In the weeks leading up to the first day of school my mind begins to fill with work that lays ahead. Two weeks and two days from now I will go to bed with all of the possibilities. The racing thoughts will begin. Is my room ready? What do I do on the first day of school? Is there enough time to meet about the new schedule and the new students? I will toss and turn until the alarm awakens my exhausted body. Once at school, I will chat with buddies, exchange smiles and pleasantries with colleagues, and hear the same old same old same old "How was your summer?" interactions, innumerable times. Meetings will pass by in a blur, information will fail to penetrate my brain because I will have one thought and one thought only. "I need to work in my room!" All will be on edge. The fear of unpreparedness will flow through everyone's brains. The best plan of action: Ignore, ignore, ignore. It's best to have tunnel vision. For now, focus on anything but school. Once you step on the treadmill you can't get off, so it's best not to step...yet. Two weeks, two days. I will not waste my time calculating that math problem. We'll wait...and embrace the sweet last days of summer.
How well I remember those days. Wishing for more time in my classroom, dreading the never-ending meetings, a little nervous about the start of yet another year. Enjoy the rest of your summer.
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