Long hours

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Home : 2001 : February : 16

Long hours
By Robin

So it is universal!
I teach in Manitoba Canada.
I am only .75, but my day starts at 6:30 am when we rise and get our 6 year old ready for school, and our 3 year old ready for daycare. School starts at 8:55 and ends
at 3:30. Although I am only 3/4 time, I'm there full time, quite often longer than some of the full time. I live 17 miles from where I teach, so I bought a computer so I could stop making several trips a week back to school to use the computers there. My family goes into hiding when they here "Report cards are near", because I turn into the original shrew.
We've had 4 new curricula

thrown at us in the last 4 years, and all the training, standards testing, meetings, etc, that the government dreams up. I'm the local PD Chair, and of course am on several school committees. Prep classes are never that, but rather "Solving problems/Deal with parents" periods. Most of my planning, correcting, etc. is done after 9 pm, after my kids are in bed, the housework (HA)and the clothes, bags, etc. are ready and waiting by the door for the morning rush.
We all do it, but why? And, why are our situations getting worse? Everyone's workloads are getting ridiculous; good people are burning out and quitting; those who stay are bitter and taking it out on those least responsible. Had anyone of you heard of the "wellness" movement that is so prevalent now,(and from which several gurus are making a much better living at than we are)ten years ago?
I love teaching, and , believe it or not, the planning and preparation. There is nothing like the feeling of a well-planned and anticipated lesson being a success. Better yet are those "teachable moments" that come from nowhere, but are so valuable. This is what keeps me going, but more frequently, I wonder for how much longer. This is only my fourth year in the "business".