Solving for J

Why is this blog named 'Solving for J'? I'm the mother of an awesome little boy that we'll call J...or The Nugget. I'm also a pretty great high school math teacher (Hey! If I don't brag on myself, who will?). My life revolved around my classroom for my first three years of teaching. Big G (the hubs) got used to playing second fiddle to my papers, projects, and lesson plans. Then...I got pregnant. I was TERRIFIED. Actually...that may be an understatement. I was obsessed with the idea that somehow my new role as a mother would take away from my ability to teach. I even cried when I told my principal because I thought he'd be disappointed that I had other aspirations in life than just producing little mathematicians.

Long story short, I had my baby. Life went on.

I had another person take over my classroom while I was busy staring at my perfect little Nugget. She wasn't all that great, but my kids survived. Life as I knew it did not cease to exist without me. And ya know what? It was a great big blessing. I no longer stress over whether my notes are ready one month in advance. I no longer panic if my 'Bell Ringer' isn't posted before my kids walk into the room. I no longer feel like my identity is directly linked to my performance as a teacher.

Don't get me wrong. I still love my students, but I leave work at work now. No more lugging a week's worth of papers to grade home on Friday. No more spending all of Christmas break outlining notes for January. I work my butt off for my students between the hours of 7:00 and 3:30. The rest of my time is for J. It is now more important that spend what spare time I do have at home with my two boys. I work to make a living for my son, but teaching is no longer what I live for. And that's ok.