were surveyed at working 53 hours a week, 27 of which were spent doing non-teaching activities from grading to planning to parent contacts. This could discourage me, but I needed to find ideas to help me learn to overcome this, because I know that it’s not a condition that goes away after student teaching. With the blessing of a secure job next year, the realities of the next school year weigh heavily as the stress of finding a job has eased.

The biggest tips I have learned from a Prezi presentation I found were both for my time at school and time at home. At school, it was encouraged to get there early and get a jump on things while there is less distraction. As much as I hate mornings, I definitely admit that it would be a good thing for me to do. My social butterfly tendencies and deep FOMO (fear of missing out) has me out in conversations with other teachers in hallways and classrooms just getting to know them better during my plan period, and I don’t often take advantage of my time as well as I should. One of the home tips was to prioritize and schedule your time better, which I admit I also struggle with. When I get home from a long day, I tend to “reward” myself with not wanting to do anything at home, which you should take time for in moments, but can’t do all the time. If I use my time more wisely at home and reward myself for actual accomplishments, I would feel less stressed out in the long run.

What I’ve realized this week is that I can’t let the things that slip through the cracks discourage me; I need to pick myself up make positive changes and then celebrate them! In addition to my little organizational wins, the more little moments that I revel in like connecting with students or reading a great response need to keep me going. I have also been learning to lean more heavily on the Lord’s strength rather than my own. Having a more positive and joyful attitude that isn’t dependent on my own strength or circumstances has helped me to make it through the stressful weeks leading up to Spring Break. I’m grateful for the gospel and a Savior that accepts me even when I mess up my lessons and forget my grading, and I’m also grateful for a week of sleeping in and coffee dates! Happy Spring Break and happy KPTPing!