Missing Our Kids
Every teacher is acquainted with that one instructor who professes to despise summer vacation. Three months without students, this teacher wails, is simply not to be endured. "I miss my kids!" We roll our eyes and understand the not-so-subtle implication that the rest of us sorry chumps couldn't possibly understand this particular misery. After all, none of us has taken the trouble to truly bond with our students. During this strange time of isolation, however, I have to confess. I miss my kids. One day we were in school. The next day we weren't. There was no opportunity to endure the final two weeks of May exhaustion. We didn't hand out endless awards, trek to graduation parties, or applaud Eli Fox for his stunning rock star performance in the school musical "Bye, Bye, Birdie". We never said goodbye. For as long as I've taught, the seniors have been eager for graduation. "I can't wait to get outta here," t