If, on the one hand, instability and work overload are upon us teachers, on the other hand, returning to school after some months engaged in far more challenging activities, requires a lot of effort and creativity to keep students focused. Rather than get used to routine, this tends to get worse making every come back to school a bit more thorny.
Anyway, all these years I have never faltered in my purpose to teach English. I am there for my students and because of them; they are not to blame for institutional and governmental changes. Bearing this in mind, my work has always been driven by and focused on student learning and development - both academic and social. Therefore, I have already set my goals for 2013/2014 which, to be honest, have not changed that much over the years. Here they are:
1. Love what I do - I chose this profession and when I enjoy what I am doing (within classroom walls or outdoors), I feel I'm giving my best and that joy is quickly grasped by students. I believe that when they feel they have committed and caring teachers, they'll achieve more;
2. Read academic as well as recreational books - this way I can not only dive into my own professional development, but also do what I most like doing (besides teaching :) of course): Reading!
3. Connect and Collaborate with colleagues, students, staff, parents... on a professional and personal level. Throughout my 20-something professional career, I've shared and learned so much that this is - as far as I am concerned - the only way we can survive, without going nuts - especially now, surrounded by so much hostility by our Ministry of Education, budget cuts, increasing number of students per class and demands in our performance...
Till now I've been fortunate enough not to worry about where I'll be teaching the coming year or even if I'll have a position at all! For completely different reasons though, I just can't help feeling anxious about coming back to school and wish I could skip these first weeks. In the back of my mind are the lyrics of a well known song and, just like the singer, I was wondering if you could just Wake Me Up When September Ends , when the school year is already well under way? Please???
Thank you for sharing your views and please take a couple of secs to answer only 4 questions in the poll on the right sidebar- no big deal, really, and all will be anonymous.
Happy school year, y'all!
5 comments:
Wishing you a very happy new school year. May this one be much better than the last one! :)
Congrats for the post, I found it very inspirational.
This post mirrors exactly what's on my mind as I struggle with what I call "after holidays stress" :)
Wishing you all the best for this new academic year, too, LN.
It's difficult not to get "after holiday stress" - even if we already know where we are going to work (lucky ones! - I keep thinking about our colleagues who are still waiting to know where they will work or even if they will get a jobplace anywhere).
For me the 1st day is always the most difficult, then I gradually get used to the regular timetables and chores.Well the 1st day was yesterday and tonight I woke up at 4.30 a.m!
Wishing you all a very happy and sucessful school year
Dear Alex,
I must be crazy but I like September days... The rush of getting to know a whole bunch of things (colleagues, schools, timetables, pupils) is what makes our profession so interesting.
So I remembered also a song - Summer of 69- and the line "Those were the best days of my life" - and responded with yet another one - "I am Titanium".
Teachers are almost bullet proof and we are here to stay, no matter what politicians do to us.
H&K
Ana Paula
Very inspiring article and tips!Congratulations teacher Alex:) Well, our job is a big box of challenges and one of them is the back to school year. It's difficult not to get " after holiday stress" as Cristina said but, above all, we'll try to do our best and we're aware of our important role for children and teenagers.
All the best for this new school year!
Teacher Lina Pereira from Cacém, Sintra
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