In my
dream, it is recess on the first day of school. “I
heard you got Muffled Name,” another teacher says. “How is it going?”
“I
haven’t even learned all their names yet,” I reply. “Which one is he?" We
scan the playground, our eyes both coming to rest at the same time on a little
dark haired boy in a red shirt who has removed his shoes and is now scaling the
chain link fence behind home plate.
“That
one,” she says.
 |
| enjoying July in Asheville |
My friend Katie compares the summer months for
teachers to the days of the weekend.
June is like a Friday. You have
to work through most of it but the mood is lighter and you know the weekend is
coming. July is summer’s Saturday. The whole month is yours for adventure! Saturday is a trip to the park, a hike by a waterfall
and a cookout with friends. But then you
wake up and it is Sunday. Even though it
is a part of the weekend, Sunday just doesn’t have the same feel. Sunday is for going to the grocery store, or
doing laundry. Sunday is when you eye
the “guilty bag” you brought home and think of lessons to plan, papers to
grade.
To teachers, August feels like one big Sunday. We know the end is in sight. And even though I won’t meet my new class
until September, my mind and body have to report back much sooner. I’ll go in the 3rd week in August
for some meetings and planning sessions with my team. If I’m lucky, I’ll have my room assigned so I
can get a head start unpacking boxes and figuring out how to set up my
classroom. By the 4th week,
we are all back full time, up to our ears in SIP goals and Epipen trainings,
trying to master the new Master Schedule and beautify our bulletin boards.
So, it is no surprise to me that I have already
started dreaming about the new school year.
I remember in my dream—watching my little guy climb—I felt very
calm. Like, “OK, I’ve got some work to
do with that one but I think we’ll get along just fine.” When September comes, I’ll be ready.
In the mean time, I want to make the most of my
dwindling summer. Dinner with friends,
a baseball game, a movie, a play and my triathlon are all on the schedule. I have three books in my pool bag. Maybe, just maybe, August won’t fly by. Well, I can dream, can’t I?
More pictures from our July vacation to Asheville...
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See Mom, we're not always bickering!
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| Long climb to the top but views of the Smokies are worth it. |
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| Snuggling with Reed's pet rabbit. |
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It's a big job, but someone has to hold up the Biltmore. |
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| Blossom |
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| It's cool to watch Uncle Bobby work. |
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