Monique's Testimonies

An Ode to Summer As a teacher, Summer Break is a time to pause. That's it. Pause.  No, it's not "paid time", so really, we're pausing unemployed, which results in teachers picking up side jobs or additional training/ professional development that would help develop their craft the following school year.  For me, I get to embrace the life of a stay-at-home mom.  This year, I plan to do more with my ever-growing 5-year-old energizer bunny of a daughter. So far, she's gone to an amusement park and demonstrated bravery on some of the larger rides. I'm so proud :') She will take swim lessons and maybe even attend a soccer camp. Utilizing the free pass to our local museum, swim time with family at the pool, and trips to the library will also fill our days.  But right now?  It's day 2 of my break (I had a training at the beginning of the week, thus a work day). I used my time yesterday to write. And wow, does it feel good! I've been struggling to desc...

April showers bring May flowers.   May. It's a month referred to as the sunshine after the April showers. For me, a high school educator, it's the month I begin counting down until summer. Excitement flows through my blood, electricity filling my veins. Until I realize... the end of May is when I also say farewell to my precious senior students.  These students started high school with social distancing, face masks, walking in one direction, and hand sanitizer—lots of hand sanitizer. They were resilient, fighting through the unknown, with a teacher filled with the same worry and dread, who had stayed a whole year at home, starting her career, with a baby, wondering if she was going to be good enough for her students. We marched on, my students and I. With each year passing, they grew a little taller, and I grew a little wiser. These seniors saw me at my worst and at my best. They saw me handle the rockiness of a marriage while pursuing my own interests. They saw me lose my coo...

     Monday always brings about yawns and sad feelings as the weekend drifts off into the horizon and another work week begins. As a high school teacher, I usually have summers off (NOT PAID!) Well, this summer I decided to buckle my bootstraps and teach a summer school term. The second term began at the end of June and goes until July 21st. That means that today starts my 3rd week working with this group of students (at a different school site and teaching a different grade level than what I taught these past two years).       Let me tell you - working with teenagers isn't for the week. Before anyone tries to come out of the woodwork stating, "Well your job isn't a real job. You're just a babysitter that sits around all day. Teaching isn't hard at all." No, I do not sit on my behind all day long, no my job does not consist of me "babysitting" students all day. For summer school, I have to teach these kids topics they were supposed to learn for an en...