We teachers are a funny lot... one could argue, a breed of our own. Perhaps it goes with the territory when you work 110% or more for 9-10 months, then get the beauty and luxury of a summer vacation. Perhaps too, it goes with the territory that we're paid to be serious and silly on a daily basis, and in some ways, when you teach 3rd grade, you're kind of paid to watch things like "
Phineas and Ferb" just so you can speak your clients' language. Lucky for me, I just so happen to be quite partial to "Phineas & Ferb!" (Okay, I'll admit it--it totally cracks me up!)
Yesterday, as I was driving away from school from our final end-of-year meeting, my windows were down and I was cranking Alice Cooper's "
School's Out For Summer." Yep, a far cry different than Phineas & Ferb's "
104 Days of Summer Vacation," but it seems that it doesn't matter the genre of "school's out" songs, they all work and capture the freedom. But I'm particularly struck by the Phineas & Ferb theme from above. My boys approach summer with all the glee and excitement that houses the true potential of summer -- for students and teachers alike. (Of course, when I do the math, I'm a bit shy of that 104 days of summer, but I'll take 80 or so days I get.)
Don't get me wrong, I love my job. But I love the opportunity to take a break from it. To refresh. To rejuvenate. So here I sit at the cusp of my 80 days, looking at the relaxation ahead: the down time, the time to actually sit and read books or go on adventures with my kids, the time to go on family vacations, and visit family far away. The time to live life with a little less schedule. Ahhh!!
I also (somewhat dreadingly) look at all those household chores that "fell by the wayside" somewhere between grading papers, writing report cards, attempting to do regular household maintenance, and transporting & watching my own children at their own sports practices and games. The scary stacked corners, kids' bedrooms, and "dump" zones frighten me just a tad. But I shall try to be strong and attack at least a few of those.
Additionally, there are those summer homework assignments from school that we HAVE to do by the time fall arrives...yet there are also the trends & educational exploration I personally WANT to look into for next fall's school year. My list of eco & edtech websites, Pinterest pins, and iPad apps to try out is lengthy!!
So I find the exuberance high, but the list of things I long-to-do equally high. How is it that I can actually find a bit of stress in this dichotomy, here on my first official day of summer with the glory ahead? So, clearly it's my challenge to not be a "Doofenshmirtz" and waste away the time stuck in the "to do's" (which I can be prone to do), but rather balance it out with the fun. So consult my inner Phineas and Ferb, I shall do. Perhaps that should be my summer mantra! Perhaps that should be all of ours!!
Video from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoV2adaRBWU; "Let's Rock" pic from http://www.popartuk.com/tv/phineas-and-ferb/lets-rock-fp2221-poster.asp; Dr. Doofenshmirtz's pic from http://phineasandferb.wikia.com/wiki/File:Dr._Doofenshmirtz_Poster.jpg