TEACHING can be a very rewarding profession. It gives the teacher a sense of completion and achievement like scarcely any other job can. However, teaching has many concrete benefits and possibly the most attractive is the ‘August/Summer’ holidays.

This is a period when many teachers find that they are able to spend more quality time with their families – where they can plan vacation picnics, do some sightseeing, visit other relatives and generally do as they please with the time available to them.

Additionally, some teachers look forward to that time when they may be able to visit some of their friends, spend time hanging out in fun places and generally socialising much more. During this period teachers take time off to rest and be thankful that they are not in front of the classroom.

TIME BEING TAKEN AWAY
“I am talking not only for me but many of my friends too. For some years now some people have been making it a habit of ensuring that a lot of our summer holidays are taken back in all sorts of activities – yes some of it is good, like workshops and seminars on teaching; getting children more involved; other forms of continued teacher education. However, many teachers feel that some of these things can be planned for other times during the year,” said Teacher Marcelle, only first named used.

“I started teaching in the 80s and we used to have the time to rest, relax and take a breather for the next round. While teaching is a nice thing, I enjoy doing it, there are times when as a teacher you must get that rest,” she told the Pepperpot Magazine.

BEING THERE EARLY
Another teacher pointed out that for the nursery and primary schools, teachers are expected to be at work quite early – in some cases as early as 07:00hrs. This, she said is because many parents are working and need to drop off their children early so that they can be on time for their jobs. “But I am a parent too and I have secondary, primary and nursery school-aged children. Therefore as a parent I have to care for my children too, and so while I appreciate the concerns for other children, people must also realise the sacrifices teachers must make to help other children be safe and comfortable,” she said.

Some other teachers told this newspaper that the ‘August holidays’ really afford them some time to relax, to stretch out their feet; not having to hang them down all day as is done in the classrooms… “Teaching demands that teachers must stand up a whole lot or even walk around making sure that the children under their command carry out instructions; if not, teachers have to sit in the presence of the children to impart knowledge, while ensuring that attention is paid to what is being taught,” another teacher explained.

TWO EXTRA WEEKS
Many of the teachers spoken to during this time of summer vacation said that it is hardly possible for them to commence their vacation at the same time with the children, or even return to school at the same time as the children. “It is always that we are expected to be in school a week or two more after schools are closed and then return to school about two weeks before the commencement of the term.” This they explained is because there is always the straightening out of records that must be done, as well as other additional work; then prior to the opening of schools teachers have to be there to ensure that the classrooms are cleaned, fresh aids prepared and put up on the walls, and then there is registration of new pupils and students must be done.

In addition to some amount of relaxation, many teachers take time off to reflect upon the previous year’s activities – in the classroom, as well as extracurricular activities, which help them to prepare for the year ahead.

BEYOND THE LAST DAY
Not only the teachers but the schoolchildren are also hardly able to contain this ‘excited’ moment. Some teachers explained that they are happy to see the children go, yet there is a part of them that also want to see them stay. “It’s really the last time we will be seeing some, some of them migrate – out of the country; some take transfers to other schools for one reason or another; others may simply go to another class…whatever it is, we miss ‘our’ children – some we see as our own and so sometimes we all hug and cry,” one teacher said to the agreement of others.

After all is said and done, that bitter-sweet moment is gone, the bell rings for the conclusion of classes and then there is chaos; children are running everywhere, screaming, talking loudly as they run out of the room towards the doors. Teachers glance at each other, breeding a sigh of relief; after all, it is now summer break.

Teachers have told of stories where some of them choose to carry on summer school during their break in an effort to earn some much-needed cash; others work as private tutors to make an extra dollar so as to ensure that their needs and that of their children are met when schools reopen. Others provide voluntary services for their churches in vacation bible studies (VBS) and other social organisations.

COMMITTED TO THE CLASSROOM
Joyce Collins, one teacher who taught for many years and recently retired said:

“While teachers spend a lot of their time and own money to buy some stationery needed for the efficient running of the classroom; also on school decorating supplies for their classrooms to make them look good and updated, they see these things more as pleasurable activities, for which they get job satisfaction – making the classrooms look good and their children feeling better.”

At the same time, she said, time to recharge during the summer is very necessary for all teachers who are committed to the classroom. She pointed out that teachers would find it convenient to do these things in different ways – through some sort of vacation, possibly away from home; others recharge by getting involved in inspiring and specialised professional activities; while for some, just spending quality time with their immediate families in an undisturbed manner for a period of time means something to them.

Collins posited that the fact is that every teacher has the need to be refreshed and recharged, especially during the summer and it is only that each may do it differently.