Yesterday was, for me, the last day of the autumn term. I like my job a lot but, however experienced you are (or aren't), constantly endeavouring to engage the interest of others is hard work. After five or six consecutive weeks of teaching, however well you're doing, you have a sense that you were probably doing a better job in week two. I'm sure all teachers know that feeling. And it's hard for the students too.
I do have quite an easy time of it - I teach people on a one-to-one basis about sixteen hours a week. I've been working online since the first UK lockdown. Nevertheless, I was still pleased when I closed the browser on my last lesson of the term. However much you like your job, there comes a time when you need a break.
I didn't do very much yesterday. after that. I didn't even write a blog post. The end of term always gets me that way. It takes a few hours for the reality to sink in - for the next few weeks I can choose what to think about most mornings, for most of the morning. When I teach, I teach in the mornings so I was also looking forward to a lie-in and not having to set the alarm on my phone until 2021!
As it happens, I was woken at 5.30am by my other half, snoring. I got up and went downstairs. I allowed myself to get absorbed in the internet for a while. I made my breakfast - a cafetiere of hot, black coffee and a bowl of porridge with golden syrup and banana. I ate the porridge then wrote this, while drinking the coffee. It's now just gone 8.30. My mug's gone cold. Strange, how time flies early in the morning.
I have the greatest admiration for those that teach. You touch others and the world in ways no one else can. Teaching sometimes goes unappreciated and often underpaid but despite that it is a great profession and one to be proud of.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can take some time to enjoy your break!
Amen to that!
DeleteThanks for sharing that. I certainly intend the enjoy myself for the next few weeks!
DeleteThis old retired teacher knows how you feel. As much as I liked teaching I'm glad I'm not teaching now.
ReplyDeleteMy mum was a teacher. She enjoyed it and had a reputation for being good at it. She said that when she was retiring everyone said she'd miss it but, when she actually did stop, she said, she never looked back.
DeleteI enjoyed the music and Jarman's garden. Holidaying in the bleak weather we are having at the moment will only produce introspection though ;)
ReplyDeleteI could do with a bit of intospection time! However, talking of holidays and Jarman, before covid kicked in, one of our plans for 2020 was to go and stay at Dungeness. It's a long way from here but I'd been watching Jarman's film, The Garden, and wanted to see his garden and the location of the film. Perhaps in 2021, or 2022...
ReplyDelete