June 8, 2010: Summer is here...

Not officially, but summer is here in the school sense. Today was the last day with students - that is, the last day of exams. Tomorrow will be make-ups and a few retests but overall, the teaching part is over (actually it has been for almost a week). We all know how much we loved the summer as a student. We remember the little song, "No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks! Kick the tables, kick the chairs, kick the teacher down the stairs!" And it sure was fun, but from the other side of the desk, the summer is SO much more gratifying! Students progress on through their high school career (with some exceptions). Teachers do the same thing over and over and unlike most professions, there is a definitive beginning and end. At the end of each school year, while we are looking forward to the relaxation and leisure of our "mini-retirement" we look back, at least for a moment, at what we could have done differently, better. It may not be until August (September in the north) that we really reflect on it by adjusting and hopefully improving our plans from last year. But the best part of the end of the school year is knowing we have the chance to do it again better next time - a clean slate. How many people can boast that about their careers?

Today, after administering the last regular administration of our Civics and Economics End-of-Course Exam I began the process cleaning up the room from the school year. All the desks and chairs are stacked neatly against the wall and all the textbooks are accounted for (at least those that were returned). Tomorrow I will spend my time putting away papers into my unit notebooks so I can find them for next year (without having to print a new copy each time). After that, I consider myself done with still Thursday and Friday to go. Graduation is tomorrow and pretty much every teacher is assigned a duty. It is held at the Raleigh Convention Center. My biggest dilemma is to leave early (as we were given permission for) to get dressed for graduation, or stay at work, get dressed there, and proceed directly to graduation. I am leaning toward choice B so I can get more work done. We'll see, but I think I will bring my clothes to change into this way I leave my options open.

Tomorrow, what I like best about being out for the summer.