It’s the last Friday of the school year, a day to be celebrated!  We will come back next Tuesday and Wednesday then be “done”.

 

Like most teachers, that idea of “done” is one that drives me crazy.  My brother teases me about my “three months off to drink beer and sun tan”, but how many people truly believe that teachers are over paid and under worked?  This summer will be my busiest yet as I’ll be attending training conferences dealing with fact fluency and professional learning communities as well as presenting at a technology conference with my teaching partner about our technology use in fifth grade.  On top of this, I’ll be teaching math and social studies for the first time, so I have a great deal of work in reviewing core standards too.

 

Now, that’s not to say that I won’t spend my fair share of leasure time as well.  My daughters both swim, so I’ll play the role of “swim dad” running them to practice and meets, along with the role of gardener, keeping the weeds down in my patch.  We are also trying to find a week to explore something too, whether it be St. Louis or northern Minnesota, we’ve not been on a family vacation for a few years, and need to find that time.

 

Summer is for reflection, a time to regather thoughts, to purge those toxins that have been gathered all year long, allowing them to float away while time is spent just being.  I have no issue saying I’ll relax, but in that relaxation, work will be done, work that is important for my student next year.

 

And yes, I may have a beer in my hand as that planning is going on! 🙂