#MayMatters

Last Thursday at breakfast, I was talking to the larger group when I said, “the first thing you need to do when you sit down is open up your silverware pack. We do this because everything in there should be used but most importantly your napkin because…” But before I could finish my statement, I was interrupted by two students who, having heard my speech for 6 years knew I would say “manners matter.”  I chuckled at the fact that these two have probably heard me say that phrase at least 500 times since they began kindergarten 6 years ago. I chuckled at the fact that I tend to constantly overuse alliteration. I chuckled mostly because I was pleased that while I’ve not taught them any academic content, I have taught these young men something. You see the cafeteria isn’t a traditional classroom, but I find myself being a teacher every morning. Manners are important. Using your napkin, closing your mouth when you chew, not making a huge mess, not talking while you eat, and how to compost your food and trash when you’re done finds its way into my cafeteria teaching every morning. 

What can I say, I am a teacher and that will never change. I was reminded just today of another alliteration as I watched my cell phone date change from April to May.  May matters. Many times we look at May as the busiest time of year with end of the year testing, field day, awards day, end of the year parties, etc. But what our real focus should be is pushing our students as hard as we can as long as we can. May matters.

I despise those mugs that read “the reason I teach: June, July, and August.”  Yes, the summer months are very needed by us all. It is important to regain energy, motivation, and even some professional development. Our children deserve the summer days of camps, swimming, vacations, sleeping late, and playing past bedtime. But every single minute with our students matters. We still teach. We still motivate. We still need to equip and inspire. We do this in May simply because May Matters. 

Jennifer Hogan is a wonderful blogger who I have been following for some time. She has started a hashtag movement this year entitled #maymatters. I encourage you all to use your social media with your May activities using that hashtag. I don’t encourage you to do this for recognition (or some of the prizes that are offered), I encourage because it gives us some motivation as we are planning meaningful activities for our students in the month of May.

My own children cannot wait to get their Xbox and TV back on weekdays. I don’t allow these things on weekdays during the school year (although I’ve relented for Thursday night football and NBA games….hey, I live with all boys). There are a couple of movies that are coming out this summer they can’t wait to see. They are both attending a camp and I am sure will have plenty of friends over as well as playing pick-up basketball games with kids in the neighborhood. Additionally, Rosebro1 has summer golf tournaments and Rosebro2 has football workouts. I tell you all this to say that our students are very much like my children. They soon will have two months of movies, tv, video games, playtime, hanging out, and being lazy. That should not start in May. There shouldn’t be movies in our classrooms, extra recess, or activities unrelated to learning. They will get so much of that soon. For many of our kids they are so close to reaching the next reading level or mastering that next math concept-why not push them to it…this also helps us in the fall. If kids slip during the summer, the extra push you give them now makes the slip not so far when August kids here. Our kids deserve your professionalism in May, because afterall #maymatters.