"You're a teacher??"

Me: Yes.

Idiot (incredulously): You get summer's off???

Me (I know what's coming...): Well, yes. ::sigh::

Idiot: YOU'RE SO LUCKY!!!! I wish I had become a teacher! I'd have it so eassssy!

Me (cue birds chirping) :

I have the above conversation about once a month with random idiots who think that teachers have it so easy. And I detest this kind of thinking. It is what has contributed to me compiling a mental list of what I did in the summer and during the school year in hopes that one day I will be able to have the last word and put the idiots in their place. I'm writing the list down in the case that I forget what I will want to say...if this happens again, which it will.

But first...

I love teaching.

LOVE IT.

I love telling people what to do and being in the center of attention, so naturally it's perfect for me. What's even better is that the kids listen to every word I say and take it to heart, (Well, for the most part.) because I'm the Queen Bee and whatever I say, goes.

I love kids.

I love to hear them laugh and sing.

I love to laugh when they say something funny, which happens like every 5 minutes.

I love new discoveries and hearing..." Oooooh, I get it nooooow!" when a revelation has finally occurred.

I love seeing progress: Non-readers turning into independent readers who are reading challenging chapter books.

Experiments, activities, Math, Reader's Workshop and my all time favorite...Writing Workshop.

I love teaching.

I'm not going to now ruin the positivity that has so suddenly flooded this post with a list of negatives about being a teacher. Instead, here's how I spent my summer "vacation."

School ended.

I was already in the process of taking a grad class.

I took on a part time job for a few weeks.

I finished the grad class after 3 weeks.

Went to Punta Cana for 4 days. COUNT THEM, FOUR.

Came back and began TWO new grad classes the day of our return.

Worked on those grad classes EVERY SINGLE DAY since July 7th.

Classes didn't end until last Thursday.

Went to one teacher workshop this summer.

Went to school to work on curriculum stuff three times.

Last week, I headed to school to start working on my classroom.

School begins in less than two weeks, which will be time spent worrying and planning.

Oh yeah, and that same week, I begin another grad class.

There's been no lounging, except for Punta Cana, if you consider our crazy excursions lounging.

There's been no time to finish even ONE book. That's right, I never read any of the books on my list.

Simply, I haven't been picking my nose and doing nothing.

And so, to the next idiot I meet: Screw you. I do love my job. But, I don't have it easy.