Summer Break

I mentioned what we do usually, but summer break is a different thing altogether when you are a teacher and a grad student. I didn't mention that Jared is working an internship at Marathon (an oil company) or that I'm tutoring part-time and relaxing part-time. I'm trying to get some much needed school catch up work done and plan next year but finding the motivation is hard. I have to say that when with school out, I've started to realize just how much I like teaching. Because when it is in, sometimes it is hard to tell. The stress is incredible and especially as a first year teacher - everything was just overwhelming. Today I found my flash drive that I thought I lost and found some pictures of my students. A couple of week before school got out all of the 4th grade teachers dressed up as Hannah Montana and lip synced for the Carleston talent show. I had kids asking me all day for my autograph.

All the 4th grade teachers in our Hannah Montana get ups - I'm in the middle in case you don't see me (I know, I look like such a natural blonde :p)

But that is just the beginning, since the beginning of the year I have dressed up as a goose, been in parades, had my kids make fairy tale books to read to kindergarteners, thrown parties, gotten a countless amount of hugs, "flowers" (weeds from the playground), and "your my favorite teacher" poems (these were especially popular when I was teaching them poetry). I have to remember these things for the days when the kids are misbehaving, TAKS days (Texas' infamous state testing), and days when all the politics are making me insane.

My homeroom class and I (if they look like hooligans - it's because they are - and yes, one of them is on my back).

I've decided the reason for summer breaks is mostly for the teachers. I know the kids certainly need it too, but summer breaks give you the chance to start feeling like yourself again enough to want to go back and do it again.