Happy New Year!!

In keeping with the 'has this Jeff Garrett guy lost his mind?' theme, I thought I would write about a happy new year, today, on Labor Day.  There are literally dozens of teachers going back to school tomorrow and to them I wanted to say...happy new year!  For the millions of us who work in districts who don't subscribe to the whole, "school starts right after Labor Day" notion, I say..."Yay!  We already got a day off!  After only a week of school."

I know it sounds funny to get a day off so quickly after summer break but I gotta tell you, some of us (perhaps people who teach one grade level higher than me...but I digress) already needed a break desperately.  Luckily, I do not count myself in that particular group this year.  I, for some blessed and unforeseen reason, have been given an experimental class this year.  I am teaching a group of nicely programmed little five year old robots who want nothing more than to wait and see what it is I want them to do next.  (That pounding sound you hear is me knocking on wood and hoping that the year continues as well as it has so far)  It's not to say that it has all been perfect.  I have already talked to a few parents, restated the rules numerous times, and given some time outs, but oh what a difference a year makes.

I know that some people think that summer break is a pretty cool gig and teachers should just get back to work already with no breaks.  To them I say that I could explain about all the times that I have already had to turn on the school alarm as I left because the custodians had already gone home.  I could explain that I have already taken boxes of work home with me because there just aren't enough hours in the day to get things done at school.  I could say that my children are researching child labor laws to see if I really can make them cut, and glue, and trace, and color, and fold, and tape, and staple, and...you get the idea.  (If I can't, don't let them know)  I could tell you that I go home exhausted from being "on" all day with an active bunch of four and five year olds.  I could tell you that I am paying out of my own pocket to get first day of school pictures for everyone, and that I had to make two trips since someone couldn't be there on the first day.  I could, but I won't.   You have heard it all before.  And if you haven't, then I should probably also tell you that you could switch your auto insurance in less than fifteen minutes with Geico.

I am looking forward to a great new year that doesn't have anything to do with a falling ball...unless you count the playground.  The kids are ready, the parents are ready, the staff is ready, and I have an extra day off so that I can paint, and do yard work, and move furniture, and clean, and organize, and you get the idea.  Who's the genius who decided to name it "Labor" Day?

Have a great year everyone!!