Days of Summer…So Close

For those of you who are unaware, I only have 8 days of school left in my first year of teaching.

I think that in itself deserves a round of applause (see how humble I am!).  :)

The school year is so close to an end and for those of you who have only ever been students, you may be surprised to hear that even teachers CANNOT WAIT FOR SUMMER!  Trust me, we need the time of rejuvenation.

Earlier in my blogging adventures I wrote about standardized tests and the idea of pass/fail in teaching.  I’m happy to announce that the reports were good, at least I was happy with them.  :)  When I got the scores back I breathed a sigh of relief and then took a moment to celebrate.  It seems like something so petty and very insignificant, but to a teacher these days, a matter of just a few percent can define a whole year of long hours, reworked lesson plans and countless headaches.  Regardless, I didn’t set out to blog on standardized tests and the unfair pressure put on teachers because of them.  I’m blogging for a more important reason---SUMMER.

I can’t wait to sleep in, I can’t wait to have a to do list and not cross anything off that list for a whole day(I usually have nervous break downs when nothing gets crossed off, but this summer I resolve no nervous breakdowns).  I can’t wait to celebrate weddings with people I care about and admire so much.  I can’t wait to help my baby sister apartment shop and not feel like I have 30 things to do and only a weekend to do them in.  I can’t wait to feel organized and caught up on laundry.  I can’t wait to go out for sushi with my mom and get caught up on her life.  I can’t wait to travel.  I can’t wait...

…but I have to.

Summer isn’t here yet.  Students are as hyper as ever and with every day that comes closer to the end of school, I seem to think that if I can make it to the end, I can make it through anything.  I have a growing list of things that need to be finished by the end of the school year and when I think about it, I get the feeling of that nervous break down coming on.  Then, I take a deep breath and I remember why I do what I do.  That simple thought puts a lot in perspective for me.

I was given just enough time to get done exactly what I’m supposed to get done.  I’ll be happy with that and I’ll make the most of that enough.  I encourage you to do the same, even if you don’t get the summer break that I do.  :)