Cassandra Blain, residing in Ottawa, shares her experience of a unique kind of exhaustion known as “teacher tired.” This fatigue sets in around the third week of September, when the demands of the job exceed the confines of a typical school day.
Initially, the classroom is orderly and structured in early September. However, by October, the pencils disappear, seating arrangements become chaotic due to shifting friendships, and peculiar questions like whether ketchup qualifies as a vegetable emerge.
Contrary to popular belief, the primary cause of teacher tiredness is not the workload of marking and planning but rather the constant communication required. The repetitive nature of instructing and managing a classroom, including handling unexpected questions and behaviors, is mentally draining.
Moreover, the classroom environment itself adds to the exhaustion, with a constant buzz of activity and noise, requiring the teacher to multitask like an air traffic controller, but with glue sticks instead of airplanes.
Despite the challenges, there are moments of fulfillment that make the fatigue worthwhile. Seeing students’ progress, witnessing their camaraderie, receiving gratitude from parents, and other uplifting instances make the job rewarding, motivating teachers to return each day, even though a good cup of coffee is always a welcomed companion.