The Teacher Diaries

As we celebrate the new year, there are several things that educators should strive for to make their lives less stressful, more productive, and overall enjoyable. These resolutions should be adopted by new and seasoned teachers alike. Many of these resolutions can be also be used in other professions so share the knowledge. 1. Pick up a hobby or interest outside of work.  It’s important to take time for yourself. As teachers, many times we are so consumed with work and, for those who it applies to, families. We work during the school day, pick up the kids after school, complete household duties, plan lessons and grade papers, and then go to sleep. This causes us to feel like the days are running together with no break. When we do take time to treat ourselves, the occasions are few and far between. By dedicating an hour or two each weekend or an entire weekend each month to doing a hobby or interest, it will help relieve some of the tension and stress from work. When I sa...

When I was in college I maintained the belief that marriage was just a piece of paper and children were burdens. After meeting the love of my life, marriage became more enticing and having a child didn’t make me cringe any longer. Now, having been a teacher for the past 13 years, I am beginning to second guess having a child. I don’t have a whole lot of time to make a decision, but social media, the news, the young people in the neighborhood and at the mall, and the students who sit in front of me and pass me in the halls everyday contribute to my growing uncertainty. I am fearful of what my child may experience outside of my home. I feel like I would be the most obsessive helicopter mom attempting to shield my child from the terrors of the world. I hear my students call each other out of their names and make vulgar jokes about each other. I see the young men lusting after and commenting on the girls while changing classes. I’ve smelled weed on my students as they enter class. I’v...

Sometime back in October, I had a simple yet memorable experience. While walking to my classroom during the lunch period, I passed one of my students who was walking with two of his friends. Let me preface this by saying that this young man is a little rough around the edges. And if you caught that, then you will understand me when I say that his friends are more than tattered. These are the kids that you see hanging out on the corner. The ones who little old ladies clutch their purses and cross the street for. Well on this day, when I greeted the young men, my student (I’ll call him Kevin) asked me “Where do you see me in five years?” I responded with, “I actually see you graduating from college.” Both he and his friends appeared shocked that I’d responded that way. Kevin asked, “Really?” “Absolutely!” I reassured him. “Your grades are excellent and you don’t get caught up in the nonsense of your peers. You are focused and goal-oriented. Those are key skills needed to be succes...

I am socially awkward and after taking several online personality quizzes and doing some additional research, I have concluded that I am an introvert. I appreciate my time alone. I prefer to hang out with one to two friends instead of being at large social events. I do not typically call people, but always welcome phone calls. I prefer texting and getting to the point, yet despise lengthy text exchanges. I am even quiet around my family when there is no third-person-buffer to fill in the conversation that I don’t provide. How does this translate to teaching? Teaching is a major social and energy-draining job. I am expected to collaborate with my colleagues, present lessons in front of 20 plus students,  contribute in meetings, and even  turnkey information to peers. The easiest of these tasks, socially speaking, is teaching my students. This is possibly because their judgements aren’t as significant to me as my peers' and superiors'. Attempting to participate i...

It was one of the most embarrassing experiences in my entire teaching career. We were preparing to go on a field trip for the day. There were about 40 students and six faculty members gathered in the library waiting for the bus to arrive and take us to our destination.  This would be the day that my period begins. I’d taken my preemptive aspirin to ward off any cramps that may have wanted to sneak up on me. I needed to be in good spirit and strength because this trip required a lot of walking and attentiveness.  “The bus is five minutes away.” The announcement was made and the students were getting more excited, because any time out of the classroom is great even if they’re still learning. As we did one final roll call and made last minute changes to the students assigned to each chaperone I felt it happening. Suddenly. Now even though it was an issue all through high school and college, it hadn’t been a problem in over ten years. Yet, somehow it was happening...