This Is Not An Easy Job

My job title is "Computer Teacher" at small private school.  And before you decide that "private" means that we have money to spare, you could not be further from the truth.  My technology budget for everything except Internet access is $1800.  That's HALF of the same line item from last year.  It is a number which has not changed in over 10 years until it got slashed last year.  Forget about getting NEW technology, I am restricted to only replacing broken equipment and begging for money left and right.  We also have to constantly look for open source solutions whenever possible which means that I need to find more time for the research and instalation time and hope it doesn't break on me.

But that is not why I am venting right now.  I am frustrated because I am, by default, THE I.T. guy for the school, a responsibility that is NOT in my job description. I have learned a great deal in the last 8 years in this position but there are things I simply cannot do -- issues for which, in the past, I have been able to outsource to solve.  This year, things are very tight and I have to do more myself, despite my lack of knowledge in these areas. What I really want to do is focus on my teaching.  Instead I have to fix, replace, troubleshoot, etc.  When I can squeeze it in, I have file paperwork for federal discounts on phone and internet services from the E-RATE program or collect/ship cartridges for recycling fundraiser we run. Forget moving forward, I am simply racing to keep our ground-losing to a minimum.

Don't get me wrong.  These things greatly help our program but the also a lare huge distraction from my REAL job of teaching.  It's a pain sometimes and I get tired of sacrificing my time and energy for things that don't help me to be a better teacher.  So far, I am doing a fair job of not letting my teaching suffer due to these distractions, but I could be a more inspired teacher if I were able focus more on the duties listed in my job description.  

Some day....