Face it:: School Affects Everything
Image by crawford.l via FlickrSo I was at school in early September working with the school's youtube channel and google kept trying to link to my Cool Cat Teacher google account. Inadvertently, I reset my Google account password and then it began.It knocked down all kinds of things I had linked to my Google account and many things relating to this blog from disqus links to now, I just discovered that Diigo hasn't been posting my Daily spotlight links that I sent throughout the month of September.
"Doggone it!"
Leave it at School?
This brings home a very big point to me.
You know, I talked to you in an earlier post about Letting things fail so people can see you need some things fixed and honestly, I'm not very good at that.
When there is too much to do, I often just do more.
The Wake Up Call
Two weeks a go there was an away football game and my son's team is now 7-0 on the season and ranked #1 in the state in GISA-A football! But I was completely worn out to the point of being sick. My husband told me to stay home and he was right.
But as I sat there in the chair watching reruns of Little House on the Prairie, I just began to see how something is going to have to change in my life. I was at home sick because there is too much to do and I'm trying to do it all.
The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg
I think that many who leave the classroom to speak realize that they've killed the goose that laid the golden egg just to find out that the goose is now dead and there is no more gold because those experiences and lessons that they learned in the classroom are now no longer feeding their psyche and soul.
I need these students and they need me. I want to figure out some sort of balance here. I think many teachers struggle with this.
Take a Hard Look
The fact is -- school affects everything. It affects my life, my mental health, my physical health, my family life, and my attitude - it affects it all.
There are times we have to take a hard look at what we're doing and work with those who can help us and advise us about what to do - we have to make decisions so that we can be all that God created us to be.
Life Lessons from a Loser
I think back to a similar situation back in July. Kip took the kids and I away to a place in the middle of nowhere in Helen Georgia. On the way, he took me by this random bookstore and I found a book Finally Thin
, by Kim Bensen. Kim lost more than 200 pounds but wasn't espousing one weight loss program but she shares about all of them.As I prayed over my own weight, I realized - "I can do this" and I decided to join weight watchers and stick with it and DO IT. That was the second week in July.
Now, I'm sitting here in the Atlanta airport a whole two sizes and 25 pounds smaller than I was in July. Small steady steps and daily decisions on my eating and workout program have made a big difference in my life and ultimately my health. I feel better, food tastes better. I am happier when I look in the mirror.
But it took daily action and discipline and decisions.
Losing This
So, as I seek to whilttle down my job description to be more manageable, I'll also have decisions to make -- what can come off my plate? What can I stop doing? Who can do other things? What changes can I recommend to decision makers who can help me with this?
To continue doing the same thing and expect different results is the definition of insanity.
More is not more -- less is more.
Message to You
So, as I've meandered in my words here on this page. I have a message to you.
You can't leave school at school - school does affect your life. Don't pretend that it doesn't.
Here I was pretending that school didn't affect there rest of my life and look -- I have about 20 blog posts that didn't go up because of a password/ Google account problem at school!
Sometimes something's gotta give and when you've given all you can - it becomes a matter of giving alternatives and making decisions.
There are such things as win-win situations in this world but they never happen by accident.
Teaching is a noble calling.
To continue to act nobly, we have to be realists with ourselves and realize that sometimes situations need to be addressed.
Think of Students
And realize this...
If we, as teachers, cannot leave school at school - how about our students? They can't leave it at school either and how they are doing with their grades, their friends, even if you scare them - it affects their life at home too...
you just can't leave it at school. It is serious, treat it that way.
