One Year Ago

One year ago, I was into my first retirement year with no schedules or daily agenda to move me too early out of the house. I was, however, involved with a play at the theater. That served to keep me busy during the day as I searched for props and costumes. Now one year later, I am once again involved with a play at the theater doing the same things, searching for props and costumes. However, this year I add to that task, a couple of part time jobs that keep me busy enough to make my day seem like full time work.

I supervisor a nice group of young women as they student teach in area elementary schools. Enrolled in a nearby university, the intern course not only requires their presence at the elementary school one day a week, but they also have to write papers and complete assignments. All of which I have to grade and along with evaluating their teaching abilities assign their semester grade for the course. Its my task to read and score all of their assignments and return them to the students in a timely manner. Even though reading college students' papers are more interesting than reading third grade students' papers, I still get sleepy while reading.

Also, new from last year is a small tutoring group I've recently began to teach at the same school from which I retired. I marvel as I work with these students who are the same ages of the children I had in my classes as a full time teacher. These sweet children seem so young and much smaller than I remembered. Its funny what being away for a year will do to our memories. I forget how much older those 8-9 year old children appeared and how I expected them to be so much better behaved. When really, they were children being little children, and some with dysfunctional families, children forced to be adults at home. Perhaps I expected too much from them. This small group of students who are in need of assistance to be able to pass the state mandated test in April, are really just little kids. I'm enjoying them since it's a little like grand parenting. I get to enjoy our short time together and when we are finished, I release them back to their teachers and I get to go back home.

I guess the point of this blog entry is simple a reflection on where I was a year ago and where I am today. A year ago my day started out in my gown, coffee in hand, seated on the couch with my laptop. I may or may not go anywhere depending on what other little chores I had to complete, which were few. Today not only do I have errands for the play we are working on, I have the part time jobs to keep me busy. Its a good thing too because I needed a reason to get up every day, to shower, fix my face and hair and be productive. However, I find that at times I'm a little more productive than I'd like to be.

The downside to my retirement is less income. Not that I want to buy a lot of stuff, I just don't want to be wondering how the bills are going to get paid every month. Bills left over from years past are still around and I labor over the thought that retirement was premature on my part. So I ask myself as I look around the schools I am visiting, "Do I want a classroom again? Do I want to make out lesson plans, discipline the disturbed children, work with administration again?" Then I recall headaches, stomach upset and over whelming feelings of too much to do and I have to answer with a resounding, "NO". I do not want a classroom of my own.

Doing work with the interns and students I tutor keeps me active. The real fulfilling aspect of supervising interns and tutoring children is that I feel more respect than I ever had as a classroom teacher. People listen to me as a university supervisor and they seem to think I know what I'm talking about. They trust that I am doing my job. No one is looking over my shoulder making sure I have all the TEKS in my lesson plans or recording my students' scores properly. My university administration I'm sure has its problems, but I feel like they respect who I am, my degree of education and experience enough to let me do my job without sending the message that they do not trust me. I am able to have time to volunteer with the theater and still have time to earn money to supplement my retirement check. Maybe I'll find another job one day that pays more, but one thing is for sure, it won't be a full time position in a public school classroom.