Do You Miss Teaching?

Photo credit: Chuck Bennorth

"Do you miss teaching?" people ask, when they find out I'm retired.

Welll...

 

When I think of curriculum development, inservice days, faculty meetings, parent conferences, grading papers, administering state-mandated tests ad nauseum, recess duty, speed-eating my lunch so I could get to playground duty, and dealing with student drama, I can't say I miss working. But I didn't go into teaching for the paperwork and meetings. Those are not the reasons I got myself out of bed every day for over thirty years, and went to work.

Teaching gave me a chance to make a difference. I miss my people; our staff, my co-workers, and my students. My kids at school made my job easy to love.

Being with children all day energized me. I miss the quiet moments before school, talking to the early birds. I miss those a-ha moments, and watching self-confidence blossom. I miss our classroom morning meetings and show and tell. I miss reading out loud my favorite books like Junie B. Jones and Ruby Holler. I miss the innocence and laughter. Yeah, I really miss my kids. 

When my fifth graders and I would talk about what we wanted to be when we grew up, I teased them that when I grew up, I wanted to be retired. 

Four years ago, I retired in the middle of a school year to move to Illinois, and marry Chuck. It was hard to leave those little second graders, but I knew it was the right decision for me.

Now, while Chuck is at work, I divide my days between our dogs, helping my mother-in-law navigate life with dementia, and babysitting our two-year-old neighbor Elise. When my time is my own, I spend it relaxing as much as possible. I love to read, write, take pictures, and create images with the pictures I take. I take naps, listen to music, and putter around the house.

Do I miss teaching? Well, I don't miss the stress of going to work, but I do miss the people at school so very much. Teachers and kids are some of my favorite kinds of people.

Being a retired teacher is the best. I get to relax now, with some of the sweetest memories of my life as an elementary school teacher.