I have just returned from a five day vacation that Kyle and I dubbed our Belated Honeymoon. We put this off for two years because we didn't have the money or time before. So, I wanted to go to the beach. We settled on the coast of Lake Michigan and we could camp at a state park that had it's own beach. As usual, we always end our coming trips with a night's stay in a hotel. We picked a historic inn in Harbor country that would be halfway between our campground and home.
Let's just say I am so glad we did this. I am more relaxed and ok with the world than ever. I am the perennial work-a-holic/overachiever/can't leave anything be-er. A week of forgetting everything go and shutting off my cell phone for the majority of a week was exactly what I needed. If you are like me, do yourself a favor and listen to others when they tell you that you need a vacation. I did. It was the best thing.
Thank you Kyle for 2 years of being married to me and taking me away on vacation the moment my last (for now) grad school paper was submitted. I Love you.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Common Myth
There is a myth that teachers get a summer off every year. This myth is very untrue. During the summer months, teachers take care of everything they neglected to do during the school year. Teachers very rarely spend time working on school related things only during contractual hours. There are those who come in early every day, stay late, or both. These neglected life items may involve:
1. Seeing a doctor- When you are a teacher, you have sick days except, you never want to use them, it is more trouble to call in, write adequate sub plans, see a doctor, and deal with the whole mess when you get back than to just come in sick. So, almost all doctor appointments are taken care of during the summer months.
2. Graduate school- Ever try to take a night class? Yeah, it usually sucks. Try to take a night class when you have grades due next week and a mountain of papers to take care of, all the while trying to feed your self/family and there is an open house this week? Impossible. So, many of us educators take summer classes to get our continuing education accomplished. Remember, if you don't keep up with that, you can't re-new your certificate or advance to a different level of certificate. Also, I as a music teacher am only legally allowed to teach music. By getting another endorsement on my teaching certificate I will be allowed to teach other subject areas if my program was to be cut or if I wanted to change subject areas.
3. Vacation- Yes, this is summer vacation but, it is the only time we can take one. Because we have no school during the summer, we don't get vacation days during the school year. This may be part of why we get so ticked off when parents take their kids out of school during the year for a vacation to a far off place. We can't make it up later.
4. Summer School- A glutton for punishment I guess. Many educators choose, and sometimes are required to teach summer school and those populations that would not thrive if they were to have several months of not being in school. If you know a special education teacher, please ask of you can make them dinner, clean their house, babysit their kids, anything to help out. These people are beyond exhausted.
5. Moving, family obligations, etc.- Remember that no vacation days thing? Yeah, all the tasks that people use those days for besides vacation must be accomplished in the summer.
So, next time you are about to tell a teacher that it must be great to have the summer off, stop talking and remember that they are just trying to catch up with the rest of their life. We have missed a lot during the school year.
1. Seeing a doctor- When you are a teacher, you have sick days except, you never want to use them, it is more trouble to call in, write adequate sub plans, see a doctor, and deal with the whole mess when you get back than to just come in sick. So, almost all doctor appointments are taken care of during the summer months.
2. Graduate school- Ever try to take a night class? Yeah, it usually sucks. Try to take a night class when you have grades due next week and a mountain of papers to take care of, all the while trying to feed your self/family and there is an open house this week? Impossible. So, many of us educators take summer classes to get our continuing education accomplished. Remember, if you don't keep up with that, you can't re-new your certificate or advance to a different level of certificate. Also, I as a music teacher am only legally allowed to teach music. By getting another endorsement on my teaching certificate I will be allowed to teach other subject areas if my program was to be cut or if I wanted to change subject areas.
3. Vacation- Yes, this is summer vacation but, it is the only time we can take one. Because we have no school during the summer, we don't get vacation days during the school year. This may be part of why we get so ticked off when parents take their kids out of school during the year for a vacation to a far off place. We can't make it up later.
4. Summer School- A glutton for punishment I guess. Many educators choose, and sometimes are required to teach summer school and those populations that would not thrive if they were to have several months of not being in school. If you know a special education teacher, please ask of you can make them dinner, clean their house, babysit their kids, anything to help out. These people are beyond exhausted.
5. Moving, family obligations, etc.- Remember that no vacation days thing? Yeah, all the tasks that people use those days for besides vacation must be accomplished in the summer.
