To teach, or to do my job?

Funny thing about teaching some days: it's not about the kids.

It's all about the paperwork.

As a Special Educator, I sometimes feel like the paperwork I do is a higher priority to my school system than actually working with students. Why is that you ask?  Let's look at how I spend my time when I'm not teaching.
1. I go to re-evaluations and IEPs during my planning periods.
2. I write goals, narratives, and anecdotal records during my planning periods.
3. I spend my teacher workday compiling VGLA binders.
4. I usually spend a planning period after each quarter filling out IEP goal sheets (okay, so this isn't so much of a time sink. It's the SPED equivalent of sending out progress reports once a quarter, but I figured I'd throw it in).
5. A student came after school for help today, but I had to put him on hold to conference with another teacher for a meeting that had been rescheduled and there was no other time to meet.

That's right. I put helping a student on hold because heads would roll if I didn't attend to paperwork. Technically, the student was a kid I don't even teach (the teacher he wanted to stay after with wasn't at school so he asked if I could help him), but it still felt like my priorities were slightly backwards trying to finish paperwork that would keep me employed versus help a student which seems to be the definition of teaching. The kid got the help he needed in the end (plus a "why aren't you in honors?" comment because he picked it up so quickly), but I do wish there was less paperwork and legal woes tied into being a SPED Teacher. Still, it's those legal mandates that guarantee schools have special educators, so it won't be going away any time soon.  I do wonder if I'll look back at this journal years in the future and think "wuss" or "Wow, things have gotten so much better."

Either way, it's part of the job. You do what you got to do, make the best of it and go forward.  I don't know if it's confidence, pride, stupidity, or arrogance, but I figure if I'm going to have to do something anyways I may as well be good at it. Not the best mind you! I'm not going to live and breathe my job and give up all my free time, but I'll give it my all on the job so that I can make sure my family has all their needs met and some of their wants to boot.

Shane's still growing like a chia pet in the rainforest. When he kicks in his crib, I can hear it in the basement.  He's getting strong!