Spoiler: if you're tired, it's probably nothing. At least, nothing related to school or teaching.
I know you may be feeling that you need to work this summer — after all, there are summer schools to staff and “learning losses” to recoup — but if you've been living on that edge between sane and insane, moralized and demoralized, confident and crumbling… well, you might need to spend a month or too contemplating your finitude and taking some time away from the work.
But, Dave, there's so much work to do come Fall! I've got so much I need to learn! So many things to prep!
I need to get a jump on Fall!
But do you? Or if you start working on it all this summer will just you end up with tons to do this fall anyways — minus the deep benefit of having had a time of replenishment?
My advice: if you've had a hard year or two, take the summer to do something crazy. Work at Chipotle. Jump into a creek. Do the touristy stuff near you that you've only ever watched tourists do. Read a book each afternoon beneath a tree. Take naps. Make something you found on Pinterest.
Come '21-22, we'll get after it, you and me.
But now? It might be time to bask a bit in our creatureliness and do what will look to our colleagues like a whole lotta nothing.
Alba says
Yes Dave! I totally agree! My school is offering in-person summer school, and I expressed interest to teach on April. Now that we’re near the end I withdrew my interest. This month of hybrid has been challenging enough. I need the mental, physical, and psychological break. Self-care and family are my focus. I was feeling guilty but then I put everything into perspective – family and myself first.
Scot says
Thank you for this. I’ve been teaching remotely for 14 months. On top of going online, we had new textbooks and new curriculum this year. I turned down a decent chunk of money for teaching summer school and have been feeling guilty about both the money and the kids. You just reminded me why it was the right decision. I’m borderline burnt out and I need to recover before we all return to campus in August and start a whole new challenge.
Elizabeth Woo says
Thank you for this. I am already feeling that self-imposed pressure to get a jump on next year. Already stressed. This has to stop; thanks for granting the “permission” until I can learn how to give it to myself without feeling guilty.