My work-life flexibility as a teacher
After searching for a banking job for a long time, I consistently encountered age-related challenges, which led me to lose interest in that path. I then decided to pursue teaching, believing that the structure of Free time, Resumption time, and Closing time would allow me to open a business as a side hustle while teaching. However, I quickly realized that the reality was quite different. My teaching schedule has me closing late, leaving little to no time for my proposed business.
Currently, I teach at a very populated school, and by the time I finish my day, I often feel exhausted. After teaching around eight different classes with no fewer than 100 students in each class, the constant noise from the first to the fifth period drains my energy. When I finally get home, I still have to manage household chores and assist my children with their assignments. Balancing work and life often feels like an impossible task. Resumption is 7.00am and closing time is 4.30pm, getting home at 5.30pm facing chores, and making sure everything is set for the next day is my everyday routine.
Most days, I find myself following a fixed routine, where I must accomplish tasks in a specific order. I wake up, tend to the normal morning routine of caring for my kids, and drop them off at school before heading to work and that's normal. At school, I teach according to a set schedule that outlines the number of periods I need to cover each day, marking students' scripts is the most difficult aspect of a teaching job, especially when you teach mathematics or English studies🤔 In addition to teaching, I also handle typing of any documents needed in my school or at the headquarters, type examination questions and the likes and so also, other ad-hoc duties. This is making each day anything but ordinary.
How flexible am I when it comes to my work-life balance? Is my work-life flexible?
As a teacher with a large workload in a populated school, I tried my possible to make my work-life flexible. Prioritizing my self-care is my major concern, sometimes I limit what I do daily so that it won't affect my health. Not even now that teachers are dying due to one health challenge or the other. I don't want to die young because a teaching job requires a lot of effort. So, my weekends are for me and myself alone. Rest and taking care of myself are what I do during the weekends and also during the holiday periods.
Despite this routine, I do have some freedom in how I approach my teaching. If I'm not feeling well, I don't hesitate to take a step back and prioritize my health rather than forcing myself to push through. On weekends, I prioritize my total well-being because health is wealth.
Do I like things as they are, or would I prefer to change them? While I may not be fully satisfied with my current situation, earning an income is essential for survival. Working to make a living is crucial, even if it means facing these challenges.
The image is sourced!
This is my participation in the #hivelearners weekly writing edition on the subject; How flexible is my work?
Thank you for reading
Prioritizing our health over anything is good step, because health is wealth.
Thanks for your contribution
It is so wise of you to take care of you health. Without good health, we are not able to perform our responsibilities..
Teaching jobs are not supposed to be that tough ideally. But schools pay very little and take overwhelming amount of work. In an idesl situation, for the optimum benefits,there should be less number of students in the class. Also teachers should have free time available. However, schools don't seem to follow this criteria
They don't at all and I don't blame them because the government care less.
Imagine schools with overpopulation having fewer teachers to teach. Do they want to kill us?
Health is wealth!
Thanks for your thoughtful contribution.
Thank you @hivepakistan
No one ever wants a job that is so demanding, but still, they have to do it because surviving is their priority. Teaching job is a tough one that requires efforts. Even though I love teaching, I still wish there could be ample flexibility in it, but not that possible when you teach the core subjects like Maths and English in classes above 100 students. So strenuous work.
But amidst this, there is still a way we can do it to make a balance for the sake of our health.
You have said it all and being on the same page means you are updated. It's strenuous and different from what we thought it was.
I used to tell people, until you get into teaching line before you can know that the workload is more than the pay.
Especially in private schools. They will make sure you work more than the pay you are getting. So strenuous.