25 November 2019
End of year activities
This time of year is often filled with requests to get involved in end of year activities. Unfortunately, these always seem to coincide with marking assessments, report writing, school camps etc, not to mention planning for the next school year.
So before we decide how to respond to these requests, it’s worth taking the time to conduct a personal workload check-up.
Think about what you did this year and what you need to do next year to meet the core elements of your role as a teacher - planning for the classes you teach, teaching your classes, assessing student work, reporting to parents and development of self. Then take the time to think about all the “other” things you have committed to at school and your reasons for doing them. Then ask yourself: Am I feeling overwhelmed? Is the balance right? Do I have room for more?
Why not use the framework for assertive decision making:
1. Do I have time to do this?
2. If I prioritise this by making time for it, what else won’t get done?
3. Do I have the capacity, knowledge and resources to do this?
4. Can someone else do it or part of it so that the load is shared?
5. Will I enjoy doing this or will it make me feel stressed?
6. Is it a reasonable part of my job to do this?
Only you know the answer to these questions. And it's not only the answers that matter, how you communicate them is also an important part of being assertive.
The key is knowing that if the activities go beyond your core responsibilities, its okay to say either “yes” or “no”. Sometimes we just need to take the time to know how.
Authorised by Kate Ruttiman, General Secretary, Queensland Teachers' Union
21 Graham Street, Milton, QLD, Australia, 4064