Summer

So what does a teacher do over the summer? I'll admit, I take the first two to three weeks "off".

I let my kids stay up late, so we can play games. One of my favorite games, Skip-Bo...

I went on a three day retreat and made some cards ...

As we are trying to sell our home, so I've been painting ...

a wall from a Leom child's bedroom ... yuck!!!

I am spending time with my grandparents, who I don't see often enough during the busy school year ...

out to lunch with my girls, my mom, our family friend, my grandma (and my son's arm)

I invited my family to my house for Father's Day. Please "meet" three of my favorite dads, my dad, my brother, my husband, and the six cousins ...

 I am enjoying the "moments" ...

my seven year olds capturing helicopter seeds with tennis rackets as they rain down

 I am appreciating the blue skies and warm sunshine ...

 I am enjoying the benefits of living in Milaca

(Hope I'll see some of you at the Milaca Parade! I'll be near the judging area.)

 I am taking in some golf lessons, T-ball, Tsunami, swimming lessons, and soon, basketball camp ...

 I am finding new projects in my house to prepare my house to sell ... like removing the border ...

before

after

 I am running. It started seriously, the summer my youngest kids were two. They were too old for morning naps, yet had a fussy period in the mid-morning, so Mr. Leom and I would take turns with the jogging stroller taking them for runs around town. Now, five summers later, my runs include a different set of wheels, their bikes.

Although, I am "taking time off" from school ... I am not really.

As I paint, clean, remove borders, pack, mow the lawn, weed ... run, I have a lot of time to think, reflect, and plan for the coming school year. A BIG part of teaching, is needing the time to reflect. This year, I had the privilege to teach over 60 fourth graders. Each child is unique, an individual, and has their own learning style, temperament, and needs. I often reflect about what worked well, what isn't working, and brainstorm what can be more effective. There were MANY successes this school year. There were also areas that could be improved. The parent surveys provide additional feedback and support, and I need some time to develop a better plan. Seventeen years of teaching, and I still have much to learn!

My retreat ... was spent with eight other educators from Sartell and Sauk Centre. I have a list of new ideas, programs, books, aps, and information to research and think about.

My time spent with my kids ... we are reading books I am investigating for fourth grade. I NEED to read student books over the summer, so I am prepared for suggestions, conversations, and planning for my students.

Last week, I spent over a day sorting pictures from the last weeks of school into envelopes and addressing them. I had to reorder a photo or two. Next, I spent another day and wrote out letters. Then this week, I mailed letters to over 60 students. When you teach reading and writing, and you want your students to experience reading and writing, modeling is important. That, and I really miss my kids.

Then as I rest my hands, sore from holding a paint brush, or raw from scrubbing the latest hidden corner, I am researching for the next school year. Pinterest is one way I organize the information I am gathering ...

One of my workshops on the last days of school, I received an iPad to use over the summer. I had two students who needed them during the school year. I need to spend time this summer becoming familiar with it. This is not like my iPad at home that I use for my Netflix and iBook addictions ... errr ... interests. This is the iPad that I need to begin using to research fourth grade applications and prepare for our future technology initiative that will eventually include fourth graders.

Meanwhile, I am thankful to live in Milaca, because I am running into my students and parents at Tball, swimming lessons, the park, Dairy Queen, while I am running, at the grocery store, church ... and I love how my "job" intersects with my daily life, even the just-got-out-of-bed, messy hair, lacking make up, paint splattered clothing, non-professional me.

I am regularly communicating with the fourth grade team members and other school staff. We are sharing experiences, ideas, and planning. We are an extended family. There isn't a day during the summer that I am not networking with a staff member (and Mr. Leom, who shares my house, doesn't count).

This is what "two-to-three weeks off" looks like. In July, I start "actual work time". There are locker tags to make, bulletin boards to plan, novel units to develop, so when August rolls around, I am IN my classroom. There are several curriculum days where I will be working with staff to plan and develop curriculum for next year (and beyond). The MCA data arrived last year in July. I will be in the office when it arrives, asking questions, and sorting through it to help determine any changes that need to be made.

I am thankful I love what I do. It is difficult to separate my job from my personal life.

So when you hear, "teachers, they have their summers off" ... I do. Instead of my 60-80 hour work week, I am only putting in about 20 hours a week this month ... about 30 hours a week next month ... and only 40 hours a week in August, because when the school year starts ... my time for projects is limited and will have to wait until next summer!

my current daydream - land in Milaca where we hope to call home soon

Encourage your fourth grader to write to me! I welcome emails, letters, and visits when we meet as we are out-and-about. I enjoy watching our kids grow up, and I enjoy sharing in the adventure! This is my summer.