Summer Recharge

For me, summer is a time of rest, reflection, relaxation, reconnecting with friends, planning and rebuilding. I just came off probably one of the most draining years of teaching. It sounds pretty funny to say that since I have only been teaching for four years. Here is a little background on my teaching history.

My first year of teaching was filled with the typical first year nerves and mistakes, along with a very challenging class which my principal admitted that I should have not been given that "class" as a first year novice. Add on top of that dating, engagement and planning my wedding. I ended that year with a severe case of strep throat that wiped out my energy which stayed with me for over a month after school let out. My second and third year were wonderful. I loved my class, had a great teaching partner both years and my desire to teach was affirmed daily. Then came the 2009-2010 school year.

This year came some new challenges and conflicts that I had to face and struggle through. Once again I had a challenging class, not necessarily all behavior problems, but enough to wear me out. Plus my class was academically low this year, much lower than I have experienced before. Once student, will call him C, really gave me a run for my money. In fact every night Brett would lovingly ask me how my day with C was. Along with my actual class was dealing with a teaching team with conflicting personalities. A lot of tension and conflict resolution was experienced.

My desire and love for teaching was not present in my life this year. I spent a large amount of the year longing to be in a different season of my life. About 2 months ago I realized that this discontentment and lack of joy came from the absence of spiritual disciplines in my life (prayer, God's Word, fellowship). I said to myself, "Duh! I of course that makes sense."

I view summer as a time to recharge, to spend large amounts of time reconnecting my relationship with God, meditating on and memorizing scripture, preparing myself for a new school year in August, and doing things for myself so that I can be a better wife and teacher, as well to build other disciplines for motherhood hopefully in the future.