Episode 7: How Much Time Do We Really Need?

Salaries are definitely not the reason we choose a career in education.  While money and health certainly hold importance, there is a fundamental aspect of life that we yearn for as we grow older—time. 

As we grow older, we begin to understand the importance of time and start to approach our lives differently.  Some begin to worry less about their household chores and more about spending time with the people living inside our homes.

Curiously, this profound realization about time seems to have difficulty translating into the field of education. With each passing school year, every minute in the classroom becomes precious, and time appears to accelerate for our younger students. 

Administrators constantly emphasize the mounting pressure of impending standardized tests, while teachers frequently express their concern about the lack of sufficient time to cover the state-mandated curriculum.

When the school year draws to a close, we often find ourselves wishing for a few more weeks to accomplish even more. The breakdown of time into days and weeks allows us to grasp its profound impact. Even the smallest fraction of saved time can yield significant results.

Initially, our approach was centered around identifying the number of hours spent in the classroom and reevaluating our philosophies based on the value of those precious hours. In the realm of education, each school year introduces a fresh cohort of students, and time appears to slip through our fingers at an alarming rate.

Overall, salaries do not serve as the sole motivation for pursuing a career in education. It is the intangible value of time, its scarcity, and the desire to make the most of it that fuel our dedication to teaching. As educators, we recognize that time is a priceless resource, and we strive to maximize its potential within the confines of the classroom.