Help

Hey.

I'm desperately seeking some inspiration.

We have five?  six?  weeks left of the school year left, and it's way, waaaaay too early for me to start going through the motions.  I should be teaching like my hair's on fire, and I try, but...

... I have a head cold (as mentioned in the previous post) that just won't get better.

... I'm tired.  Like, down-to-my-bones, can't-pick-up-my-pen, can't-think-of-anything-to-do tired.  It's not something that can be fixed by one good night's sleep or some vitamins or a night out without the kids.  I'm so tired I ache when I get up in the morning.  I'm sure that's not helping the head cold situation, either.

... I have my toughest, most challenging class LAST period of the day, when I need to be most on my game, and I spend all day pre-emptively dreading them, which makes it hard to get interested in the first two periods of the day.

... my students, though darling and lovable in their own ways, are not the most academically engaged children you'd ever hope to meet. Getting them interested is possible, but it takes a lot of mental and emotional energy to draw them out and get them involved in a lesson, energy that's in short supply (see above).

... I'm not teaching here next year.  I'll be at the middle school, teaching US History (my first choice) to eighth graders (an age group I love).  So it's hard to get all ginned up about writing good lesson plans and gathering materials and what-all when I know it's not something I'll use again.

... my kids (by which I mean my own genetic offspring) need me a lot right now, and, as important as my job is to me, the girls have to come first.

With all this, it's hard not to get into an Alfie, "what's it all about" mindset, and that scares me.  It scares me because that's exactly the attitude I've seen in every teacher whom I secretly felt should get the hell out of the classroom and let someone in who will actually teach.  It scares me because it makes it hard to walk into the building each day without mentally counting down the days and wishing they'd move along faster, and is that really any way to go through life?  It scares me because I worry that one of these days, I won't be able to bounce back and reclaim what I love about my job.  Usually when I'm feeling uninspired, the kids carry me through the content, or the content gets me through the kids, but when both are registering as a "meh," what do you do?

Send some thoughts, y'all.  I need 'em right now.

Comments

[Carrie]

We're here, sending you thoughts. Just the fact that you are worried about becoming one of those teachers means you aren't one. They seem totally oblivious about what they are doing wrong. Is there anyway you can take a personal day, send the kids to daycare and just sleep? I know having a sub is often more work than it's worth, but it sounds like you are desperate for some sleep.

[Toasty]

Every teacher gets antsy for the school year to be over with, and usually that happens in March!! So you've nothing to worry about. Just tired. I agree with Carrie, take a personal day and sleep, read, and just relax.

[Dr. Sanford Aranoff]

Want some inspiration? Read a book on how students think. See the new book on amazon.com: "Teaching and Helping Students Think and Do Better".

[Elaine]

I'm sure this isn't good for you but have you seen those 5 hour energy bottles?? (they're more like a shot). I know, I know, it's liquid crack and probably not good on the ol' heart, but I'm just throwin it out there as an easy fix.

Otherwise, I think everyone has these moments, ESPECIALLY teachers. You have a tough job, its okay to feel a little uninspired once in a while you know?