Thursday, September 8, 2011

Blogging

I often wonder if anyone really reads my blog. It doesn't really bother me if people do or don't. I guess I feel sometimes as if it is more a therapeutic thing for me. Like now for instance. I find it hard to believe that tomorrow is already midterm of the first nine weeks and although I need to be grading and getting those into MMS. I can't. Right now at this very moment, I simply can't think. My head is spinning about lesson plans, grading 200 projects that all came due at once (and I am not even joking, it really is 200), keeping certain students busy who I know will find more unproductive things to do if I don't keep them focused, how we are going to get a float built and powder puff practices run if we don't have a theme yet for homecoming, getting my art club meeting agenda settled, scheduling a field trip... And on top of all this I have to go home tonight to make supper, check homework, pick up my house, give the four year old a bath, and do laundry. And now you can completely comprehend how one becomes so overwhelmed they can't do anything. It's paralyzing.

My husband used to be the one who always thought teaching was so easy. He would laugh at me when I would come home at the end of the day tell him I was exhausted. Then he would reply..its not like you do much except spend time with kids all day. .......No really he has said that to me on more than one occasion.

What I think he and so many people do not understand that a teacher wears hundreds of hats. Hats that mentally exhaust, physically exhaust, and sometimes spiritually exhaust. We are known for being cheerleaders, inspiring and motivating speakers to those students we see everyday. We are the motivation that keeps students going and doing and growing. Sometimes I wish I had a teacher that I kept in my coat pocket that I could pull out, set on my desk, wind them up and let them go. My own little motivation and inspiration when I needed it. My own personal cheerleader.

So many teachers out there feel completely under appreciated. We are asked to raise and educate today's youth. To instill what values we can with all the underlying "junk" that they already have in them from today's society. And the minute one of those kids fail, it becomes the educators fault. Sometimes I want to fire back, you try it. It is easy to lay blame, we always need someone to blame or at least we think we do. Perhaps before laying the blame, we need to step back and see the bigger picture. We are not superheros, we are people. Plain ordinary people who love what we do and try our best everyday. Some days are better than others, but still we try. So to all you teachers out there that are sitting at your desk at this very moment, completely overwhelmed and don't know what to do next, know that I am out there for you. In the land of bloggers. I get it and I get you. You are awesome. Don't forget it. Oh and thanks for making a difference in the lives of our children today.

3 comments:

Andrea Ream Ellwood said...

Just wanted to say hi since I've been following your blog for a while via google reader. I've so enjoyed what you share (when you can) because I can identify all too often with the things you say - especially the whole thing of dealing with grading/evaluating such a huge number of projects all at once! I teach high school art as well and I am constantly fielding comments that people make that insinuate that I *basically* do nothing with the kids on a daily basis OR that what I actually do is not hard OR it's not taxing when I am doing it. The one thing no one ever told me before getting into this field is that because the creation of visual art is so therapeutic, my classroom/studio I share with the kids is a place where I am also mentoring them about things of life that are REALLY hard hitting sometimes. As they pour out their colors and lines and shapes into their projects, they also end up pouring out their hearts in conversations that I overhear, am invited to participate in, and am also strictly confided with. My job goes far beyond just teaching the standards of art education and I'm sure yours does as well. Keep up the good work!

missy said...

I will be the cheerleader in your pocket as long as I don't have to wear a super short skirt...love, your sister

Carrie said...

Andrea, thanks so much for your words! I got on your blog and you are quite right, we are very similar in our thoughts, arent we! Can't wait to read more!