I took a day off yesterday, I took a sick day. It was my first in almost three years. I usually hoard my days to use for the girls or for my maternity leaves. I think knowing I won't be able to use them next year also helped. A was very supportive of my choice. I have had a miserable cold/flu thing going on and I just needed to rest. I spent the time the girls were at school sleeping. Heaven.
Today was a PD day at work. We had a shortened schedule and early dismissal for students. We spent 3 hours talking about the pros and cons of homework. I tend to be anti-homework. At my previous job at an urban HS, I never gave homework. The kids life was so chaotic, most of them worked or took care of younger siblings after school. Homework was a luxury for time and a quiet place. At this job, I find students need more guided practice in class. I don't need to beat them over the head with the same type of problem over and over again. Most of these students also do multiple after school activities, which means they don't start homwork until 9pm or later.
I usually give in class work that if they don't finish becomes homework. About 75% of students finish the homework in class where I can help them if need be. The other 25% finish it at home in minimal time. I feel like it gives them the practice they need without overloading their evenings. For the PD, I was randomly placed in the pro-homework groups. It was interesting to think from the pro perspective. Not enough to change my mind but interesting.
No sewing accomplished the last two days and probably not tomorrow I am too sick. I did make a tasty dinner tonight, Mexican Stuffed Green Peppers. Yum!
Showing posts with label teaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teaching. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Introduction
Time for a place for me to simply lay out alternatives without having to heard everyone else spin. This blog is mine, I will share it with strangers gladly and with my family and friends never. Sometimes everyone needs a place to vent. A place to complain, where they never have to worry about those words getting back to the wrong person. This is my place.
My husband, A, had decided to go back for a phd. He has always wanted to do this and I have encouraged home to do so. He decided to go for it in September. What prompted the choice to do it now? I wanted to go back to school for a Master. That's right, I wanted to not him.
Last year, I got very burnt-out as an urban teacher. With two young kids at home and two people working full time, the emotional strain got to be too much. I asked my work to go part-time and was told it was not an option. A friend told me about a part-time opening in the same inner-suburban town I lived in. I applied for the job and got it. I started working part-time in August. I hated to job almost immediately. I had two preps and three classes and no prep time, a full time teacher had 2 preps and 5 classes and two prep bells in our school. I felt chronically behind, I could never stay after and help students since I had to rush to pick up the girls and I felt like I was not making a difference. There is a lot more to it but I digress...
I told A that I wanted to leave teaching and pursue a Masters in Nursing. This was something I had been talking about for at least 3 years. I found programs that were accelerated for people with a BS outside of nursing. A then decides he should go to school next year. He thinks that I could then go to school for free where he gets a job after getting his phd. Great idea but it means I will be teaching and supporting the family for at least 4 more years. It doesn't seem to bother him that I hate my job or that I wanted to go to school first. Really, it is about what he would like to do, my needs are second to his.
He has a 15 minute discussion with me and then carries on to apply etc. Now we are waiting for acceptance/denial letters. We have no idea where we will be living next year, where the girls will go to school or where I will be working. There are many things we will be deciding in the next 6 weeks. I hope A is really ready to talk to me about it. I fear he will make up his mind alone and we will all be along for the ride.
My husband, A, had decided to go back for a phd. He has always wanted to do this and I have encouraged home to do so. He decided to go for it in September. What prompted the choice to do it now? I wanted to go back to school for a Master. That's right, I wanted to not him.
Last year, I got very burnt-out as an urban teacher. With two young kids at home and two people working full time, the emotional strain got to be too much. I asked my work to go part-time and was told it was not an option. A friend told me about a part-time opening in the same inner-suburban town I lived in. I applied for the job and got it. I started working part-time in August. I hated to job almost immediately. I had two preps and three classes and no prep time, a full time teacher had 2 preps and 5 classes and two prep bells in our school. I felt chronically behind, I could never stay after and help students since I had to rush to pick up the girls and I felt like I was not making a difference. There is a lot more to it but I digress...
I told A that I wanted to leave teaching and pursue a Masters in Nursing. This was something I had been talking about for at least 3 years. I found programs that were accelerated for people with a BS outside of nursing. A then decides he should go to school next year. He thinks that I could then go to school for free where he gets a job after getting his phd. Great idea but it means I will be teaching and supporting the family for at least 4 more years. It doesn't seem to bother him that I hate my job or that I wanted to go to school first. Really, it is about what he would like to do, my needs are second to his.
He has a 15 minute discussion with me and then carries on to apply etc. Now we are waiting for acceptance/denial letters. We have no idea where we will be living next year, where the girls will go to school or where I will be working. There are many things we will be deciding in the next 6 weeks. I hope A is really ready to talk to me about it. I fear he will make up his mind alone and we will all be along for the ride.
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