Sunday, December 4, 2011

Too Many Hats on Too Thin of Ice...

Hey. It's my blog. I can mix metaphors if I want to.

Teacher=
  • The stuff people think of when you say teacher. Up in front of a group of teenagers, trying my best to keep them on task, learning, engaged, paying attention, not sleeping, not bored, not poking at each other, off their cell phones...
  • Preparing to teach. Reading, researching, making lesson plans, making work sheets and handouts, deconstructing a book or an article, creating review games, creating assessments...
  • Assessing student work. Grading quizzes and tests, checking homework for completion and understanding, writing notes on their writing, writing notes on their classwork, inputting grades into a grade book (required by state law to have a hard copy), inputting grades into electronic grade book...
  • Calling parents/ guardians. Informing parents that their child is failing/not doing homework/not keeping up with the school reading program/has done something inappropriate in class, getting stuck on the phone with parents who ask silly questions instead of working with me to get their kid back in the game, getting cussed out by other parents.... and, sadly not often enough letting still other parents know that their child is doing wonderfully and it is such a pleasure to have them in class (these calls are usually at Christmas when I make myself make time).
  • Keeping track of an entire grade level for school wide reading program. Printing weekly reports, inputting grades, staying in at lunch to create a reading study hall.
  • Committee Attendee. Teachers serve on all the committees a school has in place to run said school. It is endless. If you are actually reading the small print and still here I am amazed and will spare you the details of the 3X a week meetings and paper trail of these meetings and implementing all the shit decided on by these committees.
  • Recorder of all things in triplicate. In addition to just doing what I do, I need to prove it. I need to have a binder with all my lesson plans, aligned to state standards and school wide initiatives, a binder with notes and data from all those meetings, a data binder of student test scores and other indicators of learning, as well as post in my classroom student work with exemplars and rubrics once a month...
  • My own personal assistant. A couple we hang with once asked me why I did not have an assistant to make copies, file, make parent phone calls....this same couple also would complain more than a bit about the costs of public education. The irony eluded them. So I pointed it out.
Wife/Mom/One who does the most in the running of the household =
No bulleted list needed here. You all know what this means, then just add a dash of unbloggable goodness and a sprinkle of people who pretend they cannot feed themselves and you have the pretty picture.

Woman Who Tries to Exercise

Woman Who is Attempting to Stay Centered Even if it means getting up at 3-fucking o'clock in the morning, I WILL have my zen time - those one to two hours of meditation, prayer, journaling, yoga, reading, and centering myself have become the standard of my day. And yes, it may not be coming through on this post, which is coming off a bit more bitchy and a lot less tongue in cheek than I had in mind. But if I leave the draft for revising it will probably not make the publish button any time soon.

Business Woman Yes, this is about the home business I started a few months ago and is turning into the THING I LIKE TO DO THE MOST AND YET SOMEHOW IT ALWAYS GETS PUSHED TO THE SIDE WHEN THE SHIT HITS THE FAN AND EVERYONE IS NEEDY.

Blogger Sporadic at best lately...

I am blessed beyond measure to have so many activities in my life, and yet... and yet.

The work from the business I began has captured my heart and attention. Meeting new people, learning new skills, a chance to create an income I will never see as an educator...

So while the juggling continues (third metaphor for those of you counting), the ball most often dropped is blogging. I have thought about stopping completely, but have decided I would rather be a bad blogger than no blogger at all.

And there you go.


16 comments:

Brian Miller said...

nice to see you when we do...glad you are enjoying yourself with the new business...

Brian Miller said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kristan said...

"The irony eluded them. So I pointed it out."

LOL, good.

I read all the fine print, and I'm even more in awe of you than before. (You and all teachers, I suppose.) I'm also glad you're making time for yourself, for Zen. That is really so important.

And yeah, I would rather you be a bad blogger than not a blogger at all. :)

Lisa said...

True.

Hello Pseudo, always nice to visit.

Anonymous said...

During my zen time, which is the 5 a.m dog-walking, I often think of what blog post I might post.

But then I come back and read other people's blogs...

Our teaching roles our so, so different, but I do have to do committee work, and I do have to do paperwork in triplicate, and I do have to do the lesson planning, assessment, report writing, etc. Although I have assistants, they're hired gun (almost literally - ack.) And they have their own paperwork.

Don't forget our vacation once the unbloggable calms down. xo

Midlife Roadtripper said...

I'll join you in being a bad blogger. As long as we get here when we can, I think that is okay - even if only once in a while.

Admire that you get the meditation time in. I need to set some priorities.

Jan said...

I empathize completely with you knowing what you want to do but not being able to do it as much as you'd like - am there and am doing that. :)

Blog when you have the time; we'll be here. Oh, and the foolproof prime rib? Would make a GREAT Christmas dinner.

Sprite's Keeper said...

Be a bad blogger. And just be.

tera said...

You know, it's funny...I always felt bad when I didn't blog as much as some of the people I read. But lately, I've noticed a lot of those everyday bloggers (except Brian, damn him!) are slowing down just like I did. :)
's okay. We all have lives that need living.
I wish you the best on your business from home.I'm hoping I can focus on mine more in the near future.
Happy Monday!

Fragrant Liar said...

Whew, I'm tired just reading your list.

Yes, Pseudo, keep blogging, even if it's sporadic. You and I can be sporadic blogging buddies, since that is my schtick as well lately.

Will check out your new side biz. Good luck with it!

Rosaria Williams said...

You get up that early?
Your plate is overflowing, and your reaching is keeping you on your toes all the time. Yes, too many hats. But then, if we don't overextend when we are young, when?

I say, enjoy all the possibilities in front of you and if you have to drop one, let it be the one that doesn't bring you much joy.

For joy is worth all the pain it causes,and more.

Happy Holidays!

Sandi McBride said...

Too many hats just not enough time to wear them all...but you do a splendid job, my friend...each hat is a perfect fit...
Sandi

Michele R said...

I occasionally pop over to read you and....Bam I can relate to you a lot more than so many other people. My husband teaches and last night was a concert and so after arriving at 6:30 a.m. so that he has time to make his copies, he is then required to be at work still for his students arriving at 6:00 p.m. for their concert, headed by the chorus teacher. But it is all that other stuff that I relate to too. I'll remind you to take care and take vitamins and hopefully I will take some of that advice too.
--a fellow intermittent bad blogger, who blogs well in her head daily.

Joanna Jenkins said...

Triplicate!!!! Holy smokes Pseudo. I don't know how you it and still get up at 3AM.

Please don't stop blogging. We'll be here when ever you have time.

xo jj

secret agent woman said...

I don't think blogging sporadically makes you a bad blogger. Life has to come first.

Anonymous said...

No such thing as a bad blogger! It's not like we're Dooce or something with an audience of 1,000's. We have friends who come and read us when we put it out there and that is the best isn't it? You are a great teacher I'm sure but I sure hope that you're business brings you your next wave in life! Hugs and joy Ms Pseudo- coming to Maine in August?