Waking to Dreams--August as a Month of Sundays

We all experience this phenomenon in education. The back to school dreams. They range in vibrancy and meaning. If you are like me, you have experienced dreams filled with anxiety like standing in front of your students and delivering an amazing lesson sans at least one article of key clothing. In others, it is an amalgam of what you experienced that day in a crazy montage of people, places, and words. Last night, I dreamed of walking down the streets of our town with the shop windows taking on a translucency that emanated whispered, dark words while @JessicaCabeen enthusiastically shared her day through my earbuds, and I typed my inservice day plans in notes. I don't need Freud to explain the creepy part was from completing a goal of reading Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone with my eight year old. Jess is a fixture in my waking dreams, so I am thankful she is a part of the sleeping ones too. Back to school plans are currently taking up 80% of my thoughts.

Like clockwork, the dreams started for me again on the 1st of August. As an administrator, this month is paced rather frenetically as we prepare to welcome staff, students, and parents back to another year of learning. It really got me thinking about the school year and cycles.

Specifically, it never fails to amaze me how the month of August is basically a stretched out version of every Sunday during the school year. From my classroom days and into building administration, Sundays carry with them a level of anticipation for the week ahead. Some educators may see this in a negative light, considering all the assessments they need to complete, lesson plans to create, and task lists ahead.

For me, I view Sundays and August as preludes to my waking dreams professionally. Plans made get to be lived out in real time with our students! There is so much to celebrate and anticipate working in education. We are living the dream in these moments. This must be why the subconscious dreams are so vivid during this time.

August 1st is always a signal to me to take stock of the summer bucket list and assess where I am in regard to family experiences, professional goals, and plans for a great start to the school year. After intentionally inventorying these areas today, I am feeling pretty good, knowing that there are a few weeks left to sneak in that visit to grandpa and grandma's as well as read The Coach Approach to School Leadership and Hacking Leadership. And, of course, to continue blogging as I committed previously.

Come September 1st, we will be living our waking dreams with our students in the building. May the anticipation bring us all the enthusiasm our learning communities deserve!


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