I think the number one question I could ask every teacher I've had the experience to work with, whether that be at the K-12 level or collegiate level is, "How do you find the balance between the time you put towards your work and time towards your personal life"? In my personal opinion, educators put in far more hours than they are required to on a daily basis. In fact, some of the teachers I've worked with have put in teaching days that start at 7am and don't end until 8:30 or 9pm! It just goes to show how much our teachers care about their students and their jobs.
Nancy Barile is an award winning teacher that has over 20 years of experience teaching. She has a short article that addresses achievement of a work-life balance, and he does this through the means of breaking down the factors that go into why educators put in as much time as we do. I think it's interesting how some of the points I made in an earlier blog reacting to vulnerability in the classroom are also very relevant in this balance.
Barile goes on to make a point that teachers first need to recognize the impact they are having- even when it doesn't feel like it. I like and agree with her point that you don't necessarily see the full scope of your impact until many years after the fact, which seems to be one of the products of great teaching- you don't see immediate results.
Something I never really considered before was shutting down your electronic life after a certain time so you have opportunity to recharge. If only a college student was able to do this! I think technology has become overburdening at this point- everyone uses it for such a significant portion of time in the day. You know its usage is to a point of concern when technology manufactures are pre-installing zen modes and quiet hour applications that users can use to disable their phones for all purposes except calling. However, we should take advantage of them, as stepping away from the screen may help improve your mental health, according to Barile.
One of her final points that I cannot agree with more profoundly is the idea that we need to know when to say no. Barile is not the first person to say this by any means, but the best of the best people will always be the ones you find taking on more and more weight, challenges, etc,. This is because they are the best, and it's what makes them the best. At what expense though? One of the point Brene Brown made about shame and the fear of being vulnerable could easily be applied here- no teacher wants to feel the shame of saying no. Moreover, the potentially vulnerability that comes with saying no is something I believe the best people/best educators would try and avoid at all cost. Don't.
When it comes to thinking about how I plan to balance my work and personal lives, I'll lean on these key ideas suggested by Nancy Barile. To find the balance, don't get hung up on the little things now. Consider your bigger picture, large-scale impact you will be having as a teacher. Be willing to step away from your technology and enjoy uninterrupted personal time. Finally, don't be afraid to say no. You will still be the great teacher you are.
Works Cited:
Barile, Nancy. “How to Achieve Work-Life Balance As a Teacher.” Hey Teach!, 2 July 2018, www.wgu.edu/heyteach/article/how-achieve-work-life-balance-teacher1807.html.
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