Another summer -- glorious summer -- has come to an end. As we get ready for the new school year, please join in this musical tribute to summer vacation -- a time to tend the garden and nurture the soul.
This song, sung to that spirited song from the bayou, Jambalaya, offers teachers a chance to pour out their hearts in praise of summer – and, at the same time, to lament its passing.
Can’t believe that we’re back, me oh my oh.
We’ve been off to Pa-ree and Ohio.
Got some rest, feel less stress, you and I-o.
Now it’s back teaching math, French, and bio.
About the Author
Eric Baylin has been a teacher for 39 years, working with a variety of age levels in both public and private schools in New York and North Carolina. He currently works at Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn, New York, a K-12 independent school established in 1854. In addition to teaching art and photography to middle- and high-school students, Eric coordinates a program of collaborative faculty study groups in Packer’s professional development program.
Chorus:
Son of a gun, Summer’s fun, me oh my oh.
Eating corn, eating blueberry pie oh.
Take a deep breath and let out a sigh oh.
Summer’s leaving us soon, say goodbye-o.
Well, the ease of the summertime frees me
To travel and do things that please me.
Well, it may not be terribly PC
To admit coming back is not easy.
Chorus:
Son of a gun, Summer’s fun, me oh my oh.
Eating corn, eating blueberry pie oh.
Take a deep breath and let out a sigh oh.
Summer’s leaving us soon, say goodbye-o.
Far away from the lads and the lasses
At the beach sporting stylish sunglasses.
Oh, the weeks vanish as summer passes.
I’m not ready to teach all my classes!
Chorus:
Son of a gun, Summer’s fun, me oh my oh.
Eating corn, eating blueberry pie oh.
Take a deep breath and let out a sigh oh.
Summer’s leaving us soon, say goodbye-o.
Once they’re back, kids have no concentration
For the work, all that new information.
We should just have a big celebration,
And start planning our next long vacation.
Chorus:
Son of a gun, Summer’s fun, me oh my oh.
Eating corn, eating blueberry pie oh.
Take a deep breath and let out a sigh oh.
Summer’s leaving us soon, say goodbye-o.
Tuning our Schools with Laughter
This is my 40th year teaching. Ouch! It’s hard to see that in print. Several years ago, I had one of those great “aha" moments that has given new life to my role as an educator.
I’ve always been interested in working to change schools in ways that enhance and support learning, but I’d gotten to a point in my career when I saw that all my serious, effortful striving played only a minimal role in change. The “aha" came when I realized that I could, at least, change my state of mind by laughing at the very things that bugged me most. OK, maybe not everything. But at least the little everyday stuff that nags at me and drags me down.
That thought became fodder for songs about school and teaching, which I started writing as a way of helping myself (and my colleagues) survive the year with an intact sense of humor.
I still work hard to change the things that stand in the way of student (and adult) success in schools. But now I wonder -- seriously -- if laughter itself isn’t one of the soundest pedagogies, a “best practice" that can help us re-tune our schools and shift the culture to one that genuinely embraces wellbeing and lightness of heart as sound supports for learning.
I wouldn’t mind working at a school whose mission statement included, after those ever-familiar phrases, “lifelong learning" and “supportive, yet challenging environment," the words
And this is a school where we love to laugh!
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Eric Baylin's
This is my 40th year teaching. Ouch! It’s hard to see that in print. Several years ago, I had one of those great “aha" moments that has given new life to my role as an educator.
