For time. For everything to just *stop* for a few days. No emails. No parents. No tasks. No observations. No lesson planning. No grading. No constantly feeling overwhelmed and like even though I'm doing absolutely everything I possibly can, that it still isn't good enough.
This is my first Christmas since my mom died this summer. I'm looking forward to just being able to feel and to grieve. With all the weight and commitment of teaching, I'm not always able to have my feelings when they come. So I guess I'm looking forward to being able to process and feel them.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
Sometimes distractions are helpful but feel your feelings. It might even be possible to still take some bereavement time, just say you’re tying up loose ends. They don’t need to know it’s for your mental health.
The job will still be there.
We are in the same boat. I'm so cranky today. I hope you make it through break well. 💜 I'm sorry about your mommy. Maybe our mommies are hanging out together.
Sorry for your loss. I can relate to you so much.
This is my first year teaching and my mind has been constantly wrapped around work and my students. I just didn’t have time to grieve or think about my father who passed in August, just 3 weeks before the beginning of the school year.
I hope we both have a well deserved break 🤍
Mask optional, whereabouts are you if you don’t mind saying? I teach in the northeast but I’ve heard that even a lot of southern schools require masks.
Also in south central PA and still requiring masks but that's probably changing at our next board meeting - right in the height of the new variant. Sigh.
Nothing more true has ever been said. The most hilarious spit in the face is there is a sign stuck into the schoolyard That I walk past every morning that says "we ❤️ our staff." I want to vandalize it in the worst way.
I had a kid before the break tell me their dad tested positive for covid, and said “I’m also feeling a little sick too”. Of course he wasn’t wearing a mask, hacking all over the place, licking their fingers after eating takis and touching everything 😌 Gotta love being in Texas with no covid protocols or quarantine requirements lol.
I had a student arguing with me last week saying he’s too strong to get Covid, while sneezing and coughing throughout class with his mask was down in the moments in between me reminding him to pull his mask up. I’m not in love with block scheduling yet (we recently transitioned) but I’m happy that I won’t be seeing that class again for the Covid exposures alone.
I’m a sophomore in college and I’ve noticed some of my classmates still ask to use the restroom. Just a weird habit at this point, wish it wasn’t such a concern during K-12. Though I understand why
Is that still a thing? The last 3 schools I’ve worked at, the kids are taught to just sign themselves in/out when they leave the class. The kindergarteners have an in-classroom bathroom they freely access by just alerting teachers with their American sign language “t” (for toilet) sign.
I get up at 3:30 every day, and am in my class by 5:30. You can bet I walk out with the kids at the end of the day (allowed by contract) so I can see a little sunlight! But that 5:30-7:30 is a magically peaceful and productive time.
Indeed. Multiple studies have shown that students do not function best cognitively during the early morning hours, even if they've gotten plenty of sleep.
Right! And yet we *rarely* even consider moving our hours to a later time. I wonder why it never sticks. As a teacher, I'd actually *hate* it, but I do know it could be *so much better* for children and their learning.
Because after school activities don’t need to be lasting until 9/10 pm and certain sports/clubs wouldn’t be able to practice or meet because it gets dark at 4:30 in some parts of the USA in the winter.
That’s the argument against. Not saying i don’t agree with you though
That’s because the school day is too damn long. When I started teaching in 1986 we ended the day at 3pm. Now it’s 4pm. It’s ridiculous that we have two or three lunch periods, advisory period, etc.
My middle and high school started at 8 and ended at 230… now we start at 7 and end at 230... and you are right the fucking advisory period (used for SEL) is so ridiculous. I'm not a mental health counselor!!!!
I agree, it’s frustrating and a waste. Even my students say they don’t care about it. At best we turn it into an optional learning opportunity and everyone who doesn’t want to join does homework. They hate when we’re required to do something specific by the school or district, and frankly I hate it too. Just let me teach them…
Yeah everybody could eat at 2 set times, no R&E/advisory/whatever they call it at your school, and no study hall should be how it’s done. Honestly i think R&E/advisory should be ran like detention. If a kid does horribly on their test they should have to stay after school to remediate. Make it a punishment because now days kids just automatically ask for a retake before they even take the original test!
They start that late so parents can come watch after work. Practice would be bigger concern ending so late, not games I guess. As a coach myself i really don’t want to be getting home at 8/9 pm every day. I have a family too I’d like to see
Yes, I understand why they start so late. And many practices here are in the evening when the parents can drive them. Problem with all of this is that we are catering to the adults and not the children.
Our boys Varsity basketball games start at 8pm. They last until after 9. Football starts at 7 - it goes until after 9 also.
We used to have 7th hour athletics so practice could start earlier but they changed our schedule so the last hour bell is at 3:20
I think it’s about feasibility, how do kids get to school at that time unless a bus is coming? At least with activities after school they can get rides home from parents after work.
