It’s been TWO years since I retired.

And it’s the third time back to school ads were a not so subtle reminder that summer is almost over. (Those ads start way too soon. Don’t you think?) And it’s the third August that I’m missing that back to school excitement tinged with just a little bit of dread. Even after all my years as an educator; I’d have a hard time sleeping the night before that first day of school. My mind would race as I planned the first week of school.  I felt rather sad on the first day of school the August after I retired from education.    I missed seeing my students and  it just seemed like I was in the wrong place on that particular day.   Teaching wasn’t just a job to me; it was a part of who I was.  There are still days that it seems like I should be at school.

Just like any educator, I can present a long list of the things that I don’t miss about the education system and being an educator (grading papers, school politics, budgets, etc).   However, there are so many more things that I do miss.

20  21 Things I Miss About School

1. I miss the excitement of seeing the kids on the first day of school– and the second…
2. In fact, I miss seeing the kids everyday — all the way to the last day of school.
3. I miss their smiling faces —
4. And I miss their hugs.
5. I miss those few who’d stop by the library to beg to check out a book even when the library wasn’t open.
6. I miss seeing the look in a student’s eyes when they finally understand.
7. I miss students asking me what to read next…
8. And a student running in to tell me they loved a book.
9. I miss book club.
10. I miss sponsoring student organizations.
11. I miss pep rallies.
12. I miss buying school supplies.
13. I miss getting my classroom or the library ready for the first of the year
14. And decorating bulletin boards (or walls).
15. I miss snow days.
16. I miss the time right before the first bell would ring and a student would drop in just to say hi.
17. I miss the quiet at the end of the day when the students were gone and I knew I got to do it all over again tomorrow.
18. I miss teachers dropping by the library to chat for a second.
19. I miss the chance to help students and staff.
20. I miss seeing the educational and personal accomplishments of my students everyday and from year to year.
21. I miss those times when former students would stop by just to say   hi.

This is by no means a complete list. I’m sure I’ll think of a few more as time goes on. If you’re a retired educator or an educator who changed careers; please share the things you miss about school. I’ll add them to the list.

Note:  This is a revised version of a post I wrote a year ago.  I started a new list for things that I still missed about school and found that for the most part the list was the same as last year.  I guess that you could say — “Once a teacher, always a teacher.”.