What work-life balance looks like for students and teachers

The clock strikes 3:20 on Friday. In a matter of moments DSA goes from buzzing with students and teachers to a ghost town.

Teachers and students alike value their breaks from school, whether that be seasonal breaks or just the weekend. But the demanding obligations of school and work can feel almost impossible to escape. Individuals may feel a pressure to keep working during their free time, constantly trying to hold themselves to a high standard of accountability. However, in the long run this can be detrimental to one’s physical and mental health. It’s essential to maintain a reasonable balance between a personal life and work, and teachers and students can both work to facilitate this.

“I used to think, ‘AP Bio is your most important class. You have to prioritize my class over all others’,” Ms. Sauer, a biology teacher at DSA, commented.

Through gaining more experience as a teacher, she has since realized that her students may have priorities beyond her class, and beyond school entirely. This approach has shaped the way her classes currently operate.

“For Thanksgiving, Winter, & Spring Breaks, I really try to not assign work on those breaks. I know I won't be working during those times, so I don't expect students to work, either,” Sauer explained.

While she offers students the option to work ahead over breaks and does assign a summer assignment preceding each school year, she doesn’t expect students to devote a substantial amount of time to it.

“I definitely don’t think teachers should be [assigning work over break] because it's break for a reason, it’s important to just have that time for yourself,” Julian Samson, a junior at DSA, stated.

Many students feel that the time they have for their hobbies is often limited by school, extracurricular activities, and work. When they have the time to prioritize what they like over their obligations, that time is coveted.

“Whenever I'm not working, or not at school I like to go to the gym, because it makes me feel so much better about myself. I feel like I spent that time connected with me,”

Teachers share a similar sentiment, valuing their personal time as well. However there are times when prioritizing oneself over productivity can lead to unfounded guilt.

“Early in my career, you could often find me at DSA on the weekends, grading papers, planning for the next week, or trying to get ahead on my to-do list. But I think COVID really helped me realize that teaching is my career—not my life,” Sauer recounted.