What does a teacher do in the summer? It’s a good question and one that I’ve actually been asked to address on this blog. So here goes,

Teachers don’t make a lot of money when they first start out. In fact, I still have a hard time making ends meet. But since I have been in this career for five years now, I decided that it was time to actually have a summer vacation. As such, this is my first summer off since I started this career.

What did I do all the other summers? you ask. Well, I got another job. I worked in a variety of under-appreciated and under-paid positions. In that aspect, it reminded me of my real job anyway.

So what have I done so far on this my first summer off? Not much it seems.

I think it took me a month just to wind down and make the transition from working to not working. I actually haven’t had a real vacation in too many years. So I just enjoyed the time off.

I’ve done a lot of reading. I’ve been going for runs almost every day. I’ve spent time with my family. And I’ve been researching the publishing business. It has been my goal since I started this blog to be published in five years. So far, I’ve only concentrated on writing. It’s time for the next step.

I have also begun thinking about the new school year. I’ve been given a split class next year and I’ll be at a new school. It’s going to be a challenge, as I have never taught a split grade before. Plus there is a huge adjustment having to move schools.

So it seems that I am always a teacher. I’m already thinking about the new school year. I’ve started collecting resources and thinking about how I will launch the new year. I am even going to visit the school next week.

I think teaching is like writing, whenever you aren’t physically doing it you are still thinking about it. I am always cooking story ideas in my head even when I’m not writing. And it seems like I do the same things with lesson plans, strategies, and everything else that goes into a classroom. It’s a big job. It’s no wonder that I am never truly far from it.