School's out for-ever!
Yes, at long last the day has come--the end of the New York City school year! I, for one, often thought it would never arrive. But it has, and wow, am I ever grateful.
It is strange also though, because today is my last day being a teacher.
Yes, I am not going back to my school next year. (Is this really a surprise? I think not.) But additionally, I am not going to any other school next year. I am done with teaching. For real this time.
So today was the last time that I walked out of my very own classroom. It's bittersweet, because there are some kids I will miss, and there are some teacher experiences I will miss, and there are some amazing colleagues I will definitely miss (well, not like I ever had time to talk to them). But I will not miss the behavior nonsense and the lacking administrator support. (Do you know that the principal never once set foot in my room? Except once she had to borrow our broom. But never to see our class, to evaluate, to lend a presence, nothing. Does that tell you a little about our school? How about the fact that the clocks all stopped like two weeks ago and they haven't been fixed? You know the broken windows theory, right?)
Anyway, so this is the end. I lugged the last of my stuff--three very full bags' worth--home this afternoon and now I have to keep reminding myself that it's only Monday, instead of the longest weekend ever, AND THAT I DON'T HAVE TO GET UP EARLY AND GO TO SCHOOL TOMORROW!!!
All of this ending business will take time to sink in, but right now I'm most grateful for the chance to SLEEP. Man, this year has been exhausting!
Also, as it is currently five thousand degrees in my apartment (though only two thousand in front of the window fan), I am off to find some air-conditioning in which to hang out for a bit. I will be posting more soon. (Since there's all this extra time now, since I'm not a teacher anymore! Whee!)
7 comments:
J,
I would like to see you write a book about your experiences. Now that you're done with teaching, you can do so. I just wrote a book myself, "The Education and Deconstruction of Mr. Bloomberg" due out in about a month. No, I've never been a teacher, but half of the book is on education. There are plenty of teacher-bloggers out there, but I think an entire book-- if you could pull one together-- would be especially popular. Look me up on Facebook: Sally Friedman from New York, NY.
It'll hard to imagine you without the Roos or some other strange group of children... but I guess it's been plain to you for a while that it would be ending soon.
One deep breath, and look ahead. Tomorrow, then the summer, then
Good luck in your next adventure!
Jonathan
I wish you the best of luck.
I can't believe the principal never once bothered to visit you and your students. Was this a regular NYC public school or charter???
But what really concerns me is that you don't have an a/c!!! We are in for a long-hot and humid summer. So go out and get yourself a unit for at least one room in your apartment.
Enjoy your summer.
So you could only take it for 6 years? In an inner city school, I'm guessing? I understand completely. I last 21 years but it's time to go do something else. I wish you well. We'll have to check in now and then to see how this non-teaching thing will work. 8-)
I'm envious as heck and I'd love to hear the back-story as to why this is *really* it. Good luck with everything and keep taking photos!
Instead of saying "you could only take it for six years..." I say congrats to you for making it six years!!!! It was tough (huge understatement), and you made it SIX YEARS!!!! What is even better is that you knew when you were done and you got out instead of forcing yourself to keep going and going and going. So great for you!! I am a former teacher too, and am now finding a new passion.
Good luck to you. And your wedding dress was beautiful!!!!!
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