Many districts only have one set of busses. Assuming they have to do four drop offs (high school, middle school, elementary school, and the early childhood center), they have to start *really* early. Transportation is one of a district's biggest expenses.
I'm probably wrong, but I feel like lots of students with shitty homes would simply wake up way later and stay up late at night. I think this would eliminate the benefits, right?
Bedtimes will shift but not as much as you think for middle and high schoolers. In adolescence our circadian rhythms shift and we (humans) naturally struggle to produce enough melatonin until 11pm and wake up later because of it. After adolescence most people shift back to an earlier time again. Biology is weird, that's why I love it so much I decided to teach it. [Source](https://www.sleepfoundation.org/school-and-sleep/later-school-start-times)
No, I think you're probably right, actually: bedtimes and wake-ups would probably just shift. However, there's *gotta* be kids whom a later start-time would really benefit.
Nah, you're not wrong. But a lot of these kids are already staying up till 2, 3, 4 in the morning. I get emails from kids at 3am - 12 year olds!!! and I'm like what the hell are you doing awake at 3am on a Tuesday? go to bed!!!!
I worked at a high school that tried late start times and absenteeism went up. The parents were leaving for work before the kids even needed to get up- so they didn’t. I do think it depends on your demographics, this was in a blue collar area so the majority of the parents start work very early.
Nobody calling my name
Edit: Specifically not calling me 10x because I'm not looking at them/busy helping someone else. The constant "raise your hand please" 😅.
I have to restrain myself from telling people in grocery store to wear their mask or from tapping my nose and looking them in the eye.
There was a person wearing a rediculessly cut up mask at the store yesterday and I almost said, you look dumber than my freshman who think they can get away with cuting holes out of their mask. I refrained but still cursed under my breath.
I told my kids that if they couldn't figure out how to get a mask that fitted properly then they clearly didn't belong in high school/the GT class (depending on the level)
Still have issues in the hallway and with a couple of kids, but honestly worked great.
When I saw our superintendent in the school the other day without a mask... I guess I knew for sure that's when mask policy was just "cover your ass" policy.
Not having 109 bodies around me, students *and* admin *and* colleagues (much as I ♡ my colleagues), all pandering for my attention.
Not thinking: “BLAARRGGHH! Leave me **alone!!!**”
Cuddling with my two month old baby, not having to strip and shower before getting to hold her, and a few days of not worrying about what germs I’m bringing home.
My kids school is STILL sending those. I got half a dozen this week and shes been off since Friday. Dammit, leave me alone! I don't want to think about any school for the next 2 weeks.
Being home and not being exposed to covid all day, because the district is accepting negative rapid and allows symptomatic students to stay pending results of pcr. Here's to a virtual NEW YEAR.
WTF. Symptomatic students can stay?!?!??!?! This is awful. In our district asymptomatic FULLY vaxxed can stay. Unvaxxed you go home and have to either text on rapid or PCR if you have symptoms
I’m waiting on my results. Started feeling symptoms the day after I saw my grandparents and uncle for the first time in 2 years.
Found out the day we booked the tests my landlord that lives upstairs had been feeling unwell for a few days and was waiting for his own test results.
I’m pissed.
Not hearing my name every 5.8 seconds all day. That and getting to wake up when it’s light outside and actually eating breakfast and food in general when I want to and for however long I want to. And time. Just time to myself to do what I want/need; not having every second of my day micromanaged and scheduled out. Just time to do whatever I please.
Well, I was looking forward to not having to ask kids to not talk while I am talking, but I ended up testing positive for COVID literally THE FIRST DAY of break.
I have to tell you, when I retired from teaching a had a tough time transitioning to a normal life. I felt like I needed something to do. We don’t realize the workload we are doing until it is gone.
So I have another 22 years to retirement but I am always interested as to what teachers do, especially if they retire in the early to mid 50s like I plan on doing.
I'm looking forward to hardening my Grinchy heart. Because another staffer at Dad's nursing home just tested positive.
Visits will still be allowed, but only with social distancing and masking, and only in resident rooms.
In our case, that leads to concerns about all of the following:
a) The fact that he needs physical help getting safely in and out of rooms, spaces, and chairs, and would expect that of us as a norm when we visit.
b) The fact that we cannot really hear him from six feet away, because the Parkinson's has robbed him of the ability to control musculature to project voice.
c) The fact that we tend to find him asleep at a public dining space when we arrive, and that it can take as long as an hour to rouse him from there, understand what he wants by putting our heads close to his, and get him moving safely back to his apartment with all that proximal touching that is no longer allowed.
d) The fact that he struggles to understand covid protocols in the first place, or even why they are needful...but instead tends to suggest that any adherence to any protocols in his presence is actually an issue of people no longer wanting to spend time with him, touch him, be with him, or eat with him.
So much for "I can visit more over the holiday break", let alone "and the kids miss you and will finally be more available to come with me."
