The Teacher's Work is Never Done

I have been a teacher for twelve years now. Sometimes that amazes me because I can't picture how long it has been. My first class of 5th graders are done with college now. In my mind they are still 10 and 11. It is crazy.

Some people have a vision of teachers having the cushy job with summers off. Goodness knows I have put up with my share of razzing when someone finds out what I do for a living. It is usually pointless to try to correct them that the extra hours during the school year average it all out.


There is another week left of school. This means that there are papers to be graded, grades to be averaged, report cards done, and you still have to teach them for the next week. With that in mind I want to point out that tonight I have brought home reading journals and essays to grade. Before I can get to that, I am traveling back to school to deliver speeches for two of my former students who are graduating eighth graders. They asked me to deliver the speech at their eighth grade dinner. I am glad to be asked. It means whatever I did for those two years they were in my room; they left and felt a positive connection. So I will travel the 30 minute drive back to work deliver the speeches, drive home, have my own kids dropped off from dinner with dad, put my own children to bed, pack lunches for tomorrow, and then sit down to grade. Not sure when my day will end, but tomorrow I will start my day again at 5 AM.

I mention all this because when I am sitting on the beach this summer on a Wednesday morning. I earned my time off.