It is Thursday, May 22nd 2019. We officially have 2 half days left of the school year (Friday & Tuesday…yes the one after Memorial Day!) along with 2 teacher workdays. Because I teach AP and seniors in Humanities I have really been “done” for a week which means I have been super bored AND busy at the same time. lol
My busyness comes from preparing my classroom for summer mode and moving furniture while I still have free child labor available. I am so preparing for a new-ish curriculum next year in AP World History since College Board redesigned the course by cutting off a few thousand years. I know a lot of people are complaining about the change, and I totally get it, but it seems to be my MO to come in teaching an AP class the “old” way the year before a redesign. What I learned with AP Art History I assume will be true with AP World: change hurts, but good things can come with change; especially less content.
The boredom comes from the fact that I don’t feel like I’m really doing much each day when I show up to work. I’m not really engaging with my students because I am busy planning for next year, or painting, or organizing my closet. Especially when there are so many house projects queued up for this summer. It feels like going to work is actually making me less productive (probably true) but hey, they’re paying me for 4 more days. I can make it.
Read more: Summer Plans 2019
Reflections on the Year
Overall I am pleased with the year, even with its major hiccups in my schedule and major frustrations with a coworker (who will no longer be with us next year). I learned a lot about teaching honors students in an academic class (versus an “honors” elective). There was a steeper learning curve to that than I expected but from where I am sitting now, I am a way better teacher for it.
Read more: End of Quarter 1 Reflections
But oh boy am I ready for summer! Bring. It. On.
JMF
