Teacher Truth #21 Spring Break is Sacred

Nothing makes you appreciate your spring break like learning about nearby schools that only have a four day weekend, some weekend in April. Blasphemy! Every teacher, every student, every staff member from the Principal to the Custodian needs a full five day spring break. Let me first just acknowledge the pain, the suffering, the dredge that is going through March without a spring break. However, to only get a four day weekend in April and call it a “Spring Break” is just unconstitutional. Inconceivable. Insane in the membrane.

If I had a quarter for anytime someone has commented on how “lucky” teachers are because we “get summers off” I could buy pencils for all my students. I have yet to find the words for how important the breaks throughout the year are, forget the summer break- give me Spring Break!

When you look at the data around American student’s “summer slide” and the rest of the worlds school calendars, you easily realize how education is just glorified babysitting. If we really wanted what was best for kids, not adults work schedules, we would schedule more breaks during the school year. I have lived as a kid in Europe, taught as a teacher in Africa and can tell you- America is doing it wrong. Let’s start by saving Spring Break. Save the sanity! Preserve Spring Break!

Teacher Truth #22 We all Wonder if we Chose the Right Career

Now, the weeks leading up to break, especially if it coincides with a full moon – they tend to make any teacher question their life choices. We need to normalize and discuss the insanity of this job and just how many of us leave each day wondering “What the f*ck am I doing with my life?” Maybe then we will feel less alone, surround by tiny terrors all day. Or slightly larger terrors. No matter the size, the power dynamic is designed to pit one against the other. Day after day after day. Students vs teachers, parents vs teachers, admin vs teachers. It would be nice if teachers could support teachers because honestly, it feels like no one else will.

Teacher Truth #23 Nothing Really Matters

At a Title I school in Denver, Colorado a very wise school counselor once told me “today is the last April 3rd you will ever spend with this child.” Standing at the edge of the canyon in Zion National Park, I was reminded of this impermanence of teaching. Despite my best efforts, late night emails or early wake up calls – these stones will never know or remember. Heck, even I can’t remember the stressors of three years ago but I can tell you I felt them and I was stressed about them.

Why does everything we do feel like it carries such magnitude? What is the underlying stressor that teachers carry from their week into their weekend into the sleep and into their dreams? Gosh I wish I knew, I wish I could find the on/off switch to stop the stress thoughts.

For now – I’m going to chuck my watch against the wall – it just reminded me how stressed I am.