Wonder Wednesday #3...

When you think about our jobs as teachers, it really is a wonder of a profession.  Lately, I've been thinking quite a bit about how extremely valuable summers are to teachers.  Well, at least to myself...

In the beginning of my career, I would use summer to escape from the grueling schedule of teaching for nine months and try to forget about it for the ten or so weeks I had off.  The last few summers I have used my vacation in a completely different way. 

I look at the last few summers as a true wonder.  I've connected with so many wonderful people via Twitter, blogs, The Nerdy Book Club, and professional development opportunities.  The wonder comes from having the time to really dig deep into my professional thinking and planning which in turn benefits my future students.

Spending time today on my porch on a beautiful August Minnesota day, I realized how valuable this time is.  I've been reading so much this summer.  This is always a wonder to me.  During this time I always have a middle-grade novel, an adult novel, and a professional book going.  This approach to reading as been rewarding for me.

Having extra time this summer has given me the opportunity to develop my blog on a deeper level.  This has been exciting and wonderful to me.  I've spent more time on Twitter getting ideas, book titles, chatting during "Tweet Chats", and connecting with even more people than ever.  I can't believe I actually have more than 500 followers.  That is a wonder in itself!

As I write this blog post, I'm filled with complete joy and happiness in my professional life and know this time that is given to me is truly a gift and a wonder...