Procrastination is not to blame for my nearly 6 week absence from these words. On the contrary, I've been busy as hell--drowning in grading and planning like a first year teacher. Sadly, I feel as floundery as a first year teacher, too. (Yes, floundery not floundering. I don't care if it's not a word. Just consider me like Shakespeare--or better yet, Chaucer.)
No, procrastination is not to blame. Instead, my floundery classroom esteem keeps me encumbered, preoccupying my thoughts and my words, stealing my prose, and thusly my confidence. Leaving me to wonder: have I climaxed? have I experienced everything that a profession in public education has to offer me? is it time to move on to....to what....collegiate....private sector......life of crime?
Loyal readers of the teaching profession, I seek your advice about this current woebegone phase of my career. Please share your tales of triumph or tragedy. (Though I prefer triumph. As I am not well suited for a life of crime, I hope to learn that feeling floundery is normal, even in the 13th year.)
Til it be morrow...
2 comments:
It's normal. I'm in year 20 and I'm drowning in papers, I'm weeks behind on my planning and I have a parent night coming up with 36 students who'll need to prep their speeches and their slides. To this I've added a new idea, skateboard floats, because I thought it would be fun to have each group make a miniature parade float based on their assigned history topic.
It probably will be fun too if we can get enough skateboards together.
Honestly, I look around my school and the can see that the teachers who are all overwhelmed like I am are either first year people or damn fine teachers. The ones who are relaxed, easy going, really aren't very good at it. It's easy for them because they are still doing the same stuff they've been doing for ages and ages and they never ever take on anything extra. They may or may not be good at it, but it's those of us who dare to flounder with something new who really hit the heights.
But I'm also in favor of moving on to a new subject or a different level. I favor change.
It's normal. If you didn't have some of that floundery feeling, I'd be worried about your attention to the job. Hope it's better by now...We just started our semester on March 1, so I'm feeling that way myself.
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