In The "Whose On First" Time of Year

Ah, this time of year. It's an interesting one for educators. 

It's a time when there is excitement over every potential snow day and dread over broken routines and messed up plans. It's the time of dreaded indoor recess that everyone is tired of, and dreaded outdoor recess that no one is dressed quite warm enough for.

It's a time when there is a determination to "buckle down" and "power through" those remaining standards, and a severe decrease in motivation for both teachers and students brought on by weather and, well, time of year.

It's a time when there is comfort in knowing your students well, and the beginnings of wonderings about what next year's group will bring.

It's a time for "What else do I need to do this year?" and "What do I need to remember to requisition for next year?"

It's a time when people begin to make 'next year' decisions and changes. A time of year of hushed assumptions and whispers of change. It's a time of year that brings hallway gossip and announcements of movement and plenty of questions of what next year will be.

It's a time of year that often begets discontentment. 

It's a time of year that always begets change.

Oh, I'm not making any changes. Nope, I'll still be here, in my 4th grade "hole" for as long as they will let me, just doin' my thing. But just because I'm not making changes doesn't mean change won't find me. People will retire. People will move districts. Students will go to 5th grade and new students will come to 4th. Procedures will be tweaked. Expectations will differ. 

All next year. I don't necessarily get to know about any of those things in a definite way just yet ... and that's okay. Except, I am a planner. So those things that will happen next year? Oh, they are already on my heart and mind. 

And yet, I can't do anything about them. Decisions aren't final. Whats "anticipated' is not confirmed. What is confirmed is not clearly figured out. The mystery of change stresses me. It takes away my ability to plan.

Thus, we enter another time of year I must pray through.

I pray for the foresight to speak up about the things I need to and the wisdom to stay quiet about the things I should. I pray for next year's teaching teams and classes and my this years kids presents and futures. I pray that I prepare the ones I'm with and am prepared for the ones I will get to meet. And patience - oh, I'm always praying for patience. 

Most of all, I pray for the right balance of planning and proactivity (which I *think* is a strength) and contentment in the waiting (because goodness knows I am not always so good at the waiting). 

Because no-matter what else, it's a "give it to God and quit stressing about it" time of year - and that I am always working on.