Countdown

As it stands now, March 26 will be my last day in the classroom. I'm not retiring because I'm burned out, tired of the job or even want to retire. The dear Corporats changed the bankruptcy laws and if I work I make too much money to declare bankruptcy, if I retire I can. That's a crappy way to end a career. Daughter was in the hospital in January. There is no way we can pay the bills accumulated after the insurance pays its 80%. It declined to pay the emergency room and that bill alone sank us.

Assistant principal showed me a resume of a young man who's just finished his student teaching in December that's applied for the position. I wish him well. It will be a good foot in the door for him.

I've spent three weeks cleaning out over twenty-five years of accumulated teaching supplies. Maps, posters, interact lessons, books and have distributed them to others in the department. The room looks rather bare and my wardrobe is practically empty. There a big book case of stuff and a few other things I'll leave for my replacement. A hell of a lot more than what I had the first day I walked into a totally bare classroom in November of 1982.

The other teachers tell me that they can see a change in me since I applied for retirement. I look a lot less stressed. Well no shit Sherlock. I haven't had to attend all the crap pd meetings to learn how to be a better teacher! Some things I won't miss. I will really miss the students. God how I'll miss the students, even the ones that just want to sleep, text or listen to music. I'll miss them.