School and anticipation of Summer

The school  year is nearing the end as we enter into the last twenty school days. Teachers are getting a taste of summer as the days lengthen and the days are beginning to feel like summer - we have the same anticipation that students do about the summer with the feeling of freedom that the summer offers us.

We can no longer worry about the alarm clock, stay up late, go here or there as our fancies allow us (or our pocketbooks). We march to the time of our own clock. These anticipations are felt as we may stay up a little later or hit the snooze button one more time. We plan summer time activities in our heads. You get the idea.

But the days ahead are not easy ones - for special education teachers, we have the end of year reviews and the development of next year's IEP (individualized education program) for each student. It's time consuming, the scheduling is hectic, and my brain cells feel expended.

This year has been particularly difficult as the last half of the year, which has lent itself to the unbloggable, which has affected me deeply and profoundly. It continues, and it will for some time. Yesterday added more to the story of more "stuff" - it would be so helpful to feel some sort of support. Sigh......

In today's world, teaching encompasses so much more than what we think of as teaching. Children eat two meals at school today and for those of us who work with young students assist in that at some level, some of us more so than others. We are taking care of some of the very basic needs while they are there, some of it because of the nature of the child and the fact I am in special education, but for some of those needs, it is because the parents expect it. So many parents send their children sick to school, some because they must work and taking off means they do not get paid. Others because they would prefer to send their child to school sick for no other reason than they want them to be cared for by someone else.

With that being said, there are parents that take very good care of their children, and nurture and care for their children that will allow the child(ren) to grow up to be emotionally healthy people who have  had their needs met.

So the countdown is on - with a furlough day this week at the end. Hope all you teaching types (and those who are not) anticipate summer with the same childlike way you did in your childhood. What do you anticipate for the summer?