I've read 15 chapters of a novel during the past week. Why is this significant? For starters, I have several other books lying around the house with bookmarks protruding at various places, none of them completed. It is rare for me to finish any book other than a science resource journal or text during the academic year. I have a tendency to begin reading interesting tomes in good faith, but then weeks go by in which school work spills over from school and dogs me at home all week and on weekends. I simply put my leisure reading on hold until term breaks are on the calendar.
Now, however, the second semester is winding down. The IB exams are finished, and students no longer attend classes while exam week is in progress. Of course, there are exams and projects to evaluate, posters to take down, and piles of papers to file, but now that I have time to work on them at school, I find that there are actually free hours at home for such things as reading or watching sitcoms that I have delayed viewing. It is a luxury that signals the imminent summer break during which many educators continue their personal professional development, teach summer sessions or work at some other endeavor. For me, it means that in a matter of days I'll be heading to the States via London, ready to enjoy doing anything I want for a few weeks. I'll have my book with me.
