Winter break is a fun period of rest and recuperation not only for students but also for teachers. Though they still have work to do over break, like grading finals and planning for the next semester, many teachers have just as much fun as students.
Many teachers took advantage by grading during either the Friday before break or the Professional Development Day before the start of school. Geometry teacher Rachel Andres explained, “I did all of my exam grading on that Friday, so it could be done before I was officially on break.”
Andres then relaxed for the rest of the break. She said, “I stayed home for the entire break. I did some baking, I went to my friend’s house for Christmas Eve dinner, spent some time cleaning my yard, got a little bit of exercise, and talked to my family on Zoom.”
Algebra teacher Jennifer Che spent time with her family and went to Lake Tahoe the week after Christmas.“We took my son skiing for the first time, and it was me and my husband’s first time skiing in 20 years, so we all got to learn how to ski together.” Che waited until the last Monday of the break to grade. She said, “I regretted it on Monday because it was a rough transition back, but I enjoyed not working over break.”
Che added, “I always wish I had more time off. The longer I work, the more I enjoy my breaks. This break, when I spent time with my family, it felt like what normal people do: they put their work away when they go home, which isn’t the case for teachers. It’s important to have an actual break, not a break with work to do.”
However, Andres said, “This year, I felt like I had enough time on break. I was able to catch up on sleep and enjoy life for a little bit, but then I was ready to come back and get to work.”
Terence Barton, a math and Mobile Apps teacher, also had a relaxing break. “I like bike riding, so I did several bike rides. I also like hiking so I went outside and did some hikes. The rest of my break was relaxing, with a lot of dinners with friends and family.”
As a first-year teacher, Barton finished grading on the Friday before the break. “Teaching takes a lot of energy, so I needed the rest. It was about the right amount of time, but I wish they gave us an extra day before so that the last night before classes is a little easier and less hectic.”
Zoe Wilson, a U.S. History and World History teacher, said that her break was less eventful. “I had fun with my family, but then I got COVID for the second time, so I did not do a whole lot over winter break.” Wilson taught a different subject last semester and finished doing all the grading for that class on the Friday before the break. However, because she will be teaching a new subject in the coming semester, she said, “I could’ve used an extra day prior to the start of the semester to prepare.”
Similar to students, teachers also have eventful breaks that they enjoy with friends, family, and themselves. As Barton put it, “This is the first time I’ve had a winter break since I was a student, and it was really nice to have that time off.”