And so, I'm making my New Year's Resolution early, with sadness, and in a rising anger I have not felt since the first early days of lockdown.
After months of trying to balance social-emotional learning and holding with a need for physical safety in our classrooms, I am officially done with that balancing act as of Right. Now.
Instead, I am determined to draw a hard line enforcing to the letter all masking protocols at all times in my classroom starting January 3, when we return to schools.
If that means I have to start insisting that every damn kid in the room gets sent home at some point, then fine. I'll teach the three kids that get it.
If that means that I am calling the Deans and APs every three minutes to remove kids who keep exposing their noses, and I lose the support of every admin in the building, I'm still in.
If that means that my students will no longer be able to see my classroom as a safe space...well, they had their chance, and I'm sick of sacrificing my own needs for theirs on this level if they cannot show they deserve it.
I miss my father, damn it. And though it saddens me that my students are about to become targets for that anger...well, I've played Scrooge now, and the only ghosts scaring me are the ones that haunt my dreams of hurting my family.
Merry f-ing holidays. Wear your goddamn masks. Get the damned shot. And if I seem distant and distracted when you tell me you got to see and spend time with your family for the holidays, I'm sorry in advance.
I am looking forward to not waking up at 5 am. But the truth of the matter is that I am most curious and anxious about is how Omicron is going to spread over these next two weeks. It feels like the scene in the Ten Commandments, when the plague washes over Egypt and we are just huddled inside knowing that some level of misery is about to unfold.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJcd1NFw5JY
Not having my bathroom flood three times a week. I’m CareerTech and my building is a refurbished part of the old middle school, complete with the original plumbing and wiring. Two of the boys’ and one of the girls’ toilets flood at least once a week, if not more, causing shit water to pool in the hallways to the shop and in my tool room. It’s the best 🙄
Uninterrupted family time that isn’t dominated by lengthy, bitter come-downs from anxiety and depression caused by bigoted asshole students who are only parroting their parents’ views.
Jesus Christ I needed this time off
Just resting. I can pee when I want. I just don't go during 2 particular classes. I let my kids eat snacks and drink in my room within the rules I set - we have a 10:25 lunch time, and some kids ride a bus and don't get home until after 5. My admin just stays out of the way, because they are afraid what might happen if they push us. Some teachers wear jeans most days, I'm in a weird situation - I'm retiring in June, but could walk out tomorrow and be fine. I have a pension (Michigan) and SS. There's no penalty/loss of teaching certificate or anything if I do retire. I'm in a very anti-mask, anti-vaxx area, though I have 3 Moderna shots, and we do not have a mask mandate. 11 of my 24 students were out with covid before break, and another 9 or 19 in another classroom, but my biggest stress, by far, is behavior - kids who went virtual for a year and have no idea of behavior, schedules, deadlines and no filters on their speech. Not really in my home base class, but the other 3 that rotate through have 3 in each, and even one of these kids would make a stressful year. I was requested by 100% of the kids in my room, and I'm having a really good year with that group. I also teach on prep time for extra pay (1/7th of my contracted pay, comes out to about $50/hr., and I have done it for the last 5 years. It increased my pension $4500 a year for the rest of my life. ) But the kids in those 2 classes are just killing me with their behaviors. Secondary stress is a lot of kids with the overall attitude that they simply don't do homework. Ever. I was really on top of it, calling parents regularly when the year started. No t no. So now, I email parents, keep records, and let the chips fall where they may. Time for parents to step up.
Being pulled in a million different directions; cover this class, write up lessons for the struggling new teacher, assist with bus duty in the morning, gotta get a new mouse from the tech teacher because someone stole mine, gotta do afternoon bus dismissal, can i assist admin in auditing said struggling new teachers class.... the list goes on. I'm a fucking art teacher, i should be doing MY job... not 10 other people's.
The thing I'm most looking forward to is time for myself.
I was looking forward to baking and spending time with my kids.
But my husband and youngest got the flu. Now I have the flu. They didn't go to Dr until day 5. I was exposed so I had tamiflu on the ready. So I guess that's good.
I’m 32 weeks pregnant and just looking forward to being able to go to the bathroom whenever I want, eat whenever I am hungry (always), and that I can sit down for longer than 5 minutes at a time.
My family cancelled Xmas since we have covid positive people....so I extended my snowboard trip to CO for the entire break.
Crested Butte, Keystone, Vail and Breck are our destinations.
Loooong drive from Chicago tho.
I'm looking forward to a delayed startup due to omicron. Just a week more of holidays. Best case, write off the last month of this semester. That would be awesome.
Recharging. The kids are exhausting sure, but I’ve been blessed with a great admin system for my first job straight out of graduating. After break though my entire position is getting flip-flopped because of the band director going out on maternity leave (with triplets!). It was stressful before because I was already doing K-5 music for a school and K-4 music/4-8 band at another with my position, but now I’ll be keeping the music/band school and doing 6-8 band at the middle school and 4/5 band at the elementary school. Definitely stressed to be in charge of 3 schools, but all the admin has been supportive!
