The Breakfast Club – #BFC530 – is a 15 minute, 1 question Twitter chat every weekday. We chat in 4 timezones Mon-Fri – 5:30am Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific Times. The mission of BFC is to empower participants to make a difference in education by engaging in consistent reflective practice in a supportive community that inspires and challenges one another.
I will leave it at school, but I reserve the right to pop in for an hour. I will spend time reflecting over the past week, and fine tune my plan for the next week. I know what skills I will be focused on, but what we do will change several times between now and then. #bfc530
I partner with a local university to provide mentoring from college students to my students. The university even provides off site trips. It has helped me build relationships in an incredible with students and parents. #bfc530
I try to spend only 1/2 a day doing school work and as much catching up on home life EX: laundry/ picking up after the kids / spending quality time with the family. #bfc530
Good morning everyone- it's a bit of both for me. Although every Friday I bring home a mammoth work bag and generally lug it back to school on Monday having left it untouched all weekend. Probably a good thing. #bfc530
That’s an interesting question. Weekends are often packed full of things: team events ( coaching), children’s activities, dancing school, church, etc. I’m happy if I can get in a load of laundry. #bfc530
My personal view is that weekends are time for me to focus on self care and family. If I don’t feel rested and ready on Monday morning it’s probably going to be a tough week. And my own kids deserve my undivided attention! #bfc530
Every weekend is a school weekend for me. Long weekends mean a full 8-10 hour day at school grading, doing data entry, and prepping forward, with two whole actual weekend days for me. And w this massive storm about to hit that will involve shoveling! #bfc530
The weekend should be time for yourself, leave the work at school. Sadly, like early mornings and evenings, most teachers spend a lot of time working outside of school. Best bet is to find a balance. #bfc530
Depends-
Often do professional reading on the weekend but to me this doesn't really feel like "work."
Try not to do other schoolwork on the weekend but if big project/presentation is in my future I often spend my Sat/Sun working on them. #bfc530
Bridget from GA here. Weekends are catch up time. Early morning is for gym, after school is for horse or chill (sometimes grading, reading, fiddling, Twitter), weekend I focus on finalizing plans for the week ahead. But there’s still time for equines and footie 🐎⚽️😂 #bfc530
I will say as my kiddos get older they have many social outings over the week-end so that does leave me some time to catch up on work if need be...
#bfc530
I leave it at school as much as possible. There is some planning Sunday evening to prepare for the week, but I do my best not to bring it home with me #bfc530
As a HS building principal, Friday nights are usually athletic games.
Other weekend commitment might be away games, competitions, performances, or PD events.
Try to balance it on the weekend with some down time, time with family, and prep for next week!!
#bfc530
I try hard to leave at school whatever I can leave there, though I’m not always successful. Family life is so important and those precious moments shouldn’t be taken for granted, by me. Balance is a challenge...but well-worth pursuing! #bfc530
Depends on the week. I think for many of us it is a necessity to bring work home. But if I had the option, I wouldn't. Everyone needs time to decompress and relax. Time to reflect. #bfc530
Weekends are for things that “fill my well” @SayYesInstitute
Saturday is for professional learning and connections
Sunday is for family
I so my best to never bring work home anymore #bfc530
I do both. I never really ever get everything done during the week that I would like to, do weekends allow me to focus in on some of the things I want to do. But, I also make sure that I practice self care as well. Hiking, napping, & reading for pleasure. #BFC530
Notwithstanding that in teaching there are times you need to work over a wkend but boundaries are important. I’d work from 7:30am-6:00pm Monday to Friday as it meant my work got done & next week’s lessons planned. Weekend were to catch your breath with family & friends #bfc530
I spent a weekend grading all day once. Essays. My two kids were about 6 and 8 at the time. My house was DESTROYED by the end of the day, toys covered every square inch. I promised myself I’d never do that again and I haven’t. It’s not worth it #bfc530
In reply to
@edumichellefinn, @BFC_530, @wheeler_laura
This is how I think it is for most people. I definitely have some weekends where I don't do any school work then there are other weekends where all I do is school work. Just depends!
#bfc530
I used to work every evening, now I wkend chill with the EPL on TV and create slides, have fun pushing beyond my team’s basic planning, and make sure Mon starts without the pressure to run like a headless chicken into the week-I watch the other T & am grateful for my way #BFC530
#bfc530
Weekends are meant for recharging and resetting and focusing on ourselves with loved ones! But sometimes to allow myself to do that, I have work to do on the weekends to feel better and accomplished!
Hi Kathy!!!
Great point. Some people's home life schedules don't allow them to arrive early/stay late at school to do school work. These are often the people who end up having to do work on the weekend.
#bfc530
I use the weekend to catch up on school work and to leave work at school. Blog/podcast as a reflective exercise, lesson plan the week, and do a weekly review of all of my to-dos and goals one day. The other day is usually a no structure, no rules day...I do what I feel. #bfc530
That is nice to say but let’s live in reality ... how many teachers spend their Sundays working on lesson plans? #bfc530 let’s be honest ... there is not enough time during the school day to get everything done that needs to be done.
