The End of Another Year

Well, I've come to the end of another school year. 180 student days gone. 184 professional days passed. The beginning of summer vacation. Truth is, "summer vacation" to a teacher is somewhat of an oxymoron. Sure, teachers aren't in school teaching the students (unless they are teaching summer school or tutoring, like me), but there are loads of school-related things that continue to happen. Some take courses to advance their careers, others begin planning for the next year, while still others serve on committees to benefit the students of their district.

For me, I continue in the vein of summer professional developments and planning for the next school year. My husband, in an attempt to keep me from getting too frazzled and stressed planning for the next school year over the summer, has "banned" me from doing anything school related until July 1. (The date used to be August 1, but since school supplies and everything come out earlier and earlier, we moved the date up. I don't work in a district with stipends or unlimited amounts of resources, so I have to catch the sales for school supplies--for my kids and myself--when they come along.) Sounds weird, I know. But if you are like me, and want to do the absolute best for your students, you are constantly trying to keep ahead of the game, trying to apply what you've learned in your summer courses, planning your room layout, thinking of reorganizing somehow to make things flow better. I used to get so wrapped up in school over the summer that I didn't really enjoy my summers. So to counteract that, my husband and I came to an agreement, and it's been working for us.

Now this isn't to say that I haven't been thinking about planning and things I need to make or purchase or do to get ready for next year, but I am not acting on those ideas--yet. I'm choosing to take the time, like I do every summer, to really enjoy my children. (Not like I don't enjoy them during the school year, but in summer, my attention is undivided all day long.) This week, we're doing Vacation Bible School at our church. Saturday we are taking my daughter to explore one of the local cave attractions for her birthday day trip. Also on the agenda for the summer are many more day trips, visits with friends and family, cooking marathons with fresh finds from the farmer's market, and catching up on "grown-up" reading. (When you teach elementary children, a lot of your reading is previewing children's books and lesson plan materials. Summer is a time devour all the books on your personal reading list!)

In the past three days I've read Divas of Damascus Road by Michelle Stimpson and am currently reading Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. Looks like the four books I checked out for the next two weeks will be finished in the next few days. When I say devour a book, I mean it! So looking forward to many more days of literary bliss.