Week 10 -- "The Look"

It is week 10 of the semester.  Many are starting to get that "look."  I see it in the classrooms, I see it in the hallways, and I see it when I look in the mirror.  We have been through 10 weeks of the semester and all it brings with it as I mentioned in my Month from Hell blog post last week.  I think the human brain can only take so much; it is not built for a constant onslaught of challenges, opportunities, problems, riddles, meetings, consultations, career advice and the rest that come with teaching. 

Teaching is completely draining and I LOVE WHAT I DO!  I cannot imagine how those who do not like what we do endure it on a day to day basis unless coping through emotional detachment.  And that is why I am seeing "the look."  The one that is ready for the semester to be over even thought there are 5 weeks remaining!   In the back of my head I can swear I hear that little train, "I think I can, I think I can!"

It is times like these that I remember a comment made by a peer of mine when we were working on our doctorate and so overwhelmed with what needed to be done to earn our Ph.D.  He said he sometimes looks out the window and watches the ground crew cutting the grass and finds he is envious.  Mainly because the person cutting the grass can only cut so much grass in a day and when the clock strikes 5, the day is done and the mower and the grass are left to wait until his return the next day.  He admired that greatly.  It does not work that way for a teacher as you all know.  And I am referring to GOOD TEACHERS.  Those who have high expectations of themselves and their students and an uncompromising adherence to standards and refuse to "phone it in."  Those are the ones who know "the look."

So to those of you who are out there right now and know the "look" I am talking about believe you me you have my deepest respect; you are what FELC is all about and remember you are not alone -- you have the rest of us in the learning community to talk to when feeling like giving in a little to the temptation of doing just a little bit less.  Don't do it.  Talk to someone in the learning community who understands your plight and can help re-energize you and your ambitious agenda to advance the foodservice industry one student and one class at a time.  God forbid you give in to the dark side and become that slacker(s) we all have in our academic units that we all know exists but remain in the job all the same no matter how much head scratching we do.  It is not worth it, all you get is pattern baldness.  So teach hard my brothers and sisters -- we got your back!