topic Re: Freeeeeeeeedom! in Community Chat

Freeeeeeeeedom!

Mellie32 — Sat, 18 May 2019 19:30:53 GMT

I'm usually a little sad at the end of a school year, but not this one. What a stressful, exhausting year. Here's to summertime!

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

Annabellethecat66 — Sat, 18 May 2019 19:41:18 GMT

@Mellie32 I absolutely cannot imagine being a teacher these days. The stress put upon teachers (so I've been told) is crazy.

I used to be a mother's helper in every classroom of all 3 of my daughters right up until they got into high school. Then I helped out in the office.

Several years ago all of my friends (I had a lot of them) retired early because they didn't like the changes that were taking place in the elementary and middle schools.

I salute you and all teachers. They definitely don't get enough recognition or money for what they do.

If you want to be recognized and appreciated by the parents; go to some schools in Fairfax County, Va. My daughter has 3 children in county schools and one in private school there.

The parents in the schools her children go to show their appreciation monetarily and in supporting the teachers (i.e. help and otherwise). I can't speak for all schools there, but I know the one's (which included all three levels) those teachers are appreciated by parents

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

chrystaltree — Sat, 18 May 2019 19:47:54 GMT

Enjoy your summer and be thankful you have a professional that gives you summers off to rest and have fun. Most of my family members are teachers and I have always that it must be a wonderful feeling when May arrives and you have a summer off to look forward to.

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

mom2four0418 — Sat, 18 May 2019 19:49:49 GMT

@Annabellethecat66 wrote:
@Mellie32 I absolutely cannot imagine being a teacher these days. The stress put upon teachers (so I've been told) is crazy.

I used to be a mother's helper in every classroom of all 3 of my daughters right up until they got into high school. Then I helped out in the office.

Several years ago all of my friends (I had a lot of them) retired early because they didn't like the changes that were taking place in the elementary and middle schools.

I salute you and all teachers. They definitely don't get enough recognition or money for what they do.

If you want to be recognized and appreciated by the parents; go to some schools in Fairfax County, Va. My daughter has 3 children in county schools and one in private school there.

The parents in the schools her children go to show their appreciation monetarily and in supporting the teachers (i.e. help and otherwise). I can't speak for all schools there, but I know the one's (which included all three levels) those teachers are appreciated by parents

Two of my children are teachers and would not choose any other career. Most teachers love their jobs and their students. For those who don't, moving on is best for everyone.

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

Mellie32 — Sat, 18 May 2019 19:50:29 GMT

Thank you, Annabelle. No one truly understands what we go through until they're in our shoes. It's not all sunshine and frogs. You always have one or two ornery kids in class, but some years you get half of the class who walk in at 8 a.m. on a level 9.2 and never slow down the whole day. Thankfully, that only seems to happen to me every 5 years or so. This is my third year that has made me want to retire early, but I'm going to trudge on. I'm sure next year will be wonderful again.

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

Annabellethecat66 — Sat, 18 May 2019 19:51:01 GMT

@Mellie32 With your obvious ability (as a teacher) to quell over-excitement...please take a trip over to

Mount St. Helens in WA State

[ Edited ] and calm things down...thanks ahead of time.

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

Krimpette — Sat, 18 May 2019 19:53:16 GMT

You're lucky. Where I live, the schools don't get out until mid-June.

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

Mellie32 — Sat, 18 May 2019 19:54:56 GMT

@mom2four0418 wrote:
@Annabellethecat66 wrote:
@Mellie32 I absolutely cannot imagine being a teacher these days. The stress put upon teachers (so I've been told) is crazy.

I used to be a mother's helper in every classroom of all 3 of my daughters right up until they got into high school. Then I helped out in the office.

Several years ago all of my friends (I had a lot of them) retired early because they didn't like the changes that were taking place in the elementary and middle schools.

I salute you and all teachers. They definitely don't get enough recognition or money for what they do.

If you want to be recognized and appreciated by the parents; go to some schools in Fairfax County, Va. My daughter has 3 children in county schools and one in private school there.

The parents in the schools her children go to show their appreciation monetarily and in supporting the teachers (i.e. help and otherwise). I can't speak for all schools there, but I know the one's (which included all three levels) those teachers are appreciated by parents
Two of my children are teachers and would not choose any other career. Most teachers love their jobs and their students. For those who don't, moving on is best for everyone.

