After 7 years1 of teaching, you know what I consider to be the most difficult adjustment of coming back to school after a summer of chill?
It is NOT having to wake up early... nor is it having to make lesson plans... or any of that stuff. The most difficult part of coming back to school (for *me*) is:
Having to talk all day.2
More specifically, having to use my vocal chords all day.3
I'm not the type of person that likes to talk any more than necessary to begin with, but projecting one's voice (even mildly) for three 90-minute periods each day can take some getting used to.4
This is part of the reason why I enjoy drinking coffee in the afternoons after my classes are done - it feels good on my throat after a long day of talking / facilitating / projecting / whatever.
13 days until opening day number 7.
- Even though I started teaching mid-year in 2006-07, I did student teach during the Fall of '06, so I [sometimes] like to count that year as a whole. (this sentence has awkward grammar. my bad.) [↩]
- A very close second is having to write legibly. [↩]
- I'm not sure how many of my peers feel the same way -- based on the behavior I observe at most of our meetings, I would say "not many". -_- [↩]
- Interestingly, I always feel that this is even worse on the first day back from winter break in January than it is in August. [↩]