The Teaching Shift: Why I'm Done Being the Engine of My Classroom
You didn't become a teacher to spend your evenings marking papers until midnight. And neither did I.
I've got receipts. Outstanding observations, improved test scores, and a classroom culture that works.
But lately?
It feels like I'm sprinting on a treadmill that keeps increasing its speed. I'm working so much, achieving just enough, and wondering why it still feels like I'm nowhere near where I'm supposed to be as an educator.
And if you resonate with how I'm feeling, let's get this out of the way: It's not because we're lazy, unfocused, or need to "try harder." It's because we're managing our time, energy, and emotional investment as if they were separate systems, when, in reality, they form a three-part power grid. If one's out of whack, the whole thing flops.
So, instead of viewing teaching effectiveness as simply working harder (because we already work hard enough here), let's discuss how to align our time, energy, and emotional investment so that they start compounding, rather than competing.
And let me be very clear. This post is not from the mountaintop. I'm not your guru. I'm the teacher next to you in the staffroom, doing the work, building the thing, and figuring it out in real-time.
And this realisation right here? It's shifting everything for me.
I Thought I Had a Time Problem
But it wasn't time that was the problem; it was what I was giving my time to.
Time is the first thing we try to manage when things feel chaotic. We colour-code our planners, download new productivity apps, and start arriving at school at 7 am because that has to be why the results aren't resulting.
And yes, that works. Until it doesn't. I was trying to squeeze more into my day, even though I was already at my limit. Additionally, the student outcomes didn't align with the effort.
That's because I was managing time like a teaching assistant, not a lead educator.
Lead Educator Time = Curriculum design, strategic planning, relationship building, and professional development.
Teaching Assistant Time = Doing everything yourself because "it's faster that way."
And the worst part is that I am aware of these things. I teach new teachers. Yet I still struggle to operate in them. Now, as I shift into a new mindset with bigger goals and a new role (department head), I'm forced to manage my time differently.
The next level isn't about more hours. It's about making a greater impact per hour.
Start asking:
What am I doing that a teaching assistant could do 80% as well?
What's my highest-leverage activity that I keep deprioritising?
Shift: My timetable should reflect where I'm going, not just where I've been.
I Was Running Out of Energy, Not Time
The part no one talks about? Energy management.
I'd end my days with this peculiar mix of feeling exhausted yet also feeling like I hadn't accomplished anything that moved my students forward. I was showing up, but not SHOWING up. I know you know what I mean.
That's when I realised: I need to stop treating energy like this infinite resource that I can keep tapping into.
Energy, unlike time, isn't fixed. It can be renewed or depleted.
So I started tracking what drains me, what fuels me, and what I'm doing purely out of obligation. I built a small 2x2 grid and began mapping everything out.
I guess you can call this an Energy Audit. She works.
Every task you do falls into one of four zones:
Zone of Genius: High-impact, energising; your magic zone.
Necessary Evils: High-impact, but draining; batch or delegate.
Feel-Good Fillers: Energising but low-impact; fun, but don't overdo.
Energy Black Holes: Draining and low-impact; cut or create boundaries.
So now I'm starting to design my day around my energy peaks. Yes, some days I still have to commit to doing things I don't feel like doing (that's life, after all), but at least I know exactly how my time and energy are working together.
Productivity without energy is just burnout dressed as dedication.
Shift: Don't just plan your time, plan how you'll use and refuel your energy.
I Was Still Working for My Impact, Instead of Letting Systems Work for Me
The third piece of this (and maybe the one that hit the hardest): systems.
If my classroom only functions when I'm micromanaging every detail, then I don't have sustainable teaching practices. I have a job I made impossibly difficult for myself. Whew. Typing that was rough. But somebody had to say it.
So now I'm reworking my classroom systems, tightening my routines, and building structures that function whether I'm having a brilliant day or barely surviving. I'm learning to let go of perfectionism, to raise my standards (without increasing my stress), and to build in space for creativity because that's where transformational teaching happens.
Lately, I've been asking myself:
Does my classroom run smoothly without my constant management?
Do my teaching methods align with my zone of genius AND my students' needs?
Are my expectations reflective of what's truly important, or are they a result of my control issues?
Shift: Impact flows to systems, not just effort.
It's All Connected
Here's the big realisation I'm sitting with: time, energy, and systems aren't separate. They're a power trio. And when one's off, they all wobble.
When my energy's low, I make poor decisions with my time. When I'm wasting time, I tend to chase short-term fixes. When systems feel chaotic, I overextend myself and burn out my energy.
So now, I'm learning to manage all three together.
Not perfectly. But intentionally. Because that's what sustainable teaching looks like.
Shift: Alignment across all three is our real superpower.
If You're in This Season Too…
I see you. You're not lazy. You're not behind.
You're evolving. You're shifting out of hustle and into alignment.
And listen, the hustle worked. It got us all through the messy middle of our teaching careers. It helped us build confidence, find our teaching style, and obtain proof that we could do this job.
But the version of me who graded every paper until midnight? She's tired now. And she knows deep down it's time for something different.
This isn't about giving up. It's about levelling up with intention.
Simply put, you're not meant to be the engine of your classroom forever. You're meant to be the architect. And this is the beginning of making that shift.
What resonates most with you - the time, energy, or systems piece? I'd love to hear where you're struggling most right now.
Leave a comment and let's figure this out together.
P.S. - If you found yourself nodding along while reading this, you might be interested in my upcoming mentoring group for teacher educators who want to build better systems. I'll be sharing the specific systems and strategies that have transformed my classroom from chaos to calm, all whilst maintaining the high standards we're known for.
It's going to be packed with practical insights, real-world classroom examples, and hopefully a bit of fun too. Ensure you're signed up before September 1, 2025, as the series begins at the start of the next academic year.