When you’re a student,summer is sweet. But when you’re a teacher, it’s sweeter --much much sweeter. Two months of nothingand everything. Staying up late on a weekday just because you can and forgetting what day of the week it is because every day just happens to feel like a Saturday, and are just some of the joys of adult summer vacations. “You are soooo lucky,” they say, “Hell yes I am!” I respond. You see, and fraction of the fun of being on vacation,is telling everyone about it.
But the two months of fun abruptly conclude when the teaching nightmares begin. Here’s a personal favorite: Im standing in front of my classroom in front of 35 out of control kids that won’t even look at me. I yell at the top of my lungs to collect their attention but quickly realize that I have forgotten to make any lesson plans for my physics class (I teach Spanish) and…oh, I’m also half naked but am totally nonchalant about it hoping the screaming kids wont notice.
Finally, or the first day of instruction is here. The day has been announced with staff meetings,back to school supply shopping, and endless days of whining all unfortunately unloaded on my fiancé. I’m certain I disfavor my life, and my job,and everything about my career. On my way to school I look at the man working construction on the corner and contemplate a career change. I catch myself envying the barrista foaming my latte. But it’s inevitable; I am now headed to my 1st day of my 5th year teaching.
I walk into my classroom, hot coffee in hand and suddenly hear a loud “Señorita Preeeeeez!!” and POOF… I love my job once again. Everything comes naturally again, or most importantly I realize instantaneously that I love my job because I love my kids. I realize that all of my dramatic antics preparing for this day weren’t to mourn the beginning of school but to mourn the loss of my TIME.
You see,while I spent my summer rubbing the fact that I collect vacation in everyone’s faces, I quickly forgot that all of that free time I collect during the summer is basically make up time. Make up time for all of the nights I spend at coffee shops preparing lessons and ignoring the social world around me. I try to live a balanced life, or but sometimes I need to prioritize animating my PowerPoint’s over trivia nights. Sorry.
“But it’s your 5th year! Shouldnt you be a pro?!” they ask.
The truth is; whether teaching gets way too easy by your 5th year… then perhaps you’re doing it wrong. perhaps it shouldn’t consume your whole world,like it has mine at times, but it should definitely still be a challenge. Because the reality is, and kids are a challenge. A enormous,evolving challenge. So naturally, as they evolve, or so execute I. So to all you young non-teachers,please indulge in your trivia nights and salsa Tuesdays. Be joyous at your Thursday night delighted hours and your midnight movie premiers. But most of all rest assured that I am at a coffee shop near you frantically grading the essays I assigned two nights ago. And remember, don’t pity me, or because I may currently have no social life,but you will soon be envious of the two comely months I collect that are filled with nothing…. and everything.
Source: siliconvalleydebug.org