The end of my teaching career is in sight - in 10 days, to be precise. Although I'll miss my students -at least most of them - and of course the books and many of my colleagues, I will not miss the increasing demands that the administration has placed on us. Every year, they want an extra ounce of our blood. Their demands are draining, leaving me pressed to find time to do much else.
I'm looking forward to having time to pursue my other interests - drawing, painting and writing. I also plan to make time to do some traveling with my husband. We've been so busy raising our kids, then scrimping to put both our boys through college, that we haven't had time to see much of the world, outside of a few ski slopes. Skiing is s fun way to spend a winter day, but I'd like to see other places, too - Venice, Florence, the Greek and Roman ruins, the castles of England, Wales and Scotland. I'd like to go to Australia and New Zealand and see something of South America.
So, in August when those annoying Staples commercials air - you know them ("It's the most wonderful time of the year..." ) - I'm not going to get stressed or anxious about the advent of a new school year. I'm not going to wonder if I should go in early to look over the new books, contemplate decorating my bulletin boards or think about buying new clothes or planning new lessons. Instead I'm going to enjoy September - take a morning bike ride or run, do some writing in my pajamas and go to art classes. I'm going to savor the soft days of late September and not think about stepping into the role of teacher again.
I can hardly wait.
