This afternoon I spent some time on the phone with a friend who I use as a guage for most things sane when it comes to teaching preschool. She is likely the most patient, most educated and most dedicated early childhood teacher I have ever encountered. Just spending time around her inspires me to be a better everything in my life. Today when we chatted I expected the usual, “Whoweeeee, am I glad summer is almosy upon us! Enough of this teaching gig, I can’t wait to relax and not monitor or expand every second into a teachable moment.” But alas, my friend is tired; more tired than the rest of us. And she is quittting! Moving on, or really back, into a corporate life. She will have great benefits, work mates who aren’t obsessed with the future well being of their clients and she won’t have the over riding feeling that her job description should entail the words “must enjoy the fruitless sensation of herding cats just for yucks”.

The preschool world will be more than slightly hurt by my friend’s departure. It is a shame, really. Another sign of our culture that such a vital position is held in such a low regard, causing highly talented teachers to seek other careers simply for pay or relief from the brutal grind of beating our heads upon walls simply for the thrill of concrete against our skin. More often than not I relish the cool feel of the wall against my head, I think I am just all in a bind because my dear friend Shannon has long been a standard of excellence for me and to see her step away from the profession is a personal blow. Shannon is not an Internet user, nor is she aware of me wee blog so she won’t know of my sorrow for her change of heart/awakening to reality, but she will be sorely missed in the world of preschool teachers and many future students. And despite the fact I will miss the thought of my friend setting the bar for excellence in teaching, tomorrow marks the beginning of summer break and 92 days of a respite from the concrete wall upon my forehead. However, in exchange for that bit of peace I wll be spending each and every one of those days with my own children. That is enough to give me pause and wonder just what exactly I am celebrating here.