This is that time during the school year when we tend to get a little edgy with one another. Our colleagues borrow something, or fail to follow through on something, or comment slightly wrong about something, or ask us to do one more something, and we kinda lose it. Our bark comes with a bite. Our students talk out of turn, fail to come to class prepared, roll their eyes, get rough in the hall, or make another rude remark, and we whip out that discipline referral fast enough to make their heads spin. Our pen becomes mightier than the sword. The parents insist on a faster response, complain about how an issue was handled, question a grade that was distributed, or comment about how we work for them, and a simple conversation turns into an ugly argument. Our words slice like a hot knife through butter.
I’ve wondered before, and been reminded recently, that perhaps things only turn ugly like this near the end of a school year because there is, in fact, an end to a school year. Maybe if there really was no such thing – an end to a school year – we would simply go about our business from day to day, paying no attention to remarks and feelings that relate to being at the end of our wits. I don’t know, though. I can’t imagine it would be much different since regardless of the time of year, we still stumble through our relationships with one another. Regardless, I’m sure we can breathe a little deeper, take a few extra moments, and aspire a bit more often to something more becoming.
Nothing our colleagues, students, or parents do merits the negativity that can rule our hearts and minds and make it’s way out our mouths. I love the people I work with, all their ups and downs and inbetweens. I’m honored to be in the lives of the students we’re trusted to nurture, every single one of their goals and passions and misguided thoughts. And, I’m privileged to be trusted by the parents who give their very selves (or, at the very least, a part of themselves) to us each and every day, their expertise and opinions and comments both welcome and unwelcome. Still, the end is near, and I’m quite honestly very much looking forward to it.
Well, kind of.
Very interesting. The idea that if there were no “end” to the school year, we wouldn’t have those pressures, expectations, last chances, now-or-never feelings. So much changes at the end of each grade, perhaps we don’t realize fully how unsettling that is for everyone. New teachers coming for the kids. New kids coming for the teachers. That’s a lot of upheaval! In other workplaces, projects end, one person leaves, a new procedure comes in, etc., but it is not quite as dramatic and pointed as “the end of the year..” Something to ponder. My congratulations to all educators! It’s a job I could never do!
I believe change is hard for everyone. Even though summer is a good change, our schedules change, the people who we see every day change, it takes a bit of adjustment. I go through school withdrawal every year, I tend to go back into the office to just see my office peeps because they are working a week longer than me. Having to finish everything by the end of the year whether it is in class or the office is stressful for all. I would be ok with year round school, I think no “end” would be good for everyone.