Reflections of a teacher/mother

Peter's 1st day of kindergarten
1991

The first week of school has come and gone.  And I'm still in one piece.  I think teaching school is kind of like having a baby.  Your 9 month school year starts off with excitement, anticipation and a little nausea. You go to endless meetings about how to do your job better. You meet your students, deal will new policies, and end your last week with teacher laryngitis.  By the middle of October you should be getting over your morning sickness and anxiety as you settle in for the long haul. Your first trimester is over.

Now you begin the fun part of your pregnancy, I mean school year. Change of season and wardrobe gets you excited about the future. You cruise through the holidays because they break up the work week.  Lots of parties, seasonal cheer and winter break!  You forget what's ahead.

January.

The end of the school year seems so far away, almost an unattainable goal.  You trudge through the endless days between winter and spring feeling swollen with work and responsibilities. You're tired of the sleepless nights and backaches from being on your feet all day in the classroom.

Then you get Spring Break!.  That perfect vacation that gives you a chance to rest for the coming events.  Or if you have a burst of energy you'll take some exciting trip knowing that the coming weeks will be brutal.

Eric's graduation
from CNU
2010

Peter when he
graduated from UVA
2008.  That's Sarah, the
girl he married in June.

Toward the middle of May you become nostalgic. You see the changes in your students, how much they've grown.  You see the body of work which you inspired and nurtured. You know the end is near and changes will be happening. You almost wish you had more time to enjoy the fun things you did the past year.

Or you may just want this thing to be over

Pop

It's the wonderful birth of summer.  Full of endless possibilities and new beginnings.  It's during that time when teachers remember the three reasons they love their careers:

June----------July-----------August

And yet we keep coming back in the fall full of excitement and anticipation.  

Kind of like the pregnancy amnesia. We remember the good and forget about the uncomfortable parts. 

Peter, Eric and Johnny
I think around 1995?

I'm going to write a weekly post about each week of school this year. It may be my ramblings (like today) or maybe I'll teach you the lessons I taught the past week.  

Join me in creating a "School Year Journal."  Or call it whatever you want.  Keep track of your weekly thoughts and the images you create for the next nine months.  Feel free to share with me!