I remember that one time when I was a teacher how all the other English teachers were super smart and had opinions and quoted Dickinson and read classics and what not.
I’d nod along at lunch time as if I had a freaking clue as to what they were talking about or who they were quoting. “Ahhhh…Pride and Prejudice! Brilliant writing I do say!!”
Never freaking read it.
I had no business there.
I really liked the women I worked with, but I rarely spoke…terrified I might reveal that someone had handed an English degree to a girl who couldn’t dissect a sentence properly.
My focus as a teacher was to stay alive. The kids I taught wanted to eat me. I was more interested in getting the kids to think about what they were doing and where they were going and who they were than I was in pushing them to memorize daily vocab words that even I had never heard of or used. Because really, who says “jocular” these days?
Of course the really great teachers manage to do both those things. And they do them well.
As Spring Break approached some of those teachers would really stress out, “I’m never going to be able to finish my curriculum on time!!”
Curriculum? I had been looking forward to Spring Break since Winter Break ended and here I just realized I was supposed to be concerned about my curriculum.
Maile has officially started her first Spring Break.
I have to say I do like having her home. Not so much because I miss her all day, but more so because I don’t have to worry about making her a lunch or getting her dressed or doing her homework.
I’m noticing a trend here. And I think it has something to do with me liking to take the road most traveled. Frost be damned.
Mrs Lucia-Wright says
You sound like the sort of teacher I wish I’d had. I bet you were amazing. xx
trash says
I don’t get the parents who whine about their kids being home. I understand if they have to work it makes things tricksy but those who are at home any way? I love it when my two are on holidays.
Jules says
I LOVE this!!!!!! Because right now, since my spring break just ended, and I JUST made my lunch for the day, I realized how much I dislike making my lunch… AND how much I still have to cover in my curriculum before the state testing AND how I’m not going to get it all in… Oh well… So much for review…..
But I DID do a journal yesterday about what it would be like if you lived with a robot. I should have played ‘Mr. Roboto.’
Marsha says
I agree on the whole glad they’re on break so I don’t have to worry about homework/lunch/where the shoes are. I bet you were a great teacher too!
Scary Mommy says
This? The story of my life. And, also, why I love you so.
Jade @ No Longer 25 says
I had various english teachers but it was the ones more like your style which really taught me something I remembered. Enjoy Spring Break!
Paige says
I’ve felt like this at almost every job I had. “Please, oh, please don’t ask me how I got here…” I suspect a lot of people feel that way. The ones who don’t are probably the ones I want to ask how they got there. :)
Mom in High Heels says
LOL! You’ve never read P&P? Really? How is that possible? It’s one of my all time favorite books. And I say “jocular” all the time! Who doesn’t? ;)
I don’t get parents who whine about school breaks either. I homeschool Indy so he’s with me ALL the time. All. the. time. One of the many upsides is that we have no set time to get up and I get to make lunch when we’re hungry instead of trying to figure it out while I’m eating breakfast and praying I have something to send.
My last job paid 6 figures and I was constantly wondering how I got there. I certainly enjoyed the paychecks, but still, I wondered how the planets had aligned and the sun, moon and stars all arranged themselves perfectly to get me that job. I was constantly afraid someone was going to shine a big spot light on me and yell “FRAUD.”
LoveFeast Table says
I think the road less traveled has many surprise discoveries around every corner!! It makes the journey less tedious and more joyful!
~kristin
Stephanie says
Spring break would have been a little nicer around here if the weather hadn’t felt like the beginning of Winter instead of the ending.
Foursons says
I love having my kids home and I think the biggest reason is that we are not rushed to get out the door in the morning. Pure bliss.
Erin says
I teach and sometimes feel like a fraud….
But I hide it well and the kids like me, so maybe I am doing something right!
angie says
I’m also loving that this week will be lunch making free and homework free. And we are actually doing something instead of the same old routine.
3 Men and a Lady says
My son’s spring break just ended. While I like having him home, the kink in my routine rocked my world. I was more than happy to return him to school today. I never thought I’d say that!
dysfunctional mom says
I”m all about the road most travelled, its shorter and smoother. Perfect!
We’re on Spring Break right now.
Amber says
I love my son but when he had Spring Break last week, I felt like I was going to tear my ears off. He and his sister fight most of the day and I’d hear stuff like, “She bonked me!” “She stole my toy!” “He’s LOOKING at me!” “I’m BORED what are we gonna do now because I am SO BORED?”
Lindsay @ Kids Are Teachers says
Reading your post and the comments that follow made me feel so much better! Here, I thought I was the only “fake” amongst us and that the job that fell in my lap was just because I was lucky. Nope. It’s because the world is weird and people see things in us that we don’t see in ourselves!
Have fun with Maile this Spring Break!
Jill Scott says
I know what you mean. In our staff room all the teachers are freaking out about preparing the kids for ISATs. I don’t give a rat’s hairy behind about the ISATs. I’ve been counting down the weeks from winter break to spring break too, and now I’m on the downhill with less than 8 weeks til summer break. And today is a SNOW DAY! A GIFT sent from Heaven. Whoop whoop!
Jennifer says
I would LOVE a spring break. Not getting up in the morning would be awesome. Even though I know that would never happen and we would all still be up before the sun.
Cascia @ Healthy Moms says
I am with you. I love having my girls home over spring break. Probably for similar reasons too. Have a terrific Tuesday!
Jessica says
I can honestly say that I’ve carefully thought about teaching HS English before. I mean, the whole idea interests me. However, I’m like you – I haven’t read all these classic novels and if I have, chances are I didn’t really care for them.
