The Best of Me

Posted on August 26, 2014

(Warning: This post is going up without much proofreading or too much thought. This is just something I needed to get out.)

Lately I have been incredibly overwhelmed by life. I truly love everything that occupies my time, but my fear is that I will soon not feel the same.

Teaching
I have the privilege of teaching a fantastic group of third graders this year. This is the grade I have always wanted to teach. It’s my dream. I spent the two weeks prior to beginning school engulfed in my classroom.  I had a lot of great help and support from friends and family.There is no way to put what we did into words. I think every teacher can understand this. The best way to explain it is through photographs.

I get to school about an hour early every day. During this time I have a 30 minute lunch and a 40 minute planning period to get everything done. I usually use this time for parent communication and copying papers. 

Once the students leave, I put my classroom back together, and get myself ready for the next day. I leave the school around 5:00.

I spend at least two hours a night working on lesson plans. This includes manuals spread all around me. My list of standards in front of me. Pinterest minimized on Safari. My lesson plan template front and center on my monitor.

I haven’t started grading papers this year, but that will account for much more of my evening time.

Yesterday I was surprised by a student teacher who I was uninformed would be in my classroom until Christmas on each Monday and Thursday. This means that I will have heaps of paperwork to fill out to go along with her. 

Youth

I was recently hired by my church for the part time position of Youth Coordinator. I meet with the Junior Youth every Thursday evening from 5:30-6:30, and I meet with the Senior Youth from 6:45-8:00. I also schedule a monthly event with each group. These vents occur outside of the church. For example, we have enjoyed a movie night, a hike, and a day trip to the falls. In addition to this, I create promotional materials for social media, calendars, permission slips, and other documents.

Robotics

I co-coach a First Lego League Robotics team after school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4:00-5:30. I have a wonderful co-coach who does the bulk of the organizing and coordinating when it comes to this. I admire her skills in this area. I have had the pleasure of working with this fantastic group of kids for four years. They are truly special to me.

Reading Council

I am the co-president of my local reading council. This is an honor. I have a amazing officers who help in every way I need them. We meet during the summer to plan the years events. We create that year’s promotional materials such as membership cards and brochures. We secure speakers for our monthly meetings. We plan fundraising events. The list goes on.

One Saturday every other month, I drive to Charleston with my co-president for an executive board meeting.

In November, we attend an annual conference for two days.

 

These are just the things I do. This doesn’t include my personal life.

This doesn’t include the fact that my mother-in-law has cancer, and we make several trips to the airport to drop her off to catch a flight to the Cancer Treatment Center. We have also gone with her.

This doesn’t include that my sister is buying a house and getting married, and I want to be there for every minute of all of that.

There is also the fact that I love my mom, dad, and grandparents and want to spend as much time with them as possible.

I also have three nieces that are growing up so fast, and I feel like I am missing it.

I have a home that needs an unending amount of attention from me. 

To be very honest, I want to be the best at everything I do. This is where I struggle.

The question is: Can you be the best at something when your time is so spent?

I have won awards for my teaching. My robotics team went to nationals. The reading council has been marked as an honor council.

So far so good. Right?

When will it be too much?

How will I know when to step away from something?

How will I step away from something?

Am I doing my best at everything, or is everything getting the best of me?

I find myself on Pinterest looking for new ways to teach place value and the next thing I know, I am looking at youth room decor. I have developed my own form of attention deficit.

For example, here I am writing this blog at 12:30 at night on a Tuesday when I really just meant to sit down and review my plans for the next day.

Good night.