#teacher5aday 2 weeks in

The best thing about thinking about #teacher5aday is feeling like I have permission to relax. I don’t have children, and no time consuming hobbies, so when I’m at home I often feel like I ‘should’ be working. The last two weeks I haven’t worked unless I’ve needed to. This hasn’t actually led to any less work in the evenings, but when I haven’t been working I’ve enjoyed it more!

Connect (#connect)

I’ve had several conversation with colleagues in the last two weeks that have revolved around sharing good ideas.  I have been in touch with teachers from other schools about collaborating on GCSE planning which I’m really excited about too. I’ve really just enjoyed sitting in the staffroom a couple of lunchtimes and chatting to colleagues from History and other departments about what we’re doing. We’re all facing similar challenges and chat about how to tackle them and that’s been great.

Be active (#exercise)

As predicted, this isn’t going brilliantly.. although my step count has gone up slightly, that’s more to do with having to trek all over the school site a couple of times to deal with issues, rather than because I’ve been going out for enjoyable walks with my husband. That said, on Sunday I went on a brilliant walk with friends and had possibly the most fun I’ve ever had on a walk. 6 miles of mud, flooded fields and slippery stiles, a picnic and enjoying the countryside was a brilliant way to spend the day. I spent time laughing with my closest friends (and at my husband) and it was a complete change from anything school or work related. I’m planning another walk on Sunday and will try to get at least one into an evening next week.

Take notice (#notice)

I spent a lot of time last term stressing about mistakes I might make, important sheets of paper I might lose or tasks I might forget to do. I realised this was because I didn’t have a real system for organising myself and I didn’t properly plan what I would need to do and how long it would take. I ended up constantly worrying about what I hadn’t done and not really noticing what else was going on. So I spent a couple of hours looking ahead at the next 2/3 weeks, where ‘pinch points’ were going to be, and where I would have more time free. I also bought a lovely new folder with dividers to keep various bits of important paper in. Although I don’t think I’ve done any less work, I am much more aware of what time I will need to spend working and when I should, and can, give myself some real time off (really off, not just doing something else and worrying about work). So I feel that I am able to notice more what’s going on around me. I knew this weekend would be a heavy weekend marking wise, so I’m seeing friends in the evening and next weekend is going to be a real weekend off.

Keep learning (#learn)

I’m made sure in the time I’ve planned that I’m taking time to read around the new topics I’m teaching properly and I’m finding it fascinating learning about a new topic. The rest of the department are in the same situation and it’s one of the things we’ve been talking about. I’m just waiting for the post to arrive with the book I’ve ordered on our Crime topic, which I can’t wait to get stuck into. I do think that I teach better when I’m newly excited about the content because I’ve learnt something new about it, and I’ve really enjoyed the lessons that I was previously quite nervous about teaching.

Give (#volunteer)

I have definitely given my time in the last two weeks. I’ve covered 3 periods for colleagues, and I’ve got another one planned in for next week. I know how stressful it can be to leave an exam class on cover, and I want to help to alleviate that for colleagues. This has meant I’ve been very short on time, but our year 11s will have a better deal from History because of that and because I’ve been more organised I’ve not been as panicked about losing the time as I might have been.

More of the same next week, and trying to get more exercise!