Sum-, Sum-, Summertime

Since I was introduced to public education as a new six-year-old only one week previous to my entry into first grade, I've had those three months off from school or work and spent that free time doing whatever I pleased. Five years into retirement from Texas Education and I still can not wrap my brain around working at a real job during the months of June, July or August. My teacher husband is off for the summer months, catching up on yard work left to grow during the spring months he was still teaching school. As a theater teacher, his workdays turned into rehearsal evenings and the grass and weeds didn't wait on him.  For many past summers he and I were involved in the Baytown Little Theater summer musical, but not this summer. The days are warm and I'm willing to do just about anything, but unfortunately, those anythings are non-paying just like those summer musicals we spent singing and dancing on stage. Of course, we are also spending a fair amount of time out of town on short trips to places of interest. Maybe I'll find a job next month.

That said, there were a few summers growing up when I continued to attend school. The first occasion for which I took a summer class, was not of my choosing, but rather my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Mays. It would seem that she thought my reading aptitude not to be up to par and suggested to my mom that I take summer reading at the high school. The fact that one of my girlfriends from my neighborhood was also taking reading made the idea a little more bearable. I was sure I'd miss being at home like my classmates sleeping late, playing outside and watching TV.  However, that would not be the case as my friend and I only lived one block from the high school and could ride our bicycles to school. The other reason summer reading turned out to be a good experience was because it forced me to read books. We were in a sort of contest to see how many books we could read. I remember reading 17 books during that month of classes. And to top it off, the reading wasn't all bad like the home readers the teachers always made me take home during the school year. So, I learned to enjoy reading books that summer. 

After my 8th grade year, and it could hardly be classified as school, I took a sewing class held in the home economics classrooms at the junior high school. Those weeks of domestic sewing was almost camp-like as the members of our small group earned half of a high school credit for our efforts. I remember that summer as a lot of fun with my girlfriends. In a surprisingly relaxed atmosphere set around classroom sewing machines and ironing boards, it was unlike the regular 9-month school sessions we had just completed. Mrs. Kilebrew, our teacher, was a person from whom I would take Home Economics during my ninth grade year. She was not at all as stuffy as I thought she would be. For one thing she allowed us to play the radio loud enough to be heard throughout the large sewing room we occupied. There were no boys in that summer class, not because they weren't invited, they just were not interested in sewing a new summer outfit for themselves. Just as well too because I believe it would have ruined our all female, carefree sense of freedom. With windows open and fans circulating air throughout our non-air-conditioned school room, our small ban of girls laughed, talked, and sewed to such tunes like Otis Redding's Sitting on the Dock of the Bay. To this day, I can't hear that song without remembering Pat Quiggly ironing her garment when all of a sudden the iron caught on fire. She raced around from the two rooms we occupied screaming "fire" at the top of her lungs. Our teacher calmly put the tiny fire out by unplugging the iron and douching the tiny flame. We laughed so hard at her expression until finally Pat joined in our hysterics, and Otis sang out "....sitting on the dock of the bay, wasting time..."

This summer of 2012 has been carefree with Kim at home most of the time. I've enjoyed our leisurely days of sleeping until we woke up, then practically doing nothing the rest of the day except enjoying an episode of one of our favorite TV shows. Although we have made some progress on the yard work, it is not fully under control and probably won't be until the fall and winter seasons cause the leaves to fall and we can see the plants that lie beneath the weeds.

It is August now and its hard to believe that I'm about to turn 60 years old just twenty days from now. Summer school with my young girlfriends, trips to Oklahoma with my parents, camping trips with my 3 sons and husband, numerous plays at the Baytown Little Theater and so many church activities over the years have flooded my brain just now. That's a lot of stuff and a lot of summers. School starts back soon and Kim will be actively involved in his school plays, rehearsals, and teaching. The days I don't work will be lonely and quiet with many of them flowing into lonely quiet evenings as Kim has to attend one meeting or another. Hopefully, I can find a job to occupy my time and add to our finances.  Ah, summer!  I will miss you very much! Until next year...

Awakening to a Do-Over Day

As fall approaches, these almost back-to-school days conjure up desires from deep inside of me to decorate an elementary school classroom, but that’s where it ends.  Although, the smell of freshly opened boxes of Crayola Crayons, newly sharpen yellow pencils and soft pink erasers is like none other, all the accompanying work of preparing for wide-awake, ready to go, children back from summer vacation makes me sigh in relief that it is no longer my full time task. Thankfully, schools of teachers will have their opportunity to turn yet another generation of kids on to reading, writing and arithmetic without my name on the staff roster.

Last week I renewed my substitute teacher papers with my local school district and wrote emails to a few of my principal friends to let them know that I am willing to substitute teach or tutor students. That is just enough school exposure to keep me in the loop and satisfy my longing for teaching children again.

Teachers, children and most of their parents are desperately trying to squeeze every bit of summer out before giving in to school for another year.  The stores have had school displays going up since the start of July.  Those new backpacks, pencils, glue bottles, loose leaf paper and binders is a stark reminder to anyone involved in public education that a new beginning is just around the corner. 

When I taught school, I would start by looking back at how I taught a particular subject the previous year and determine to do a better job this time. Workshops were offered, colorful, crisp wall posters went up and new teaching strategies were employed. I’d enter my classroom pumped up to teach with more enthusiasm and welcome each new student with genuine concern for him or her as a learner. My task to enhance their education was a challenge I accepted each August. Sometimes my toolbox of teaching tricks was merely a remodel of teaching techniques already in place. Other years, it was something entirely fresh learned during a summer workshop, and I could hardly wait to try it out on my students. That was always a goal as school started back after summer break, to do a job better with more student success than last year. I love a do-over, fresh start and new beginning. It is a chance to learn from past mistakes and to get it right this time.  As my 60^th birthday is fast upon me, I am concerned that I do not have many more chances to “get it right”.  I may never get it right, but I know I have to keep trying.

What are your new beginnings? Whether you are a teacher trying to guide young minds to higher thinking, a business executive attempting to keep the status quo or a blue-collar worker just trying to put food on the table, don’t give up. Just know that every day you wake up, at the end of every grading period or status report, God has given you a new beginning. Embrace it and be glad you got to have a do-over day.