It has been a wonderfully long and beautiful summer--a summer of study, a time to catch-up with family, friends, and chores, and a summer of good times. If I were in charge of the world, I would advocate that every work place in the country extend their vacation time for employees. As humans we create the parameters that exist, and I believe that creating parameters focused on good living versus parameters focused on making the rich, richer is a good idea.
Time to read, research, study, take care of family members, complete house chores, and have a bit of fun is healthy for all of us, and that's why I advocate for such time. Good work is also positive for us, and I look forward to the returning to school renewed and energized to teach well.
The weeks ahead will be busy as I spend time with family members, ready my home for the school year, organize/prepare the classroom, and finish a number of school prep jobs that will result in a promising start for the year ahead. In four weeks, I'll be ready for those first days of listening to many words of encouragement, plans, goals, and vision from multiple persons including union leadership, systemwide leadership, school leadership, families, students, and leaders of multiple committees and groups that exist within the school system.
One important lesson I learned this summer was the value of time and the importance of not stuffing our schedules too full. When we make time to think, relax, prepare/eat healthy foods, engage in positive activity, listen, and prepare, we ready ourselves for good living and good service. Too often we engage in lives that are too busy. I want to be cognizant of this as I move into the new school year.
My reading and research this summer has also emphasized the need to go hard on problems, not people, and to speak up and act when problems are small rather than waiting until the issues are big, complex, and difficult to resolve.
I've also learned once again that we never go wrong when we teach and learn with as much respect and dignity for others as possible. There are moments in this political climate, school climates, and in the community, when we can become frustrated, angry, worried, or discouraged. There will always be problems in life, and the more that we can embrace those problems, and do our part to make better in positive ways, the better off we'll all be.
I wish all educators positive final days and weeks of summer vacation and a positive, students-first school year ahead. We are fortunate to work in a profession that's positive, a profession that works for betterment each and every day. This is good. I don't want to loose sight of this positivity in the days, weeks, and months ahead.