Someone stole my summer!

I mean, it was early June and school had just let out. I cleaned my classroom, attended the last staff meeting, checked out of the building, and my summer began.

We took a short trip and came home. I worked on projects — most of which I didn’t finish, had lunch with a friend a few times, went to District Assembly with our church, attended a workshop, dealt with some medical issues, and worked with a district committee…

And somewhere in the midst of all that, SOMEONE STOLE MY SUMMER!

Suffice it to say that on Monday, I will be back at work. Then, the day after Labor Day, 24 bright, talented children will invade my classroom and invariably, they will move right into my heart.

I’ve discovered that being a teacher is really a strange balancing act.

You see, we accept the loan of other peoples’ children to teach, encourage, train, and challenge. While they are on loan to us, we love them. And, honestly, when they leave us, we still do.

The balance in the love/hate relationship is found in the joy of teaching on one side, and in the reality of it on the other.

The joy of teaching comes in the sweet smiles of kids. It comes when a child who has worked harder than they ever thought they could looks at you with a smile and says, “I got it!” There are the times when the two children who have been fighting for days walk back into class asking if they can sit together. It happens when a child accepts responsibility for a choice — or for their own learning. The joy doesn’t end there, either. It continues as those kiddos grow up, as they “friend” you on Facebook when they get older, or they give you a graduation picture, an invitation to college graduation, a wedding invite, or a baby announcement. Mostly, for me, the joy is felt each time I realize that maybe, just maybe, my influence and love went beyond the classroom and into their life, wherever it leads them.

The reality of teaching hits you in the face every summer when you realize that you are headed back into the classroom for those 50 hour weeks that you wouldn’t trade for anything… but, you know you’re already tired even though the school year hasn’t started yet. There are, of course, the realities of the supplies that have to be bought, that you can’t make everyone happy, and that sometimes the patience will run out before the shenanigans do.

Teaching is just like any other job. There are good days and there are bad days. But, because of the children, MOST of our days are good.

Every summer, I sit down to assess and try to determine ways in which I can make my school year better than the one before. Every school year, I walk into my room filled with optimism and enthusiasm. While I’m there, every time I’m there, I will give it my all. I will work harder than I thought I could and I’ll walk out the door the last day of school exhausted, but knowing I gave it my all.

Honestly, I’ve worked in schools in five different states and 100% of the teachers I’ve had the privilege of working with felt exactly the same way I do. We believe in what we do. We believe in the power of education and we believe in your child.

Parents — the best thing that you can do for your child this year as he or she heads off to school, is believe in them. Give your child the gift of your confidence in them.

Tell them how great their school is, and yes, what an awesome teacher they will have. Give them the gift of a great memory from your school years — hopefully one from their grade, if you have one. Remind them that they are strong and capable. Reassure that precious child that they can do whatever they need to do to survive this day, this week, and this year. When they have a problem with a teacher, let them do the talking as you sit quietly beside them and offer your support. As you do this, they will gain confidence and skill that allows them to face more and more challenges in their life, because more challenges will come and next time, you may not be there.

If they see that you believe they are capable, they will believe it too.

And finally parents, please remember your child’s teacher cares about your child. He or she is human, they have a life and obligations outside of school, just like you do. Believe in them as you believe in your child. As you work together, teacher, student, and parents can become a powerful team to enable your child to have an amazing year!

My summer was stolen by too many plans and optimistic expectations that exceeded the available time. But that’s okay, because in just a few short days, I get to see my amazing kids and start on another epic journey through the mysteries of math, the wonderful world of words in reading and writing, and the sometimes strange worlds of science and social studies. We’ll travel through them together and we’ll all learn about them and about ourselves. Next June we’ll emerge exhausted, but victorious.

I can hardly wait.