If this comment was indirectly about me, I DO love my job and my students. I don't love every year just like most people have moments in their job where they hate it. I'm sure if your children have an extra difficult year and complain about it you wouldn't tell them that they need to move on from the job that they love.

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

Mellie32 — Sat, 18 May 2019 19:55:28 GMT

@Krimpette wrote:
You're lucky. Where I live, the schools don't get out until mid-June.

But we start in mid-August.

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

chrystaltree — Sat, 18 May 2019 20:03:35 GMT

@mom2four0418 wrote:
@Annabellethecat66 wrote:
@Mellie32 I absolutely cannot imagine being a teacher these days. The stress put upon teachers (so I've been told) is crazy.

I used to be a mother's helper in every classroom of all 3 of my daughters right up until they got into high school. Then I helped out in the office.

Several years ago all of my friends (I had a lot of them) retired early because they didn't like the changes that were taking place in the elementary and middle schools.

I salute you and all teachers. They definitely don't get enough recognition or money for what they do.

If you want to be recognized and appreciated by the parents; go to some schools in Fairfax County, Va. My daughter has 3 children in county schools and one in private school there.

The parents in the schools her children go to show their appreciation monetarily and in supporting the teachers (i.e. help and otherwise). I can't speak for all schools there, but I know the one's (which included all three levels) those teachers are appreciated by parents
Two of my children are teachers and would not choose any other career. Most teachers love their jobs and their students. For those who don't, moving on is best for everyone.

Both my sons in law are teachers as well as several cousins and their children who have followed them into teacher. They all love their profession and would do anything else even if they had the opportunity. Certainly teaching has it's challenges but so does every other job. The thing that makes it manageable for them is that teachers get all that time off to decompress. Not just summers but the school vacations and holidays. Over the years, I have worked with a few people who tried teaching and left. I do think those who don't like it, who know it isn't the career for them, realize it very early and they do leave.

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

LTT1 — Sat, 18 May 2019 20:32:26 GMT

@Mellie32

I remember looking at my groups in the beginning of the school year and thinking “I don’t know if I can go through this again because they NEED SO MUCH.

By the end of the year, even though I was exhausted (they were too 😂)

I looked them over and thought:

”We did good!”

I feel most of the teaching exhaustion, for me, came from additional duties and expectations that had nothing to do with the students.

And that is such a shame because it can be such a fulfilling career.

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

mom2four0418 — Sat, 18 May 2019 20:37:31 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
@mom2four0418 wrote:
@Annabellethecat66 wrote:
@Mellie32 I absolutely cannot imagine being a teacher these days. The stress put upon teachers (so I've been told) is crazy.

I used to be a mother's helper in every classroom of all 3 of my daughters right up until they got into high school. Then I helped out in the office.

Several years ago all of my friends (I had a lot of them) retired early because they didn't like the changes that were taking place in the elementary and middle schools.

I salute you and all teachers. They definitely don't get enough recognition or money for what they do.

If you want to be recognized and appreciated by the parents; go to some schools in Fairfax County, Va. My daughter has 3 children in county schools and one in private school there.

The parents in the schools her children go to show their appreciation monetarily and in supporting the teachers (i.e. help and otherwise). I can't speak for all schools there, but I know the one's (which included all three levels) those teachers are appreciated by parents
Two of my children are teachers and would not choose any other career. Most teachers love their jobs and their students. For those who don't, moving on is best for everyone.

Both my sons in law are teachers as well as several cousins and their children who have followed them into teacher. They all love their profession and would do anything else even if they had the opportunity. Certainly teaching has it's challenges but so does every other job. The thing that makes it manageable for them is that teachers get all that time off to decompress. Not just summers but the school vacations and holidays. Over the years, I have worked with a few people who tried teaching and left. I do think those who don't like it, who know it isn't the career for them, realize it very early and they do leave.
Thank you for sharing the story of your family of teachers. I only wish that mine had summers off. They each work two jobs during the school year and summers. The joy of student loans!

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

Mellie32 — Sat, 18 May 2019 20:43:02 GMT

@LTT1 wrote:
@Mellie32

I remember looking at my groups in the beginning of the school year and thinking “I don’t know if I can go through this again because they NEED SO MUCH.

By the end of the year, even though I was exhausted (they were too 😂)
I looked them over and thought:

”We did good!”

