Faith.Family.Football: Teacher Life...Year 2

I have survived week one in 7th grade! I am exhausted and saw the chiropractor THREE times this week to adjust the pain and discomfort from being on my feet and teaching eight hours a day again! Lesson to be learned: during summer vacation be more active and maybe, just maybe you won't be so tired and worn down when you jump back into adult life.

I read somewhere that 40/50 percent of new teachers leave the education field within the first five years. They leave for various reasons, but bottom line I can completely understand why! Last year, as a new teacher, I was thrown into a sink or swim scenario. I almost sank, never truly swam, managed to tread water and made it through until the end!

I spent the fall pregnant with baby number two. I left school every day and took nothing home. Life was a breeze. I wasn't responsible for lesson plans, 504 plans, IEP plans, STAAR testing or any other daunting task teachers face. I was solely an inclusion support teacher. It was fantastic, but I wasn't loving where I was or what I was doing. I had the itch for my own classroom and my very own students. While on maternity leave I applied for other positions and other schools and had a few interviews. On February 2nd I began a new opportunity! 8th grade ELAR teacher at Cesar Chavez in Waco, Tx. I knew very little about the scenario I was about jump, feet first, into. A little background... The school is in deep with the Texas Education Agency for not meeting STAAR testing standards for three year running. The students, in general, were pretty disrespectful and lacked any motivation to learn. They were at school for their social life. So- coming into a situation like that, especially mid-year, made for a rough spring!

Coach was on the defensive staff at a small junior college so his hours were a little flexible. He stepped up to the plate and played Mr. Mom. I spent the Spring semester leaving every morning at six o'clock, before my babes were even awake, and made it home sometime between six and seven at night. The drive to Waco was an hour each way...a nice quiet hour...but it grew old pretty quick. I stayed late everyday and was there early every morning. I took lesson plans and grades home every night and every weekend. I was always trying to keep my head above water. The spring was not a great experience. I barely saw my babes. I was completely run down. I had no time or energy to get to the gym. I was gaining weight like crazy. My husband was the best support system through it all! He took the boys to and from school everyday. He held down the fort while I was commuting and working too late. Finally June came! Summer vacation!

Fall is here, year two of teaching! Coach took a new job so naturally we spent the summer moving, adjusting to a new life and getting acquainted with new faces and places. I am at a new school and could not be more excited to be where I am. Coach is at Southeastern, a DII in Durant, OK and I am in Sherman, TX at Piner Middle School. So far I am loving being a part of Sherman ISD. I am loving even more the 25 minute commute to work...it is far better than the hour I was driving last year!

Life is pretty much back to normal. Coach is in football hours, so he's out of the house before light and home after dark. I am back into single mommy role. So for year two I have some goals for the school year!
1. I will bring home NO work during the week! NONE! No grades/lessons/504/IEP NOTHING!
2. Sundays will be reserved for family time in the morning and afternoon, but during nap time I will get my lesson plans finalized.
3. I will not pour all of me into my teacher role! I will save some of me for my babes, coach, and myself.
4. It's okay to leave school with a messy desk...It's #teacherlife
5. I will make time for the gym a few days a week- I have got to keep my self sane! With coach in full swing for the season and single mom life reality, the gym is the only way I stay sane and relieve stress.

So to my fellow educators, seasoned or brand new, if I can give you any advice it would be... as a teacher you will never be "caught up." There will always be a paper to grade, a meeting to attend, a form to get filled out by a deadline. Take the time for yourself and for your family. Teacher life will still be there in the morning when you get back.

Here's a few snapshots of this years classroom. I am all about positive vibes and motivating my students!