I Like Mondays (No, Really, I Do)

Written last night and posted this morning: Tonight I am noticing a number of posts by teachers explaining how they dread going back to work on Monday. I see it in visuals and the ecards and the status updates. I get it. Watching sports or hiking or reading can often be more fun than the classroom. I also get the fact that we are tired at this time of year. However, something about that bothers me. It feels like teachers will say, "Why don't we get respect?" or "Why doesn't the public love us?" Or, "Can't parents recognize how much we care about their kids?" And yet . . . I see these pictures being posted and reposted about not wanting to go back and it makes me cringe. They feel like the Facebook equivalent of Garfield posters. It feels a bit like saying, "Ah, man, I have to play catch with my son" or "Dude, I'm stuck hanging out with my daughter and playing My Little Ponies again." Sure, there are moments you feel like that as a parent, moments when you just want a break. But there's an opposite pull that says, "This time will evaporate and you get to do what matters. That's pretty awesome." The same should be true of teaching. I'm not suggesting that teachers should get all schmaltzy about their jobs. After all, this year has been hard for me. I'm under the gun in terms of data and accountability. I hate the standardized tests. I've yelled at my class a few times and I often feel like my lessons missed the mark. So, on some level, I feel the weight of the school year when I walk into the classroom. However, I look forward to Mondays. I look forward to seeing my students after a weekend. I look forward to the projects we're going to do and the concepts their going to learn and the conversations we're going to have. I show up to school every Monday believing that what I do matters. Will it be difficult? Sometimes. Is it worth it? Always. Fun is great. I'm a big fan of time off. But teaching is meaningful and just feels like that sense of purpose is something teachers ought to look forward to.