The Noble Teacher

I can remember one particular parent meeting after school where a seasoned teacher stood in front of a group of parents, students and teachers and declared, "...the dedicated teachers are still in the building until 5:00pm!" Boy oh boy, did this rub teachers the wrong way. It was a toxic message that created a divide in the building between those who didn't want to sacrifice themselves for the sake of being "dedicated" and those who did. Quite frankly, I think the way we celebrate teachers that push themselves through burnout is extremely dangerous to the profession.

A defining year in my career was my fourth year of teaching. By this point, I had agreed to do everything I was asked to do: cheerleading coach, leadership team, extended day (no planning period), and a host of other committees... It was a lot. I never saw my family, and I remember a specific moment from that time when I recognized that the only things I was actually doing for myself was eating and sleeping. And sometimes I wasn't even sleeping. During a period of time, it had gotten to the point that I was skipping sleep Thursday nights just to be able to get the work done. I was absorbing bullying behaviors from some of my cheerleaders' parents, and it was allowed to happen. I never had a moment to prepare my lessons that wasn't my unpaid time. I was constantly being pulled into meetings for the many different teams I was a part of. Every moment of my entire life was dedicated to producing work for the district and the school. It was definitely one of the top three moments that was the most unhealthy time in my life.

Fast forward 6 years, and I can now say that I have since learned balance. I also learned the most powerful skill I could ever have to ward off burnout. Even more powerful than self-care. I learned how to say, "No." I know, you've heard this before, right? But you just can't bring yourself to say it. You want to be a team player, right? I get it, but hear me out. If you are exhausted to the point of ineffectiveness... you are not offering value to the team. I'd honestly rather not be "Teacher of the Year" or win the "Golden Apple Award" or receive promotion or be identified as a model teacher if it means I have to sacrifice my own wellbeing. I'm not in this profession for the accolades. I'm here to teach. Teachers who sacrifice themselves to exhaustion are not model teachers.

Those teachers are

depleted and always looking for an opportunity to escape the burnout. Now don't get me wrong, if you love that lifestyle, go for it. But that kind of lifestyle should never be expected or overlooked. I also sympathize the teachers that take on the extra tasks for the extra money. But shame on this nation for putting teachers in a position where they even have to take on extra tasks to make ends meet.

I've learned to think through what is most important to give my time and my energy. First and foremost will always be my classroom. If anything I'm asked to do is going to take away from me being an effective teacher in my classroom with my students, that's an easy "no" from me. I was even asked to be the cheerleading coach at my new school. This was an easy and fast "no" for me, although I love the relationships that are established during coaching. The nasty parent behaviors and abuse made it not worth it for me. So, I'm sorry, but no. Even small tasks that I'm sometimes asked to do. As an English teacher, I'm often called on to edit or proof professional documents. When I can and have the time, I'm happy to do so. If I don't have the time or it puts me in a position that I'm starting to pull significantly more weight than everyone else, "No." I don't care if people dislike me for that. I don't care if they talk about me behind my back for that, and they do. Oh, trust me. They do. My sanity is more important to me than what other people think about me saying no. I danced inappropriately close with insanity during my 4th year of teaching to care now about what other people think about me saying no.

We have to stop making teachers believe that they have to give up their life and their health in order to be this good and noble teacher. When I am functioning as a teacher, the only thing that really matters to me is my students. That is what makes me a good teacher, and I am a good teacher.