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Teacher Tired


May is a crawl
Not a sprint
It is a long day's journey into night
It is not enough coffee in the world
It is going to bed at 8:30
It is not being ready for the alarm

For there is no tired like teacher tired
Where you've run out of post-its and are low on patience
There are endless piles of papers
There are exams and bubble sheets and proctoring

There are last-ditch efforts to drastically alter grades
There are human moments
The kids are tired and they see you as a human, also tired

The conversations aren't always as related to content
Every kid you speak to and that speaks to you
You give as much energy as you can to be present and to listen
They need an ear, they need to feel heard and seen

May is a crawl
But the sun stays out later
The weather is getting warmer
The good moments are that much sweeter
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