Teacher New Year

Fortunately, the Mayan calendar wasn't accurate and we're all going to be given more years and more calendars. Like many other cultures and times, in the teacher world, our years are marked differently than the customary January to December.  Our new year begins every September, on the first day of school and ends on that final day in June when school gets out for the summer.  The 2 1/2 months in between are kept secret from the outside world. 

Similar to the December New Year's Eve, the night before the first day of school is typically a late night for teachers; we're often up well past midnight.  All Some of us enjoy a glass of wine to celebrate the end of our summer.  We're excited and optimistic for the upcoming year.   We've purchased new clothes, bought some new things for our room, and decorated our classroom for the new students.   Everyone is so excited for the bell to ring on that very first day, very similar to the countdown and dropping of the ball in Times Square.   Read First Day School Blog

Every September (of the Teacher New Year) teachers are busy making resolutions for the year ahead.   To be a better listener.  To  not procrastinate.  To keep better records.  To be more organized.  To try to get to school earlier.  To try to stay after school later. To stay out of the teacher's lounge and quit eating all the treats so as not to gain five pounds the first week back to school.   

It just so happens that my New Year's resolution was made in late August at the start of the new school year, the Teacher New Year.   Now I'm normally not one to make resolutions of any kind.  I've found they put a lot of pressure on me and most don't end up sticking anyway. So why bother setting myself up for failure?   Go to the gym four days a week... right.  I wait and go in March because then the newbies will have cleared out and it won't be so crowded.  But this year, in August, I decided that I was going to work on staying more positive this year -  with the kids, with colleagues, and mostly, with myself.  It's not that I consider myself a negative person, but I would definitely call a glass 1/2 empty if asked.   With the educational world in such turmoil, and public education (and teachers) being bashed every way you look, I didn't want my year to be filled with negativity.  I told myself I would try and stay positive no matter what the circumstance.

I'm happy to report that I've actually stuck to my Teacher New Year resolution.  It has been one hundred and twenty-five days of positivity.  Sure, there have been days when I just haven't felt it. Luckily for me, my teacher friends always help me on those days.  I've tried to walk the talk and for the most part, it's been working.   I have one hundred and sixty-five more days to go, so the challenge is still to come. 

Our teacher year will wrap up in June.  Our calendar will reset for the first day of school in September, our Teacher New Year. 

The Mayans had their calendar.  And the teachers have theirs. 

And positively speaking, I don't see ours ending anytime soon.

    

Cheers!  Have a wonderful, happy 2013.