In many ways, today is my last day of summer 2026. A year ago, I'd have been going to CPE early and then driving to Williamsburg to help my parents recover from my mom's near death pneumonia hospitalization--I am so grateful that this summer's end is more mundane.
Our transition to the school year is a gentle one. Tomorrow we have a very full day of teacher training and meetings. On Friday and Monday, we have one meeting per day. I'd prefer to have both on one day and the other day free for syllabus prep, but I'm fine with the schedule. Having more time off is a game changer--in my younger days at community colleges, I'd have been irritable at being expected to do any of this at all.
Of course, in my younger days, I spent much more time being irked. Now I am older and wiser and more laid back and a better shepherd of my energy, meaning I ask more questions about situations and whether or not my irritability/anger is worth the energy and time.
On this last day of summer, I'll fill my day with delights: a morning visit with a neighborhood friend doing creative work together in her studio and an afternoon with the LWR quilting group at the local Lutheran church. I'll do some reading and some writing. For one day, today I won't do any teaching work: I turned in final grades for my online classes last night, and I still have time to create syllabi before classes start on Tuesday.
But I'm just remembering that I need to put an announcement in my onground class course shells that gives a welcome and says that more information is coming soon. Since the shells open tomorrow, I'll do that cut and paste work today.
I'm happy that my work-for-pay still leaves me with time to see friends and do creative work of all types, along with writing and reading. I'm grateful that my teaching life doesn't consume all my free time. I know I say this a lot, but it's worth remembering and retreating.
It seems fitting that on one of the last evenings of summer, last night I got my grades for my summer TEEM class on Paul: an A on each of the two papers, and an A for the class. My teacher gave thoughtful commentary that made me feel seen and heard and understood.
I mention my reaction because last night I also got my supervisor feedback for the summer online class that I taught for SMC. Overall, it was positive, although there is room for improvement: more personalized feedback and more depth of feedback. My first thought was that using names of students in grading feedback (a suggestion) would take too much time. But it really won't take that much more time and maybe it would help students stay engaged.
I'm grateful for my return to school in late middle life for many reasons, but it's been revelatory to remember what it's like to be a student. I used to think that A level papers don't really need much instructor feedback, but as an A student, I would feel cheated if my papers got the kinds of A level feedback that I give as a teacher. Maybe that's too strong; I'm remembering all the times I got minimal feedback on A level papers and didn't feel cheated. But every time I get more involved feedback, I'm grateful. And A level students are more likely to have the time and mental space to care in a way that isn't possible for students who can't care as much because their lives are falling apart.
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