Though the official story of the nine month school year is that it was formed for agrarian purposes, to allow children to help their parents in the fields during the harvest time, I truly believe that the nine month school year was divinely designed to help teachers forget much of the pain and stress of the year and be willing to come back. This is why there are so many similarities to pregnancy. Okay, well, if you stretch it a bit. Hang with me here.
Phase 1. . . The Discovery. Starting a new school year is similar to learning you’re pregnant. It’s a bit of a rush. There is both excitement and anxiousness as you meet the fresh crop of students, and that ever present question––What does the future hold?
Phase 2 . . . The First Trimester. In education this is the “getting used to” period or the “settling into” time. Like pregnancy, there might be a bit of “morning sickness” as it is tough to leave the relaxation of summer behind and get back into the educational swing.
Phase 3 . . .The Second Trimester. The novelty is now over, so you just have to dig in, take care of business, conduct routine “check ups” on how the kids are doing. But for the most part, this is the time of the year where the kids “grow.”
Phase 4 . . . The Third Trimester. Enough, already. Let’s get this thing over with. Kids are tiring out, and teachers are wearing out. Everyone is ready to be finished. Minds are sore and overtaxed.
Phase 5. . . The Week Before. Both an exciting and anxious time. You’re tired but excited because you are so close––the end is in sight.
Finally . . . The Birth. Graduation. Okay, so we don’t have to go through the pain of labor, but some years, all nine months might be tough work! Anyway, the final outcome is the same. Once the baby is born, and once those kids are all cleaned up and on stage and looking good, you feel pretty proud and realize it was worth all the pain. And surprisingly, after a good two months of sleep . . . you are ready to do it all over again.
Phase 1. . . The Discovery. Starting a new school year is similar to learning you’re pregnant. It’s a bit of a rush. There is both excitement and anxiousness as you meet the fresh crop of students, and that ever present question––What does the future hold?
Phase 2 . . . The First Trimester. In education this is the “getting used to” period or the “settling into” time. Like pregnancy, there might be a bit of “morning sickness” as it is tough to leave the relaxation of summer behind and get back into the educational swing.
Phase 3 . . .The Second Trimester. The novelty is now over, so you just have to dig in, take care of business, conduct routine “check ups” on how the kids are doing. But for the most part, this is the time of the year where the kids “grow.”
Phase 4 . . . The Third Trimester. Enough, already. Let’s get this thing over with. Kids are tiring out, and teachers are wearing out. Everyone is ready to be finished. Minds are sore and overtaxed.
Phase 5. . . The Week Before. Both an exciting and anxious time. You’re tired but excited because you are so close––the end is in sight.
Finally . . . The Birth. Graduation. Okay, so we don’t have to go through the pain of labor, but some years, all nine months might be tough work! Anyway, the final outcome is the same. Once the baby is born, and once those kids are all cleaned up and on stage and looking good, you feel pretty proud and realize it was worth all the pain. And surprisingly, after a good two months of sleep . . . you are ready to do it all over again.
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