4:30.
4:30 am.
4:30 am. That is the time I arrive at Pomona High
School every single day. I have been a Social Studies teacher in JeffCo for the
past 19 years and, aside from the few years when I had to drop my boys off at
daycare, I have arrived at school no later than 4:30 in the morning every
single day. Contractually am not required to be at school until 7:00 am, but I
could never do that. I could never be a “7-3” teacher. I could never get done
all of the things expected of me to the standards that I demand of myself if I
were a “7-3” teacher. I simply believe that my students deserve to have the
very best of me and my abilities every single day. So, in order to deliver the
level of instruction to my students that I think they deserve, it requires that
I be at work by 4:30 in the morning.
I have some selfish reasons for going in so early; my
family. When I go home I just want to spend it with my family and do as little
school work as possible. Sometimes, that plan doesn’t always work. Sometimes I
do have to bring work home and do that instead of spending it with my family.
Such is the life of a teacher. I also get up early (3:30 am) because the way I
look at it, I’m not losing any family time since everyone is still sleeping.
But, beyond my family concerns, the demands and requirements of teaching
require that I work more than 7-3 for nine months.
Being at school that early enables me to get grading
done- I’ve never been one to let papers sit around and pile up. That would
drive me crazy. Being at school that early also allows me to answer emails,
enter grades, make copies, and do some lesson planning. Plus, best of all, I am
the only one in the building so I have absolutely no interruptions for about 2
to 2 ½ hours. It really is quite peaceful and serene that early. All total, I
spend, on average 11.5-12 hours every day at school. When I was sponsoring
Student Council, there were times that I easily did a 17-hour day. But it has
never really bothered me because I truly believe that what I am doing is worth
it. My students, the ones in my classroom and the ones in the school, deserve
the very best that I can give them. I truly and honestly love teaching and
interacting with students.
How could this be mitigated? How might I be able to
not put in 60+ hour weeks? I’ve thought about that from time to time. Even
though it doesn’t really bother me, I do know it probably shouldn’t be this
way. I would love more time during the day to do the things that I am expected
and required to do; grading, returning emails, attending IEP meetings,
conferencing with students, collaborating with colleagues, making copies all of
which are done in addition to my real passion- teaching. So, how can I get to
the point where I can do all of these things and not have to work 60+ hour
weeks? That’s a good question, and one for which I don’t really have any good answers.
Less demands outside of the classroom would be a great place to start I guess.
Education loves to add more and more and more to teacher’s plates without ever
taking anything off. I would compare it to having Thanksgiving, Christmas,
Easter, and 4th of July feasts piled all together on a desert plate.
Most of it is wonderful stuff but together on such a small plate makes it all
very unappetizing, unappealing and very overwhelming.
Most people are absolutely flabbergasted when they
find out that I arrive to school every day by 4:30 in the morning. But I’ve never
complained, not once. Not even the times when I’ve been at school getting ready
for the day when school gets cancelled due to weather. I thoroughly enjoy what
I do and I really believe that every year I’m a little better at what I do than
I was the year before. When I went into college I had pretty much decided that
I was either going to be a lawyer or a high school history teacher. When I
realized how long I would have to go to school to be a lawyer, I decided pretty
quickly that I would become a teacher. Now, every month when I see my paycheck
I think to myself ‘Gosh, I should have been a lawyer.’ But in reality, I’m glad
I didn’t. Being a teacher allows me to feel good about what I do; I’m doing
something that allows me to live with myself. I always tell my students that
one of the secrets to life is to do something that you really love because then
you never feel like you’re working. And despite getting to work at 4:30 every
morning and working 60+ hours every week, I haven’t worked in 19 years.
