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Summer Reading and Other Ruminations

If I could read all day, or most of the day anyway, I would. This summer, despite some voluntary and involuntary deadlines, I have found long, uninterrupted spaces for reading. As always, I'm trying to figure out how I can keep the momentum going come September. And, as never before, I am begrudgingly coming to the realisation that this is not possible once school starts. Once I get back into the swing of a full teaching day, I just won't have as much time to read or write. And, that's OK. As long as I have at least one book going and some writing I do every day, I can satisfy my reading and writing habit. Nevertheless, it is right at about this time, during summer vacation, when I start to get anxious because I know that my summer is winding down which means my carefully crafted morning routine of exercising, reading and writing is about to be disrupted.

This summer I read professional books, participated in educational Twitter chats, wrote book reviews, and worked on the final touches of my research proposal for my doctorate. I've been busy! Which brings me to another topic... anyone who claims that teachers are fortunate because they get summers off, doesn't understand how many of us use our summers to continue learning and growing our professional knowledge and practise, or how many of us take on a summer job to supplement our regular teacher salary.

So, here's my end-of-summer wish for teachers:

May we have a productive, joyful year.
Remember, we're in this for the long haul, including summers.
Let's not forget that our families and friends need us, too.
Let's make time for the important people in our lives who replenish us and keep us centered.
When all is said and done, it's our students that we must keep in front and centre.
Hope this new school year is filled with wonder and hope!

Here's a visual list of some of the books I've read this summer:
















And, here are the books I'm currently reading:










Note: All book images are from Amazon.com

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