But I Smile Anyway…

Don’t you dare say I only work half a day
Don’t you dare sneer at my 10 weeks ‘off’ a year
Give me a lunch break at lunch
Holidays when I choose
No work before 9 or after 5
A weekend just to snooze
Give me this and I’ll give you my roll
But I warn you, my friend
It takes heart
Body and soul

Anon

Thanks, Spidey!

It’s finally half term for us here in the Kentish area of the UK, anyway, and I am so glad of the time to finally unwind.

Will I rest?

Probably not as much as others seem to think.

I have two kids to think of too, you know.

And I have lesson plans that need tweaking too.

I loved what Spidey found for us to ponder today though.

It is so easy to see the face of a teacher’s ‘job’.

Short day, lots of holidays, playing with kids…

But we are like icebergs.

You only see the tip of us, unless you live with us.

Then you see what is going on underwater…

• The early starts, and late nights.
• The grabbing a chance of a mouthful of lunch in between preparing your classroom for the rest of the day’s learning, marking books, operating clubs, dealing with issues the lunchtimes supervisors can’t handle…
• Teaching your bladder to only need to be emptied on a minimal basis, and when you do go, learning how to do the most spectacular speed wee ever!
• Piles of work that comes home, and if not work, hours at computers, researching lessons or cutting out resources ready for the next few days.
• Hours spent agonising over the assessment and abilities of your children. Working out how to educate each individual, be it through supporting the learning of fundamentals, or embedding and creating an environment of learning that stretches those who already ‘get it’.
• Crying over the situations some of your children come from, wanting to be there for them above and beyond the call of duty.
• Paperwork involving ridiculous red tape that needs to be done to appease the government, that takes precious time away from actual teaching.
• Being unwell, but feeling unable to take time off to recover because you don’t want to let the kids or your colleagues down.
• Finally getting to a holiday, but not being able to afford to go, because your days off are always in school holiday time when all the prices are ridiculously elevated…

But we do it because we love what we do.

Ultimately, teaching is a vocation, not a career. We care. That’s why we put the time and effort in. (Just a little extra monetary appreciation from the government would be good!)

So… anyone fancy a job swap with me? 😘

Have a peaceful Sunday Peeps ❤ And enjoy your week!