There are things for which university doesn't prepare us "baby teachers," as one prof calls us. One of those things is what I call teaching students "how to people," that is, giving students the tools they need to successfully transition to adulthood. As a woman, a mother, a writer, and a student, sometimes it's difficult to remember which hat I'm supposed to be wearing at any one particular time. When a student struggles with challenges outside the curriculum, I find myself more often than not taking the student under my wing as my mothering instincts kick in. I'll be honest: Some days they drive me absolutely bananas, but I'd go to the moon and back for these kids because I genuinely care about their well-being.
Earlier this week, I posted a quote from We Are Teachers. Today I can proudly say that I changed a student's day. Today was a good day. It was also a learning day. In the past two days, I experienced my first practice lockdown... when my UC was supposed to be observing me flawlessly executing a lesson plan that I spent hours upon hours creating; my son was battling stomach issues and his dad was away at a conference in Red Deer so I've been single parenting since Monday and worrying that I'd get a call from his school to pick him up; my daughter had her first-ever rugby game and had to arrange her transportation because it was unlikely I could get her to the stadium on time; I offered a shoulder to cry on (and she returned the favour later the same day); and I agreed to check in with someone else who was dealing with their own difficulties. Today I hit my limit. I could not give any more. I was emotionally exhausted and needed to take time for myself. Today's lesson(s)? I have to learn to say, "No." That's a tough one, but I have to acknowledge my limits. I also have to learn how to make "me" time. I spent a large chunk of this week making sure everyone was OK, but not once did I ask myself if I was OK. That's a question I have to ask myself more often and on a more regular basis. This afternoon, I wasn't OK. I needed to take a break. There's marking to be done, lessons to plan, and a test that needs creating, but I needed to use the hours after school to take care of me.
As my TA says, "It was a learning day." But it was also a great day. I learned a lot. I made a difference.