Many people think the number one perk of being a teacher is getting the Summer off! Really, are you still playing that card. If you know a teacher, then you know that they don't "get the Summer off." So what DO they do all Summer? One word...PREPARE.
I'm not saying it's 8 weeks of preparation. I am human and after 180 school days running the hamster wheel I take some time to recharge. Here's my summer in a nutshell.
Week 1- Put EVERYTHING in my classroom away. That means once the last bus pulls out of the parking lot, I get busy stacking boxes and boxes. I clear off my desk, pack up anything that I possibly can so the custodians only have desks and furniture to move out. I mean really what job do you know requires you to pack up before vacation only to unpack when you return.
Week 2 thru 4- Hello family! Where have you been all year. I take a well deserved 3 week vacation. Where do I go? Usually I stay local. Day trips to museums, zoos, the library, parks, the beach. Maybe a few overnights to a nearby state. This is my time to be really present with my children and enjoy them. I cram in as much as I can without overwhelming them. I savor the giggles, the excitement and the curiosity that gets lost during the hustle and bustle of the school year. I also use these three weeks to reconnect with friends and hang out late with family. No early bedtimes, no rushing, no planning just living in the moments. These weeks help me get through the days where I don't tuck my girls in because I have late conferences. The days when I can't be home for dinner because I have a weekly class I have to take. The mornings I just have to leave early to make it in to print out report cards I was up all night finishing. Yes these are the moments that get me through 180 days.
Week 5- Back to School Shopping- wait it's only the end of July/beginning of August why are you shopping already? Well my dear friends, I dish out hundreds of dollars (that I don't have) on supplies and materials for my students and classroom. I start early because I need to find the sales. I can't be scrounging around in late August/September and pay top dollar for 25 of everything I need. No I don't get reimbursed and tax credit is only $250. Ask my husband my receipts have totaled into the thousands depending on the year. Did you know? "The National School Supply & Equipment Association did a study last year on this very subject. Public school teachers spent 1.6 billion dollars of their own money to buy school supplies to do their job. When polled, 99.5% of all public school teachers spent $485 out of their pocket for supplies during the 2012-13 year. This is how it was broken down: $149 for school supplies, $198 for instructional materials, and $138 for ‘other classroom supplies’. (You can read the entire study here: www.thejournal.com/articles/2013/07/01/k12-teachers-out-of-pocket-1-point-6-billion-on-classroom-tools.aspx)" ~credit goes to mischiefandshenanigans.com
Week 6- Professional Development- Ah yes teachers are life long learners. We take summer classes to tweak our practices or to learn new curriculum. When else did you expect me to master my craft? I don't get a week all expenses paid vacation to fly out to learn to teach. No I have to do it during summer vacation.
Week 7- more preparing and professional development. I do a lot of my planning on rainy days or while my girls hang out at home.
Week 8- BACK TO SCHOOL Setup- remember I mentioned I put EVERYTHING away. Yes well now I have to go back and put it all out again. Clean, dust, reorganize. More planning and photocopying. Trying to get a jump start on the first week.
Week 9- Welcome Back!- My home away from home for the next 180 school days. I love what I do and I'm ready to do it. You'll see me again in July!
So next time you think a teacher has it made, don't congratulate her on having the summer off, thank her instead.
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