I came across this post on Linked in yesterday and it really hit home. This is the same discussion that I've had with a couple of friends over the last week and another friend posted a short rant on Facebook that was essentially about the same thing. All of these people are teachers. Teachers are very busy. Mostly because they choose to be, but that choice is often driven by pressure. Another friend (also a teacher) commented on the Facebook rant that she had a principal tell her that good teachers work beyond contract hours.
This isn't necessarily true. Good teachers come in many shapes and sizes, literally and figuratively. I've known some very busy people who weren't especially good at their jobs, in some cases because they were so busy. Personally, I find myself falling into that trap more often than I'd like. I feel pressured by the disappointment and even frustration that a response like, "I can't do that right now" solicits. Teachers in general want to help students. They want to be the person who makes a difference, or at least they don't want to be the person that caused a child to plunge headlong into a downward spiral of apathy and malaise.
Teachers, I have news for you. Unless you are belittling, bullying, or berating children, or outright ignoring your responsibilities as an educator it is quite unlikely that you will be the cause of a child's abasement. While it is admirable that many teachers are able to connect with students on a level that inspires those children, that is not the only mark of a great educator. Some teachers connect with a few students, others with many. Some teachers impart knowledge in a way that leads to life-long learning, and others are able to get children through subjects that are not of any interest to those children. Still others are able to spark interest in new ways. One thing almost every teacher I know has in common, they want their students to learn, and to enjoy learning. They don't come to school every day with the goal of making children miserable, or of ruining lives, or even of giving up because they have a tough job.
Educators need to stop allowing others to set the bar so high that they are asked to sacrifice their own lives, their own families, their time with their own children, and their personal goals and leisure "for the children". They also need to stop putting that same pressure on themselves. Yes we all do it because we want children to be successful, but some of that responsibility needs to lie with the children, their parents, and their communities. Educators did not sign up to be foster parents (some may have, but they filled out different forms). More importantly, by setting this expectation, we are making educators worse at the job we actually hired them for.
That is where this post really struck a nerve for me. Education is about teaching children the things they need to know to be successful in the world. Yes, sometimes that includes things that aren't reading, writing, and arithmetic. Things like manners, note-taking, paying attention, and prioritizing. Often that takes modeling. We are modeling for our children a lifestyle where we push ourselves beyond the point of diminishing returns. We can only be so busy before we burn out or at least become less productive. We are also sending the message that for those who aren't interested in doing their own work, they can always count on someone else to get the work done.
Bradbury also points out that some researchers found we use "busyness" to hide from laziness and fear of failure. Just another excuse we are modeling for our children when we could instead be modeling good time management skills, professionalism, and the ability to prioritize. The point is, we need to stop being so busy. Get the job done, and do it well, but be judicious with your time. Don't allow the pressure of "being great" to force you into being so busy that your health and even productivity suffer. Remember, could actually be more productive if you weren't so busy.
"How Being Busy Makes You Unproductive" on @LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-being-busy-makes-you-less-productive-dr-travis-bradberry
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