Skip to main content

A Much Needed Break

I spent my March Break hanging out with my little one. It's amazing how much perspective crayons, Play Doh, playing with dolls, watching Disney in your pjs and having some girl time with my almost four year old (gasp!) can bring. I will definitely endeavour to remind myself of the sense of this temporary serenity when it's back to the grindstone on Monday. This profession can become all too consuming if we lose sight of what's important. It was nice to have enough time and enough energy to give all the attention that was needed, instead of fighting fatigue and worrying about what lay ahead at school the next day. My daughter is a priority and sometimes I'm not so sure she feels that way, even though she's as young as she is. The truth is that being a mom of a young child in this role emphasizes the fact (and I know I'll get crucified for this...) that us women simply cannot have it all. There is a tremendous cost, usually in the form of time - away from home due to work obligations and day to day hours. I try to get to work early so I can get home st a decent hour to get dinner going do we can all sit down to a proper family dinner where we spend quality time together before having to start the bedtime routine not too longer afterward. This past week of uninterrupted alone time with my munchkin, and the sheer joy of being around her energy and spirit, has certainly helped to recharged me to finish out this crazy month!


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Leading During a Pandemic

 Never thought I'd EVER type a title like that.  Pandemics were only events I had taught about during my History classes. The experience thus far can only be described as surreal. It's been a part of our reality for nearly 10 months now and the fear and uncertainty is still not lost on me with the reporting of daily infection and death rates. It has been my single greatest challenge as a leader to date to show up to work everyday imbuing optimism that we're going to be ok, that school is a safe place to be. I have to say that on 98% of those days, I have believed just that. We have be so very fortunate not to have experienced any positive diagnoses of COVID-19 so far. Implementing the new health and safety protocols, while tedious and laborious, has not been all that  difficult. Sure, the work up front was a lot - signage, taping arrows and cues on the walls and floors, rearranging classroom furniture to establish social distancing in the classrooms ... as the Principal, ...
2 comments
Read more

The Need to Be Liked

My grade 8 teacher was the late (and truly great) Classford Johnson. I remember his class like it was yesterday, including something he used to say on a daily basis: "I don't want to be loved, I want to be understood." As a kid, I knew what he was getting at. He wanted us to respect him, his rules and expectations. If we got along, great. If we didn't, it didn't matter to him as long as we respected him, his rules and his expectations. Most of us loved him. He was tough but fair. He appreciated a good joke and laughed with the rest of us when we something was funny. My memory of Mr. Johnson and his infamous phrase came into my head quite a lot in the days after I had bid farewell to the staff and students of the school I have just left. Admittedly, I was confused. As a kid and as a classroom teacher, I never really paid much mind to what people thought of me. I have always abided by the Golden Rule when it came to my relationships at school and hoped for the best....
3 comments
Read more

Where Has the Time Gone?

I've not posted anything in more than two years.  I just realized that only recently when time slowed right down into our current distance learning situation. I supposed not being fully immersed in the harried and hurried pace of a typical school day has allowed me the benefit of time to more intentionally collect my thoughts. I have been working as a Principal for the past two years and I've not formally reflected on or consolidated the tremendous amount of learning I've undergone. I have missed this very necessary exercise and so I will endeavour to be more regular. It's always been my experience that when I consolidate any learning more formally, I remember better and I apply more consistently. I have spent the last two years in the very last place I ever expected to begin my journey as Principal and that is leading a very special community of educators, support staff and students in our system's alternative education program. At the same time, it's the mos...
3 comments
Read more