vikingshadow
05-14-2008, 05:54 PM
This year was an EXTREMELY busy year for me. Besides actually teaching, I was on 8 (I think) different committees. On one of them, I was the chairman, and on another - which was a district committee, I was president. I was on several tech committees, as well as a textbook committee and subject level committees. I also took time to be an unofficial mentor to the two new teachers in my grade (their mentors didn't help them much, so I jumped in to help whenever I could.) Several of these committees I've been on more than a couple of years...a lot of my co-workers wondered, as did I, when I actually found time to teach! Several days this year, I spent many hours answering and sending emails relating to these committees BEFORE I could actually start on teaching duties...
I decided I was going to take a break next year. I haven't been committee-free since my first year of teaching, and even then I had a ton of things I had to complete just to get through that process. I'm so tired most days that I come home around 6:00, eat supper and then fall asleep before 9:00 that night. You may have noticed a BIG lack of my posting as I can only really get online to check things at specific times during the day, and not always at those times. It's bare bones posting, at most! Weekends are really my only free time (I refuse to bring work home - I spend enough time at school - they can't have my family time, what there is of it!)
Now, technically, I HAVE to be on two committees (I'm obligated as president this year to remain on the staff development committee to help the new president next year, and I've been told by my team that it's my turn to serve on the Title Committee next year - my team is full of grumpy ladies who have NO compassion whatsoever towards me... :rolleyes: ) but I've already resigned from all the other committees. I'm sure they'll find SOME way to rope me into helping those other committees somehow, but I'm not going to volunteer my services.
Well, I'm sure you're wondering why I'm writing this "blog" type post. I guess it's because I'm anal about staying busy during the school year since it's all I've ever done. Or maybe it's because I'm nuts, or that I love my job regardless of how tiring it gets. Anyways, the whole point of this post is to let everyone know that back in December, I applied for a scholarship to work on and receive National Board Certification next year and I ACTUALLY GOT IT! The State of Oklahoma only gives out a few of these every year, and I just found out today that they've awarded me the full cost of admission into the program!
I've been using this process as a reason to get off all those committees, and I really wanted it and tried to stay positive about it, but deep in the back of my mind I never really thought I'd get it and it was just an excuse to stay away from committee work. Now that I've received it, I'm actually pretty nervous about it! The National Board process is pretty intense. It requires teachers to REALLY examine and criticize their teaching abilities, as well as to prove them, reflect and come up with stuff that normally we don't have to do. I've heard that it's long, it's grueling and that you have to jump through all kinds of hoops to accomplish it. It's also been said that no one is expected to get certified their first year of trying, although I'm going to try really hard!
Oh, yeah! I have to give up part of my summer vacation for this as well to attend different meetings that are designed to help us get through this. How's that for taking a break, haha!
So, long story short, while I managed to get rid of all my committees, I actually threw myself headlong into something that's going to require even more of my time (although it will actually be teaching related for a change.)
tl:dr; - What, are you kidding me? Read the silly thing and stop being lazy!
I decided I was going to take a break next year. I haven't been committee-free since my first year of teaching, and even then I had a ton of things I had to complete just to get through that process. I'm so tired most days that I come home around 6:00, eat supper and then fall asleep before 9:00 that night. You may have noticed a BIG lack of my posting as I can only really get online to check things at specific times during the day, and not always at those times. It's bare bones posting, at most! Weekends are really my only free time (I refuse to bring work home - I spend enough time at school - they can't have my family time, what there is of it!)
Now, technically, I HAVE to be on two committees (I'm obligated as president this year to remain on the staff development committee to help the new president next year, and I've been told by my team that it's my turn to serve on the Title Committee next year - my team is full of grumpy ladies who have NO compassion whatsoever towards me... :rolleyes: ) but I've already resigned from all the other committees. I'm sure they'll find SOME way to rope me into helping those other committees somehow, but I'm not going to volunteer my services.
Well, I'm sure you're wondering why I'm writing this "blog" type post. I guess it's because I'm anal about staying busy during the school year since it's all I've ever done. Or maybe it's because I'm nuts, or that I love my job regardless of how tiring it gets. Anyways, the whole point of this post is to let everyone know that back in December, I applied for a scholarship to work on and receive National Board Certification next year and I ACTUALLY GOT IT! The State of Oklahoma only gives out a few of these every year, and I just found out today that they've awarded me the full cost of admission into the program!
I've been using this process as a reason to get off all those committees, and I really wanted it and tried to stay positive about it, but deep in the back of my mind I never really thought I'd get it and it was just an excuse to stay away from committee work. Now that I've received it, I'm actually pretty nervous about it! The National Board process is pretty intense. It requires teachers to REALLY examine and criticize their teaching abilities, as well as to prove them, reflect and come up with stuff that normally we don't have to do. I've heard that it's long, it's grueling and that you have to jump through all kinds of hoops to accomplish it. It's also been said that no one is expected to get certified their first year of trying, although I'm going to try really hard!
Oh, yeah! I have to give up part of my summer vacation for this as well to attend different meetings that are designed to help us get through this. How's that for taking a break, haha!
So, long story short, while I managed to get rid of all my committees, I actually threw myself headlong into something that's going to require even more of my time (although it will actually be teaching related for a change.)
tl:dr; - What, are you kidding me? Read the silly thing and stop being lazy!