The Not First Day of School

Yesterday was the first time in 30 years that I did not go to school excited about what the new year might hold for my students and myself. In fact, I did not go at all. That is because yesterday was the first day of school that I missed due to my retirement from education. In fact, I am unemployed for the first time in 40 years.

I thought yesterday morning would be a melancholy experience. It wasn't what it could have been, or maybe what it should have been. I didn't wake up until the time I would usually be going to work. After starting the morning coffee, I turned on the computer to check email and look at news headlines, the weather, Facebook, radio message boards, etc. This is the same thing I have been doing every morning since May 27, so the new routine may have softened the blow of missing my first day of school just a little. The next time I looked at the clock and remembered school again, it was 8:10. School, and a new year, was in session.

I thought it might be nice to wish everyone well with their new school year, and I did so on Facebook. Most of my Facebook friends enjoyed my bit of well-wishing, and a couple even mentioned that they missed me. For me, that was a good thing because it reminded me of what happens in the course of 30 years. You build a lot of connections and friendships when you work at the same place for a long time. You are certainly richer for those experiences.

Last year I made a list of the things I would miss, and a list of things I would be thankful to leave behind. The "Good List" was considerably shorter than its negative counterpart. At first glance, it seems like I made a great decision to pull the plug on my teaching career. After all, it looked like the bad far outweighed the good. On further examination though, my "Bad List" was mostly petty annoyances, along with the myriad of requirements that politicians place as obstacles to effective and joyful teaching, allegedly done in the name of school/teacher accountability.

The positive list, while shorter, had the depth and breadth of what it really means to teach. It contained things like students who loved learning, who understood, who really "got it" and made the connections and loved what they were doing. On the list was the class I looked forward to everyday - high school band. I could not have asked for a better group of young musicians. More importantly, I had the honor of working with such a fine group of young people, a fine group of just plain wonderful human beings. I miss them, and I wish them all the best life that life has to offer.

Then there are the colleagues I worked with for years and years. I watched their kids grow up, go to college, become successful adults and parents. We have been through good times together and through some rough times together. They are friends of the first division.

School started without me yesterday. The school year will go on like it always does and be a great school year. It will be one that everyone will remember for one reason or another. Likewise, it will be a memorable one for me. New experiences are in store, and likely some exciting new opportunities. Still, I miss the "Good List."