12 Weeks

I’m not sure I’m ready for tomorrow. Spring break was NEEDED, but now it feels as if it was too early. Can I make it the next 12 weeks?

I know, I know, I get summer “off” in 12 weeks, am I really allowed to complain?

But, is it complaining when it’s the truth? My life is not my own, no matter how many boundaries I set.

I cannot stop the thoughts that plague me when I drive home, or when I try to sleep at night, or when I wake in the morning.

In order to adhere to my set boundaries, I need to be perfectly planned. I need to optimize my time. That planning takes time, and I sure as hell don’t have enough of it during the day.

I’ve gotten better over the years. But, then I get a curveball thrown in that throws everything off kilter.

New resource, new standards, new administration, new requirements, new trainings, new technology, new students, new behaviors, new interventions, new schedule…I mean I could go on.

It’s okay when it’s just one or two curveballs. But it’s all of the above all of the time, and that’s not even counting the daily curveballs.

A parent email, a conflict at recess, a forgotten lunch box, a crying child, again- the list could go on.

It’s hard to manage my time when my time is not my own.

Summer is a short 12 weeks. Honestly- it’s significantly less for teachers between the trainings, the in-service sessions, and the packing/unpacking we have to do. Those weeks go by in a blink of an eye.

There are 12 weeks left in the school year. I’m sure they will drag. Here’s hoping I have enough gas in the tank to make it to the end.

Some may call this complaining, but I encourage you to consider that maybe it’s a plea for help.

If you are a teacher reading this, I see you and I hear you.

If you aren’t, please hear us.

So, no. I’m not ready for tomorrow, but tomorrow will come.

12 more weeks.