Summer of Productivity Part 1

This summer is going to be remarkable.  Remarkable in that in addition to enjoying the break from school, things are going to get done. Things that I have been mulling over will get done and things which just come upon me will get done.

Day 1 of summer vacation, here we go! 

Noah and I undertook the daunting task of cleaning all of the windows in our home. Now before you gasp, let me tell you, our home is not huge.  When we moved here we downsized by about 40% in square footage and about 200% in windows. I miss those windows.  Moreover, I miss the vast amount of light that poured into our country home and the views in all four directions.  Today, however, I didn't miss them at all.  We have only 12 windows here and glass panes in three doors.  There were 13 windows in just our master bedroom, dining room, and living room and they were large in our former home.  But today Noah and I cleaned those windows inside and out and scrubbed the screens.  We have been in this house over three years, I think we have cleaned them once before or at least some of them.  All but two of the windows had the screens installed inside out.    

The day was perfect for it. Overcast skies and a breeze made the job bearable and it helped that we started about 9 a.m.  In addition to spending time with Noah and checking something off of my list, I gained a little insight.

 

I was hesitant to let go of the school year.  Crazy, right?  It wasn't about the work, I was ready to step away from teaching for a while.  It is a bit like being a mother bird to 20 hungry beaks all the time.  It can sap the energy right out of you.  I did, however, have a wonderful group of kids.  I encountered very few discipline problems, very enthusiastic learners, great proficiency in the standardized testing.  I couldn't ask for more. It was time to let go.

Cleaning the windows helped me see clearly that sometime we become so accustomed to what we have that we don't even know what we are missing.  Like the fine layer of dust on my windows, my time with my students (and occasionally their parents) my view was getting clouded.  Just like students need many teachers to help mold their character, teachers need many students to help them grow.  

My windows are now beautifully clean (I even caught my son admiring himself in the reflection) and my view on the future is quite clear too.