Monday, March 21, 2011

Missing Teaching

I'm currently on my seventh month of taking a leave from teaching. When I moved to Chicago I decided to take a year off and during that time, write my Illinois teaching tests. Then I got pregnant. I'll take the tests eventually but I'm really in no hurry, considering I'm taking a full year off of work for maternity leave.

I really did not miss teaching until, hmmm, December or January. I absolutely did not miss writing report cards. I did not miss yard duty in the dead of winter. I did not miss paperwork or bureaucratic craziness or hyper kids or marking work or EQAO test preparation.

What I do miss is the fun stuff. Making artwork for the different holidays. Friday treat days. Assemblies. Eating lunch with the staff. Having adult conversations. Using critical thinking skills. And most of all, working with kids that I can talk to! I love, love, love joking around with the kids I teach. They think I'm some sort of comedian. Seriously. I know, I can't believe it either.

Don't get me wrong. There are definite perks of my current job too, it's just different from teaching.

Anyway, now I really appreciate the time I spend with my nephews and niece. Nieces as of last week, but that's a story for another day. The pictures below were taken over Christmas break when the kids were sleeping over at my parents' for a night. I bought them a set of make your own rubber balls, just for something to do. I relished in the few minutes of pretend teaching, giving instructions and having them actually listen to me!
Love these kids!

2 comments:

  1. That was fun watching you make the balls with A & E. I know what you mean about missing certain aspects of your teaching job. I love being retired but there are certain things that I miss...mostly the social aspect of my job. I miss seeing my work friends every day ... a lot!!

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  2. Yes I miss coffee break and lunch time too but Aw, your nieces and nephews are very lucky to have you! And as they grow older they will remember those special times. I have former daycare kids who are now in university and I hear from them all the time how much they remember from those days when they were little. They love the memories and so do I.

    I don't miss having a 'boss' Being my own boss is the best and having the internet for contact with the outside world is a bonus.

    Once the weather gets a bit better Jill, you can get out to the parks and befriend others in your same situation - either nannies or new moms. I have made lifelong friends that way - you will too.

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