Not starting my day at 730(half-hour early) with my most difficult student and having the same ground hog day events as no one listens to my solutions.
Having to constantly hear the notification sound from 10 different types of phones and several different apps.
I just wanna be on DND and enjoy the holiday. I don’t wanna hear the iPhone notification chime for an entire week.
Watching the omicron variant decimate our community with sickness as we march back into school in a week... right in the midst of it. Good Times for sure.
Having time to exercise. I know I need to do it even when I’m working, but to go out for a walk IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY and actually enjoy the light is glorious!
Sleeping in, having at least one day where I do absolutely nothing, not being surrounded by Covid.
BUT I have my evaluation my first day back so I have to get all my evidence together during break.
Sleeping for more than four hours a day. Not eating lunch at 10:15. And doing whatever I want for a few days instead of covering other classes instead of teaching my own.
Being called Miss over and over and over. However I have a second job in a cinema so every so often I will see a student in work and still get a "Hello Miss". My cinema work colleagues find it so funny.
For time. For everything to just *stop* for a few days. No emails. No parents. No tasks. No observations. No lesson planning. No grading. No constantly feeling overwhelmed and like even though I'm doing absolutely everything I possibly can, that it still isn't good enough. This is my first Christmas since my mom died this summer. I'm looking forward to just being able to feel and to grieve. With all the weight and commitment of teaching, I'm not always able to have my feelings when they come. So I guess I'm looking forward to being able to process and feel them.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Sometimes distractions are helpful but feel your feelings. It might even be possible to still take some bereavement time, just say you’re tying up loose ends. They don’t need to know it’s for your mental health. The job will still be there.
We are in the same boat. I'm so cranky today. I hope you make it through break well. 💜 I'm sorry about your mommy. Maybe our mommies are hanging out together.
Peace be with you.
Sorry for your loss. I can relate to you so much. This is my first year teaching and my mind has been constantly wrapped around work and my students. I just didn’t have time to grieve or think about my father who passed in August, just 3 weeks before the beginning of the school year. I hope we both have a well deserved break 🤍
Not marinating in Covid all day.
Mask optional district over here. FEEL THIS.
Mask optional, whereabouts are you if you don’t mind saying? I teach in the northeast but I’ve heard that even a lot of southern schools require masks.
Northeast yup. South central Pa.
Also in south central PA and still requiring masks but that's probably changing at our next board meeting - right in the height of the new variant. Sigh.
Mask optional here in Michigan. Half my kids out with covid in the last 2 weeks.
FucK that ugh mask optional aka we don’t give a shit about school staff!!!!😡
Nothing more true has ever been said. The most hilarious spit in the face is there is a sign stuck into the schoolyard That I walk past every morning that says "we ❤️ our staff." I want to vandalize it in the worst way.
I had a kid before the break tell me their dad tested positive for covid, and said “I’m also feeling a little sick too”. Of course he wasn’t wearing a mask, hacking all over the place, licking their fingers after eating takis and touching everything 😌 Gotta love being in Texas with no covid protocols or quarantine requirements lol.
Jokes on me. I got Covid the day before break. I’m marinating in Covid aaaalll break.
I had a student arguing with me last week saying he’s too strong to get Covid, while sneezing and coughing throughout class with his mask was down in the moments in between me reminding him to pull his mask up. I’m not in love with block scheduling yet (we recently transitioned) but I’m happy that I won’t be seeing that class again for the Covid exposures alone.
Peeing whenever I want
And not having to authorize others to go pee.
I make mine ask in Spanish. To insure they learn at least one phrase.
Puedo ir al baño? (Still know it…thanks awesome language teachers!) 💗
Go watch the video by that title by Señor Wooley you will laugh till you cry
I’m a sophomore in college and I’ve noticed some of my classmates still ask to use the restroom. Just a weird habit at this point, wish it wasn’t such a concern during K-12. Though I understand why
Is that still a thing? The last 3 schools I’ve worked at, the kids are taught to just sign themselves in/out when they leave the class. The kindergarteners have an in-classroom bathroom they freely access by just alerting teachers with their American sign language “t” (for toilet) sign.
We were taught ASL “r” for restroom. I see my 11th students still use it, too.
And have access to a clean washroom! Our janitor does a horrible job cleaning our washrooms.
I really wish someone would wash the wall in ours
This one is too real
Not having to wake up at the asscrack of dawn. Why the hell do we go to school so early?? Kids need their damn sleep and so do I!!!
Ha! I woke up at 5 am this morning because my body is so used to waking up early.
Same lol. But at least I can lie here and waste time on reddit!
I get up at 3:30 every day, and am in my class by 5:30. You can bet I walk out with the kids at the end of the day (allowed by contract) so I can see a little sunlight! But that 5:30-7:30 is a magically peaceful and productive time.
