Teacher Vacations

It’s that time of year where all of us teachers take a much needed break.

Or is it?

There are many people out there who think that teachers have it easy. They think our work day ends at 3pm, and we lavishly soak up the sun on our TWO MONTH vacation. They say, “You teachers have nothing to complain about.”

Well, I for one would like to kindly point out that you are mistaken.

I’m not complaining, and I have no desire to start a debate here. Heck, I’ve barely got any experience under my belt to prove you wrong. But what I do know is this – my teacher heart works all year long.

Just today, as I was running errands, I couldn’t help but notice how easily distracted I was by all things ‘education.’ So, in the spirit of keeping things light, here are 10 signs that you might be an elementary teacher on summer vacation.

1. The employees at Chapters/Indigo consider you one of their best customers. You head straight for the children’s section, browse through the teen fiction, and spare a few minutes for the stationary on your way out. You are a master at collecting plum points.
2. Michaels is your creative craft heaven. You get super excited every time they email you a coupon, or announce a particularly good sale. You just can’t help yourself from buying that colourful stack of paper or adorable sticker pack.
3. Your Pinterest is FULL of educational ideas. If you have a lot of teacher friends following you, you know they’ll appreciate it. But your other friends might be getting a little annoyed by the latest math games or trendy art projects that clog their feed.
4. You get too excited about the extra time to plan lessons. Whether its putting together a great reader response package, or creating colourful anchor charts, you’re happy to fill your time planning ahead.
5. The cupboards in your house are fully stocked with nut-free snacks. You know where to find all the best snacks at the grocery store. You still plan meals the night before. Oh, and your daily caffeine intake hasn’t changed one bit.
6. Every book you read or movie you watch is an educational opportunity. You seriously consider the activities you could create, and sometimes, it’s a big stretch. You can’t seem to understand why your family and friends aren’t as enthusiastic.
7. Your summer wardrobe is seriously lacking. You’ve been stocking up on ‘teacher clothes,’ which means your closet is full of warm, professional attire. It’s hardly fitting for a day at the beach.
8. On a similar note, you reconsider your outfit before leaving the house. Why? Because you know it’ll be the one time you run into one of your students and/or their parents.
9. You’ve created a bucket list that looks frighteningly similar to a list of field trips. When you visit a museum, art gallery or alternate attraction, you can’t help but investigate the teacher discounts and program offerings for students.
10. Last, but not least, you probably have another job. Whether it’s as a tutor or a summer camp counsellor, you just couldn’t separate yourself from some time with kids. Or, you work at something entirely unrelated because you really needed a change of pace.

If you love teaching, it’s in your blood. You can’t escape it.

Happy summer, friends!