Every year about this time a different person moves into our house. She’s a bit more serious and a great deal more intense than the person who lives here during the summer. When school is about to begin a carefree, fun-loving person is replaced by someone with intensity and dedication.
My wife, Tammy, is a teacher. There is a transition in her personality every year at this time. If there is a teacher in your household, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Fridays become holidays. Summers are savored. Christmas break is a fantastic Christmas gift.
Those who don’t have educators in their homes have no idea. In fact, I wonder just how much of the public realizes and understands the amount of work, preparation, time, effort, care, and concern that goes into teaching a class — grade school, high school, or college.
I know it’s popular to say that teachers have it easy because they get holidays and summers off. But I can tell you from first hand knowledge that they more than make up for those hours during the school year. Evenings, weekends, and free time that other people take for granted are all used by teachers to get their “take home” work finished.
If a teacher has never taught a class or grade level before, you can simply double the work about which I just wrote. Sure, it gets easier the longer you teach a class or subject. But there is always work. Every day. School year weekends. All the way through to the last day of school.
You think children are happy when school’s over? Ask a teacher how they feel about summer vacation. It’s not because they don’t enjoy teaching. It’s just that they need a break.
You’ve seen the bumper sticker: If you can read this, thank a teacher. The teacher’s family deserves some thanks, too, for the sacrifices they make at the expense of grading papers, planning classes, and going to bed early.
So, if you see a teacher today as another school year begins, thank her (or him). You might also think about thanking that teacher’s husband and family.
What’s a memory of your favorite teacher?
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Thanks!
Any other classmates out there also readers? How about:
Grade school: Mr. Fangmann.
High school: Hmmmmm, Mr. Ebel, Mr. Hammes, Mr. Batchelor — didn't appreciate him so much at the time, but instilled some things, Miss Moeller, Fraulein Schwartz. Are there more? I'm sure there are.
I can still say kingdom, phylom, class, order, family, species.
Physics is life and life is physics. And appreciation for a Bach cantata.
Yes, of COURSE, Mr. Fangmann! Probably my favorite teacher ever, even though we were scared half to death of him. Great list, Alane. Thanks!
That's probably what makes him so memorable.
On point today. Some people will never ever understand.
Thanks, Chris. You got that right.
Thank you for posting this. I'm sure that my husband can attest to what you're saying. Sunday nights are not always my favorite time of week and I wish that they were. If the work wasn't already done during the weekend, you've got to finish it then. Even though I'm not a teacher, I work in the school system and see many hard working teachers. I agree they put in so much more than what non-teachers realize. Many teachers take classes themselves while teaching. I don't know how they do it. Christmas and Spring breaks and summer holidays are welcomed and deserved.
One of my favorite teachers was my Jr. High music teacher who encouraged me and sent me to a summer music camp at FSU. She did one or two musicals a year and I loved them. I was always sitting at the piano, but that was OK with me. One time she let me sing a solo. I was really scared, but it went OK. I'm more comfortable playing the piano. My family was friends with her and her husband for years and years. I would visit them when I came back home during and after college. She and her husband came to my father's graveside funeral near Ft. Myers when I was 41 years old. She was in a wheelchair then and had a stroke years before that. Yet, she and her husband came to my Dad's funeral. I didn't even know that she was aware he died. I'll never forget her.
Thanks, Carol. What a great story about a great teacher.
Amen to your thoughts, Tom. It is good at least some people understand. Sometimes teaching is a lonely profession because nobody except a teacher and teacher's family really gets it. Thanks for thinking of us! Blessings on Tammy's year….tell her that please!
I did! And thanks for your thoughts.
I agree whole-heartedly with your assessment of teacher's lives. That's why I have volunteered to help them for the past 48 years. If you want to be appreciated, become a teacher's aide.
Thank you for the important and, I'm sure, much appreciated work!
I'm thankful everyday for my husband. He is the son of a former teacher; his 3 aunts were also teachers.I didn't meet him until I was almost 30 but he was definitely "worth the wait" because he does all the cooking and grocery shopping! He and his dad were responsible for that while his mom was a teacher, and it's a HUGE blessing to me! He's also pretty handy with power tools and has joined the other teachers' husbands to make up our "man crew" for fixing things, putting together new furniture, moving whiteboards, etc. (I teach at a small Lutheran school so we do it all!)
This summer he had to work 50-60 hrs/week, sometimes go in to work on the weekends, travel quit a bit, spend his own money of some supplies, even make an item for his job (which I helped him with)…and I realized that his schedule was just like a teacher's! And, yes, it did kind of stink to be the spouse in that situation! It definitely gave me a new appreciation for what he goes through during the school year!
As each summer passes, I realize more and more how extreme the difference is between the "teacher" me and the "summer" me… and it gets a little harder to let go of the "summer" me — the ability to make appts at any time of the day because I'm not at school, to read as many books as I want, to travel and visit friends/family for longer than a weekend (and not feel guilty that I should be home working on school stuff!)… I used to wish away summer because I was bubbling over with new ideas for the school year and couldn't wait to get started. But it is a LONG school year.
Thanks for sharing important insights!
What dedicated people you both are. Thanks for such excellent thoughts!
Thanks for writing this. Today, after church, my husband is going to help me set up my classroom. While he draws the line at helping me grade papers, he is always willing to do "the grunt work", or take over extra home responsibilities – especially this time of the year. Don't know if he knew what he was signing up for when he married me, but in 35 years I have yet to hear a complaint. He is a blessing from God.
That's awesome. You are blessed.
Thanks for the article it has encouraged me. I also am the handy husband with the power tools. It is the only way I get to see my wife! I did not come from a teaching family and could of not known what I was getting into when I married her. Indiana has been weighing it's teachers down with more than they can handle. And the media to often
Thanks for the article it has encouraged me. I also am the handy husband with the power tools. It is the only way I get to see my wife! I did not come from a teaching family and could of not known what I was getting into when I married her. Still I love her so much.
Tim
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Great post however , I was wondering if you could write
a litte more on this subject? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate
a little bit further. Kudos!
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Thanks.