Oh, glory hallelujah, it's summer!
I saw a meme that said, "Teachers don't work only 10 months. Teachers do 12 months of work in 10 months." I am FEELING that right now! The exhaustion is real.
This year was unusual for a few reasons -- my principal is retiring as of this Thursday and so there is transition to a new principal, which meant lots of work on scheduling earlier than usual, the IEP meeting season for me stretched from March to June (usually it's closer together but I had one of the earlier dates and then the last date for meetings), there was a situation where our assistant principal was no longer in the building in March (and now he will not be back) and so my performance review process got pushed into June, I had the most students with emotional disabilities ever, and this year was supposed to be something resembling "normal" but I don't think "normal" exists.
That said, I made some really great connections with kids, as evidenced by this photo of me, totally soaked at the 8th grade Luau because several of my students decided to spend their last hurrah time playing cornhole with me and another teacher and then dumping icy water bottles and water balloons on my head (did I mention the heat index was into 100F?).
That's trust and love right there.
Basically, I feel like today is the first day I have bandwidth. I'm looking forward to having summer plans of... NO PLANS. We're not traveling because Bryce has his research review in July and is in the dissertation stage, with defense in the fall. I am 100% okay with that. (Full disclosure, I signed up for a conference in Ithaca in July with a couple of teacher friends, and there is also a little summer work, but I am NOT SIGNING UP FOR A TON OF STUFF! NOOOOO SIRREEEE BOB!)
I am coming back to this space to read, to comment, and to try to grapple with all the things that have happened in the past few weeks that I just can't wrap my head around.
But for now, cheers to summer in all its empty-calendar glory!
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It's so good to see your beautiful face! Happy summer!! I believe every teacher does the job of at least two people, so I say that teachers do 24 months of work (or more) in 10 months.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited that you have basically no plans this summer. I'm excited for Bryce too. He will be working hard, but it's the culmination of his academic journey. Woo!!!
Oh happy day! Enjoy the well deserved rest. I am almost there. I agree, normal doesn't exist. But maybe in addition to all the struggle we've had some moments that are BETTER than normal. Hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful how your students helped you to cool off on that last, celebratory hot day! Yay! And how great that you built those strong relationships when they are most needed.
I too have not scheduled much and look forward to a whole lot of spontaneity. And sunshine, and colour, and healing. Mental and physical and spiritual.
Oh yay, I'm so glad you're out of school, happy and free! I hope you have a fabulous time - or even just a sleepy, relaxing, ready time. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
ReplyDelete(PS. Commenting under my Separate Life persona, because blogger keeps rejecting my No Kidding blogger one!)
Yay!! That giddy smile on your face in the photo says it all -- you made it through!! Enjoy your summer! :)
ReplyDeleteHere's to being the favorite teacher to water balloon! And to having a summer of decompression. You have earned it many times over!
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