View from the choir

I am a Catholic layperson and Secular Franciscan with a sense of humor. After years in the back pew watching, I have moved into the choir. It's nice to see faces instead of the backs of heads. But I still maintain God has a sense of humor - and that we are created in God's image.

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Work

It's been a rough two weeks at the small private school where I am a both a teacher and the principal.

For various reasons, one teacher was placed on a leave of absence two weeks ago, and another was let go yesterday.

They are both good people whom I like a lot, so that made it all the more painful. Even though the actions were taken by the trustees, as principal I played a role, and felt I had to be present. I would like to reach out to both of them, but can't at this time.

I have a reputation as someone who can be objective, who always seems unflappable. But that doesn't mean I lack feelings. Right now they are churning. Constantly.

I tend to internalize.

On a practical level, on top of my own five classes, for the first week I had to prepare the lessons for five courses that had been taught by the teacher put on leave. Late nights trying to work with subjects I don't teach and know little about. By this week, three of the classes had new teachers, but I had to pick up one - meaning I'm now teaching six classes, including two at the same time (ah, the old one-room school house!) on top of my principal duties, and I'm still doing the preps for another class while we search for someone to teach that.

As all this was getting underway, I was also dealing with my dad being in the hospital and even after he got back to the nursing home, his depression over his situation. Then another teacher had to take days off due to a death in the family, further upsetting classes.

It got so bad by late in this past week I commented to a fellow teacher that maybe at contract time I would say I just want to teach and they should search for another principal. Or maybe that it was time to begin applying to other schools for teaching positions.

I'm have a history of running away.

Not looking for sympathy. This is more of a vent. One of the sad things in my life is that I'm somewhat of a loner naturally, and the few people I was close enough to to talk things over with have all moved away. Or been put on leave.

Blogging has not been a priority. And I haven't been visiting other blogs that much.

Right now, what I need to do is pray. Mass is in 45 minutes.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Carol said...

Thank God for God. Thank God for Lent! The past few weeks seem to have been deeply rough on numerous others. Hang in there.

8:14 AM  

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