Anyway, I have been working hard to try to shift my mindset into 'teacher' mode. It's actually hard for me; I realized yesterday I was literally fighting the urge to multi-task while teaching Kaitlyn spelling! I'm realizing, and making it a goal, to really FOCUS my attention on teaching during the day and letting everything else go. My tendency has been to try to teach, mother, clean, pastor, administrate, socialize and do a whole plethora of other things during the day. I am realizing, especially as my kids get older and all become involved in school day activities (even Luke gets excited about "doing school" and keeps himself fairly entertained for growing periods of time) that I owe it to them, and myself, to just let the other stuff go and give my all to teaching them. It's freeing for me to think about the fact that if I were working outside these walls, I wouldn't expect myself to simultaneously accomplish all those other things...so why do I expect it of myself just because my teaching position happens at the same address where I am a housewife? I don't know...maybe this sounds dumb or obvious to others, but for me it's actually something I'm having to conciously process.
Below are some pics of our school area for this year. If you notice on my desk (the little one with the lamp on it) that right under the lamp there is an apple. (It's fake, but you'd never know it!) I keep that apple on my desk because every time I see it I think "an apple for the teacher" and remind myself that's what I am. I am a teacher. And so tomorrow, I return to 'work'. And I'm excited about it (though still sad to bid farewell to the freedom I experience on summer mornings and awaken with the thought that I don't 'have' to do things...I actually have a choice of what to do!). AND I still have a beach vacation to look forward to in a few weeks...
So, for all of you who are, in some way, starting a new school year (be it yourself or sending off your little ones) - here's to a fresh start!
Tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes in it.
~Anne Shirley, "Anne of Green Gables"
Our school area
My desk (see the apple?)
Kate's area (with the purple/Hannah Montana theme!)
3 comments:
Everything looks great. Welcome to the PAVCS family. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to make your experience with the school more enjoyable.
Joe Lyons
Executive Director of School Communications
Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School
i'm trying to be excited about school starting... i have a couple more days to muster up the energy. good luck on day 2.
Jess, hope things went well! And I think you're right, don't expect yourself to do all your jobs at once! When I was teaching, I couldn't vacuum, cook, clean and do laundry at the same time, so you shouldn't either!
Hang in there, the first couple of days of any school can be a bit rocky!
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