The teachers’ spotlight is shining on Mrs. Wilson, an English teacher at Warhill. She was chosen because she is an amazing teacher and person, inside and outside of school. Wilson tries to keep a work-life balance, commenting, “Every day, I try to spend a little one-on-one time with my two kids, pray, check on my budget, make a to-do list and remember why I am lucky to be alive.” Her normal school day starts at five AM when her alarm sounds. She usually does not get up until ten minutes later. But once she is up, Wilson said, “I listen to an audiobook while getting ready. Finally, I wake the kids up about 15 minutes before I leave, give them lots of snuggles and encourage/beg/bribe (depending on the mood) them to be great little people today. After that, I usually rush out the door at the last minute.”
Wilson explains how teaching two different grades is great because, “I would get really bored doing the same thing six times in a row!”
Everyone has good and bad days. Everyone also has pros and cons to their jobs. Wilson is no exception, stating, “The best part of my day at school is talking with students. I genuinely enjoy getting to know my kids. I like hearing their stories and learning about their lives. I try to let kids know that I care about them as humans. It is not all about the grade.” The worst part about her school day is when she realizes that a student in her class is struggling or in a situation that is less than ideal, and she cannot do anything to help. She admits the roughest time of the year for her is the first month back at school.
Her after school activities involve going to the gym for an hour and then straight to the bus stop to pick up her children. Her evenings are always busy, “I make dinner, go through bookbags, do laundry and get the kids clean and cozy.” When all is accomplished, she feels tired. Too tired to move. At this point, she usually reads or watches TV until bedtime. “I read in bed whenever possible.” Wilson’s days are normally busy, but she enjoys her job, and her life.
