Summer school

Today marks the first of eight weeks of summer school that I'll be teaching at our Area Learning Center.  I'm not sure, but I think this is my 9th summer working for the ALC.

This year, though, will mark the third time that I've had both summer sessions.

In fact, this summer marks the most teaching I've ever done.  Last summer I had 8 weeks of summer classes.  Then second semester of the regular school year, I had an overload.  Now I have another 8 weeks of summer school.

That's a lot of teaching!

This summer schedule is a dream:  Literature I (I had total freedom to dream this class up, so basically we look at 16 of my favorite short stories), Science Fiction (the only time I ever get to teach this anymore since we have lost so many department members that we have basically been stripped of all our electives), and Reading Skills (this will be a good refresher for me).  Next semester will bring Composition (one of my favorites), Contemporary MN Authors (this will be only the second time I've ever read it, but this is another that I only get to teach at the ALC), and, finally, Creative Writing (yet again here is another class that used to be an elective.  Then it became part of Magnet Arts, but funding for that was even cut, so the only time this gets taught is during the summer).

When I was younger, I couldn't wait to teach summer school.  That usually meant I had blown through my summer check and needed funds badly.  However, the older I get, the harder it is.  This is because now I have two children of my own, and it's hard to leave them during the day, especially after a couple weeks home with them all by myself.  But I just keep telling myself that it's only until 12:30.  Then I can get right back to spending my summer with them.