Square State Teacher: This Is The Thing That Is Going To Run Me Out Of Teaching

 

    For the last few years, I've become fond of saying, in overwhelmed moments, in angry moments, in many moments: "This is the thing that's going to run me out of teaching". I have identified everything from Lawn Mower parents to bullying administrators to google classroom as The Final Straw.

    I never said it about COVID, specifically remote teaching, or the ensuing tsunami of tech failures that I left in my wake. I supposed it is because, In this case, I am not alone and therefore don't feel the need to say "this will be the thing that runs me out of teaching". Everything that I credit with enough power to run me out feels personal and specific, not general and meandering like a pandemic.

   Today, the thing that is going to run me out of teaching is asking me to do everything remotely and simultaneous. Including teaching my classes, directing shows and taking classes required by the district. And signing up for PD days on yet another platform. And building lesson plans for units I cannot teach until we are in person again. And digitally restructuring lesson plans to be delivered both remotely and in person. And telling me I  must teach remotely from a mostly empty building. And not showing any mercy when my work for the online class the district is making me take is late because this week was supposed to be a google meet instead of written responses, but then I couldn't do the google meet because I'm in the building until 3:30 and the meet started at 4 and I had no interest in remaining in this building and doing things remotely from 7 am until 5 pm, thank you, and the deadline for the written work was BEFORE the google meeting time, which makes exactly and precisely no sense but then what does, what even makes sense anymore? I would like all deadlines to be set before the assignment is posted. I have a time machine, not a problem, lemme just dart around in time to accommodate that. No worries.

  That is the thing that is going to run me out of teaching. Today. No Time Machine.

   Tomorrow, it'll be something else.