My list of lasts has begun. As a teacher you can always come up with some fairly frivolous "lasts" of the year: last workshop day in August, last standardized test, last formal observation by the principal--you get the picture.
It is when the REAL lasts start rolling by that we realize "Holy crap, another year and I still haven't figured out how to get everything done that I planned." I hope my friends and colleagues who are retiring aren't plagued by this type of thought. I can't imagine my golden years being spent worrying that we didn't get around to doing the water lab back in 2003. Knowing my memory, that isn't anything for me to worry about.
Today marks my last Friday because next Friday I will be in a throng 1,500 strong, heading to Belfast on two skinny wheels on the Trek Across Maine. Every day from here on in will be a last of some sort.
I heard word of a long-time special ed. teacher in a neighboring district who recently had his last PET of a long career. I believe he's been teaching since at least the mid-1970's, if not the early '70's. He is still a young guy, in my eyes, still enjoys the kids he works with, and is only really happy to be leaving because of the proliferation of paperwork enjoyed by special ed teachers. When (or if) I ever retire, I hope it is on terms similar to his. If I don't still enjoy working with kids, I should be put out to pasture long before my statutory retirement age. It should be that way for all educators, and anyone else whose attitude and demeanor affects the future of others. This is why the Maine Legislature screwed up so royally under John McKernan when they raided the retirement fund and forced teachers to work longer before they could retire without penalty. They effectively forced ineffective teachers to stay in linger, teaching ineffectively for even longer than they would have and making an artificial barrier younger, eager teachers. Hand in hand with that comes the step increases for older, more experienced teachers, which cause districts to pay even more money for (presumably) less enthusiastic and effective teachers.
It would be foolish to suggest that all veteran teachers are ineffective or less enthusiastic: indeed, I've seen plenty who are good teachers even beyond the traditional retirement age, and I've seen plenty of teachers who don't improve much throughout their entire careers. But for the most part, it does seem fairly common for the passion to fade with passing years.
So with each passing "last" of the school year, I am reminded of summer. Summer leads into fall, where the lasts will all begin again and cycle throughout the year. It's hard to know what my reaction will be when all my "lasts" are really final. I hope by then that I will still love working with kids, and that I leave this profession on my own terms. That will be a good day.
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4 comments:
As long as you still think of fall as bringing 'firsts' as well as 'lasts', I think you're still fit to teach. When it's all about the lasts, well, it's time to think about flipping burgers.
infinitieth is my new favorite word. Thank you for your advice. I am taking everyone's to heart and will talk to the kids' dad when I have it all worked out in my head. ie: not impulsively.
You're right about the teachers. When you no longer love it or the kids, it's time to go. I chaperoned a field trip earlier in the year and witnessed an adult speaking to a child very rudely and loudly and I thought "Geez. At least have the common sense to wait until you get back home to yell at your kid." About an hour later, when I saw her ID tag, I realized she was not his mother, she was his teacher. I was horrified.
As far as older teachers go.. I keep forgetting you went to school in my district. (I am using vague terms on purpose as I am frightened by the internets).. I was going to ask you if you remembered the teacher my daughter has this year as she's been teaching a looong time, but you went to elementary school in a different town, right?
Enjoy all of your lasts. :)
I just had to come read your blog after I saw your comment on Beth's. Yes the pun was intentional. I very seldom get them right, but thought I got it this time.
You sound like a wonderfully caring person-teacher. Your students are lucky to have you. You are so right about some teachers being in the system too long. I had a few and thank goodness I also had some very excellent ones to make up for them. Teachers can influence kids so much more than is thought. My love for reading was noticed by a 'special' and encouraged to the point that I now think of her when reading any book. I wonder how she would approach the material, what she would find hidden in the text, how she would summarize it. I try, now to pass this on to my granddaughters and am seeing some success as 5 out of 7 are avid readers-the other two have not yet started school, but love to be read to.
I hope this isn't too long, I tend to get carried away when talking about teaching.
Thanks for a provocative post.
Beckie-
Welcome! Thanks for the kind words. I just find it inhumane and backward to devise a system that is mutually detrimental to teachers and students, and diminishing returns with every passing year.
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