... Teach on.

Today is proving to be a difficult one. I find teaching extremely exhausting when I am not feeling my best. Today, I am tired and would love to have even just one more hour of sleep, but instead I'm waking up at my normal early hour and wearily driving into work to teach all day. I would love a day off, but I rarely take sick days. This isn't to say that I don't take time to care for myself, but I find missing school to be more hassle than help when I am feeling exhausted, and today, I am exhausted and I must teach on.


I feel like an acting class should be part of teacher education programs. Part of what makes content exciting for students is seeing their teacher excited about the content. I am an actor some days, acting as though I'm excited when in reality I'm exhausted. My acting chops get a work out.
So on days like today, when I am just not feeling it, I must put on my acting hat, take a deep breath, and teach on. On days when I am teaching material I myself find dull, but necessary, I teach on. When I want to lose my temper in class, I take a deep breath and teach on.
I am not my most enthusiastic or charming or understanding version of myself today, but my students are here. They showed up to learn, understand, and grow and in return I must show up to teach, communicate, and guide. 

On days like today when I'm feeling under the weather, I will inevitably have students who immediately notice and ask me if I'm sick or if I'm getting a sub (some ask excitedly, others concerned), and I do my best to smile and say that I just have a bit of a cold or allergies. It continues to surprise me how observant they are, and reminds me that I have to keep acting and keep teaching. 

For those of you that are wearing out your acting chops today, I want to remind you... 

You have a student who looks forward to you class every day. 

You have a student who will try their very best to make you proud today. 

You have a student who appreciates everything you do, even if they don't say it. 

You are allowed to be run down, to take a day off, and to be exhausted, but don't get discouraged. For those students, you must teach on.