So, next time you are about to tell a teacher that it must be great to have the summer off, stop talking and remember that they are just trying to catch up with the rest of their life. We have missed a lot during the school year.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Uh Oh
So, I somehow managed to misplace my flash drive with all of the work I have done for grad school on it. This could be very bad. I have 10 more assignments to submit and all of those assignments have been started and saved on that flash drive. I really don't want to re-do all of that work.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
So close and yet so far
I have three days left of my coursework for the summer. But, I also have what feels like a million assignments left to do. I was going so strong but this week I have hit a total plateau of energy, resilience, motivation, and creativity. I am getting close to the burn out place. This cannot happen. Granted I have had a few personal set backs (dead car, no power at home, dead computer, no internet) but, I need to muster up the energy and excitement I had a month ago.
I can do this. I am smart enough. I cannot let old habits get the best of me.
I can do this. I am smart enough. I cannot let old habits get the best of me.
Monday, July 11, 2011
I am in a sit com where everyone is laughing very hard at me.
Today was rough. It was Kyle and my anniversary. But, we were apart because I had class. This morning, Kyle was home and I was in Bloomington heading to class in Lincoln. There were major storms at home and our power got knocked out. Kyle along with 800,000 other people now have to figure out what to do. It is a mess.
Then we get to this afternoon, my car is making a weird noise. Ok, so I pull over once I get to Blo-No, can't tell about anything, get back in the car. No sound, yay! Stop at my first errand and they don't have what I need, so I get in my car, turn it on, no power steering. Dang. But, there is a Wal-Mart next door with an auto center, I stop in, they look, no my steering fluid is fine, but, the tension thing that holds the belt on has MELTED OFF! I now have to get a tow truck to take my car somewhere. There was only one place in all of Bloomington open. I am calling everyone I know. No one is answering. My phone is also dying, I go into walmart and buy a phone charger because I did not have one with me. Finally I get a hold of Kyle, he knows what is going on, he calls family tries to figure out help. I am a mess. Tow truck comes an hour later and I still can't get a hold of anyone to come get me from the repair shop.While in the tow truck, I find out about 2 major tragedies that just happened in the town I am in. Not a good day all around I guess. Still no answer from anyone if they can get me. I now also have talked to my MIL who is willing to drive several hours to get me and take me back to her home. What do I do? Hmm, facebook on my phone? That worked except I now have to deal with the repair guys. They can't look at my car until the morning. I still can't get in touch with my friend (turns out cell signals were iffy everywhere today) I get a ride from a from Kyle's buddy back to where I need to go. Now, I have to get a rental. No one has cars. In all 7 rental companies. We finally find one, drive out there and my card is declined. They also wont take my debit card because they need to hold a crap ton extra on it and I don't have a crap ton extra. I am stuck. Luckilly, my girl friend comes to the rescue and there is a car to rent.
In the end, I am safe ad will survive another day. I hope. My car had a piece melt off today from the 115 degree heat index. What else crazy can happen?
Then we get to this afternoon, my car is making a weird noise. Ok, so I pull over once I get to Blo-No, can't tell about anything, get back in the car. No sound, yay! Stop at my first errand and they don't have what I need, so I get in my car, turn it on, no power steering. Dang. But, there is a Wal-Mart next door with an auto center, I stop in, they look, no my steering fluid is fine, but, the tension thing that holds the belt on has MELTED OFF! I now have to get a tow truck to take my car somewhere. There was only one place in all of Bloomington open. I am calling everyone I know. No one is answering. My phone is also dying, I go into walmart and buy a phone charger because I did not have one with me. Finally I get a hold of Kyle, he knows what is going on, he calls family tries to figure out help. I am a mess. Tow truck comes an hour later and I still can't get a hold of anyone to come get me from the repair shop.While in the tow truck, I find out about 2 major tragedies that just happened in the town I am in. Not a good day all around I guess. Still no answer from anyone if they can get me. I now also have talked to my MIL who is willing to drive several hours to get me and take me back to her home. What do I do? Hmm, facebook on my phone? That worked except I now have to deal with the repair guys. They can't look at my car until the morning. I still can't get in touch with my friend (turns out cell signals were iffy everywhere today) I get a ride from a from Kyle's buddy back to where I need to go. Now, I have to get a rental. No one has cars. In all 7 rental companies. We finally find one, drive out there and my card is declined. They also wont take my debit card because they need to hold a crap ton extra on it and I don't have a crap ton extra. I am stuck. Luckilly, my girl friend comes to the rescue and there is a car to rent.
In the end, I am safe ad will survive another day. I hope. My car had a piece melt off today from the 115 degree heat index. What else crazy can happen?
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