When to get up
(should I hit the snooze, or not?)
When to stop reading
How long to exercise
When to stop scrolling
Should I shampoo today?
What soap to use
Does this look good?
What earrings to wear
Eat first, or feed the birds?
What to eat
Which lunch to take
What mask to wear
Which station to listen to
What parking space to take
Is there time to log in before duty?
Words to use with colleagues
Words to use with students
Which tasks take priority
What to keep and what to discard
How to arrange things
How to teach a skill
How to assess a skill
How to keep students engaged
Which behavior to address
Which behavior to ignore
Do we have time for one more activity
What books to purchase
What's the lesson order
What's the read-aloud order
Where should labels go
How to organize a kit
Should I send the email now, or later
Will this help my colleagues
Will this help my students
Should I book this author
Should I eat this treat
Do I have time for a bathroom break
How should I spend this budget money
Is there time to make these IDs
How do we tackle this big kit processing
Who should get these materials
Do I help kindergarten first, or first grade
Should I shut down the computer and go home
Do I need my umbrella
Should I listen to music or keep it quiet
Water the plants first, or start laundry
What to eat for dinner
Practice Japanese or Spanish
Read, or write, or nap, or.....
zzzzzzzzzzzzz.
The list of questions and the amount of decisions - some big and some tiny - that we make in a day is A LOT. I feel one of those days coming on today. {Deep breath.}
ReplyDeleteIt is exhausting when you stop to consider all the decisions we make in a day...and I know I didn't list at least three dozen more!
DeleteYou capture the inner voice going on in all teacher's heads right now so well. I love your structure of questions and the back and forth, this or this. And a perfect ending. Rest well.
ReplyDeleteSally, I think if we had the time and mental bandwidth to notice all the decisions we make in an educator's day, we'd be astonished. It has to number in the thousands!
DeleteYES! I feel all of this. Some days I just need to make no decisions- it is exhausting. You captured that barrage well.
ReplyDeleteExactly, Erika! I had a Saturday like that last weekend--fully incapable of making any decisions. Just operated on routine.
DeleteDecision fatigue is a real thing. Nap is a good decision.
ReplyDeleteThe last comment was from me.
DeleteTerje, you are right--it is real, and teachers make so, so many decisions in the course of a day.
DeleteMy biggest resonance was with ‘which behavior to address/which behavior to ignore.’ Great list. I think teachers make more decisions than air traffic controllers.
ReplyDeleteFran, I'd love to see that data--I bet you'd be right!
DeleteSorry to seem anonymous, this is Fran Mc
ReplyDeleteThis is brilliant. I’m suffering decision fatigue simply reading the list. I’d choose zzzzzzzzz at the end of the day if I were you.
ReplyDeleteOh, I definitely napped, Glenda! Brain on overload...
DeleteI noticed that I started reading faster, almost like panting at the point where your question marks drop off. What a way to show the endless barrage of decisions. I also enjoyed the way one question word would repeat and then pivot to another. Like watching a tennis match! Such interesting craft moves!
ReplyDeleteMorgan, I think we need to give ourselves credit at the end of the day, when we're exhausted and don't really know why--I think it's the decision-making! Thanks for noticing the pattern--it wasn't planned, but worked out great!
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