Sup Teach?

One CST released question asks students to estimate what percentage of the year is spent in school. “Students attend school 180 days of the year…. what percentage is this?” A little less than 50%! Of course, weekends and breaks are interespersed throughout the schoolyear, but the bulk of this off time is during the offseason.

Ah, the offseason. Summertime! Virtually all of my teacher friends decided to take the entire offseason off. One teacher friend took a 4 week vacation to Europe. Two friends spent time in Mexico. Another visited Michigan.

Me? I kept teaching. Why? For one thing, I didn’t feel as though funds were good enough to splurge on a crazy vacation. Another thing is I really don’t know how to make use of all that free time! 3 whole months!?

Summer Algebra Academy ended last Friday. OUSD’s 08-09 schoolyear does not begin until August 20. Days free of work, of lesson plans, of students, of dress shirts and slacks began this past weekend. Unobligated relaxation. One perk teachers enjoy is the option of work-free summers. Though I postponed and clipped mine down to three and a half weeks in August, I’m now relishing it for all it’s worth.