How to get out of a funk?

[Mostlyjustaluker]

A have ups and downs with teaching. At the moment my school is not a great place and I feel once the kids have gone home that I can't be arsed. I normally use old lessons but improve them but I have lost my mojo. What do you do to get your mojo back?

Plan something YOU really want to teach. I dare you!

In the Summer term I binned a really boring art/dt unit and taught my class of EBD boys about street art and graffiti and let them loose with actual spray paint and Banksy-esque stencils. They loved it, I loved it, I loved them loving it. The learned loads and we had a brilliant time. Totally revitalised me.

Pick something you love and carve out some time to do it- and do it well. Enjoy them enjoying your enthusiasm. Don't even mark it- GO ON!!

We can get life back into education, one 30 minute lesson at a time!

applauds

Well said Charles!

I am secondary so carpet time is out. I think part of the problem is I am teaching a significant amount of time out of my specialism. You are right Charles I need to be put some effort into planning so I enjoy the rewards. I just need to fill in pointless paperwork first.

Don't fill in the pointless paperwork. Just teach something good. Will anyone actually check the paper trail?

Unfortunately yes.

Umm, it's a bit trickier to go off piste in Secondary.

What about planning a cool trip or something that you could feel enthusiastic about.

We are not allowed trips as there is no money for cover! Had a rubbish day today with slt saying there are changing our year 11 form classes with only 10 teaching weeks lefts. They have already removed learning mentors and now most year 11s won't have access to pastoral care.

God that sounds dire mostly . Are you in a position to look at moving schools? Possibly into the private sector? Much less paperwork, more freedom to choose what/how to teach, and very positive about trips!

DH is Deputy in a major public school and I can confirm it is less shit. He is in charge of 'Teaching and Learning' and doesn't believe in negative feedback, preferring to run a 'TeachMeet' on a half termly basis where good practise pulled out of peer observation is shared, celebrated and spread.