(Original Post - June 2011)
“The two best things about teaching are July and August.” It’s an expression you hear a lot this time of year. I’ve seen it on t-shirts, mugs, lame little plaques that someone must be foolish enough to buy, because they keep making them. More likely, they're used for teacher gifts as the year wraps up. I realize that the phrase is only a ‘joke’, not to be taken too seriously, but I tend to take it seriously, and feel a little disgusted every time I hear it, for several reasons.
There are people who think, and have actually asked me, in all seriousness, if I became a teacher to get the summers off.
There are people with whom I went through university who actually did become a teacher for this reason.
It suggests that the best part of doing this awesome job is not having to do this job.
Let me stop here. I am not saying that I do not appreciate vacation time. In fact, this was one of the tougher years on me professionally and personally for several reasons; balancing three roles within my job and having cancer repeatedly show up in my family and steal one of the greatest friends I’ve ever known is quite trying. A break is good. And it's necessary for the students as well as the teachers. I am ready for the break and will enjoy it fully. However, the enjoyment is somewhat lessened on days when I’m forced to listen to the inane comments from the people in reason 1 mentioned above. “Sure you’re a teacher, you got it made. Doing nothing all summer and getting paid! I should have been a teacher.”
I used to make the following arguments.
Yes, I do have it made
But, I made what I have, made good decisions, studied hard, earned the degrees, and chose a profession I love.
I don’t get paid for the summer. My summer pay is taken from the 10 months I work.
I work hard for those 10 months, and my day doesn’t end when the students go home at 3:00.
And finally, though I don't often say this to Mr. or Mrs. Inane Comment, “It takes a certain type of person to be a teacher.” It’s kind of like parenting. You can go ahead and decide you're going to be a parent, much like you can go ahead and decide you'll be an educator. However, be a good parent, an effective one, you have to put in the hard work every single day. Teaching is the same. Many consider it a calling, and this great profession requires committed people to answer that call. You can't go in with half a heart. And you certainly can't do it exclusively for the vacation time. Is being a bitter, miserable person for 10 months worth 2 on vacation? Spoiler: it isn't.
These days, I don't make the arguments. I figure as long as I know myself that the break is justified and well used, what difference does it make what others think. Short thought: I was in a meeting recently – a year-end meeting for a student with academic and social challenges – and I said to the guardian, “So, I assume that Jane (not real name) is looking forward to summer holidays?” The guardian smiled, shook his head and said, “You know what? She’s not. She loves school. She loves everything about this place. She doesn't want the last day to come.”
I stopped, and instantly recalled a couple of students who’d felt the same way when I taught high school a couple of years ago. I remember talking to one teenager who told me she was absolutely dreading the thought of school ending. School was where she was happy, where she was accepted, where she was listened to. She did not want to leave.
It got me thinking. Yes, so many people count down the days until summer break. So many teachers and students live for the break, and rightfully enjoy it. But the big idea that these kids taught me is this; for many kids, the school year is the break.
School is where many kids actually get the attention they deserve. They go there knowing there is someone there who wants to help them, teach them, support them, listen to them. Someone who has high expectations for them, and will push them to achieve everything they possibly can. In some but not all cases, these kids had parents that were, for lack of a better word, ‘ineffective’ in their ability to parent. As I alluded to earlier, being a parent doesn’t make you a good one.
This big idea reminded me that what we do for those 10 months impacts lives. In some cases, the effect is profound. I think it’s really important to remember that many kids are going to greatly enjoy those 2 months of blissful summer freedom. But I can’t help but remember the kids who told me that they couldn’t wait to come back. When I’m enjoying my 2 months ‘off’ (‘off’ meaning landscaping, gardening, cooking, writing, and enjoying endless activities with the two most beautiful kids in the world), I’ll remind myself of two things; 1) the ‘break’ is very well deserved, and 2) there are kids whose lives become much richer when we reach the end of the “two best things about teaching”.
Just a thought – Give some thought to how much you love your job. Taking into consideration the fact that we all have those bad days, do you work with enough passion, enjoyment and effectiveness to deserve the break, or are you just working for the break. If it’s the latter, ask yourself why.
Two quotes this time… one for July, one for August.
“Good teachers are costly, but bad teachers cost more.” -Bob Talbert “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” -William Arthur Ward
a little extra
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