High School Graduation Time and Thoughts

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It is the end of another school year. I think it is my 12th as a high school teacher.

I have taught at many different schools and many different sciences to say the least. Here is a brief summary:

• I started off at a middle class high school teaching Earth Science and a course that was called Unified Science.
• Then while teaching in Austria, I taught AP Chemistry, Chemistry, Biology, and a combo 7/8th grade Science.
• Once I came back to the states I taught, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy, Geology, Marine Biology, and Physics.
• Finally, I am teaching Geophysical Science, Biology, Marine Biology, Chemistry, Zoology, Astronomy, and potentially a combination course that I am designing to truly engage and motivate my alternative student body

With every graduation comes a sigh, not so much that students are leaving, but because the grind is over for a little while. Working with people/students where you get to know them and their problems intimately and in a way live it with them is pretty tough. Its one of those "by the way" parts buried deep within the teaching profession's job description. It's like when a student dies at your school, "by the way" your going to feel pretty crappy about that or when they loose everything in a fire, or when you see them falling in a downward spiral due to poor choices.

To you non-teachers summertime for us teachers is the holy grail and we get it every year. But the reality is that without a break and time to let it all go and recharge we wouldn't be able to give what we give every school year. Maybe it's just me, but that is how I feel.

So when I am enjoying my summer, I am really just trying to replace the many varied experiences and emotions that I had to deal at work throughout the school year.