From waking up early to staying up late, teaching is a busy career. COVID has made teachers’ days even busier. They go above and beyond what they are meant to do. Haim Ginott once said, “Teachers are expected to reach unattainable goals with inadequate tools. The miracle is that at times they accomplish this impossible task.”
It is required to arrive a minimum 30 minutes before school. Mr. Wolf, a biology teacher, said, “I arrive at around 6:00 in the morning.” This gives him time to prepare for the day and read the paper. He says COVID hasn’t changed his routine much because he always arrives early to school and stays late after school.
According to the Washington Post, a study showed that teachers work for an average of 10 hours and 40 minutes a day. Mrs. Armbrust, a chemistry teacher, said, “I work from 7:30-5:30 plus about an hour of grading a night.” That is 11 hours of work a day. It seems like too much. COVID can be a stresser for teachers. Mr. Krontz, a math teacher, said, “I probably work for too long. It’s usually about 9 or 10 hours a day. It would be less, but I have a new textbook and a new class to teach.”
With the COVID still forcing some students to remain online, teachers have to work twice as hard to accomplish their intended goal. In a New York Times article on remote learning, it said, “The days where it’s 13-plus hours at school, you’re just exhausted, hoping to make it to the car at night. We’re seeing an extreme level of teacher burnout.”
Teachers can get some help to relieve the workload during the day with common tasks. Teacher aids can print things, grab their mail, and simple tasks to help the teacher. Mrs. Armbrust said, “Student aids are super helpful. They help with making copies and setting up lab materials.” Teachers have to work very hard, so having this help takes some weight off their shoulders.
Teaching and grading fills up most of the time. In the freetime Armbrust does have during the school day, she enjoys talking with students to know what is going on with them.
Armbrust has taught for 21 years. She said, “I love what I teach and am excited to teach AP Chemistry next year.” It’s awesome that after teaching for a while, she can still love what you do. Mrs. Armbrust said, “It’s the same content, but different kids each year so it’s not boring.”
When Armbrust gets home from school, she eats dinner with her family and then will grade for about an hour. While Mr. Krontz said, “Lately, I do more work to get ready for future lessons or homework.” As we get closer to the end of the year, teachers seem to get a heavier workload.
Balancing work life and home life can be a challenge. According to Mrs. Armbrust, “There isn’t much of a balance this year. The remote option has created so much extra work.” When she does get some free time she said, she enjoys playing games with her friends. Mrs. Armbrust and Mr. Krontz views on balance are similar. Mr. Krontz said, “I need to get better at balance. I have a wife and a young child and this year has been especially difficult to manage things outside of my professional life.”
Overall teaching is a time consuming job. COVID hasn’t helped with the work load either. It takes a lot of effort and patience, but teachers put in the work to make sure we are getting the best education possible and enjoying what we do.
