Friday 26 August 2011

New Beginnings

Autumn has always been my time for fresh starts. My birthday falls in November and I think this is part of this. Another year older etcetera. This year, my new beginning has even more significance as I am returning to work after many months of illness and recuperation. I am returning to the school at which I have worked for the last five years. I have used my enforced time out to reflect on my practice, pedagogy and teaching style. I have also addressed issues around what is truly important and that which is not. Somewhat to my surprise, knowing how major illness can affect confidence, I am confident that the decisions I have made are the right ones.

I am really looking forward to getting back to work. I know the school really well and have had the privilege of returning to Year Three, my favourite year group in Key Stage 2. I know what topics we'll be teaching and having taught in Year Three previously, am familiar with what needs to be taught for Maths and Literacy. All this is very satisfying.
However, I do commute twenty five miles to my school in the city, and I have to ask myself if this is sustainable. It seems to me that it would make more sense to work nearer to home. Of course this would depend on someone employing me in a school nearer to the town in which I live.
Clearly I am going to have to have a plan of action. This time of new beginnings is therefore going to be a time of strategy planning and research.
No-one should worry that all my action planning and research will detract from my efforts for my class of 2011-12. It will not.

Making sure I have a work/life balance is also one of my goals and I need to do all I can to reduce serious stress in my life as this could have a profound effect on my future health. The main conclusion I have reached is that I should take responsibility for the life I lead.
The answers for me then, my friends, lie in my hands.


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5 comments:

  1. Unknown26 August 2011 at 19:32

    Work, Life, Balance.....hard to achieve sometimes but definitely the way forward after a diagnosis like we've had! Struggling with it a bit myself at the moment. Too used to flying about at a 100 miles an hour! Trying my best tho! Good luck to you too! Love as always, Chez. xx

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  2. Unknown26 August 2011 at 19:50

    I suspect that I am going to have to deal with the habit of prevarication too. Not getting on with things that need doing does undermine the balance! Must not waste time worrying about tasks that must be done; get on and do it! In your case at present though - just pace yourself, lovely xx

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  3. Cáit29 August 2011 at 16:38

    Best of luck with the return to work. Hope u can achieve that balance :)

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  4. Unknown29 August 2011 at 16:39

    Thanks Cait, I hope it works too.

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  5. willingdream29 August 2011 at 22:36

    I wish you a happy return and success in your work/life balance, Great photo concept..,

    here's something that kept me going once when things seemed so difficult, I used to have it on a calendar someone had given me... not my usual type of thing, but it was well meant and I found it comforting, I hope that you like it too:


    Psalm 121

    New King James Version (NKJV)

    Psalm 121
    A Song of Ascents.
    1 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
    From whence comes my help?
    2 My help comes from the LORD,
    Who made heaven and earth.

    3 He will not allow your foot to be moved;
    He who keeps you will not slumber.

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