Being Absent

It isn't easy being ill when you are a teacher. Yes, I have the flu and it doesn't seem like it is going away any time soon.

The frustration starts when you wake up ill and have to hope to get a great substitute teacher (we call them guest teachers).  There is very much a shortage of these wonderful people and the really good ones go very quickly.

Then, once you have put in for your substitute, you must create the plans.  As I do not believe in busy work or wasted days, showing a movie is never even a thought.  I do my best to recreate the exact plans that I had for my students originally.  Luckily, we use Google Classroom so I can send my students exactly what they will need to be successful...almost as if I was there.  If there is a specific mini-lesson that I can support with a short video clip or reading, I will include this in their work.

Beyond the work, their is the guilt.  Not being there for my students is never easy for me.  I feel like I am letting them down somehow.  The next day I will be met with a whole lot of, "Why weren't you here yesterday."  In which I will apologize for being ill in hopes that we can move beyond this loss and continue our work together.

Then, there are the emails.  About 50-60 each day.  Once the junk is sorted, I must go through and do triage on these emails.  I must respond to parents immediately, then to administrators, then to peers.  I must decide what is pressing and somehow make up this work that the emails have created as the week progresses.

Of course, if meetings were missed, I will have to catch up and sometimes reschedule these meetings.  If they were about students, I will do what I can to catch those who attended the meeting as soon as possible to meet the needs of my students.

Finally, my classroom.  It is never the same as when I finish a day.  Each day, I set things up for the following day.  When I am gone, my room typically feels as if it was left a mess.  I have to straighten things out, go through the notes left by the substitute teacher, and try to get ready for the day...all before the bells ring and students and staff are requiring my attention.

Is it easier to go to school feeling ill- Yes. But not when you have the flu.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites