I’ll preface this blog post with the following disclaimer and statement of clarification. This title and accompanying blog post in no way convey that I liken classrooms, schools, and other educational settings to circuses. Nor do I equate those associated with classrooms, schools, and educational settings, as circus performers. Juggling means to handle several obligations simultaneously in order to satisfy often competing requirements...that, is teaching in a nutshell! I think of teachers as jugglers from several different standpoints. Teachers are jugglers from the perspective of an individual managing all of the moving parts and components of the education system, with respect to his/her classroom; from the perspective of an individual wearing numerous hats and taking on various roles; and, finally, from the perspective of an individual balancing professional, personal, and family lives. And it is from these points of view, that I refer to teaching as the ultimate juggling act.
Many individuals outside of the education arena believe that teachers have a finite set of responsibilities related directly to students; specifically, teachers lecture, praise, and supervise students, and they assign, critique, and grade student work. I wish teaching were that simple; teaching encompasses so much more than educators’ direct interactions with the students. “Teaching is a science and an art that requires teachers to continually examine and modify lessons based on the experiences of their students” (Lynch, 2015). Each day teachers make critical instructional decisions, based upon student needs, as influenced by local, state, and national curricular objectives, mandates, and assessments, all while considering their personal theories and beliefs. For example, teachers must make instructional decisions that are compliant with their students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs), if applicable, that incorporate student interests, and that consider research-based best practices. Teachers routinely interact with and try to relate to students, parents, co-workers, and community members, all of whom have various backgrounds, values, characteristics, and goals. Additionally, teachers operate under ever-present pressures and stressors, such as high stakes testing and school report card ratings, which can adversely impact job security.
Teachers take on numerous roles during any given school day. In the sense of what the public generally identifies as “teacher duties,” teachers function as instructional planners, resource managers, curriculum developers, and digital technicians. In terms of the bonds and relationships formed with their pupils, teachers portray surrogate parents, mentors, role models, and counselors. “A significant portion of a teacher’s work in the classroom is mental. Teachers will need to provide solutions to problems as they arise” (Lynch, 2015). Along that vain, teachers serve as mediators, disciplinarians, problem-solvers, and student advocates. Teachers also act as evaluators, supervisors, and data analysts, among other professionals.
Believe it or not, teachers have lives, friends, and family outside of school. The final aspect of the teaching juggling act is a teacher’s external roles. In addition to the multi-faceted juggles of school-related issues, teachers must also juggle their personal and family lives. The typical day for a teacher is from about seven-thirty in the morning to approximately four-thirty in the afternoon, barring faculty, department, or special committee meetings; tutoring or academic extended school days; or extra-curricular, athletic, and club sponsorships and/or events. Upon departure from school, teachers face obligations, such as errands, chores, meal preparation, homework time with their children, and, if they are pursing advanced degrees, personal study time, as well. There are also school-related tasks, such as grading papers and lesson-planning that might require attention. It is physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing, for teachers to attend to professional, personal and familial needs. I have found that careful scheduling, planning, and prioritizing of commitments help to introduce some semblance of balance and order to my overloaded to-do lists.
A juggler is skilled at keeping several objects in motion at the same time by alternately tossing and catching them. “Teaching is the concerted sharing of knowledge and experience, which is usually organized within a discipline and, more generally, the provision of stimulus to the psychological and intellectual growth of a person by another person or artifact” (IGI Global Disseminator of Knowledge, 2019). That said, teaching is indeed, the ultimate juggling act.
References
IGI Global Disseminator of Knowledge (2019). What is teaching? Retrieved from
knowledge/29344 on October 20, 2019
Lynch, M. (2015). 3 Responsibilities teachers have (besides teaching). Retrieved from
https://www.theedadvocate.org/3-responsibilities-teachers-have-besides-teaching/ on October 19, 2019.