You Know You’re a Teacher When…
Posted by Marsha on July 8, 2010
You know you’re a teacher when July 4th is over and you start thinking about the new school year!
I went to the beach yesterday with my sister, who is a teacher, and a few of her teacher friends. It was no surprise that a good portion of their conversation included the hashing out of THIS coming school year, even though LAST school year barely ended four weeks ago. They talked about everything: how they intend to rearrange their classrooms, which books they will read aloud to their class (which means they must first decide which of their old favorites they will let go of in order to make room for new ones), how they can’t wait to use the new promethean boards, what they want to do differently with their reading groups, and their opinions on the new math series. They spent some time talking about how the budget cuts are going to impact their teaching, especially since each of them lost some combination of their art, music, PE, and media specialists and will now teaching theses subjects themselves. When they did discuss their predicament, they were already in problem solving mode.
I’ve been out of the classroom for a few years now, but I still got caught up in the excitement a new school year brings, even as early as July. I jumped right into their conversation, loving the idea of replacing student desks with tables, recommending great literature, and letting them pick my brain for my favorite writing techniques and strategies. I promised to set aside standard issue art supplies like toilet paper rolls, magazines that don’t advertise for erectile disfunction, yarn, egg cartons, 2 liter soda bottles, brown paper bags, and unwanted office supplies, etc., and ask my friends and neighbors to do the same.
It was a great day–so wonderful that I am still thinking about it now. What sits with me however, is not only the content of their conversation, but the energy and excitement in their tone. Teachers are a special breed. They forgive, get over, move on, and reinvent. They deal with whatever is put on their plate, let go of any residual dread of the past year, and face each new year like it is a clean, crisp sheet of paper and a new box of sharp Crayolas.
This is what people don’t see. What the general public doesn’t know. Teachers don’t turn off over summer vacation. In between reconnecting with their own families and friends, catching up on their own summer reading, and taking a well deserved breather from their intense job they are still thinking about the next year, reflecting and planning, collecting and revamping. And, I guarantee that those lucky enough to visit a far away place this summer will return with postcards, brochures, maps, souvenirs, and stories to share with students they have not met yet.
Summer may offer a break from teaching, but not from being a teacher.
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