I do.
Call it perfectionism, call it independence, but it's hard for me to admit that I can't do something by myself and I need someone to help me get it done.
Yesterday, as I looked at my lengthy to do list, I realized that it was time to pony up and reach out for help. I composed an email to the parents of my morning class with a description of some of the projects I needed help with. Within short period of time I had responses from several parents offering up help. One mom volunteered to come in Thursday to do inventory on my literacy bags to check for items that may be missing. Another mom emailed asking if I could send home the math workbooks that I needed sorted and collated, but I didn't even end up needing her help because a dad read my email and immediately came to my classroom to offer his help! He started working on the math books and then asked if it would be okay with me if he just took the whole box home to finish and return it Thursday. Is that okay, hell yeah! I did the volume 1 workbooks and it took HOURS...I was so happy he was willing to help.
I had so much to do and simply by asking for some help, I got parents to take care of everything! I am so focused on juggling everything myself that sometimes I forget that I have such amazing parents who are eager to help me and support me in my efforts to be the best teacher I can be for their children. They are wonderful. So, I have definitely learned a lesson this week about asking for help.
Also, in other exciting news, my DonorsChoose project got funded today! I asked for some cool science materials that will allow my kiddos to do some discovery based learning and I am really excited for them to get their hands on these activities! This is the 4th project I have gotten funded and the 2nd this school year! Yay for DonorsChoose. If you haven't checked it out do it now!!!
PS I am posting from my iPad today so if there are typos, please excuse them. This keyboard is different...
5 comments:
I am really bad at asking for help too... so when I get in the classroom I will definitely try to remember this!
I am so bad at this. I think it really is a perfectionist thing. Other people just don't do it as well as I do. :) But I have tried to step back, and let the parents help. Does it really matter if they curl the ribbon on the bags a little too short??? Ha, probably not.
I am not great at asking for help but part of it is, sometimes it takes longer for me to explain what to do than just do it haha. But I do find I am usually happy when I ask parents for help (usually).
Also I am the worst with Donors Choose- for some reason I fear that I won't be able to get my project funded so I never put one up. I realize the worst that happens is it never gets funded but I feel like I would be bummed out!
Ahhhh the power of delegating!! And DonorsChoose is on my ever growing to-do list :)
Hi Katie,
I saw on one of the deal websites today that there's a way to get $15 toward classroom projects at Donors Choose. I used to use the site and have been funded several times.
Check it out: http://hip2save.com/2011/03/donorschoose-org-free-15-gift-code-to-help-teacherclassroom-text-offer.html
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