It’s officially official. I’m retiring in 150 more school days. After 28 years full-time in the classroom putting out fires, and sitting through the most asinine weekly professional development meetings I’ve about reached my limit. But wait! There’s more! Maybe it’s worse when you know there’s an end in sight. Those of you who’ve retired from stressful jobs will have to let me know if the days will be speeding up soon.
I have my pension meeting with the state retirement system tomorrow.
Today in the classroom I told the kids about the time machine in the closet. One of my boyz sat in my chair when I was across the room and when I came back I pushed him around for a bit going “whee!” The entire class roared with laughter. I also pretended to see something horrifying outside the windows and everyone looked. Gotcha! I threw a pile of papers to be graded in the trash after school and left school 14 minutes after the dismissal bell rang.
Whee!
I wrote the first paragraph of this post the other night after an agitating PD earlier in the day. The bee left my bonnet and was replaced by giddiness today. Thank goodness nothing lasts forever.
Anne says
Hello! Who ever invented retirement was a genius. It keeps getting better the longer you’re retired. So happy that you’re going to be moving on to no more meetings. I’m pretty sure you’re going to be very good at being retired.
Lorraine says
I noticed when I was counting down the days that my tolerance level for the bullpucky was very low.
And yes I was out the door as soon as possible.
I started following when you were designing your journals.
I so appreciate you
I love your house, your cats, and your humor.
Paula says
Hi Maryann,
Yes, it is worse when the end is in sight…but it is also better! You don’t follow the rules you hate quite as closely…..I think you get a kind of clarity in the last months before you retire….things that once were oh so important do not seem to matter as much….you plan as best you can for someone else to take over after you are gone….you make plans for your future and then you change those plans and make new ones…it’s a process! I am so so happy for you to begin this next phase of your life! Your students are very lucky to have had you to mentor and care for them. Happy (almost) retirement!
Paulette says
I retired in June, 2008, after 25 years of teaching. What surprised me was how unhappy my fourth graders were about my leaving, like I was deserting them. I am sure when you tell your students you are retiring, they will have the same reaction. It is a bittersweet experience.
Wendy says
Oh my! I wish I had been in your class at school.I don’t recall any of my teachers being even vaguely amusing, almost always severe, almost afraid to let the children see they were real people.
Jennifer Heft says
I love everything about this!!!