A typical week

I sat down today and realized that Thanksgiving is next Thursday. I then wondered where September and October and most of November went.

Below is a typical week in the life of a second year English teacher, taking 2 graduate classes, and training for a marathon (which is this Sunday!!!!).

Monday

6:00 alarm

7:30 arrive at school to plan and grade

8:45-3:15 teach

3:15-5:00 grade and read the latest Shakespeare play I'm studying in class

6:00-8:40 Studies in Shakespeare at Lehman College

9:30 home

Tuesday

6:00 alarm

7:30 arrive at school to plan and grade

8:30-1 teach

1:00-2:50 Professional Development/department/ AVID meetings

3-3:30 plan and grade

4:15-6:00 Media Literacy class at Lehman

6:30 home

7:00 run

Wednesday

6:00 alarm

7:30 arrive at school to plan and grade

8:45-3:15 teach

3:15-4:30 ish plan and grade

5:00- ? run (For much of September and October I was running 8-9 miles on Wednesdays)

Thursday

6:00 alarm

7:30 arrive at school to plan and grade

8:45-3:15 teach

3:15-4:15 Gay Straight Alliance meeting

5:00 home

5:30 run

6-? on this particular Thursday: grade midterm exams

Friday

6:00 alarm

7:30 arrive at school to plan and grade

8:45-3:15 teach

3:15-4 clean classroom, update Word Wall, etc.

5:00 open a beer

I often feel like I am one of the first teachers to arrive at school and one of the last to leave (along with a few other English teachers), yet I feel like there is ALWAYS more I could be doing to help my students. Parent outreach. Grading. Observing other teachers for best practices. Updating Homework Tracking Charts and Word Walls. Research and planning of upcoming units, papers, projects (especially for my self contained special ed. class). Reaching out to students who are falling behind or failing. Teaching students one-on-one. But, on most days, there is not even close to enough time in the day to accomplish or even attempt to accomplish everything I feel like I have to in order to best help my students learn and succeed.

I know that my current lifestyle as a teacher in an urban school is not sustainable forever because it is too exhausting. But, I also can't see myself leaving my job anytime soon, because no matter how challenging, frustrating, and difficult it is, I really like my students and teaching (on most days ;) ).

I am excited to go home for Thanksgiving.