June and July seem to go all too fast and we always seem to reach the “Sunday of Summer”, otherwise known as August, much more quickly than expected. I’ve heard it a million times from strangers, friends, and family alike, “Teachers are so lucky. I wish I had summers off!” We all have the opportunity to choose and I chose a degree in education, but you may have chosen another path, and that’s great; to each his own. We couldn’t all do the same thing or the world just wouldn’t function. I’m thankful that we all have the opportunity to choose.
Though it gives me some mild anxiety to see the “back to school” displays at the stores, it’s exciting at the same time to start a new school year. A new school year means an entire new set of minds that I get to influence and help prepare for wherever their lives may take them; I am entrusted with this precious responsibility. This is the part where all the old teachers say, “Oh, just wait until you’ve been here for 20 years!!” Oh, cool it. Going into my 5th year as a full-time teacher and year six-and-a-half as an educator, I’m going to go ahead and put it out there that no matter how many years I’ve been teaching, I’m going to give it my all every single time. Not just in teaching, but in life, half effort isn’t my game.
When I was 15 years old, I walked into the classroom of Miss Kathy Iacconi. She was tough. We didn’t talk. We didn’t goof around. We learned. Oh, did I learn. I began to love mathematics during that Honors Advanced Algebra course and it was then I realized, I might actually like to teach it someday. You see, high school can be a stressful thing when it comes to talking about the future. It’s like day one of your freshman year, everyone’s suddenly granted permission to start badgering you about what you want to do for the rest of your life. And you’re like, “Excuse me? I was hoping to make the cheer squad and learn to drive.” Whaaat?!
Junior year, I was privileged to have Ms. Iacconi again, but this time, for Honors Trigonometry. That year, she lightened up a little and let us enjoy her fun personality throughout the rigorous course. After all, she had trained us oh-so-well the previous year; we knew exactly how we were to behave. I began to love math. I liked helping others with math and seeing them get it. “Yes,” I thought, “I will be just like Miss Iacconi someday.” I suddenly had made plans beyond high school. In 2008, upon graduation, I would start working on a degree in Secondary Mathematics Education.
Fast forward to 2011. I had just graduated in December and the school district I attended called me to fulfill a long-term mathematics position in the room right next to Miss Iacconi. I went up to the school after hours one day, feeling slightly overwhelmed. There I was, an almost-21-year-old, hoping to earn the respect of the 17 and 18-year olds I was about to teach. Miss Iacconi was still there, of course, and I knocked on her door. She was so happy to see me and so willing to stay and help me get organized and prepared. A little over a year later, I was hired full-time. Lucky for me, my classroom was right next to Miss Iacconi and over the last four years +, she served as my most-trusted mentor and friend.
Going into this new school year, I am feeling quite empty. Kathy retired at the end of the year and someone new will be teaching in her classroom next door to me. She won’t be just a few steps away when I need to talk or need her advice. I will be teaching one of her courses and hoping to do half the job she did with me and so many others. I know not returning to school this year will be even more difficult for her. She loved her job. She loved teaching. Though she had been teaching for many years, she never once gave her students even a little bit less than her best.
As I return to work, I’m even more determined to be better than before. I want to be the teacher that Miss Iacconi was so that my students are given the wonderful education that I was once lucky enough to receive. Miss Iacconi taught me so much that I feel selfish not to share it with others as we embark on a new journey: the 2017-2018 school year.
First of all, students appreciate when a teacher shows them that they want them to succeed. It isn’t an easy class that kids love– it’s the teacher that makes the difficult concepts easy. The only thing students love more than learning is knowing that you want them to learn. Secondly, there isn’t time for a free day. Some may call me mean, but we don’t have free days in my class. Anytime you walked past Miss Iacconi’s door, learning was taking place. When I became a teacher, I realized, my days with my students are numbered– literally– and I have a job to do. I feel teaching is one of the only positions in which you literally cannot shut off your brain for even a second. You constantly have to be on your toes and ready to perform. The students are counting on you.. Lastly, stand up for what you believe in. The world of education isn’t without battles. As educators, we must do what is best for our students.
I’d be here forever telling you about all the things I’ve learned from Miss Iacconi, but I think you get the idea; she was the best because she gave her best. So yes, teachers do have most of the summer off. However, I spend the end of mine preparing for the upcoming school year. I spend the beginning letting my brain have that short break it didn’t get much of throughout the school year. Teachers, no matter where or what you’re teaching, as you go back to school, do me a favor: try your best to take a little bit of Kathy back with you. She won’t be there this year and the rest of us have a lot of work to do to make up for what she’s leaving behind. Let’s make her proud. 🙂
Good luck to all teachers and students as you prepare for a new school year! <3
xo,
Ashley
PS. I wrote a blog post last year about some of my organizational techniques for teachers. I plan on updating it this year with even more! Lots of great stuff– read it here.
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