1. Lots and lots of trips to Manhattan, exploring different neighborhoods and taking in the beauty of the architecture around me.
2. Visits to museums and parks and many shows both on and off Broadway.
3. Movies--those artsy and foreign films that I don't have time to watch during the school year. Movies both on video and in the theater.
4. Books.
5. Friends and family and weddings, engagement parties and graduation celebrations.
6. Hundreds of digital pictures.
Summer is coming to an end. While the trip to Israel did not materialize, I still managed to live every day to its fullest. But, as much as I love my free time, am I ready to do this for the rest of my life? Should this really be my last year teaching?
I just bought this book to help prepare for the big day.
5 comments:
I can only tell you that for years I was counting down to retirement.
As much as I loved the kids, teaching was not the same. Maybe it's different on the elementary level than HS level, but teaching to the tests suck. And the amount of paperwork that was put upon us in the guise of "assessments" was not only overbearing, but meaningless.
And, watching teachers give in to non-union rules such as lunch-time meetings did not make it easy.
I love not living by the alarm clock. Most of my friends that retired before me travel or are just happy to have a life again.
The best part is that I can save money on travel because I can book off-peak times.
A teacher I know from another school who could have retired years ago but didn't has finally retired. The reason--the death of her sister. Now she wants to enjoy her life and family time.
I may volunteer at a local school or consider tutoring. But, I am so happy to be out of there.
To me it was a question of lifestyle. I have problems with my knees and am not a good sleeper.
I want to spend my healthy years in retirement. I am already planning a trip to see my niece who is expecting her first child in a matter of weeks. I can stay a extended week rather than a 3-day weekend.
Teachers come and go. No matter how dedicated we are, sadly in the eyes of the DoE, we are dispensable. Of course, you are getting a new principal, so things in your school might be different.
But if it turns out badly, you are lucky enough to turn in your retirement papers. Also you can use up your sick days before you retire but that needs 30-day notice. I think you will get the feel of the new admin within the first month of school. But you seem like a person who enjoys the city and travel and family. I think you will enjoy retirement too.
Schoolgal
Thanks school gal.
I know that not only am I meaningless to the DOe, I am meaningless to my school as well. Even the kids will forget me 5 minutes after I am gone.
I am pretty sure this will be my last year.
Do what you most want to do. The traveling and free time you will have when you retire will be great, and teaching kids is also great (I know from your earlier posts you're still enjoying that part). Choosing what you think will make you feel most fulfilled is rarely a bad idea. I love reading your posts, and I know you make a difference for your students, even though the administration -ahem- leaves something to be desired. I hope the new administration brings some improvements (along with the inevitable problems).
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