Teachers are often criticized for all the time off that we get.  Do you find that you are now a “better” teacher because you are now well rested, less stressed, better planned, and (hopefully) healthy?

With this week being the first week back from spring break, I actually felt kind of flustered. I think this  from the combination of having to learn 120 new names, trying to organize myself better (which I’m not too sure is working) and expanding my presence in the school by choosing to co-sponsor a sports team. But at the very beginning of the week, I felt fantastic. I was definitely nervous because there was so much to do in that first week, but I felt rested and I had the entire week planned out (whether or not everything followed that plan is another matter). In comparison to the very beginning of my practicum I was definitely more confidant in my ability to teach and carry a class. I wouldn’t necessarily say it was better or worse because the circumstances are different; I’m coming back to familiar surroundings, not starting over at a completely new place.

I’m not sure if I would have felt the same way if I didn’t have the break. I remember being so exhausted and worn out, that even though I had the momentum going, my ability to teach surely would have suffered. This past week I asked my students in the class I’ve held the longest to give me some feedback on my teaching and how I can improve. Most of it was positive, but one comment that stuck out to me was I needed to smile more. My first reaction was maybe I just have one of those faces that seem angry when I’m not thinking about it, but with more thought, maybe it was just I was stressed and nervous and it showed on my face without realizing.

I think teachers definitely need the break, whether that be one week or two. It gives us time to get some marking done, get re-organized, get healthy, clear our minds and reflect and improve our practice. I didn’t fully realize just how much I was using my voice until the break, when I woke up every morning with a sore throat. Thankfully my throat has recovered since then. I found myself thinking about how I can make things better and I made resolutions to improve based off of my midpoint meeting. I was also able to get re-organized, and I feel more confidant with what I have scheduled. To be honest it was the break that allowed me to feel good about co-sponsoring one of the sports teams. Without that break to relax, I would have felt too overwhelmed to even think about doing any extra-curriculars. I don’t think many realize how much work being a teacher is. Many see the hours teachers work on paper and think that we have a short work day and long breaks to boot, but they don’t tend to realize that almost every teacher puts in so much extra time and effort outside of the classroom all for the sake of their students. It takes time to plan lessons that are pedagogically sound and enjoyable. It takes time to reflect on how to make these lessons better. It takes time to find and make resources. It takes time to give feedback. Many don’t about the work before and after a lesson to make sure it goes well, and it’s usually these tasks that get forgotten.

That being said, I’m not sure what i would do if someone criticized the time off. I could say to them what I’ve just described, but I don’t think that would get the message across. They could easily counter by saying they do the exact same thing at their job. If there was time, and I was patient, I would try to put them into the shoes of a teacher. What kind of lesson would they teach? What should the student get out of it? Do you need any resources? How will you know they learned what you’ve taught? Are you being inclusive of all learners? And as easy as this seems, I can’t help but feel like this tact is more defensive and negative, when really the message should be positive. Until I find a more positive way to defend the time off, I may just hold off on the lecture.