From: Claudia (for Teacher2Teacher Service)
Date: Feb 04, 2000 at 10:44:52
Subject: Re: Getting weak

One thing that might help would be changing your time management approach.  
You can easily get into a trap with paper grading, etc.  Take a step back and 
evaluate if all the work you are assigning needs to be graded. Is this 
quality time you are wasting? Then go from there. 
Several possibilities would be to teach a class at a local university, so 
that you can stay in the realm of math you love.  Another would be to find a 
magnet school or a mathematics and science school.  I teach at a math & 
science school, and I find that I read, investigate and explore along
with my students.  There are always one or two who want to work on an
independent math topic, even if there isn't a course being taught as such.  
As a teacher of mathematics for 25+ years I learn everyday!  If I didn't, I 
would have to quit.  Also, cut yourself some slack. Frustrations are 
commonplace in the mathematics classroom. Can you find fulfillment in the 
success, understanding and appreciation of your students? What is your goal?  
Is it mathematical knowledge? Then, unfortunately for the profession, it 
sounds like you might have made a choice in teaching high school you can't be 
happy with?
If it is love of mathematics that you would like to instill in children, then
it is okay to forget some of the math.  I received my degree a LONG time ago
and started teaching.  Then, after 16 years, I had to teach my first calculus
class.  What a terrifying experience!  Now I'm teaching third semester
calculus classes.  It can come back.  Hang in there!

 -Claudia, for the Teacher2Teacher service

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