The Last Teaching Post

Well, the grades are all in, the room is shut down, boxes taken home, and keys turned in. It's been an interesting 30.5 years but all things must come to an end so it is time not only for retirement but also to put this blog to bed. I have a new blog called Retired and All That Jazz at http://retiredandallthatjazz.blogspot.com which you all are welcome to visit and bookmark. It will detail the new directions I will be traveling in and I am looking forward to the challenges that await. I definitely want to get back into photography, something I considered as a career years ago. A lot has changed in the intervening years and my old darkroom and 35mm Pentax has been replaced with a digital camera and computer software.

I had to skip the end of the year luncheon today because of a reason I went into in my first post on the new blog. The secretary was shocked and told me that the principal was going to "recognize me", whatever the heck that means. It probably means having the faculty applaud and giving me a gift certificate or some such item. Those who have read my blog in past months know how I feel about retirement accolades. I prefer acknowledging people while they are actively with you rather than patting them on the back to say goodbye. So... I consider what I did during the lunch hour time well spent and do not regret missing the pat on the back. Read my new blog and I think you will understand.

What did I find out by spending more than half of my life teaching? That is a very difficult question to give a coherent answer to. I've already documented most of the highs and lows of my teaching career on this blog so I won't bore you and myself by repeating them. I think the most amazing thing I've discovered is how dedicated the average teacher I worked with is. Every damn day they have challenges thrown at them. They work for a substandard salary and are often asked to accomplish miracles by teaching children under conditions that would send most people screaming out of the room. Teachers rarely receive praise when they accomplish this miracle. They are taken for granted and usually just hear the negative gripes by parents and administrators when things go wrong. They sacrifice their time, their money, their health, and their sanity so their classes can exist in a caring learning environment. They are often given conflicting commands and are expected to carry them out. Teachers are asked to do the impossible and they usually come through. That appreciation is what I value the most and what I will carry with me always. The next time you see a teacher you should hug them and tell them just how valuable they really are to you. They deserve it.

So goodbye to this blog and a fond farewell to my readers. Check out the new blog and you will see what my next steps are.