Dear Educators... This one is for you!

A new scholastic year is coming! Before sending well wishes I sit here and pounder on subjects which might be naked to the eye.

Our profession is and will always be subject for scrutiny especially regarding the back to school saga, the infamous summer holidays and our working hours. Yet we who are truly in this profession can truly say what it actually intails to be in our shoes.

What does an educator like me really do in summer beyond those suntans, vacations, beaches and clubbing the eve away? Let's see if you too can relate!

One of the beautiful beaches found during my travel in Finestre

Hard nights of constant worry that you did not do enough, perform at your best or might have been misunderstood throughout the previous year. Sleepless nights over scheduling, laminating, postings and prepping up for classroom resources. Waking up before everyone else just so you can reach the stationery for your photocopies before the heat kicks in, or simply waking up to have a peaceful cuppa before your own clan.

Planning

Spending countless fortunes on resources because unlike to what some may think, not each classroom is fully equipped. Let's not forget the time consuming but obvious necessity of browsing through Maltapark or Recycle Malta while counting your blessings throughout the whole bargain hunting ventures. Thrifting around for that good find which makes sense in your head on the spot but may be forgotten why you purchased it later on during the next scholastic year.

Constantly on the lookout for a bargain.

The hoarding progresses intensivly causing problems within any household. From simply hogging all those toilet rolls, boxes, yogurt cups, to even trying to persuade our partners into seeing the bigger picture of what wonders you can do with an old piece of furniture, huge boxes, old fabrics or even a vintage memorabilia. Needless to say the space becomes a toll as you can't take anything to class as they are either being used, refurbished or simply you have no class assigned to you as of yet.

Hoarding our old parquet floor boards for a possible project which is not yet in the pipeline.

Constantly waiting throughout summer to identify your secured position for the next scholastic or waiting eagerly for the transfers to be finalised before you have a peace of mind at rest. The sorrows, the saddness and the lack of work satisfaction builds up through disappointed announcements which lead off to a discomforting new start to a scholastic new year.

Keeping my fingers crossed hoping to be able to work with someone special this scholastic year.

Waiting, waiting and waiting for any inconveniences to prop up at the last minute, which yes are ALWAYS bound to happen no matter what everyone else thinks. The sheer incompetences of understanding the common frustrations from all parties lead to miscommunications, setting off a foul start unless conveyed in a diplomatic way. Finding out reasons on who to blame and for which reasons, keeping your sanity check while constant bogging with self doubt.

Yes I wait on things to you know.

Waking up to the sound of your alarms for your summer job because your full time wage has been already spent on that expensive ticket you have purchased for your vacation in the peak of summer, because you couldn't travel during the cheapest days. You need to regenerate that extra moolah which you already spent during your previous scholastic year because not everyone paid for your photocopies or reimbursed the payments of that cooking or science experiment.

Filling in for a friend during Planet Kids Summer Club this summer.

That professional development you signed up for during your hypest extrovert moment is now daunting you because you are too overwhelmed. However you strive through it all because you know that it would be worth it for you and your team at the end of it all. Those assignments are mind boggling, the tedious sound of the annoying presenters screeching in your headphones and the unrealistic shared content is putting your motivation on hold while you strive in summer because it has been requested for you to follow through.

Loads of webinars to choose from.

And now that a new scholastic year approaches we seem to forget all of our summer stress as we dive head first into the next unknown. The sheer fear of what is yet to come haunts us more than any scary movie. Will power perseveres as soon as you enter through the school building whether you know it or not.

You made it! You are here!

Sorting out my classroom.

And so it seems that what has been going on in summer eventually continues on during the scholastic year too. The worry increases, your funds keep reducing and the year ahead is still unpredictable. The nights will remain sleepless, the bargain hunting intensifies and the hoardering will duplicate. While you have been assigned to a post, your position may not reign the way you seek. Popping up of teaching practices, new studies, strategy testings and unpredictable sick leave will eventually shape shift the classroom dynamics, bringing you back to square one, waiting, waiting and waiting for what is yet to come.

The alarms will keep on ringing, in hopes of avoiding the rush hours or simply to make it on time for your early supervision duties. After work commitments keep you on your toes! Dashing out of those school doors shortly after dismissal in order to make it on time for your next part time job, lecture or chores. You might be late on picking up your own brood or try to manage time with all their extra curricular activities.

We are a family of 3 but I mostly take care of Luca's extra curricular errands.

Professional development goes beyond! Both during and after school hours, it is constantly going on! Browsing online, reading an article, updating your knowledge and skills, CT, Cope, PD Meetings and usual never-ending story.

But why do we keep doing it? Because as hard as it may be, as daunting as it may sound, as hectic as it truly is and as unrealistic as it may be, we always manage to love doing what we do.

There is no other profession like being an educator because for what it's worth YOU make a difference in this world whether you know it or not!

Best wishes to all near and far for a new scholastic year 2023-2024. May this one be another chapter in making a difference to this beautiful world.

Scholastic year 2023-2024 Loading!