Hello blogging family!
#helloyoudoofus
Hey now! No name-calling, yet! 🙂 It’s been a hot minute since I’ve put my random thought on a computer screen. Why is that, you might ask.
Summer break.
Both my wife and I have finished up and are tired. Bone tired. Behaviors, lack of support, and just all that goes with being a teacher wore us down. I admitted to my principal as I checked out that my tank has never been this empty before. I had a year while I was in Missouri with a student who was oppositional defiant, but never one like this year.
We both had a “hangover” on our first day of break. Our bodies just didn’t know what to do with the emotions. I wandered around. My wife, she took two naps. We’ve started working our way out of it but those emotions have to go somewhere.
However, not all is lost. I’ve read two books and am working on the third right now. We took our camper to a local park and ran into some teachers from my district who were having a great time. We went over to their camper at about 8:30 pm and didn’t come back until midnight. We’ve been running, biking, mowing the lawn, and today, we spent three hours working on a tree that was taken down, cutting branches up to either burn or put in the shed to dry, THEN burn!
#woot
We’ve seen my wife’s aunt and uncle in Iowa City, along with my brother and his family in North LIberty (just a bit north of Iowa City). His daughter graduated and we went to her party on Memorial Day, which was a lot of fun. I got to talk to him a bit, but talked with my parents, daughter, and her boyfriend as well. It was a beautiful day for the party. The worst part, she’s going to Iowa State. Where did my brother and I go wrong?
#whatthehell
I’m tired and sore, but it is a good thing. I’m feeling better. We are taking our camper a little farther, going to a campground down by Des Moines, between our daughters so we can hang out together. We’ll take our bikes, do some shopping, and eat s’mores.
And we have to do school too.
#what
Of course, school is always there. I got an email about meeting to talk about exploratories on June 1. June freaking 1st. I have computer science classes to take. I did my first one today and have four days over the next two weeks. I may pick up another class as well in July, dealing with more computer science. I’m not sure why I’m all in on this right now. Part of it is that I get paid to take these classes, which is pretty sweet, but also, if I can learn enough, who knows, it could lead to other opportunities for me outside of school. Either that or just other opportunities for after-school clubs.
Ok, if you’ve read this far, thank you. I sent messages to some of my school friends, just telling them how much I appreciate them. I appreciate your reading of this drivel. I appreciate your comments. But most of all, I just appreciate you being here.
Have a great day and if you are an educator, happy summer break. You’ve earned it! 🙂
June 7, 2022 at 11:17 pm
I am feeling the burnout too this year even though it was far less stressful than teaching over the last 2 years in the peak of covid.
June 8, 2022 at 8:08 am
I’ve heard this from other teachers as well. I think the cumulative effects of covid, behaviors, and the political climate has just crushed so many spirits.
Here’s to the chance for all of us to decompress a bit
June 8, 2022 at 1:30 am
Darin, you have the right to be tired. Enjoy your break! I enjoyed reading your slice and it is not drivel!
June 8, 2022 at 8:04 am
Ok, not all of it! 🙂
Wishing you sunny days in your near future!
June 8, 2022 at 4:14 am
Soak up the sun and grow back into shape.
June 14, 2022 at 11:02 pm
Please do the same. We all need to grow back into shape! This summer, it’s what we need.
June 8, 2022 at 12:49 pm
I am happy for you that your break started already. Rest and play as much as you can!
June 14, 2022 at 11:01 pm
Please do so as well! We all are need of this, more so than ever! 🙂
June 8, 2022 at 5:21 pm
I have a ways to go before break but I appreciated all the small joys you shared- camper trips, s’mores, friends by the fire, seeing family… I’m looking forward to these “filling my bucket” soon.
June 14, 2022 at 11:00 pm
Exactly! That bucket felt empty and now, a little more full. There’s much to be done, but it feels good. 🙂
June 8, 2022 at 6:19 pm
Well if it makes you feel any better, we don’t end school until Tuesday the 14th. We had construction and started late. So, while I was super-smug at the end of August, you could say that now I’m paying the proverbial piper.
I also love hearing about the way other teachers transition out of school mode. It sounds like you are getting a lot of relaxation in. Color me jealous…it always takes me a week or two to shift of of the “everything all the time” mode. But when I do? GLORIOUS.
June 14, 2022 at 10:59 pm
Hey, today was your last day!! How are you feeling??
June 8, 2022 at 7:17 pm
Describing that first day after school is out as a hangover is exactly right. I found I had to completely power down for a couple of days before I was ready to get out and begin enjoying summer for real. Happy summer to you!
June 14, 2022 at 10:58 pm
Powering down is exactly what we did. Camping, an adult beverage, and a campfire did us wonders. Happy summer to you as well! 🙂
June 15, 2022 at 1:16 am
Have a well-deserved summer vacation and recharge well.
Just like to share with you a book I read recently, The Whole-Brain Child, which probably can give you some clues why students and children(and adults too) behave the way they do.
By the way, I have a blog post on The Whole-Brain Child. Take a look!