Now is a good time to shout out @Angela_Watson & her 40 hr TWW. It used to be every evening and all weekend. Now it’s occasional evening and far less on the weekend - and that’s by choice, as I can’t stand starting the week with urgent things to do #gamechanger#bfc530
Either, depending on the weekend. This weekend, being end of semester, I have marking to catch up on that I have to bring home. But other times I try to leave it at school.... Why bring it home only to never take it out of my bag? #bfc530
I hope all our American friends have a great long weekend, spending time with family and honouring an amazing man and his incredible cause of peace, justice, and fairness for all! #bfc530#MLKDay2019
Not having children of my own and a husband who travels a lot lends itself to a lot of time at school. I love the quiet time to myself there, actually, but if I had kids no way would I be at school that much!
Since Im the childcare provider in the summer, when ppl say, "So your vacation is over, time to go back to school" I jokingly say, "No, my vacation is about to begin." LOL #bfc530
Good morning friends. At least part of the weekend is to catch up on schoolwork. I’m finding it harder and harder to get things done during the school day. #BFC530
#bfc530 Usually I try not to, but if it will benefit “future me,” I will! This past weekend, I really, really wish I would have caught up on some paperwork because I felt very behind during this week. But the Pats were on!?!
Dennis-I agree there isn't enough time in the school day 4 T's 2 get everything done. I also agree w/ David. Admin should be doing everything in their power 2 find time &/or ways to lessen Ts's load so that weekends can be family time.
#2waystreet#bfc530
The important thing is to find #balance. Doing some things helps me to feel prepared the following week but knowing other things can be left until Monday. #bfc530
Thank you Connie. Of course I know how hard my Ts work Dennis. Of course, I also know it is my job to take as much stress of them as I can #bfc530#idowhatican#itstherightthingtodo
I’m looking for suggestions... my school has a fund for sustainability of its teachers, what would make teaching more sustainable for you? Looking for big ideas, not “perks”(i.e. coffee, dress down days). #satchat#bfc530
Now that my son is grown and gone I find myself doing more school work at home. I have more time on my hands than I used to and I really enjoy reading/learning/creating/planning
#educationismyhobby#bfc530
Then you have the wrong admin. There r those of us out there who actually do watch out for their Ts & treat them like professionals & do what the can to ease their heavy load #bfc530
This makes me sad to hear Dennis. I wish you could steal you away to work in my school!
I wish we had more administrators in our country/world who not only said they believe in #FamilyFIrst but also put into practice #FamilyFirst#bfc530
Couldn’t agree more. Sometimes just 20 minutes chatting with pees can inspire me and make the upcoming week that much better. Sometimes I need to completely disconnect! #bfc530
Funny this question came today. Just picked my #oneword with my students this week. It’s all about finding balance. This was my example for them as they created their own one word goals. #bfc530
Thank you for being a #RockStarAdmin Dennis!
Want to give a shout out to my former P - another #RockStar admin who always watches out for his T's, treats them like professionals & tries to ease their heavy load.
Thanks @kjsan28!
#bfc530
Either, depending on the weekend. This weekend, being end of semester, I have marking to catch up on that I have to bring home. But other times I try to leave it at school.... Why bring it home only to never take it out of my bag? #bfc530
Yikes! It's almost 6:00. Time for me to run.
Here's wishing everyone a relaxing weekend! And to those of you who are under winter storm watches this weekend-stay warm & safe.
I know I have a pot of Chili and a good book in my future!
#bfc530
And when do I find time to mark those 56 essays? With 15 minutes dedicated to each essay, that is 14 hours of work outside of class hours. And that is for one task only. As an English teacher, I cannot imagine a weekend without work.
I used to take at least 4-6 hours each weekend for work. Then I took a step back.
I am already averaging about 1.5 hours Monday through Thursday, so I have scaled that back to only doing what I need for Monday on Sunday evenings (down to about 1-2 hours).
#bfc530#Balance
#bfc530 Some creative work like flipped lesson videos are only possible in the quiet of weekend. But marking is done at school even tho I have get in early at 7.30. Try to keep one day free e.g Sun.
#tlapdowunder is a Sunday educhat but that is relaxing, learning, and my choice!
A long weekend is coming! I know it isn't right, but I'm happy about an extra day to catch up on work & lesson planning. There's never enough time to do what we have to during the week-even with going in before or staying after school. 3 days to relax? Not for me #3rdchat#bfc530
For me, I always try to sketch out next weeks plans during Thursday and Friday at school. That help minimize Lesson planning piece. Creating unit plans was a massive timesaver. Sunday night and Monday mornings were most often for grading, especially papers #bfc530
I cannot be a family man for two months and a couple of breaks during the year. I have to protect weekends and sone time each week night to protect my family. #bfc530
Really depends on which activities, assignments, projects, assessments, etc were done that week. Prefer to decompress and not take work home, yet it happens sometimes.
If I take work home, it’s just a vacation for the papers because I don’t want to touch them ... I now maximize time at work or I stay late 1-2 days/week to finish it ... choosing to be a wife/mom/daughter/sister on weekends ☺️
