Today was a PA in elementary schools across Ontario – that is, it was a day set aside in which teachers could work on their report cards. This morning when I stepped into the school at 8am, the halls were quiet. My classroom was silent without the chatter of young children.
I sat at my desk determined to make use of the day. I did not want to have to work on reporting at home over the weekend. I am trying my best to keep the work at school and not spend time at home on classroom projects. It is not always feasible to do, but I am managing to spend more time on other activities at home besides work.
It is extremely difficult for me to sit for hours at a time in front of the computer. Like many of my students, my body wants to move! But I force myself to sit still and focus on the task at hand. My efforts were rewarded this afternoon when I finished all of my students” report cards after 5 hours.
My treat when I got home was to have a cup of coffee and put my feet up while spending time with my current read. Our home was quiet. My children were still at school, and my husband at work. The perfect way to end a working day.
Are you able to focus in silence?
© Colline Kook-Chun, 2018
(This post is a response to the WordPress photo challenge. This week’s prompt is silence.)
sometimes I think silence in good light is beautiful
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It certainly is. And recharging 😊
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I stand in front of my desk at home and have put my computer up on a nice wicker box on it. That way I can do computer work but also dance around a little, march in place, do little bits of running on the carpet squares I have stacked on the floor to stand on. I think it has helped my core physical fitness and my energy a million percent. Maybe something like that could help you too.
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No space for that in my classroom unfortunately 😊
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Oh well–with me it takes the place of a chair, since I don’t use one.
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How old are your students? I found when I was the art teacher, and when I taught younger students that I hated sitting still in professional development days. I was used to moving around too!
What tips and tricks are you using for completing work at school this year and bringing less work home to do? I am hoping to do less ‘school work’ at home this year.
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My age range is between 6 and 8 – I am definitely used to moving around the whole day!
I work during lunchtime and about 45 minutes after school. I try my best not to waste time during the day and focus on working during my breaks when I can. So far, so good – though I am still bringing a very little bit home.
Good luck with your goal to take less work home.
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Happy reading!
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I spent a solid couple of hours on the sofa without interruption. Bliss!
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Congratulations on completing your report cards. How wonderful to have work time to complete them. Mine were always done at home in my own time!
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Did you not get a PA day in which to complete them? The progress report card we no longer get a day, but our union fought to keep this one.
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No, no days off for report writing or marking – all done in our own time. We get 2 hours a week non-contact time though. Do you?
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Yes, the children go off to a prep provider. It is during this time that I do most of my planning for lessons. Marking and the rest of my planning is done after school.
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It is good to be granted a little time at least for planning. 🙂
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I agree.
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Recharging😊
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It definitely was 🙂
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I do like to work in silence, Colline. Mick has the radio on all day and sometimes it’s hard to tune it out. But sometimes in silence my head’s full of stray thoughts. 🙂 🙂 5 hours is a long time!
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I have learned to work when there is noise around – but I do work a lot faster when it is quiet.
Glad you agree with me that 5 hours is a long time. I do not know how people sit behind a computer for 8 hours day, after day, after day.
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