The power of saying yes! . . . But what if you say yes too much? You see, teaching full time, taking classes towards a master’s degree, helping teach two after school classes, and taking two professional development classes has got my schedule covered. Not to mention spending time with Corbin, my friends, and my family. There-is-not-enough-time-in-the-day.
By the time I get home, I just want to be horizontal.
So, what about the power of saying no? Saying no isn’t always a bad thing. Especially when you’re out run by too many things you already said yes to!
Don’t get me wrong: I love my job. I love my students. I love forming these relationships, these bonds with students that they will remember forever.
My students from last year stop by on a daily basis to say hello. They ask me what we’re learning and say, ” oh yeahhhhh! I remember doing that!” Or some just simply ask me how I’m doing. It’s the most beautiful thing, really. Watching students grow up, watching them learn for themselves, making decisions they learned from your class. They are only 9-11 years old, and yet they have come so far since I first met them.
And now teaching another totally, completely different class. Forming these new bonds and relationships with 60 other kids. Wow. It’s unlike any other job. I’m not stuck in my own head, I’m literally making hundreds of decisions every minute. As I scan the room during student work time, or as I’m teaching a whole class, I have developed skills to be able to notice off task behavior like that. *snap* I have become so good I can even notice when students have ‘dosed’ off into a day dream and realize it’s time for a brain break. *snap*
A teacher’s life:
Rewarding.
Challenging.
Incredibly fun.
Busy, busy, busy.
Hilariously entertaining.
Highly pressurized.
A profession I love.
I wouldn’t trade any other job. But does that make me any less busy? Absolutely not. I’ll get a text message from Corbin: where you at? Shit. It’s already 6pm. I’ll get a text from a friend wanting to hang out on a school night. What time? 8pm. Not gonna happen.
Trying to maintain a relationship while making 60 new relationships with students is a skill I just don’t have time for. This is why teachers have summer breaks. They say my contract time is 8:15-3:45pm. In reality I’m there by 7:30 and stay until 5pm.
“Over time?” Yeah. But I don’t even get time and a half.
Okay, so it may seem like I’m complaining. I’m not. Truly. This is my life, my reality. Instead of complaining I dive head first into each new day like it was the first time diving off the board into the crisp, blue water.
I’m just busy.
Luckily I have an amazing partner who cares for me, cooks for me, understands late nights, and still cuddles me up night despite the lack of time we spent together or lack of energy I have.
My weekends are precious. Sleep and adventure. I don’t have time for this during the week. Therefore I want my weekends to be filled with fun. . . And sleep.
As I struggle to keep myself afloat, I need to remember next time I want to say yes, to take a deep breath, in, out, and say no. I cannot do it all. Physically or mentally. Teaching is the hardest thing I’ve ever done and also the best thing I’ve ever done.
The power of saying no. Not because I don’t want to do something but in order to stay sane I must.
I’m busier than a buzzing bee, trying to be wild and free, in a job where I have to be me.
Wild-Free 