There’s something quite discombobulating about the holidays when you’re a teacher, isn’t there?

A strange degree of calm or a lack of noise.

There’s no one there shouting, “Miss! Miss! Miss!” or “Sir! Sir! Sir!” as many times as possible within three minutes because, heavens to Betsy, you’re actually helping someone else or even DOING something else at the exact moment you’re ‘desperately’ needed. By ELEVEN members of the class all at once.

With that said, I really do love the chaos of the classroom. I love filtering through the noise and working out what needs to be done, who needs to be helped, and who needs to be pushed to work through it more independently. Love it.

But the holidays are heavenly, aren’t they?!

We really do need to make the most of them, not just spend them recovering from the cold (or other associated germfests) that seem to hit at the end of each term having spent the last few weeks staving it off.

Teaching is, I think, only enjoyable if we’re refreshed enough to give it our best. Making the most of our holidays is, therefore, essential! Can we spend our time reading without feeling guilt? Can we lie in (those with children excepted)?! Can we do those things around the house or visit those friends we’ve been meaning to all term?

I hope so!

I guess, however, that I’m not the only teacher who (whilst enjoying every second of a holiday) finds themselves at a bit of a loss. I try not to bring any work home during vacations if it can be helped; we work so hard during term time that I figure it will be waiting for me when I get back…

Am I the only one to find it weird not to be working in the evenings during the holidays?

Typically, every day at work involves hundreds of people, staff and students alike, making demands. There are countless emails, nags without number and stacks of marking bigger than our imaginations (or the recurring digits of Pi if you’re more mathematically minded). That doesn’t even mention lesson planning! So what can we do to enable ourselves to succumb to the slower pace of the holidays?

How can we genuinely switch off?

Answers on a postcard please!