A Normal Job

Over the last few days of returning to the classroom, I have been thinking about my job. I absolutely love teaching, I am in my element during class - I love helping kids learn and making them smile. But sometimes, a teeny tiny part of me wishes for a "normal" job. What is a normal job, you ask? A job that you start at 9am and finish at 5pm and get to come home and NOT do work. And what do you do on the weekends when you have a normal job? Well anything you want to! You certainly don't grade assignments, plan for the next week's classes, and respond to parent emails. You just get to spend a little you time doing you stuff (or friend stuff, or couple stuff, or anything but work stuff). I have only a slight idea of what that kind of job feels like.


When I worked as an Americorps volunteer I started at the school at 9am, and finished around 6:30. Sometimes I helped the teachers grade papers, but overall, I got home and was free from any other responsibilities. I wasn't taking graduate courses or working any other part-time job. All my free time was mine. I loved lazy summer afternoons (or evenings) lounging by the pool or meeting friends for happy hour. I liked getting home and being able to cook myself something nice then relaxing into a good book. I suspect now, with taking care of my apartment, cooking, graduate work, and still working on a new marriage a little free time would be good every now and then. But I have chosen the role of teacher and free time is almost non-existant. There is always, ALWAYS something that needs to be done.


Could I make it easier on myself? Probably. I could be one of the many sub-par teachers at Champittet that works page by page through a workbook and never tries to extends the lessons or challenge the students. I could just pretend to check their homework, or not keep my website up-to-date. But I think that all of these things make me a better teacher and help my students learn. I don't want to do anything half way - I'd rather go 110% (such is the curse of an overachiever).


So for today, I will have to enjoy the fact that it was a 3-day weekend and I was able to take just one day for myself. I worked my bottom off Friday and Saturday to be able to have a little me time today. And that is exactly what I got to do. I can't even recall the last time I was able to paint, or play an hour of guitar, all on the same day. I even danced around my apartment singing to some very bad country songs! My "me" activities were only broken up by moving the clothes from the washer to the dryer. Oh well, I can't win everything (and I needed clean socks!)