I can, however, write a proper sentence. <— I read that like 8 times to make sure I didn't make a mistake while claiming to be able to write.
Erin Im Gonna Kill Him says
You should have recorded your raps and made them into a teaching tool. I saw this one dude do it – and he wasn’t nearly as cool – and those foolios on Shark Tank bought it for like a billion dollars. My mom was a teacher who used to do cartwheels in exchange for good behavior. Kids still remember that…so never underestimate the power of Snoop Dogg, is I guess what I’m saying. He – and you – can change the world.
LoveFeast Table says
I also was an English teacher (for a fancy private prep school on the east coast). I had/have huge gaps in spelling and grammar! And, I still do…which what makes me such a swell blogger. hahaha!
I was always scared that the smart 6thgraders in my English classes would find me out and fire me! Ha! So, I used my “creative” writing strengths to help them think about what they were writing and taught them how to use “creative” language for more expression. In other words I distracted them.
There is more than one way to ice a cake! Mine just happens to have another layer on it…to cover up the divits!!
I love “no school” days.
~Chris Ann (the MN half of LoveFeast Table~ I see Kristin was here already!)
heatherlyn says
I like words like “jocular” (although, my spelling skills will never be up to par) AND I like breaks from school because helping my kids with their homework is a real pain! Hooray for winter break, and spring break, and summer break!
S Club Mama says
IF I ever teach, that is what I’ll be like. I’ve never read (or seen) Pride & Prejudice. I don’t quote poetry (I seriously dislike poetry and Shakespeare). No, scratch that, I really hate Shakespeare. I like the movies based on his plays, though. 10 Things I Hate About You, Romeo & Juliet (with Claire & Leo – rawr)…I’m sure there’s more but those are on the top of my head.
mom, interrupted says
I knew it was time for me to give up teaching when I would be out of the building faster than the middle schoolers when the bell rang. And loved the snow day!
I like having my kids home too. No routine, no homework, no schedule. . . maybe I’m just a slacker mom at heart!
Kathy says
I always loved Spring Break too because then I didn’t have to worry about a schedule. I was actually really good in English class though :) I LIKED to dissect sentences! I know. I have issues LOL
The Princess Blogger says
You sound like my kind of English teacher. I graduated (way before you) 3 miles (or so) from Comptom, where Snoop Dogg attended (after me). And I am impressed by your rap knowledge (ha).
I tried to make it through Sense and Sensibility, but just couldn’t. Seriously. However, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies looks promising!
Shelley says
It sounds like you were an amazing teacher! One that your students won’t soon forget!
Jennifer says
I’m like you. I used to teach and I love when my kids have breaks. Our spring break is over, but I am counting down the days until summer!!!
parenting BY dummies says
When I was teaching I looked at my year from one break to the next. Doing little survival countdowns in between. And, seriously, I was an AWESOME teacher. My students loved me and they did their work for me because they wanted me to love them back. You know, when you got it, you got it. That’s what I always say. I taught LA and Amer. History to 8th graders in Okland and I didn’t really care all that much if they learned their vocab words (although it did piss me off when they used to write cuz and wuz) nor did I care if they remembered where the shot heard round the world was fired (where was that again?). All I wanted was for them to not do crack and not get pregnant and pass. And guess what? They did! Being a teacher at all is reason enough to pat yourself on the back. I mean, as long as you didn’t like beat them or spend all your time napping on your desk (I had one like that and she was kinda awesome too).
That One Mom says
Spring Break is amazing… I must say, I was happy to send them back today, though. I needed a nap after all of our travelling.
Shell says
I always felt like I had it easiest when I was teaching English b/c it seemed easier to cover the curriculum in time, unlike when I was teaching math. And breaks? I practically shoved the kids out of the way when it was time for break!
Lori says
There are pros and cons to school. I appreciate the free babysitting, but it’s nice to not have to wake them up, ask if they’ve done their homework, etc. My goal is to be lazy, and it’s always up for debate which helps more with that goal.
Lizgizzy says
We don’t have Spring Breaks yet, and I’m looking forward to them because, work be damned, we are taking vacations!
Lizgizzy says
Hey forgot to mention- Mama Kat- thanks for dropping by and commenting!
Lourie says
You are the teacher that kids want to have! And you and I could sit at the other table and make fun of the ones quoting the books we never read.
I LOVE Spring break and any other break simply because it means no homework, sleeping in, no making lunches or driving around. :)
Michele says
As a former college English prof, one thing I always told people was the fact that I majored in English does not mean I memorized the dictionary or never make a grammatical mistake.
And “Pride and Prejudice?” Hated the book. Only read the first few chapters. I also hate “Moby Dick,” “Call of the Wild,” anything by John Steinbeck, and poetry. Yes, I hate poetry, especially Shelly and Keats and all those other “romantics.”
The fact that those other teachers were worried about getting through a curriculum rather than teaching is a big part of what is wrong with our current education system. You, obviously, are what is right. :-)
Momlissa says
I knew I liked you. lol. They gave an English Lit degree to this girl as well, without being able to dissect a sentence. lol. I did a lot of faking it in my Lit classes, pretending like I had a clue as to what the HELL everyone was talking about. My friend and I had fun making fun of our classmates, though. We called their lenghty diatribes on literature EBULL (elaborate bullshit) and quite frequently turned to EBULL ourselves when it was paper writin’ time. That was back in the stone age (late 80’s) when we had to use a typewriter. Barbaric, I tell ya!