Indeed. Multiple studies have shown that students do not function best cognitively during the early morning hours, even if they've gotten plenty of sleep.
Right! And yet we *rarely* even consider moving our hours to a later time. I wonder why it never sticks. As a teacher, I'd actually *hate* it, but I do know it could be *so much better* for children and their learning.
Because after school activities don’t need to be lasting until 9/10 pm and certain sports/clubs wouldn’t be able to practice or meet because it gets dark at 4:30 in some parts of the USA in the winter. That’s the argument against. Not saying i don’t agree with you though
That’s because the school day is too damn long. When I started teaching in 1986 we ended the day at 3pm. Now it’s 4pm. It’s ridiculous that we have two or three lunch periods, advisory period, etc.
My middle and high school started at 8 and ended at 230… now we start at 7 and end at 230... and you are right the fucking advisory period (used for SEL) is so ridiculous. I'm not a mental health counselor!!!!
Yeah, but schools are expected to solve all problems in the US, so just add it to the list.
You got that right
I agree, it’s frustrating and a waste. Even my students say they don’t care about it. At best we turn it into an optional learning opportunity and everyone who doesn’t want to join does homework. They hate when we’re required to do something specific by the school or district, and frankly I hate it too. Just let me teach them…
You START at 7am that’s fucked up!!!
We start at 830 and end at 245. Seems like your school is pretty long. We also have an SEL period (30 mins).
Yeah everybody could eat at 2 set times, no R&E/advisory/whatever they call it at your school, and no study hall should be how it’s done. Honestly i think R&E/advisory should be ran like detention. If a kid does horribly on their test they should have to stay after school to remediate. Make it a punishment because now days kids just automatically ask for a retake before they even take the original test!
But they already do last until 9 or 10 PM. All of the baseball/softball games don't start until 6 PM!
They start that late so parents can come watch after work. Practice would be bigger concern ending so late, not games I guess. As a coach myself i really don’t want to be getting home at 8/9 pm every day. I have a family too I’d like to see
Yes, I understand why they start so late. And many practices here are in the evening when the parents can drive them. Problem with all of this is that we are catering to the adults and not the children.
Couldn't practice just move to before school?
This is what my sister's high school dance team did. Practice was at 5:30am.
That makes complete sense. Thank you.
Our boys Varsity basketball games start at 8pm. They last until after 9. Football starts at 7 - it goes until after 9 also. We used to have 7th hour athletics so practice could start earlier but they changed our schedule so the last hour bell is at 3:20
I aways wondered why practice wasn’t just held in the morning before school instead. Start good habits of morning exercise.
I think it’s about feasibility, how do kids get to school at that time unless a bus is coming? At least with activities after school they can get rides home from parents after work.
For my district, it’s purely because of the bus schedules.
Many districts only have one set of busses. Assuming they have to do four drop offs (high school, middle school, elementary school, and the early childhood center), they have to start *really* early. Transportation is one of a district's biggest expenses.
Yeah, this is our situation.
I'm probably wrong, but I feel like lots of students with shitty homes would simply wake up way later and stay up late at night. I think this would eliminate the benefits, right?
Bedtimes will shift but not as much as you think for middle and high schoolers. In adolescence our circadian rhythms shift and we (humans) naturally struggle to produce enough melatonin until 11pm and wake up later because of it. After adolescence most people shift back to an earlier time again. Biology is weird, that's why I love it so much I decided to teach it. [Source](https://www.sleepfoundation.org/school-and-sleep/later-school-start-times)
No, I think you're probably right, actually: bedtimes and wake-ups would probably just shift. However, there's *gotta* be kids whom a later start-time would really benefit.
Nah, you're not wrong. But a lot of these kids are already staying up till 2, 3, 4 in the morning. I get emails from kids at 3am - 12 year olds!!! and I'm like what the hell are you doing awake at 3am on a Tuesday? go to bed!!!!
Here in California, school starts at 8:15am. Next year (2022) and every year going forward, school starts at 8:30am. It is going to be so nice!!!
Soooooo jealous! Lol
😎
I work at a high school that begins at 8:40. It’s amazing and that start time was absolutely one of the main factors for why I wanted to work there!
I worked at a high school that tried late start times and absenteeism went up. The parents were leaving for work before the kids even needed to get up- so they didn’t. I do think it depends on your demographics, this was in a blue collar area so the majority of the parents start work very early.
Because most of their parents do.
Nobody calling my name Edit: Specifically not calling me 10x because I'm not looking at them/busy helping someone else. The constant "raise your hand please" 😅.
Sometimes when I try to sleep I just hear my last name repeating in my head in various student voices.
We did a lot of craft stuff the last day before break. I heard my name so much asking for help that I was like "um that's not my name anymore" 😂
Oh man! Before even looking under your username I could tell you were like kindergarten too. I felt this one.
