Gettin' 'er Done

A comic strip in Sunday's paper showed three kids at the beach trying to cram everything into their last day of freedom. Kids may not realize it, but teachers do the same thing.

I've got a huge list of stuff to get done today, but I'm determined to work in a leisurely walk with the dogs, for the skies are sunny and the temp moderate. Perfect for strolling along the stream. Maybe I'll even bring a book along. But, before that the closet needs rearranging---the shorts and T-shirts bumped to the back, and my teacher duds to the front. The house needs vacuuming and cupboards need stocking. Oh, and zucchini bread needs baking. Don't want to forget that. And, the flower bulbs I wanted to order----

I think I'll begin with the walk.

I know I chose the right vocation for me because I not only get excited about the first day, but I can still reach the point of hyperventillation over a new unit or an innovative concept that I'd overlooked before. And, the kids are great; never know what the day is going to bring, intelligent discussions or a bomb threat.

But, there are always things we'd like to improve, right? My biggest pet peeve about teaching is absent students. When I was a kid, I had to be coughing up blood or breaking out in huge puss-filled sores before I could miss. And, the thing is, I didn't want to miss. Now, students are excused by many parents for wimpy reasons. Like, they had a sporting event the previous day and they need to catch up on sleep, or, even worse, they went to a hip-hop concert in Milwaukee the night before. Oh, and maybe they need a haircut or need to begin their vacation a few days early. Or the best one, yet: they need to go shopping for a prom dress or a car.

I know people want their children to have it better than they did, but, come on. We're teaching these young 'uns to be selfindulgent, excuse-makers.

Some students are responsible and get their work ahead of time when they know they're going to be absent, so when they get back to school, it's all finished. Even this can be a pain for teachers because we have to guess how far we're going to get while the student is gone. Other students don't even bother to worry about their work until they return. And, then they look at you with those sweet little baby blues, smile, and say, "Did I miss anything?"

"No, not a thing," I want to say. "We sat here and did absolutely nothing while you were gone. Thank heavens you're back so we can continue with our learning."