There is nothing wrong with having a break. Remember that, please!
There is nothing wrong with having a break. Remember that, please!
School life is full-on — we all know that. It’s relentless pressure from an industry (and often an employer) that just wants more, more, more. Some of us are staring at a glass ceiling with zero chance of financial reward for working harder. And we’re flat out — physically, mentally, and, most of all (especially if you’re in a school like mine), emotionally.
And that, my friends, is the silent killer — the thing teachers struggle to put into words. It’s very hard to empathise with educators if you’ve never stepped foot in a school beyond your own teenage years. And especially in schools like mine, where a high proportion of students come from disadvantaged backgrounds.
In this kind of setting, it’s a bit like riding a rollercoaster operated by an emotionally unstable teenager. You get some intense highs — the kind that make your heart soar — but also some stomach-lurching lows that leave you wondering why you ever got on the ride in the first place.
The highs?
Oh, those beautiful lightbulb moments. You know the ones — when someone inevitably asks, “But why do you do it?” and you say something about “making a difference.” Well, those lightbulbs flash brighter and more frequently in tough schools (in my humble opinion) because the kids often haven’t had the same academic head start. I’ve taken students camping who’d never left their estate, let alone been on a holiday. Watching them toast marshmallows under the stars, eyes wide with joy — honestly, awesome!
The lows?
Well… brace yourself. As the pressure on public services builds — with NHS backlogs and a CAMHS system that’s basically being held together with chewing gum and a “please try again later” sign — both students and staff are burning out. Mondays (especially the post-holiday ones) are like opening Pandora’s inbox. Police reports, domestic violence files, children who’ve lost their homes… and somehow we, the teachers, are left to pick up the pieces and often manage the situation..
But I digress. I’m not here to rage about the crumbling school system (I’ll save that joy for another post). Today, this is about you understanding that it is absolutely, 100% OK to switch off.
You spend 195 days a year in GO mode. Full speed. Eyes wide. Heart on the line. So now, it’s time to breathe. To take stock. To feel proud of yourself. To give yourself a massive pat on the back and to spend your time doing things that matter to you.
So if you fancy drinking gin on a Tuesday morning in your underwear — do it.
If you feel like launching your slipper at the TV every time a “back to school” ad pops up in July, please, be my guest (just don’t use one of those reinforced all-terrain slippers you can sprint in — you might end up spending your summer pay packet on a new telly).
And remember: it’s OK to say no.
Just because you’ve got “lots of time off” doesn’t mean your time is any less valuable. If you’ve been dodging that catch-up coffee with a friend who drains your soul more than a Year 9 wet break duty — bin it off. You’re allowed to be selfish. You’re allowed to rest. You’re allowed to recharge your batteries without guilt.
You’ve earned it. Honestly.
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