Stress Level of Educators

No matter what your connection is with a school, as changes continue to take place, stress levels continue to rise in an already stressful career field.  Change is something I actually enjoy in life; however, many teachers went into the teaching profession for opposite reasons- they wanted to work at one school for thirty years, raise their children in that community, and then retire.  In my short teaching career I have taught in four different schools in four different counties, with my longest tenure only two years.  I have even taught in New Zealand as well as the United States.  Please don't hear me wrong, I haven't looked for change, but with a husband that was active in the Army, it is something that was and still is inevitable in my life. 


Sometimes I wonder if policymakers understand how stressful it is to teachers when every five years they are creating overhauling changes.  Wouldn't admendments or gradual changes be better for both the educators, students they teach, parents who are trying to advocate for their children, and the families of educators? 

Professional Development

This fall the way things are done on the state level, in regards to professional development, will be changing.  Not knowing how it will be changing, I'm unsure how I will complete my professional development hours this summer.  I wish they took my graduate level coursework as professional development hours like Georgia does, then my school year wouldn't be so stressful. 


If I find out what is changing, I'll let you know, as soon as I know something!  ;)

Summertime

It is finally that time of year that most teachers look forward to- summer!  Normally I look forward to the empty scheduled days as well; however, something is different this summer and I think I finally figured out what it is.


Without knowing all of the changes that are ahead for teachers in Tennessee, in regards to the First to the Top and observation changes, and especially in the county where I work, where we are getting a new superintendent and head of instruction, this summer I feel as though I'm sitting on the back of my heals waiting for all the changes.  Normally, people would enjoy the down time, but that is not who I am.  I am a go-getter that is constantly moving and doing, so this down time is killing me.  I guess on the bright side of things I have at least had a chance to catch up with my ancestry research!

Blogging at Last

Although I have often been known as the "tech-savvy" teacher in the schools I have found myself privileged to work, I have rarely felt the need to blog.  However, this summer a friend of mine, well, quite a few friends actually, began blogging.  When I find myself with time to surf- in between my frequent Facebook and email log ins- I have actually really enjoyed reading about the things that they find relevant in their lives.  With education constantly changing, I thought that blogging would be a great way for me to focus on the positive changes that are taking place, instead of the negative.  As with all change, things often seem worse when they are first introduced than when they are actually implemented.  Currently educating the lives of seventh grade students at my present location, I know that public schools in Tennessee are about to undergo more change in one year than they have seen in ten all together,  thanks to the Raise to the Top funds we are receiving from Obama's colleagues in Washington...and I can't wait. 

Well, I hope people will check back often and leave messages on their thoughts and any knowledge they may want to share so that this can be more interactive than the website I maintain with my students!  Happy Educating!!!