I feel most of the teaching exhaustion, for me, came from additional duties and expectations that had nothing to do with the students.
And that is such a shame because it can be such a fulfilling career.

I do love those moments when you think you've done an awful job, but then a student says something that surprises you. I teach a lot of history along with our reading curriculum. We learn about famous Americans throughout the year. One of the last days of school we always watch a movie -- we watched Night at the Museum 2. One of the first scenes in the museum is the camera panning over a wax figure of Amelia Earhart. One of my especially ornery boys - who I didn't think was listening to me, like, ever -- yelled out "Hey! Amelia Earhart!" My heart.

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

mom2four0418 — Sat, 18 May 2019 21:00:38 GMT

@Mellie32 wrote:
@mom2four0418 wrote:
@Annabellethecat66 wrote:
@Mellie32 I absolutely cannot imagine being a teacher these days. The stress put upon teachers (so I've been told) is crazy.

I used to be a mother's helper in every classroom of all 3 of my daughters right up until they got into high school. Then I helped out in the office.

Several years ago all of my friends (I had a lot of them) retired early because they didn't like the changes that were taking place in the elementary and middle schools.

I salute you and all teachers. They definitely don't get enough recognition or money for what they do.

If you want to be recognized and appreciated by the parents; go to some schools in Fairfax County, Va. My daughter has 3 children in county schools and one in private school there.

The parents in the schools her children go to show their appreciation monetarily and in supporting the teachers (i.e. help and otherwise). I can't speak for all schools there, but I know the one's (which included all three levels) those teachers are appreciated by parents
Two of my children are teachers and would not choose any other career. Most teachers love their jobs and their students. For those who don't, moving on is best for everyone.
If this comment was indirectly about me, I DO love my job and my students. I don't love every year just like most people have moments in their job where they hate it. I'm sure if your children have an extra difficult year and complain about it you wouldn't tell them that they need to move on from the job that they love.

Of course it was not directed at you! I quoted another poster in my response. It is quite clear to me in your posts how much you love teaching. I hope that you have a lovely summer vacation.

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

libbyannE — Sat, 18 May 2019 21:03:11 GMT

I can’t imagine having summers off. With my career, I cd never take more than a week off until I took early retirement. It’s one of the reasons my husband and I retired early. We both worked long days and often part of the weekend. I always took work home, too. You are so lucky.

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

Mellie32 — Sat, 18 May 2019 21:35:27 GMT

@libbyannE wrote:
I can’t imagine having summers off. With my career, I cd never take more than a week off until I took early retirement. It’s one of the reasons my husband and I retired early. We both worked long days and often part of the weekend. I always took work home, too. You are so lucky.

We are lucky to have so much time off. I definitely don't take it for granted.

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

Suziepeach — Sat, 18 May 2019 23:08:42 GMT

To @Mellie32 ... 🍹🍷🍸🥂..l you deserve it!

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

Mersha — Sat, 18 May 2019 23:21:11 GMT

@Krimpette wrote:
You're lucky. Where I live, the schools don't get out until mid-June.

@Krimpette....and it seems to getter later every year here, Krimp. They even had to pay back snow days during spring break.

Waving "hi" to you neighbor!

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

blackhole99 — Sun, 19 May 2019 02:43:31 GMT

Most people I know do not think much of public school teachers, I don't know if it's because they had bad experiences with teachers in school or they are jealous the teachers do not work summers. My husband is a retired high school math teacher and has had to tell people he absolutely does not get paid vacation in the summer. For some reason they don't get it that teachers are only paid 9 months or 36 weeks out of the year. If you can imagine, he's had people argue with him about that.LOL

Re: Freeeeeeeeedom!

Mellie32 — Sun, 19 May 2019 02:47:46 GMT

@blackhole99 wrote:
Most people I know do not think much of public school teachers, I don't know if it's because they had bad experiences with teachers in school or they are jealous the teachers do not work summers. My husband is a retired high school math teacher and has had to tell people he absolutely does not get paid vacation in the summer. For some reason they don't get it that teachers are only paid 9 months or 36 weeks out of the year. If you can imagine, he's had people argue with him about that.LOL

It really confuses not-so-bright people when a teachers tell them they get paychecks in the summer. They assume that means they're getting paid for not working in the summer. Um, no. Like you said - teachers work 9 months a year and get paid for only 9 months of work. Some just choose to stretch that salary over 12 months so they'll have paychecks in the summer.