Why Teachers Are Ready for Summer, Too

It's that time of year...only 16 and a half days left with students, a teacher work day, and then we're free! We know the kids are ready to be out, but the teachers...ah, if you could be a fly on the wall in a teachers' lounge, just what would you hear? Without naming names, I can give you some idea...

• "Testing's over, and so are the kids!"
• "When am I supposed to actually teach anything with all of these end of the year activities?"
• "This parent wants me to do what at this late date in the year?"
• "It's too quiet in here...they're plotting something."
• "It's too noisy in here...they're plotting something."
• "How many times do I have to tell them that yes, we are actually going to WORK this afternoon and not just watch movies?"
• "And all of a sudden he's worried about passing NOW?"
• "Sure, I can run the Awards Ceremony, do car duty, keep up with all my grading, discipline everybody in sight, plan a field trip, do scheduling for next year, and get my grades turned in two weeks early. No problem."
• "How long can we suspend a child now? Can we make it last through the end of the year?"
• "OMG, just how many hormones do 7th graders have at this time of year?"
• "I swear, if he gives me one more thing to fill out, I'm going off the deep end."
• "Now why would the kids believe that we're suddenly going to have a different way of doing things simply because there are 3 weeks of school left?"
• "Now why would the parents believe that we're suddenly going to have a different way of doing things simply because there are 3 weeks of school left?"
• "Why can't they pipe in Prozac through the vent system?"
• "What if my class next year is worse than this year's?"

And you thought we were all sunshine and roses all the time, right? This is easily the most stressful time of year. I'm saying the above in a joking manner, but I could rant until I'm blue in the face. As it is, I'm just going to take deep breaths and remember that this, too, shall pass. Even if some kids don't. :)

~taminator40