Teacher Survival

Don’t Count The Days, Make The Days Count

By. Teresa Marchant

These last three weeks have been ROUGH to say the least. In my district, many teachers and students have been absent from school due to Covid exposures and symptoms. Things were supposed to be better this year! Prior to Covid, when a student was absent we just gave “make-up” work to turn in within so many days. Now it’s becoming a challenge when multiple students are gone for an extended period of time.

My new mantra is “Don’t count the days, make the days count!”

Today I had nine students. Normally it would be 24. For those nine students this day still counted for them, they were there ready to learn. Those students that physically showed up require a teacher to be mentally and emotionally present as well.  Here are some easy ideas to help you be prepared to face these new challenges.

Rest- It’s important to get enough sleep. If you are tired, you may not have enough energy to meet the demands of teaching. Also, remember giving everything you have can be exhausting.

Routines- Establish your routines so even if students are absent the rest of the class still know the classroom expectations. 

Positive Self Talk- When was the last time you told yourself how amazing you are?  Self talk and having a support system can help you get through these difficult situations.

Substitute folder- Making an “Emergency” folder should be easily accessible for guest teachers. This should include activities that can be used in your absence and kept up to date.

Communication- It’s important to let others know of your upcoming absences. Communicating ahead of time with colleagues will help alleviate minor disruptions. 

Resources- Find resources that can be utilized for in person and at home instruction. These have proved to be essential for virtual learning.

Making the day count instead of counting the days, requires effort. Using the above ideas will help educators with the physical and emotional demands of teaching.  This year has a lot of potential for growth.  What we do matters, let’s make the most of it!

Debbie Howser

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