Teachers' Thread

[belle8306]

First grade teacher here. We have 6 student days left. My class is soooo ready for summer! It is hectic right now getting everything wrapped up. I keep reminding them that we aren't done yet.

 

[FairyGodmotherJen]

4th grade teacher south of Indy here - I have THREE MORE DAYS with kids. This year has been a doozy - the end of my maternity leave the first nine weeks, a 2 week absence for pneumonia, my grandmother passing away, and a rather challenging class. I'll still miss some of them when they go, though (our kids go to an intermediate building for 5/6). Made it through Sports Day today, so just a few more!!! Oh, and I just started my masters this week on-line....

Good luck to all!! (Hi, Shelley! )

 

[MeMom]

Today was our last day with kids. Now it's all paperwork and tying up lose ends.

I've been teaching in a Nashville school for about fifteen years, most of that in third grade. After asking for several years for a break from TCAP, the principal is finally letting me move down a grade. My team teacher is moving down, as well, and we are both pretty thrilled about the prospect of going through the year with no TCAP stress!

I'll enjoy a one week break before teaching four weeks of summer school, going to two workshops, taking an online course, running the kitchen at church camp, and then the next day catching a 6:30 a.m. flight to Disney World for a ten day all-family trip!

Aaaah, the restful summer life of a teacher!

 

[disneymom8589]

Another teacher here! I teach high school. This is our last full week of school before three partial weeks. I am trying to see how I can swing the podcast cruise in 2010.

--Tracie

I'm in the same boat! DH and I really want to go on the podcast cruise in 2010, but I don't think I'll be able to swing it. We get 3 personal leave days a year and can bank one from the previous year. I am going to need all 4 days for the 2009-2010 school year...2 for marathon weekend at WDW and 2 for our DS's wedding next May (he's proposing tomorrow night! ), so I won't have the extra banked day I need for the 4-night cruise. If DS and his soon-to-be fiancee' change their wedding to the summer, we will very likely go on the cruise.

 

[Jotash]

This thread has brought me out of hiding. I'm a middle school social studies teacher, at least right now I am. I'm still waiting to hear if I'll have a job next year. My school doesn't tell us until the last day because they don't want us slacking off if we're not invited back. Only 10 more school days!!! We finish on June 4.

 

[froggy5657]

Not a teacher, but a student... Close Enough! We have a 4 day weekend

 

[TAKitty]

I'm in the same boat! DH and I really want to go on the podcast cruise in 2010, but I don't think I'll be able to swing it. We get 3 personal leave days a year and can bank one from the previous year. I am going to need all 4 days for the 2009-2010 school year...2 for marathon weekend at WDW and 2 for our DS's wedding next May (he's proposing tomorrow night! ), so I won't have the extra banked day I need for the 4-night cruise. If DS and his soon-to-be fiancee' change their wedding to the summer, we will very likely go on the cruise.

We can take unpaid time off, so I might do that. I have never requested the time before, so I feel like they can't say no. I only get two personal days and they can't be banked.

Yeah, on your son's proposal!

 

[ericafny]

This thread is actually depressing me now...why can't I find a teaching job

 

[PinkBudgie]

I don't have the time to read this entire thread right now but thought I would jump in too.

I teach Pre-K as part of a private elementary school. It is really like kindergarten was when I was little but we adjust for different kids and no pressure. We get out June 3rd. This has been a hard year because this class has so many strong personalities. Lots of drama. But I love them!

I'm looking forward to summer vacation but also sad because I may not have a job there next year. Enrollment is down and there are only about 7 children registered for next year. The school is thinking of offering a 3 year old program too, so if they did I could do that. I probably won't know until Aug what happens.

My DH is a middle school math teacher so our whole family is on the school schedule.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I'm so glad to see all of you on this thread. It'll be a great support for the upcoming school year!

We have 19 school days left. Unlike so many of you, we don't have to go in for one day as just teachers. We do our staff days twice during the school year.

I really am excited for this summer. It'll be my first one without graduate school in a very long time; I graduated in December! Woohoo!

I am also trying to figure out a way to do the podcast cruise. I can't get approval for all of those unpaid days and don't have any personal days left. I am combining them with a weekend for a short trip in November. I'm sure that there will be a special podcast event at one point or another that I can get to despite my teaching schedule.

Hugs to everyone who is still waiting to see if they will be hired back or get tenure. I feel very blessed to not have to worry about that any longer. I have been at my district for 6 1/2 years now and am very happy with it. Sure, it has its political upsets, but every school district does. We have a fantastic faculty and I feel like such a part of it. Last week, I was nominated to be next year's vice president of the union. They really are encouraging me to do it, but I am still undecided. Does anyone have experience with this?

