That gave me one full day to clean my house, visit with family, and pack my stuff for a fun-filled summer (haha), and zero time to wind down from the school year.
Awesome.
I really don't mean to complain. My summer - so far - is really great. It's busy cooking for a bunch of hungry people, but it really isn't that bad. Our family business is exciting and really, who else does mining exploration?
But the purpose for this blog isn't to discuss our business or what's happening in our camp. The purpose is to share something with you in the hopes that it brightens one teacher's day.
You see, last year (2012/2013) was a challenge for me. It was my second year teaching and I was faced with some difficult moments. I also took two AQ courses which absolutely devoured ALL of my personal time. I lived, ate, slept and breathed work.
I had no life.
My children didn't know me anymore.
My husband - bless him - didn't know me anymore.
I didn't know me anymore.
When the summer finally came, I actually considered leaving the teaching profession. To say I was burnt out would have been polite. A week before I had to go back to work (we are called in a week before the first day of school), I was in a full-on panic. I was NOT ready. Not even close. But, something clicked and by the time those sweet little faces greeted me on the first day, I felt fresh and rejuvenated and ready to jump into to a brand new year.
To start things off, I had my kids put together a 'time capsule' to be opened at the end of the year.We cut a piece of string to measure our heights, outlined our hand, some outlined their feet, and we wrote a letter to ourselves. We then decorated a large manila envelope, put all the pages in it, sealed it shut and put them away until the end of June. On the last full day of school, we opened our envelopes and laughed at how much everyone had grown, and giggled at our letters. Some students shared their letters with the class and others chose to keep theirs private. You can download this product from my Teachers Pay Teachers store by clicking here.
I too wrote a letter and when I read it at the end of the year, I was reminded of how I KNEW I might need reassuring that rejuvenation would come. It sort of made me feel a little warm and gooey and I thought it just might be what some teachers need to hear after a long and challenging year. This is the letter:
And here is what it says:
Dear Mrs. Dusome, or me, hahaha!
I am so excited about this year! I have an amazing group of kids and can't wait to see all they'll accomplish. I LOVE my job. I hope you haven't forgotten that. No matter how busy and hectic your days get, you LOVE this job! If you could, you'd even do it for free!
Hopefully you're not too burnt out. If you are, you WILL feel better in September! I promise!
Did you stay organized and on top of things? You sure set out to do so at the beginning of the year! Did you give feedback to the kids on a regular basis? You better have! Haha.
Have a great summer.
You totally deserve iot!
Mrs. D...
ME
So, if you're one of those teachers out there that ended the year feeling completely exhausted, hopefully my September letter can help. Rejuvenation WILL come. I promise!!
