What the hell day is it?
Hmmm....the day after I was supposed to write my post. Well, I'm an author, I'm used to missing deadlines.
The reason I blanked on the day is that I'm a teacher (elementary library and computers). So I have two months off every year and I kind of lose track of the days during July. Used to be one month off, but thanks to being published, I can now dedicate summers to writing, and can guiltlessly not sign up to teach summer school.
I've taught for sixteen years, kindergarten, ESL, fourth grade, and now I'm the librarian. And it galls me to say it, but I love my job. Granted, it's not easy...you ever try to get a bunch of five year olds to use a damn computers?
"Get it out of your mouth!"
I come from a family of educators. My father, mother, wife, aunt, cousin, and sister-in-law are all veterans of the public school system. My father, incidentally, is not only a retired school superintendent, but was expelled from high school at fifteen. He was only one of two kids in his neighborhood to actually go to high school, if only for two weeks.
So while my dreams of being a 'real' writer with no other responsibilities have not yet come to pass, teaching is a close second.
Yes, I know this post was supposed to be about my teenage summers, but no one wants to read about me stealing street signs and working as a mall survey taker.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have four classrooms to set up.
The reason I blanked on the day is that I'm a teacher (elementary library and computers). So I have two months off every year and I kind of lose track of the days during July. Used to be one month off, but thanks to being published, I can now dedicate summers to writing, and can guiltlessly not sign up to teach summer school.
I've taught for sixteen years, kindergarten, ESL, fourth grade, and now I'm the librarian. And it galls me to say it, but I love my job. Granted, it's not easy...you ever try to get a bunch of five year olds to use a damn computers?
"Get it out of your mouth!"
I come from a family of educators. My father, mother, wife, aunt, cousin, and sister-in-law are all veterans of the public school system. My father, incidentally, is not only a retired school superintendent, but was expelled from high school at fifteen. He was only one of two kids in his neighborhood to actually go to high school, if only for two weeks.
So while my dreams of being a 'real' writer with no other responsibilities have not yet come to pass, teaching is a close second.
Yes, I know this post was supposed to be about my teenage summers, but no one wants to read about me stealing street signs and working as a mall survey taker.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have four classrooms to set up.
My late mother, A. Carman Clark, is applauding in heaven (or from the mantlepiece in Oregon she shares with Chris Van Alsburg's sister). She was an 8th grade language arts teacher as well as a writer and understood perfectly how challenging balancing the two careers could be.
ReplyDeleteWhoa, July, and you are back in the classroom already? What is this so called "summer off" I keep hearing about when it comes to teachers?
ReplyDeleteJody: I don't HAVE to be back until August 14th...it's just so much easier to have everything ready before the official work days. Half the other teachers and all the administrators and custodians were there. But still, I'm not complaining about two months off with pay!
ReplyDeleteBerek: I'm applauding your mother right now.
Your dad sounds like he should be a book!
ReplyDelete