Over spring break, I started watching Grey’s Anatomy from season 1, episode 1. I used to watch it, but I hadn’t in years. Enter Netflix. I watched 13 seasons of this show before the end of our school year on May 25th. Yes, I have a problem, it’s called the “watch next episode” button.
The cool thing is that now, I can diagnose illnesses on television and in movies in a snap. And I’m right 92.3% of the time. This is because of Grey’s. I’m not saying I could be a doctor, maybe more like an armchair general surgeon. I feel like I could definitely win the “Medical Terminology” category on Jeopardy at least.
In addition to sitting on the couch binge-watching serial television dramas, I’ve also resumed my keto meal planning. I lost over 40 pounds in the last 2 years, but I fell off the wagon during our vacation. Hello, butterbeer!
So I went to the grocery store, and one of my go-to food purchases to save me on the keto diet is Gerber Graduates meat sticks. I can eat all of them in a jar and only consume 1 carb. But I digress. My point is, people have seen this weight loss happen, and they ask a lot of questions about how to get results. I have meal planning and recipe binders, tricks and tips, and I’m pretty good at motivation. You could say I’m a semi-Keto guru. To some.
You’re probably wondering if I’m just rambling, or if I started off this post without knowing what I wanted to say. I actually do have a point, and it is this- I am a jack-of-all-trades, but a master of none. You know that old phrase?
It’s true, I’m not an expert at anything. Well, I would probably consider myself a secondary ELA expert, but I know I have to keep learning all the time to maintain that title. State standards change? Redo your curriculum to make sure you are addressing those new standards. Find a new novel that might work for your classes? Research, lesson plan, pitch it to admin, and secure the funding. New classroom management system to implement? Read the book, do the book study, learn the forms, and rock that system.
As I sit on my gluteus and watch Netflix and eat meat sticks, I realize that I COULD be an expert, at a bunch of stuff, if I was reading, watching YouTube videos, researching, and reading some more. They say that if you read literature and reports concerning your occupational field for one hour a day, in a year you would be an expert. Oh, okay, that sounds easy.
Huh?
That sounds like work! It’s summer! I mean, come on!
But I’m supposed to be the expert in my classroom. That means I need to be reading, researching, pinning, printing, and generally honing my craft while I have all of this free time. But, but, …ugh. Aren’t I supposed to be doing nothing and eating bonbons? that’s why I got into teaching- for the summers off, right? (insert eye roll)
The funny part of all this is that most teachers spend at least 1/3 of their summer doing something for their job. Maybe they are garage saling to begin an alternative seating initiative, or rereading their novels so they can create better, more engaging lessons. They could be at professional development sessions, and some of them paid for those sessions themselves. What about Dollar Tree? Don’t you think the stock price in that store climbs over the summer as educators comb the shelves for new resources and decorations?
Many teachers are constantly learning new things to make themselves better, even if it looks like relaxing during summer break. Make no mistake, most teachers I know are experts in their subject, and they manage to make it look easy.
