A well-deserved holiday coming up

Around this time, schools will be closing until Monday, November 9th. Students and teachers both have deserved a week's holiday after the first long term of 9 weeks.

Never underestimate the job of a teacher. Here in Belgium we are laughed at by the general public, because we 'have too many holidays'. That's all the people see.

Indeed, not only the kids but also the teachers get school holidays. Here in Belgium they are as following: one week of autumn leave, two weeks for Christmas/New Year, one week of holidays in February or early March, two weeks for Easter and then we have a couple of long weekends in May/June. Followed by two months of summer leave.

Looks pretty much, but I can guarantee that a teacher needs this. Because the teaching profession is not just standing in your class, teaching your subject. You need to prepare your lessons (can take a while when you're a young and inexperienced teacher), you have to make corrections of the work your students deliver, you have to prepare examinations and tests throughout the year, you need to make an evaluation of what EACH student is doing (the paperworks gets heavier year by year). In short, you  have to put EVERTHING on paper to make sure you can't be sued.

Then there is the job uncertainly. Many a young (and also older) teacher will not be able to remain in one school throughtout his/her career. Sometimes you need to do a lot of interim work before you find a place to stay.

And never underestimate the kids. You need to have stamina to deal with them from day to day. Many fail in doing this, so they drop out after one or two years in the profession. You have to have the knack, or you're a basket-case.

So this holiday is well deserved i.m.o.