Educate & Appreciate

As I went into school today (on a day when we were supposed to be off), I realized looking at the parking lot of cars, that teaching is one of the few jobs that does not end when one leaves the building.  In fact, it continues on the way home, while spending time with the family, as one gets ready for bed, etc.  The best teachers are always working--day off or not.  They are grading papers, writing lesson plans, reflecting on lessons, creating new lessons, and the list goes on and on.

In my eight years of teaching and my current study of educational leadership, I have found that too many teachers do not take time for themselves.  Let's face it, no one goes into teaching for the "money," (some may argue that teachers get summers off, spring break, blah, blah, blah).  The good teachers will tell you that there is no vacation time...those days are used to grade papers, create lessons, or to work a second job.

It is my hope that this blog will help teachers remember to take time for themselves.  For it is when we get overly stressed or burned-out, that our students suffer.  I am a teacher myself, and have just recently realized the importance of taking care of myself--for the benefit of my students.  So, on this blog, I will post educational, as well as health/fitness related topics in an effort to help my fellow teachers "Educate and Appreciate."