Self-care will not save educators, but collective care might
Self-care will not save educators, but collective care might
date: July 29, 2024
When I began my first teaching position in 1997, I had a full hour for lunch. Some teachers ate in the staffroom, some of my colleagues walked home for a break, and others used the time to exercise. Personally, I would use that time to do some planning and check in with colleagues or students.
Over the following decades, a few minutes of time was shaved off the lunch break every year to increase instructional time for students. When I ended my last K-12 teaching position in 2019, I had twenty minutes for lunch and often no preparation time at all. I jammed some food down my throat, checked a couple emails or hammered out a student improvement plan, then hurried off to teach my next class. I was exhausted and grumpy by the end of the day, even though I was in good physical shape and have excellent emotional regulation skills.