i decided to take the day off today. i’m really glad i did. i really needed it. i’m trying to remind myself that it always feels like this around this time of year. i always feel way too stressed and at my wit’s end, and almost considering new career options. every year. and it doesn’t last long, and then i regret feeling the way i did.
but since i started blogging, i’ve also started reading other teacher blogs, and i’m not the only one stressed out right now. it seems to be a fairly pervasive theme.
i mean, there are many reasons to be stressed out: 1. the first nine weeks grades just came out and parents are demanding answers and ways to fix things that it’s just too late to fix. 2. this new grading online stuff is irritating 3. the new way i’m teaching my class causes severe mental exhaustion. 4. it’s almost the holidays and i don’t want to do anything.
i am excited about the new way i’m teaching. i’m teaching completely in the target language. i give them 30 seconds of english at the beginning of class, and then 30 seconds at the end of class, and the rest in spanish. some are frustrated, but i’m seeing a lot of breakthroughs. they are finally starting to use what they know conversationally, instead of being dependent on their notes, vocab sheets, books, etc. and taking 5 minutes to pull something together. so what if they don’t speak perfectly yet, the improvement is huge.
i need to do some planning today, but i’m going to relax a bit first. when i got up this morning, around 8, i read for a while, then walked on the treadmill for about half an hour, and i feel really great now.
let’s see. this is what i plan to do today:
1. get lesson plans together for the week.
2. grade folders.
3. figure out how to update gradequick online.
4. maybe get one class of projects graded. maybe.
