Here are a few of the fun things teachers can expect when they’re expecting the end of summer. Let’s just say, it’s definitely not easy being a teacher.

The end of summer break is finally here. For parents, teachers, and students this means the time has come to fall back into the school-year routine: packing lunches, grading assignments, and procrastinating until the very last minute are just some of the things they’re looking forward to. Teachers, in particular, have their work cut out for them–Mark Twain is said to have compared teaching to “trying to hold 35 corks underwater at once.” Well, isn’t that exciting for everyone involved!

Until it is time to submerge the corks, teachers try to savor the last taste of summer. But try as they might, teachers cannot ignore the signs that the school year is coming. Here are a just few of the fun things teachers expect when they’re expecting the end of summer.

1. Pinterest becomes an unofficial school year consultant.

Pinterest is a wonderful source of inspiration, but as the school year approaches, teachers begin to pin ideas with more and more intensity. For teachers, Pinterest is a valuable resource that helps them come up with lesson plans, creative ideas, and tips to make their teaching more effective and engaging. As the summer comes to a close, teachers’ interest in Pinterest grows in seriousness and intensity. Plus, the teaching memes are also great reminders that they are not going through this on their own.

2. It’s impossible to avoid running into frenzied parents during the back-to-school sales.

Depending on the school district, summer break can last from 42 days to 98 or so. Still, teachers know that parents are likely to follow their children’s lead and wait until the very last minute to start preparing for the new school year. That means that during the last few days of summer, whenever a teacher goes out shopping they cannot escape the frenzied parents trying to get all of the necessary school supplies and clothing for the incoming year. The hardest part for teachers, however, is realizing that the state of those stressful parents is the state in which all teachers live during the school year: Months of stress and crushing responsibility await!

3. The time is right to go into a school and office supply shopping spree.

Teachers and school supplies go together like children and clothing stains. Even though it means spending their own money, it’s difficult for teachers to resist buying their own supplies–first because they know there will never be enough supplies provided by the school, and second because cute pencils and stationery are to find so they mustn’t waste an opportunity arises–especially if there’s a really good sale.

The problem is that later teachers find themselves taking from their personal supply stash at home and bringing it to school.

4. It’s time to get reacquainted with the days of the week.

During the summer teachers go by months not days of the week or current date. It isn’t until the end of summer is upon them that they are forced to see day and date. It’s a jolting experience, to be sure. It’s a bit like waking up after cryogenic sleep and realizing just how much time has passed.

Students are also very familiar with this feeling.

5. There’s the desire to cram as much fun (and wine) as possible into the remaining days of summer break.

The clock is ticking. And just like many kids feel they when they realize the school year is just around the corner, teachers feel the need to take advantage of every minute of break they have left. Whether it’s reading that book they thought sounded interesting, driving to the next town to buy wine (as someone commented on our last blog), heading to a beach, or painting the town (figuratively or literally as part of a community improvement program), teachers do their best to relax and savor the free time they have left because they know they have months and months of nonstop work ahead of them and they don’t want to burn out.

6. “Mandatory” Meetings are back and they demand to be disdained.

You can make meetings mandatory, but you can’t make it mandatory to love them. Sometimes mandatory meetings can feel like they’re cutting into teachers’ valuable work time, unnecessary disruptions on already crowded schedules. Other times, it’s really just dreading the corny puns and jokes that one teacher (there’s always one, usually a science or math teacher). And sometimes there’s just a bit of resistance stemming from an inner desire to hold onto summer for just a bit more. Either way, teachers know that mandatory meetings demand to be disdained.

7. The countdown to Winter Break has started.

It doesn’t take long for teachers to get swamped in work–remember the 35 corks analogy? That’s why teachers begin looking forward to their next respite as soon as the school year starts. Like a runner who can see the finish line, having their eyes on that prize helps maintain teachers’ endurance so continue that they can continue to give it their all.

Teachers, we thank you for all the work you do! We know that a lot of it goes unappreciated.

We’d love to hear what other things come with the end of summer. Please share any thoughts on the comments. And follow ECR4Kids on Facebook, Pinterest, or our blog via email for more of these posts!