Voluntary holiday

I admit, I tend to get frustrated at students who are frustrated. No matter how I break it down for them, guide them through one step at a time, scaffolding my brains out, some students just can't seem to stop saying, "I can't!" "I don't want to!" "I quit!"

I've been playing tennis for about two years now (those lessons in third grade don't count). I really like the game, and I haven't liked any sport since I first started playing volleyball in junior high. Basketball disgusts me. American football is worse. Soccer is ok if it wasn't for all the running (I'm not fond of running, although I've been training myself to run a little every day). Base/softball is boring. Golf is extra boring. Etcetera, etcetera.

For the past week or so, I've been really frustrated at the game for some reason. It hasn't been particularly challenging anymore, or fun. It's gotten very boring (I prefer to rally acrobatically, rather than do those hot one-shots, which some of the people I play with tend to do a lot). And so, frustrating to the point that dragging myself out to the courts at 7am is painful.

I guess this is what my students feel like when they come up against something unappetizing. I'm not sure how to make tennis fun again - maybe find new people to play. ::scoff:: But I'll try some different strategies to motivate my students.

One very effective strategy is simply taking a break. Which is why I'm so glad I'll be in San Diego by the time this post goes up. Before this semester, I've always thought I would be one of those teachers that never take a day off unless I was dying, or if there was a family emergency. Now, I've changed my mind. I'm pretty sure I'm going to take at least one mental health day per term. A teacher friend took a day off recently too, and she was glad she did. And I will too.

Teaching is rough. We don't have June, July, and August for nothing.