Being a dedicated teacher

I am confused. I have been a teacher for almost 20 years. Okay, not in a single stretch as some of my colleagues. But still.
I spend hours planning lessons that are on different levels, meet different needs, audio, visual, and kinesthetic in nature, and then assess the products of those lessons.I read professional education magazines and research on line for more ideas. I call parents when kids are not doing well, and sometimes when they are improving greatly. I attend events at the school to applaud my kids. Obviously leaving no child behind has always been my intention and it is the same for most of my teacher friends. Now we are talking about IB classes (labor intensive) and designing classes for the web. The legislators have decided students can take on-line courses that are not under our control and obtain credit for classes and we are forced to put the name of our school and system on these classes. When I first heard and found classes on line that I teach our curriculum, I thought okay leave no child behind teach him/her how to circumvent the system. Duh.

Lately I have had the good fortune to meet ladies in business and outside of the education field. I have already learned so much from them. I have also found out there are many opportunities for my female students that I can't wait to be able to suggest these opportunities to them. I have been reinvigorated by these dynamic women. I listen to their conversations and realize I do not know all their vocabulary in the businesses they do. Their organization tactics are mind boggling. I plug into this energy and want more. When time allows, I discuss with them books they are reading and books their children are reading in their classes. Or what they read (when appropriate) when they were in high school. I realize how far behind I am and how much more I can do for my students if I am out and about and not submerged at the one school.

How do you find the time? It is a balancing act isn't it.