And if you can't heal thyself, at least take care of yourself.
Update: I just finished reading the article "Should Teachers Take Mental Health Days". Teaching has become even more stressful since the time this was posted. When we talk avout social-emotional issues, we need to make sure we are addressing what teachers go through as well. If you need a day, take it.
I pulled a muscle while I was lifting on one of the machines at the gym the other day. I knew when I pulled up, things were not going to be good. My sister said, "You know you're not as young as you used to be." She is correct.:)
And yet, even though I was in pain all night, I still went to work the next day. Limping. Stupid me. You know why I went to work, even though my hubby asked me not to? My kids were taking the state test. I did not want a stranger in the room while my kids took the state test. So, there I was, bent over in pain, with my students telling me I need to go to the doctor. (Smart kids) I promised them that if I did not feel better, I would stay out.
Hubby and I went out to a birthday dinner that night, and when we left I had him drive me straight to the medical center. I was in that much pain. 2 Advils and 2 muscle relaxers later, I was texting the secretary asking her to get me a sub. I didn't go in.
We have to stop. Yeah, including myself. Teachers in my school come in sick, bent over, limping. It's what we do. We need to stop.
I went in this week, feeling somewhat better. But I felt I had to come in because I had a Mystery Skype scheduled. Couldn't let down my kids and the kids we were Skyping with, now could I?
I know how much we care about our students. But we also have to take care of ourselves. There will always be a body that they can throw in our rooms. Stay well teachers!
photo credit: deadstar 2.1 via photopin cc
Between wanting to take care of our students and wanting to avoid the colossal pain that is making sub plans, almost everyone I know has gone in when we should've stayed home to get better.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, I would rather go in than make sub plans. Thank goodness we're forced to make 3 day emergency plans, or I would never take off! :)
DeleteAlmost everyone I know (and I include myself in that) will go in when we should be at home taking care of ourselves. I know I'm torn between wanting to take care of my students and wanting to avoid the colossal pain that is making sub plans.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. I needed to hear it. I am pregnant with twins, and I stayed too late last night without eating. I paid for it all night! I'm not good at putting myself above the needs of school, but I guess I'm learning this lesson the hard way! I hope you heal well soon!
ReplyDeleteIf not yourself, put those twins first! I wish you well, stay healthy!
DeleteTaking a day off requires a brain-teaser of planning ahead. Making sure I do not have a speaker arranged, or any meetings, or after school SAP, Detention, or Campus Center after school, making sure I have an extra 2 hours free to gather all of my materials up for a sub in addition to gathering up all I will need do have my ducks in a row as soon as I walk in the following day, making sure I can GET a sub and do not have to challenge my colleagues to cover for me, and even when I have done all of this, I usually have a stack of essays I am actually taking a day off to tackle, so it really isn't a "day off" after all. What also needs to be considered is the "damage" we return to, not having a clear grasp of what students were ALSO absent, in addition to the IEP forms, SAP online video training modules missed, homeroom deadlines we were not there to announce, $ we didn't collect for field trips or dual-enrollment coursebs, and administration deadlines for SLO's, Action Plans, and book study chapters for PD. By the time I consider all this, I usually talk myself out of even requesting a day off.
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