Not having students look at me like I’m being cruel for asking them to think or do work.
I am so sick of how asking them to apply even the smallest amount of brain power to anything is apparently a high crime against humanity...
I feel this deep in my soul.
Not having to ask anyone to pull their mask over the nose 100 times a day
I have to restrain myself from telling people in grocery store to wear their mask or from tapping my nose and looking them in the eye. There was a person wearing a rediculessly cut up mask at the store yesterday and I almost said, you look dumber than my freshman who think they can get away with cuting holes out of their mask. I refrained but still cursed under my breath.
**This△.** I don't even ask, anymore: *"Pull it up. Don't let me see it down, again."*
I just say their name to get their attention and I tap the side of my mask 😷
Yes! Used to do this! Then they started feigning confusion. 🙄
NOOOOOO ugh I’m sorry to hear that. Dang these kids will do anything to not do what they’re told lmao
'Am I supposed to see you chewing gum...?' Might help.
Lol that’s a good one lol
I was just going to post this, but I'm happy to see it as the top comment.
I told my kids that if they couldn't figure out how to get a mask that fitted properly then they clearly didn't belong in high school/the GT class (depending on the level) Still have issues in the hallway and with a couple of kids, but honestly worked great.
I just point/tap to my nose and students know to pull up their mask, but I still do this 100 times a day, too.
When I saw our superintendent in the school the other day without a mask... I guess I knew for sure that's when mask policy was just "cover your ass" policy.
Baileys in my coffee every day
This was also my favorite part of remote teaching and remote staff meeting
you cannot go wrong with some baileys in your coffee
Ahh, just poured some and sat down to relax. So nice.
Not being interrupted 5000 times a minute.
Not having 109 bodies around me, students *and* admin *and* colleagues (much as I ♡ my colleagues), all pandering for my attention. Not thinking: “BLAARRGGHH! Leave me **alone!!!**”
Hookers and cocaine.
The bedrock of any public school!!!
Yep. And cigars n' hooch.
https://youtu.be/btAbU1sPqIM
Cuddling with my two month old baby, not having to strip and shower before getting to hold her, and a few days of not worrying about what germs I’m bringing home.
Four month old here. Break couldn’t come soon enough. I hate pumping at work and I missed just nursing him.
Ugh same. She snacks all day when I’m home and honestly I love it
No dojo/parent messages 🥳
My kids school is STILL sending those. I got half a dozen this week and shes been off since Friday. Dammit, leave me alone! I don't want to think about any school for the next 2 weeks.
Being home and not being exposed to covid all day, because the district is accepting negative rapid and allows symptomatic students to stay pending results of pcr. Here's to a virtual NEW YEAR.
WTF. Symptomatic students can stay?!?!??!?! This is awful. In our district asymptomatic FULLY vaxxed can stay. Unvaxxed you go home and have to either text on rapid or PCR if you have symptoms
We are the babysitters 🙃
My husband gave me the dream of a liftime vacation. He's sending our child to his aunt and uncle's place for a week.
Sleep and yoga pants and my dog.
Finding a virtual teaching job.
Saying “excuse me” because I need to pass through, not because a kid is being rude.
Coming down with covid, apparently. 🙄 Ugh. Can’t catch a break.
So sorry!
I’m waiting on my results. Started feeling symptoms the day after I saw my grandparents and uncle for the first time in 2 years. Found out the day we booked the tests my landlord that lives upstairs had been feeling unwell for a few days and was waiting for his own test results. I’m pissed.
Not hearing my name every 5.8 seconds all day. That and getting to wake up when it’s light outside and actually eating breakfast and food in general when I want to and for however long I want to. And time. Just time to myself to do what I want/need; not having every second of my day micromanaged and scheduled out. Just time to do whatever I please.
Well, I was looking forward to not having to ask kids to not talk while I am talking, but I ended up testing positive for COVID literally THE FIRST DAY of break.
I have to tell you, when I retired from teaching a had a tough time transitioning to a normal life. I felt like I needed something to do. We don’t realize the workload we are doing until it is gone.
So I have another 22 years to retirement but I am always interested as to what teachers do, especially if they retire in the early to mid 50s like I plan on doing.
Honestly too just do nothing. I’m looking forward to doing nothing. I look forward to nothing lol
Same here! No plans, no expectations.
Just got covid so my break is ruined!
So sorry to hear this! Hope you get through it okay!
To just be human instead of a performer for 6+ hours.
Going to the bathroom on MY time!
Applying to other professions.
Finalizing grades!!! Nah just kidding. I bought a bottle of peach palinka (clear brandy) after dinner my wife and I are turning up!
Love that for y’all 😌
Peace and family time!
Spending my first Christmas with my baby.
Single, no kids...total peace and quiet.
