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Wednesday, June 28, 2006
The “Myth” of Summers Off
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On the previous thread, Robert writes:
“Patti -
Will you PLEASE stop perpetuating the myth that teachers have the summer “off.” We do not. We must take classes for certification renewal. We possibly do take a “vacation” for a week or two like any other employed person does, but we do not have summers “off.”
This summer, I am taking 4 PhD level classes at GA State plus getting AP certified (a week at Olgethorpe University). That is more than a full load even for a full time student. Is this a summer “off” for me?”
My response:
I think that the myth is that teachers spend their summers lounging poolside. Most of the teachers I know teach summer school, take classes, work as nannies etc. But… I don’t think it is a myth that teachers have the summer off. You do. It may be a short summer. But that is time that you have off from your regular classroom job, and you may spend it in the way that’s best for you whether it’s at home with your kids or working toward an advanced degree.
I welcome thoughts from others on this…
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A Permanent Mental Health Break
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I rarely have time to peruse the bajillions of education-related blogs out there. Usually, I just drop by Get on the Bus, This Week in Education, Gradebook, The Chalkboard and School Me! (The latter is hard for me to read regularly as the dizzying quantity of content and graphics fills me with feelings of inadequacy…)
Anyway, via Get on the Bus, written by Scott Elliott of the Dayton Daily News, I found this blog by a teacher who resigned, citing concerns for her mental health. It’s a fascinating read, very honest. The title, appropriately, is “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”
She quit because she couldn’t handle the “crazy scheduling and the lack of standards and the roller-coaster syle life on stage.” She says she pushed herself too hard, tried to do too much.
Teachers, can you relate? Parents, are you sympathetic to what teacher go through? Or do you wonder how I have the nerve to ask that given that it’s summer and they’re not even working and they have it so easy they wouldn’t last a week in the corporate world and when are teachersgoingtostopwhininganddotheirjob?
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