Another Milestone

Well, I did it! I turned in my letter of retirement and started the process of submitting all my KPERS information so I can be officially retired on June 1, 2017. This is quite a milestone, especially since I've been working either part time or full time since I was 14 years old.

What's it feels like
First of all, a great relief. I don't mean that I'm tired of what I do or dislike my job, I just am glad I was able to make all the decisions needed and commit to those choices (which can't be changed once your paper work is submitted) and get all the paperwork out of the way so I can enjoy the last of the school year with my students and co-workers.

What I've learned
1. The latest and greatest technology device won't solve all education's problems. The teacher is still the most effective tool in the classroom; hire carefully.

2. Being in control is a myth. How one handles, reacts, and responds to the situation makes all the difference.

3. Don't be afraid to admit something didn't work. It's all right to go back and redo, differently.

4. The best thing about being a teacher is BEING A TEACHER!

5. With age and experience comes wisdom --if you're doing it right!

6. Retirement is not an ending but a different beginning.

Congratulations to me and all my colleagues who are joining me on this new life adventure called retirement.

Mrs. Marshall's Friday Freedom

In the past few years (since we've had iPads), I've let the kids have free iPad time for at least part of a class period on Fridays if all work is done. One thing I've noticed since that first year when everyone would be glued to their iPad screens as soon as I gave the okay for Friday Freedom to begin is that not everyone goes directly to their device. Those who like to read immediately get out their library book and read. (These are the ones you know for sure have all their AR, i.e. accelerated reader points. Some ask to write on the whiteboard in the front of the room to play hangman or Pictionary —I always keep my homemade Pictionary cards handy in case. Some have even asked me to teach them to knit or crochet. (They have seen me do that before school when I have hall duty or early morning cafeteria duty.) I guess my whole point in this entry is that every new gadget, technology advance or trend will run its course. Some become a part of every day life and some become history. So when someone laments that, "Kids these days don't know how to enjoy free time without electronics." I'm here to testify that yes they do and they get pretty excited about it too.

Luck, Divine Intervention, or Serendipity

I had a week of losing things. On Monday, I lost my iPad and looked frantically everywhere in my classroom. I even hurried home during my planning period to see if I had left it at home even though I was sure I had it in my hand when I walked in the building that morning. Finally, I used my "Find My Phone" app on my phone (Which I should have done in the first place.) and embarrassingly found my device under papers on the copy stand right on my desk! Is this a sign that it is time???? After a good laugh, some ribbing from colleagues, and a sigh of relief, I thought losing things for the week was in my past. Oh, how wrong I was. Two days later I misplaced my ID tag and key card to get into the building. Now, this was a bit more unsettling. I keep my ID and Keys on a lanyard to wear around my neck so I can keep track of it better, Ha! I looked everywhere in the building including going through trash cans and dumpsters. For two day I looked and alerted all about what I was missing. Just as I was getting ready to admit defeat and preparing myself to pay for the key card replacement, I decided to look one more time in the teacher's workroom/lounge located at the north end of the middle school. No luck! However, there was a sack full of fortune cookies left over from our teacher's luncheon we had a day earlier. I thought to myself, "What the heck, nothing else has worked so far. I might as well see what a fortune cookie has to say." When I opened the cookie and read my little fortune it read, "Traveling south will bring you unexpected happiness." Hmmm, I didn't think much of it and walked back to my room, at the south end of the building. Later, as I was walking around the room during sixth hour I walked right by the shelves in the back (south end) my room and saw a paper towel partially folded sitting in one of the cubbies. I hadn't noticed it before but reached for it to put it in the trash and yep, you guessed it, I found my keys hiding behind that partially folded paper towel. Well, I  can't help but wonder was it luck?  Was it divine intervention? Was it serendipity? -OR- Was someone playing a trick on me? No matter what I am now happy, happy, happy!

Got to keep track of these things nine more months!

My Journey to Retirement Installment 1

 

Yep, that's right!  I thought this would be a good time to sort of revive this blog and try to post regularly as I complete my very last year of classroom teaching. However,  don't expect a day by day diary entry as that would be extremely boring to read and to write, but I will relate some of the more interesting things that happen throughout the year and maybe pass on some pearls of wisdom  (doubtful, but maybe) I have acquired over the last 37 years in the teaching profession.

Just to make this entry a bit more interesting, here is a picture of the bulletin board in the 7th-grade hall. The 7th-grade teachers are responsible for it and I must say it is an improvement over what we lamely came up with last year thanks to our colleague, Janet Jackman.

7th Grade Bulletin Board