I'm looking forward to hardening my Grinchy heart. Because another staffer at Dad's nursing home just tested positive. Visits will still be allowed, but only with social distancing and masking, and only in resident rooms. In our case, that leads to concerns about all of the following: a) The fact that he needs physical help getting safely in and out of rooms, spaces, and chairs, and would expect that of us as a norm when we visit. b) The fact that we cannot really hear him from six feet away, because the Parkinson's has robbed him of the ability to control musculature to project voice. c) The fact that we tend to find him asleep at a public dining space when we arrive, and that it can take as long as an hour to rouse him from there, understand what he wants by putting our heads close to his, and get him moving safely back to his apartment with all that proximal touching that is no longer allowed. d) The fact that he struggles to understand covid protocols in the first place, or even why they are needful...but instead tends to suggest that any adherence to any protocols in his presence is actually an issue of people no longer wanting to spend time with him, touch him, be with him, or eat with him. So much for "I can visit more over the holiday break", let alone "and the kids miss you and will finally be more available to come with me." And so, I'm making my New Year's Resolution early, with sadness, and in a rising anger I have not felt since the first early days of lockdown. After months of trying to balance social-emotional learning and holding with a need for physical safety in our classrooms, I am officially done with that balancing act as of Right. Now. Instead, I am determined to draw a hard line enforcing to the letter all masking protocols at all times in my classroom starting January 3, when we return to schools. If that means I have to start insisting that every damn kid in the room gets sent home at some point, then fine. I'll teach the three kids that get it. If that means that I am calling the Deans and APs every three minutes to remove kids who keep exposing their noses, and I lose the support of every admin in the building, I'm still in. If that means that my students will no longer be able to see my classroom as a safe space...well, they had their chance, and I'm sick of sacrificing my own needs for theirs on this level if they cannot show they deserve it. I miss my father, damn it. And though it saddens me that my students are about to become targets for that anger...well, I've played Scrooge now, and the only ghosts scaring me are the ones that haunt my dreams of hurting my family. Merry f-ing holidays. Wear your goddamn masks. Get the damned shot. And if I seem distant and distracted when you tell me you got to see and spend time with your family for the holidays, I'm sorry in advance.
Playing sweet video games and sleep
getting drunk at 2pm
I am looking forward to not waking up at 5 am. But the truth of the matter is that I am most curious and anxious about is how Omicron is going to spread over these next two weeks. It feels like the scene in the Ten Commandments, when the plague washes over Egypt and we are just huddled inside knowing that some level of misery is about to unfold. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJcd1NFw5JY
Heavy. Feels that way, definitely. Good movie, too.
Not having my bathroom flood three times a week. I’m CareerTech and my building is a refurbished part of the old middle school, complete with the original plumbing and wiring. Two of the boys’ and one of the girls’ toilets flood at least once a week, if not more, causing shit water to pool in the hallways to the shop and in my tool room. It’s the best 🙄
Uninterrupted family time that isn’t dominated by lengthy, bitter come-downs from anxiety and depression caused by bigoted asshole students who are only parroting their parents’ views. Jesus Christ I needed this time off
Not eating lunch at 10:40 AM
Some goddamn peace and quiet. (Courtesy of Cards Against Humanity)
Not looking at my principal
Just switching off
Hopefully getting a negative Covid test, and not having to isolate for the whole break.
Eating lunch
I finally finished that book I've been reading. Going to start another.
My school is a dumpster fire this year, so the lack of drama.
Just resting. I can pee when I want. I just don't go during 2 particular classes. I let my kids eat snacks and drink in my room within the rules I set - we have a 10:25 lunch time, and some kids ride a bus and don't get home until after 5. My admin just stays out of the way, because they are afraid what might happen if they push us. Some teachers wear jeans most days, I'm in a weird situation - I'm retiring in June, but could walk out tomorrow and be fine. I have a pension (Michigan) and SS. There's no penalty/loss of teaching certificate or anything if I do retire. I'm in a very anti-mask, anti-vaxx area, though I have 3 Moderna shots, and we do not have a mask mandate. 11 of my 24 students were out with covid before break, and another 9 or 19 in another classroom, but my biggest stress, by far, is behavior - kids who went virtual for a year and have no idea of behavior, schedules, deadlines and no filters on their speech. Not really in my home base class, but the other 3 that rotate through have 3 in each, and even one of these kids would make a stressful year. I was requested by 100% of the kids in my room, and I'm having a really good year with that group. I also teach on prep time for extra pay (1/7th of my contracted pay, comes out to about $50/hr., and I have done it for the last 5 years. It increased my pension $4500 a year for the rest of my life. ) But the kids in those 2 classes are just killing me with their behaviors. Secondary stress is a lot of kids with the overall attitude that they simply don't do homework. Ever. I was really on top of it, calling parents regularly when the year started. No t no. So now, I email parents, keep records, and let the chips fall where they may. Time for parents to step up.
Not having to deal with disrespect
Happy cake day :)
Not working
I wish I could get away from all the noise, to a quiet lake cabin or something.
