What happens when you are on vacation?

What do you to to be able to rest and relax over vacation?  I have often times used vacation, and school breaks, as a time to catch up/clean up/get ahead/get organized.

I also have a bad habit of procrastinating.  Not usually, but over vacations.  When I know I have a long time to get work done, I still find myself finishing up grades on Sunday night.

This vacation I did something different, and it may be the best decision that I've made in a long time.  I did my school work at the beginning of break, and pushed hard to get ahead on some before school ended.  I am not doing anything except what I need to do (grading, lesson plans for when we go back).  I'm not using the break to work on any projects. I literally put my schoolwork back in the car so I wouldn't see it in the house during vacation.

I'm making a conscious choice to use the break to relax.  I have read 3 novels so far (granted 2 were while I was sick on the couch one day).  I have played several board games with my kids.  I got together with a friend I haven't seen in a while.  My plans for the rest of vacation look similar.  I've been to the gym several times.  I hope to go a couple more.

I think it will make the transition back to school a little tough, but I also think I will be healthier, more relaxed, and more prepared, mentally and emotionally for the rest of the year.

Despite what everyone says, teaching is a draining job.  It requires long days, on your feet, being "on" and being emotionally involved with a lot of needy kids, and a lot of political pressure.

I know I don't always do the best job during school of maintaining balance and making sure that my stress doesn't flow over onto my family.  I'm trying to make up some of it now.

How do you use your vacation time?  Do you get ahead?  Or do you focus on other things?  What do you do to keep some balance for yourself and your family?

Teaching with Poverty in Mind Chapter 1

My school is an urban district with high poverty.  We are doing a book circle this year on the book Teaching with Poverty in Mind, by Eric Jensen.

Every few weeks we are reading a chapter, and then we are meeting to discuss.  The first chapter is basically an introduction to the various types of poverty, and defining poverty.  There were a few quotes that really stuck out to me, and interesting conversation that ensued afterwards.

The author defines poverty as "a chronic and debilitating condition that results from multiple adverse synergistic risk factors and affects, the mind, body, and soul” p. 6

It is a good reminder to me to think about all the risk factors that weigh into students' lives who are truly living in poverty. Poverty is by far not only a financial situation, but something much deeper.  When we stop to think of all the things kids are up against (violence in the neighborhood, poor nutrition, lack of family support, etc, etc., etc.) ....it becomes clear how it could affect the mind, body, and soul.  I think this perspective is important to keep. This leads me to two questions about my teaching practice. We will see if any answers come out of the rest of the book.  My two questions raised were: 

1)      The section on teaching practice noted a change in school culture, to one of empathy, and understanding, rather than pity.  I want to keep this in mind, myself, on a more regular basis, but I also want to think about how this change could take place on a larger scale, and what specifically, this would look like.

  

2)      I also wonder, especially with the importance of understanding being noted above, how to best bridge the gap that is present in many cases between the culture of urban poverty, and those faculty and staff who are not from that culture.  I think understanding is important, but how best to reach that understanding.  I think some level of understanding is relatively easy, but how deep of an understanding can be reached without a shared experience?  There is really a disconnect between this culture of poverty and the culture of school and higher education that we want students to be prepared for.

You can actually read chapter 1 and 2 here

Whether you have read the book or not, please chime in with your thoughts. I would be curious to hear from those who teach in high-poverty districts and those who don't.

My New Year's Resolutions

I was invited to participate in a linky part on New Year's Resolutions.  Here are mine:

And here is the original linky, maybe some resonate with you?  What are your goals for the upcoming year?  Feel free to comment.