The countdown mentality

Two more weeks … Three more days … You hear these kinds of statements often during the last few weeks of school.

I remember feeling this way when I was an 8th-grade teacher, but it was because I was sad to see my kids leave. I loved the time I spent with my students and didn’t want it to end. In contrast, most of my teaching colleagues were making these statements from an ‘I can’t wait until it’s over‘ mindset. I definitely was an anomaly (granted, we did work in the ‘toughest’ middle school in the city).

Just one more hour…Should we be concerned that our students count down the days or minutes until school’s over, that they run gleefully for the buses at the end of the day or school year? Or is it just youthful exuberance for whatever’s next?

Just one week to go… Should we be concerned that many teachers count down the days or minutes until school’s over, that many are glad that their time is done? Or is it just bone-tired weariness speaking?

As you can see, I’ve got some questions about this countdown mentality.