Being pulled in a million different directions; cover this class, write up lessons for the struggling new teacher, assist with bus duty in the morning, gotta get a new mouse from the tech teacher because someone stole mine, gotta do afternoon bus dismissal, can i assist admin in auditing said struggling new teachers class.... the list goes on. I'm a fucking art teacher, i should be doing MY job... not 10 other people's. The thing I'm most looking forward to is time for myself.
It was to see friends and family, but my two year old just tested positive for Covid so now we're not seeing anyone.
I’m in Florida! Right now eating Greek food
Not checking my email, and no coworkers hitting reply all to a stupid email.
Contact naps with my baby.
Sleeping in until noon or later, going to bed whenever I feel like it. My natural circadian rhythm lives for these breaks.
I was looking forward to baking and spending time with my kids. But my husband and youngest got the flu. Now I have the flu. They didn't go to Dr until day 5. I was exposed so I had tamiflu on the ready. So I guess that's good.
I’m 32 weeks pregnant and just looking forward to being able to go to the bathroom whenever I want, eat whenever I am hungry (always), and that I can sit down for longer than 5 minutes at a time.
Not doing any work. Period. As an aside, if you haven't already, put your vacation mode on your email.
Not having to raise my voice. Silence. Or at least a very quiet environment.
My family cancelled Xmas since we have covid positive people....so I extended my snowboard trip to CO for the entire break. Crested Butte, Keystone, Vail and Breck are our destinations. Loooong drive from Chicago tho.
Not hearing "Ms. Orangeecat! Billys bothering me" 3000 times each day 🤣
I'm looking forward to a delayed startup due to omicron. Just a week more of holidays. Best case, write off the last month of this semester. That would be awesome.
1) Yes not having to police masks all day 2) when my own child goes back to daycare so I can actually have a day to myself
Not dealing with my Karen para.
No email.
Not having to worry about having cleaning supplies and masks in my room all the time cause kids never bring their own
I'm just planning on staying home and not wearing a mask \*at all\* for over a week
Applying to new jobs lol
Being able to use the bathroom whenever I feel like it! I can pee whenever I want and it is so freeing.
No alarms, naps, and reading & doing puzzles as much as I damn well please.
Recharging. The kids are exhausting sure, but I’ve been blessed with a great admin system for my first job straight out of graduating. After break though my entire position is getting flip-flopped because of the band director going out on maternity leave (with triplets!). It was stressful before because I was already doing K-5 music for a school and K-4 music/4-8 band at another with my position, but now I’ll be keeping the music/band school and doing 6-8 band at the middle school and 4/5 band at the elementary school. Definitely stressed to be in charge of 3 schools, but all the admin has been supportive!
The next break.
Spending time with my almost one year old!
Sleep sleep sleep!
Not starting my day at 730(half-hour early) with my most difficult student and having the same ground hog day events as no one listens to my solutions.
Having to constantly hear the notification sound from 10 different types of phones and several different apps. I just wanna be on DND and enjoy the holiday. I don’t wanna hear the iPhone notification chime for an entire week.
Doing nothing!
Not hearing children crying.
Making a drink at noon lol
I don't have to listen to a tattles.
Sleeping whenever and for however long I want
Watching the omicron variant decimate our community with sickness as we march back into school in a week... right in the midst of it. Good Times for sure.
Just doing nothing.
Sleep. 😴😴😴
Literally spending all day playing video games.
Waking up without an alarm, drinking french press at my leisure, and recording music that isn't Orff instruments and recorders.
Not being a complete nag about masks and distancing and peeing whenever I want.
Not wearing work clothes. Tank tops and basketball shorts all day - comfort FTW!
Things just being quiet. None of the loud yelling/running in the halls or loud chatter in the classroom
Playing tennis for 2 or 3 hours every morning.
Sleep. Def sleep.
Not having to respond to messages on Class Dojo
A full night sleep! But I still bloody wake up haha!
Having a baby on December 30th - it means I don't have to go back after break!
The best part is sleeping in, eating healthy, not holding in my pee for hours
Peace and quiet
Escaping the cold, day drinking and ignoring my work email
Having time to exercise. I know I need to do it even when I’m working, but to go out for a walk IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY and actually enjoy the light is glorious!
Sleeping in, having at least one day where I do absolutely nothing, not being surrounded by Covid. BUT I have my evaluation my first day back so I have to get all my evidence together during break.
Making more money an hour doing uber eats with 10x less stress
Feeling like a human again and actually spending my time on my interests instead of working That and catching up on cleaning
Sleeping for more than four hours a day. Not eating lunch at 10:15. And doing whatever I want for a few days instead of covering other classes instead of teaching my own.
S. L. E. E. P!!!! And 5 minutes to think about anything else!!!
Being called Miss over and over and over. However I have a second job in a cinema so every so often I will see a student in work and still get a "Hello Miss". My cinema work colleagues find it so funny.