Day Three

Teacher In-Service: Day Three

Did you know August 15th is International Youth Day? As millions of kids go back to school, I am thinking about them. Thinking about them while I play out an imaginary school. “I.School” game of sorts. What if? What if I could run my own school? I would start with the teachers- Day One: Kayaking. Day Two: Beaches. Day Three: Deep Sea Fishing.

Seriously! Can you even imagine? If only teacher in-service days were like that. Travel, boating, meaningful time spent with the focus on self-care. Ever wonder why more meetings are not about self-care/ kids? Me too. My solution to endless meeting times, (that could be reduced to one hour, instead of 6) was to day dream. It was a start. A start to imagine. Imagine what I would do differently. It made meetings tolerable when day-to day-dreams of another solution seemed possible, even when I thought it was impossible.

Despite being, and looking like a retired teacher, I am still a teacher. A teacher of an imaginary school. Is that crazy? Well, consider what teacher in-service weeks are like in comparison. That’s crazy.

It is August and my conditioned brain is alerted to back to school. Back-to-school messages are ingrained. And globally advertised. “Back to School supplies.” One can not escape it. Teacher or not.

My imagination became reality, as (it is 11:11) my teacher in-service schedule for day three includes: a long walk to a wharf, along a wharf- a nap and another evening swimming and beaching.

My morning was spent writing (this), listening to French speaking fellow campers. There is something so charming about listening to little kids playing and speaking French. “Oui, papa!” My heart.

Off to “meetings” with me mate.

I am a teacher- in service. IN-Service- to kids, and only kids. 24-7. And creating day-to-day, “day dreams” into reality. International Youth day is a focus on all kids.

Bonjour.