 

[palavra]

This thread has brought me out of hiding. I'm a middle school social studies teacher, at least right now I am. I'm still waiting to hear if I'll have a job next year. My school doesn't tell us until the last day because they don't want us slacking off if we're not invited back. Only 10 more school days!!! We finish on June 4.

Good luck on keeping your job! I'm a middle school social studies teacher too!

 

[msteddom]

Good luck on keeping your job! I'm a middle school social studies teacher too!

High school social studies teacher here. Hang in there Jotash!

Melissa

 

[TAKitty]

I'm so glad to see all of you on this thread. It'll be a great support for the upcoming school year!

We have 19 school days left. Unlike so many of you, we don't have to go in for one day as just teachers. We do our staff days twice during the school year.

I really am excited for this summer. It'll be my first one without graduate school in a very long time; I graduated in December! Woohoo!

I am also trying to figure out a way to do the podcast cruise. I can't get approval for all of those unpaid days and don't have any personal days left. I am combining them with a weekend for a short trip in November. I'm sure that there will be a special podcast event at one point or another that I can get to despite my teaching schedule.

Hugs to everyone who is still waiting to see if they will be hired back or get tenure. I feel very blessed to not have to worry about that any longer. I have been at my district for 6 1/2 years now and am very happy with it. Sure, it has its political upsets, but every school district does. We have a fantastic faculty and I feel like such a part of it. Last week, I was nominated to be next year's vice president of the union. They really are encouraging me to do it, but I am still undecided. Does anyone have experience with this?

I too feel so blessed that I don't have to worry about having a job next year. I have been with my district for 10 years.

VP of the union can be a lot of work! I think it depends on your district. Our district only gives us one year contracts, so the union people are in every year negotiating.

Enjoy your summer!

 

[hapandpam]

Fifth grade teacher and almost 30 years of teaching. Twenty-three more days with students for me, and a day of inservice at the end. The kids were pretty antsy last week, and I know that from now until the end of June will be challenging. It seems that every year we go later and later- this year until June 24 for elementary. High school begins local and state exams about 1 1/2 weeks earlier. I really wish the state would change our calendar and move the exams up. I would rather lose the time in February and get out a little earlier. On the bright side, we don't go back until the week before Labor Day, and the kids don't start until the day after.

A note about Union involvement. Depending on your district, it can require a lot of time and energy, especially if you are negotiating a contract or have a lot of personnal issues. However, it is very important for young people to become involved and learn from the experienced members.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Thanks for the info everybody. We are an extremely small district with just under 70 teachers in one building for PK-8. It isn't a negotiating year next year so that is good. I'm still undecided though. Argh.

Hugs and pixie dust to you all to get through our short week! It was great to have an extra day to relax!

 

[soupy11]

not a teacher myself but just got engaged to a girl who is entering teacher's college in the fall!! Very exciting and worthwhile endeavour. She has the perfect traits for the job and will be an incredible teacher once she gets done the work!

 

[Bornteach]

HI all!

I am Kristin and I am an Assistant Principal at a large elementary school in Massachusetts.

We have almost 700 kids pre-K through 5th graders with several specialized programs.

Before, I taught 5th grade in Richmond Virginia and here in Mass too!

We have 22 days of school left and I can hardly wait for vacation!!!

 

[elemusing]

Hi everybody - don't want to make anyone feel bad but today was my first day of summer vacation!!!


Of course what did I do? Set my alarm and ran errands and cleaned all day. You know how you put off everything until you have a day off when you're a teacher. . .

Just 12 days until WDW!

 

[PinkBudgie]

Hi everybody - don't want to make anyone feel bad but today was my first day of summer vacation!!!


Of course what did I do? Set my alarm and ran errands and cleaned all day. You know how you put off everything until you have a day off when you're a teacher. . .

Yes, with both of us on school schedule, all year we say, "We'll do that in the summer when we have time". Always a big project of some sort. Of course, when summer rolls around it is always too hot to clean the garage or whatever it was.

After our boys graduate in 2012, DH and I would like to go to WDW for the first time. I am wondering if we can just take time off during the year to go during a value season since at least the boys will be in college and we won't have to worry about who to watch them or pull them out of school. Guess we'll see.

 

[palavra]

Tomorrow is my last day of school! Yea! (Who says the kids look forward to summer more than the teachers!