Hellobee Boards

This may not be the answer you are looking for...

But honestly, it's okay if you aren't the BEST teacher in the world while you have little ones. A lot of teachers are moms (probably...70% I'd guess, at one time or another) and they/we have all been through this stage. This is your time to spend less time grading (I know you have essays, but you don't HAVE to spend a ton of time grading each one--you can just read through, correct 1 or 2 things, make a comment and move on). Leave early. Give yourself the permission to just do the minimum for a while.

It's OKAY. As long as you are present while you are in the classroom, I really feel like the grading doesn't matter much in the grand scheme (I kind of feel like grades are just a construct). Your students will remember your attitude and demeanor more than they'll remember how many papers you graded.

Have them grade/correct each other's papers. Makes them work on critical reading and correcting skills and then you can pick up on more important issues. I am going to do this this year for assignments.

I also have only three turn in dates so I can do a bunh of work for just a few weekends.

I teach 10th and AP English and my LO is about a year!
It's been quite a transition, especially when I used to grade all papers on weekends or holidays. (And pumping as a teach sucks...I only had to do it 1x a day for 6 weeks.)

So here's what I'm doing.

1) I stay an hour after school every day (until 3:30) so I get most things done then. LO goes to bed pretty early do I could potentially do work after that, but it doesn't work for me.
2) I use school time when necessary. I really needed to enter grades last Friday, so I did it during class. I kind of felt bad, but the kids sure didn't care.
3) I have our nanny work some vacation days so I can get the big essays done. It sucks but it's necessary.

Overall I'm really enjoying teaching this year. I just really don't take things home (until the end of the grading period.)

I teach 4th grade here in SoCal and am still TTC so I don't have any high school advice...just wanted to send my love and support! I guess my only school/life balance advice since I DO teach part-time is to make sure you say "no" early and often. People forget you have a lot on your plate and figure their "quick" meeting isn't a big deal, but when you've had 5 "quick" meetings in a week they start to add up. Good luck!

I teach in elementary as well I am a morning person so go in 1.5 hours before school and leave 30 mins after. I work through my lunch and don't take ANY work home. I need the break. I check my email but that is it.

@Mrs. Taco: Tomorrow is my first day back after mat leave, so I don't have any words of wisdom yet. Just wanted to say good luck!!

@Anagram: I needed to read that tonight! Thank you

I love seeing all the teacher bees! This is making me think I need to do a roll call and everyone can share what they teach.

Lots of good advice here--would be fun to share more ideas with each other.

For me I am rigid about my availability. Tuesday pm? Nope! Thursday am? No can do, Jack. I also guard my prep time like a hawk. I fit in as MUCH as possible during my work hours and hand over every feasible responsibility to my students. I teach 2nd and they do A LOT for "our classroom" aka me (writing lunch choices for tomorrow, grading their own tests, cleaning the room, etc).

That said, I accept that I don't get a 40 hour work week as a teacher. It's part of the job to work more hours. I do early mornings or late afternoons depending on my family's needs, but I have a hard line. I don't go in before 7 (except for our staff meetings at the ungodly hour of 6:45am), I don't stay past 4:45, and I never do early morning AND late afternoon.

I'm working off @Anagram: 's philosophy - I don't have to BE the best, I just have to DO my best.

ETA: I tried to say "no" a bunch in the beginning and legitly had pumping as an excuse (3x a day), but I started to come off as "bitchy" so I'm making more of an effort to do some socializing.

@Mrs Green Grass: @Mrs. Taco: I remember doing this in HS for my friend's mom who was a teacher. I'd come by and she'd give me her grading/grade entering and other small tasks to do. It took a lot off her plate since she had 4 kids.