The Summer Vacation Myth @ otoh

The Summer Vacation Myth

I am not on vacation. I am on summer break.

For many people in “normal” jobs, the difference may be… um, academic. [smirk]

But here’s why I never refer to my time off in the summer as a vacation. I don’t get paid. I work a ten-month contract and I am unemployed for two months. After all, people that work Monday through Friday don’t refer to Saturday and Sunday as vacation days. They are days off. A short break before returning to work. It’s just a lot easier to stretch your paycheck through a weekend than it is through a summer.

“But,” I am usually asked when I make this distinction, “can’t you get paid in the summer?” Not really. Most school districts will withhold a percentage of your paycheck through the year and then give it back to you in the summer. If you have the self-discipline to put money in a savings account at least you would earn interest on it. As much as I love [cough] the school board, I’m not willing to lend them some of my money interest-free for most of the year….

So I’ve learned to budget. Sometimes I work other jobs in the summer. And I relish my breaks. Because even though I love my job, I also hate it. And I like being away from it for a while each year. I like having a lot of flexibility in my days when there is virtually none when I work. [A bell rings and I teach until another bell rings, and then a few minutes later a bell rings and I teach until another bell rings, and then a few minutes later....]

I am on summer break. I am not on vacation. But I will be taking a vacation soon!

Posted on June 9th, 2008 Tim 6 comments

Education, otoh, rant, sydca
6 responses to “The Summer Vacation Myth”
1. Jennifer June 10th, 2008 at 06:55
  
  Have fun on your trip!
  
  Because I utterly lack self-discipline in any way, shape, or form, I DO give the beloved SB an interest-free loan each year, and I grovel for summer school for extra dinero.
  
  I can’t stand the shapelessness of summer days; thus, I hardly call it vacation–more like a hot ordeal. Strangely, though, this year I’m almost looking forward to it. Almost.
  
  Jealous of the cool climate you are about to enter; take LOTS of pictures and please get a photo of a moose if possible without endangering yourself or your companions. Or at least your slowest companion.
2. Snowelf June 11th, 2008 at 14:09
  
  You know what’s funny? When I was little, I never ever would have imagined that the teachers hated being at school. I used to feel like they had it so easy without having to do any homework. Ah, the ignorance of youth… now that I am grown, I realized how incredibly hard being a teacher actually is.
  
  Have a great time off
  
  –snow
3. aymiee June 13th, 2008 at 10:27
  
  I often thought my life would have more meaningful if I became a teacher or nurse, etc instead of staring at the computer for 8 hours. But then I’ve talk to my sister, who’s a principal of an elementary school and have gotten a glimpse about the politics of education. ….maybe I will stick to my unrewarding job. Have a great summer break!
4. mary June 16th, 2008 at 18:58
  
  and here i thought the ten months in the classroom with the kids was all the vacation you would ever need…
5. Becky June 18th, 2008 at 14:57
  
  Well, have a nice vacation — whenever you take it
6. Janet July 6th, 2008 at 09:47
  
  With everything going on this summer I feel like I am really on neither, but I do like your rationale!:)

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The Summer Vacation Myth

6 responses to “The Summer Vacation Myth”

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