Snow Day Thoughts

      It’s a teacher’s dream: Waking up to a beautiful blanket of snow outside and a message from your school reading “no school today, snow day!” Last week, I experienced my very first snow day as a teacher, and it turned into a double snow day. I couldn’t believe it! As I sat in my pajamas drinking hot chocolate and looking out at the snow, I thought to myself: Is there anything better than this? I had a lot of thoughts like that throughout the day, so I decided to share them with all of you! Here are some of the thoughts that crossed my mind:

      I cannot tell you the rollercoaster of emotions I went through when I got the message that school was out for the day. I texted a couple teacher friends, checked the local news station website, listened to the school’s voicemail multiple times… I had to be dreaming, right? That would be the classic set up for a teacher’s nightmare: Dreaming up a snow day, then waking up to find out you slept through your alarm and are about to be late for first period. Luckily, it was an honest and true snow day! 

“I should get __________ done.”

      I really did think about doing some school work! There was some grading that I needed to do, and I can always work on fine tuning some lesson plans. (Especially since lessons would have to shift due to these snow days!) But… I won’t lie. Not much school work got done those two days! And, you know what? That’s okay. Because, like our next point says….

“I deserve to relax!”

      This was a hard one for me to come to terms with. I’ve worked really hard recently to put myself first when it comes to a lot of things. I subscribe fully to the idea that I can’t take care of my students/family/relationships/etc. if I don’t take care of myself first. As the saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” So, when life hands you a double snow day, I say that’s the universe giving you permission to slow down a bit! 

“Do we have to go back?”

      If you’ve ever found yourself thinking this at the end of a weekend, long break, a double snow day, or any other time away from school, you are definitely not alone. Rest assured, it does not make you a bad teacher! Especially in the 2020/2021 school year when teachers are asked to do more than ever before, it’s normal to cherish every bit of down time we have. Remember: you are human and need to recharge just like everyone else. Don’t let anyone shame you for wanting to hold onto that peace a little while longer! 

      Have you ever experienced an unexpected day off from school? This was my first time having snow days as a teacher, and I could definitely get used to it! What do you do on your snow days? Let us know!

This article was submitted by Rachel Ammons contributing author for ThatMusicTeacher.com. Interested in becoming a contributing author? Email resume and writing sample to [email protected]