Back to school. Most of us have got a week under our belt, probably with an INSET thrown in. It’s almost as if Christmas never happened, isn’t it?
That to-do list has been growing exponentially, the children are taking a little time to, shall we say, ‘settle back in’ and it all feels a bit like you’ve never been away.
That ‘new-year-new-you’ resolution is already up against it. No wonder we’re all feeling a bit Jan-you-wary; we know how quickly our best intentions get gazumped by the clambering attentions of others. Maybe you’re already feeling somewhat Janu-weary? Christmas is lots of things, a rest it certainly isn’t.
We’re all allowed a Christmas wish. Teachers have earned two because they work doubly hard. I’ll wager the majority of these fall under the category of ‘this year it’s going to be different…’. I’m going to try and break it to you gently: it won’t.
It won’t, because there’s more to do and less people to do it. There’s an awful lot going on in the world right now, and we know from experience that the buck stops at the school gates. With you. It’s not going to change.
Deep breath.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t. YOU can be different. Note: I’m not suggesting you should cut corners and work to rule, just that when you prioritise yourself a bit more, it’s a win-win situation. The pupils benefit, your colleagues benefit, your friends and family benefit, and most importantly of all, you benefit.
Quit waiting. Be the person you want to be and hold your head up high. You’ll find the important stuff gets done a little better, and you’ll have a smile on your face noticeably more often.
Sure, we teach a whole load of subjects. Most importantly of all, we teach children. Be the teacher you want to be. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi: ‘Be the change you want to see’.
You’ll be the first to feel the difference. Roll on Feb-your-way…