Time…
Everyone needs more time.
More time to sleep. More time to
lesson plan. More time to grade. More time for friend, family…YOURSELF!
We all need more
time. And the question we ask ourselves
every day, is what do we give up? What do
we put off…again? What do we sacrifice
today?
There is no clear
answer. I have no miracle cure or remedy
or solution to this problem. Sure, we
can make to-do lists. I can tell you for
a fact that I make a daily to-do list, and that MANY of those things don’t get
crossed off, and then subsequently end up on tomorrow’s to-do list.
What I can tell
you, is that I have learned from time. I
have learned to listen to my body when it tells me to slow down. AND I learned this particular lesson the hard
way two years ago.
Two years ago, I
was about four months into my new teaching job.
I was building my Title I program from the ground up. I was working at my part-time job as an EMT
(Emergency Medical Technician) two overnights per week. I was getting up four days a week at 4:30am
to go to the gym. I was training to
become a nationally certified firefighter, two nights a week. I was tired, but I was managing it all…or so
I thought.
It all began, when
I thought that I had a really bad case of strep throat. Working with kids means that you get
sick. Right?? Well, I was wrong. It took several strep tests and blood work,
and I was finally diagnosed with viral mono.
The doctor wanted
to put me on bed rest for several weeks.
BUT…I begged and pleaded. I was
about to have a week off for Christmas break, and I told her that I would just
stay home AND do nothing. Thankfully,
the doctor agreed, BUT, I would also have to cut out some of my activities, to
have more time to rest. I gave up going
to the gym, and I dropped one of my overnight shifts as an EMT.
AND slowly, I got
better. The doctor said that I would now
have to listen to my body. When I get
tired, I need to slow down and relax more.
I was {thankfully} allowed to complete my training, and in March of
2016, I became a certified firefighter.
Slowly, I took back
time. AND I learned to listen to my body
when I am too tired.
I won’t tell you
that I don’t continue to push myself.
From May of 2016 to April of this year, I completed my Masters of
Elementary Reading and Literacy, in an accelerated online program through
Walden University (I highly recommend their programs, if you do not have a lot
of “extra time” like me). During that
LONG year, I had started back at the gym, but subsequently quit again, because
I had taken on too much.
Once I completed my
Masters, I began working as an EMT two overnights a week again. I know that this seems like a lot, and at
times, it can be, but I do take time off when I need to. I plan to continue to working at this job two
overnights per week for a few more years, because the extra money is good. AND finally, in August of this year, I began
my journey as a teacher author with TPT.
As a Title I ELA
(English Language Arts) teacher, I work with students in small groups, each
with their own unique needs and abilities…which is why I started to creating my
own resources. BUT, it was when teachers
at my school started asking me where I bought my resources or for copies, I
decided to publish my resources on TPT.
What I LOVE about
TPT, is that I can work on creating resources as much or as little as I want.
I may never truly
learn how to slow down, but for now, I am enjoying the adventure, while still
making time to enjoy the ride.
-Rachel
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