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The title says it all. This week, during my practicum, I have been struggling with balancing my shop time with class time. I realised that I can not dedicate as much time as I want to pursue projects that I find fun, unless they relate to my class. As a new teacher, I am spinning like a top in my classes. I want to give students every helping hand I can give. I am realizing that this is not an efficient way to run a class. For my ‘down time’ I find myself wanting to shut myself up in the metal shop and blast some radio and just work. I want to just do what I have always done. Make stuff. I am not sure why it has taken me this long to realise that just because I teach shop, doesn’t mean I get to b involved with that fun making stuff experience. I only provide that experience for my students, and in payment, my shop time is no longer shop time. It will take me a while to get used to facilitating a class-all class, as opposed to beginning a class and then working on my own projects…that is definitely a no-no. There is some gratification in knowing that although I may not be having fun shop time during class, my kids are. All 25 of them. That is a pretty good trade off if you ask me.