I always hate bragging about the countdown to summer as a public school teacher because I know many of my friends do not get 10 weeks without their regular job. It surely must annoy the most of them when I start the bragging around springtime. Of course, I am not just bragging, I am hoping, often counting down the days as a means of survival. You've heard teaching is tough... you have no idea.
Now, don't get me wrong, The students aren't so tough. I find the students are the easiest part, and I teach middle school. That there means something. In fact, the students are refreshing. Sure, they are moody and sometimes stubborn, I did mention they are teens, but, comparably, they are the easy part. I find, if you care, love your job, and set high expectations, the students will respond accordingly. All in all, even the hardest of them are the easiest part of my job.
The toughest part of my job are the expectations, set by others up at the state and federal level, even some locally. We hear about accountability all the time, and I must admit, as a parent, I agree; I want to know my child is getting a good education. But, the accountability these days is a nightmare of bureaucracy mixed with way too much testing. We have high stakes standardized testing for months, eating upmost of the spring. Testing is all we hear about, do, teach, reteach, talk about ... testing.
And we wonder why the students get frustrated, why the teachers countdown...
I haven't been on Steemit much this spring. All this testing drains my steem, literally. I hope to return this summer.
For me, summer starts in two days.
That is where the countdown currently stands ... 2.
