I'm not even supposed to...zzzzzzzzzzzz.....

Oof. People tend to envy us teachers for our long summer vacations, and I certainly understand that. While normal people go to work all year with the occasional two weeks off, we get two months of free time to do with as we please. It is nice; there's no denying that.

But we pay for it. Oh my do we pay. I went to a barbecue last night and made a new friend, who invited me out to watch a band play in Downey. Seriously, Downey. Anyway, I got home at 2 am and had to be at work this morning at 7. That means getting up at 6:15. I can't be late to work. You can't really sneak in late when you have thirty kids waiting for you to open the door and tell them what to do. I also had to be prepared to give them work first thing, and I never did get around to making a lesson plan this weekend.

Fortunately one of the girls I was out with last night is a twelve-year veteran teacher. She heard of my dilemma and opened up her bag of presents to give me a class set of a story called "On the sidewalk bleeding". Then she gave me a nice suggestion for a follow-up activity that makes the kids think and draw while I sit here and zone out. That's what I'm doing right now.

Come to think of it, that's a pretty good deal. Yes, I have to be at work at an insanely early hour and I can't be late, but if I plan it well I can spend my day sitting at the computer while the kids stay busy. I have to read out loud for a few minutes and run a little discussion, but that's something I can do in my sleep. Good thing too, because I think I'm actually asleep right now.

Next time somebody wants me to go see a crappy band play in Downey on a Sunday, I'm just going to say no.