View Full Version : Any teachers?
Hello! I've been interested in thru hiking for a while. I am a teacher and am looking at possibly changing schools. If this is what I end up doing, I would like to hike the AT before starting at a new school. I was wondering if anyone else has done something similar. I think I would like to hike NOBO even thought hiking SOBO would let me start right after a school year is over. This though would have me finishing in August pretty close to a new school year. I don't want to rush myself through it to get back in time for a school year (especially b/c I may need some adjusting time)...is this possible? Or should I just resign myself to either a SOBO or looking for a job into the new school year? Thanks for your time!
Peanut:)
I am a teacher and have gone through this a couple of times, sometimes changing jobs, other times in between summers. When I hiked the PCT, I went from being on the trail to being in the classroom (with a move and going to a wedding in between) in less than a week. It wasn't pleasant, but there it wasn't so bad that I wouldn't do it again. The next year on the AT and GDT I had an extra month (change from semesters to quarters) and plenty of downtime. Much more pleasant.
I would go for the hike NOBO, realizing that you'll be hiking faster than most people on the AT. Note that this doesn't mean that you have to do a fast hike. 20 miles a day on the AT isn't a big deal, but it will be more rapid than 95% of the hikers you'll meet. It isn't rushing or racing, and you'll have tons of time to do lots and lots of stuff on the side.
You may or may not make it to Katahdin. Not a big deal, though. I'd start at Springer and hike north. Once you get to Harpers Ferry, if it looks like you're going to be short on time, I'd hop on a bus or hitch north. PA, NJ, and NY can be safely skipped without loss of quality. Try to give yourself a week before you start teaching again. And, be aware that you'll act a little strangely for a while. My friends are still telling stories from the wedding about me.
Gray Blazer
12-08-2006, 12:53
Hey JCP,:welcome to WB. I'm a teacher (actually, I have it made because I'm an elementary school music teacher!). I've never experienced what you are talking about but I just felt like chiming in. Sounds like Chris answered your question. I have to agree with him that you will need a little adjustment time after your hike. On the other hand, if you feel like an old pro, they aways give us a week before the students return to prepare. I usually find that after the 1st faculty meeting on the 1st day that I usually just sit at my desk in shock after having done very little thinking about work the whole summer. (Man , that is a run on sentence if I ever saw one). Have fun and hike. You may not complete the whole AT, but, you'll find it is a great way to forget about your work for a while. Have fun and HYOH!
Gray Blazer
12-08-2006, 12:57
PS. Man, check out Chris' photo gallery. Some awesome pics there. It looks like Chris could do 30 miles a day easily.
shades of blue
12-08-2006, 15:19
If you plan to do a NOBO, are you planning on quitting your job at the end of this semester...or a little later? Something to think about....if you quit mid year, often schools look upon that as abandoning your children. I'm not making a moral judgement, just something to think about in the looking for another teaching position department. If you are a classroom teacher (elem.) that might be more applicable. I'm not sure about HS with the classes being on a semester basis. If life is so bad at your current school, and you just have to get out, then I would say take advantage of the situation. If you can stand it until the end of the school year, it would look better on your resume. If you plan it well, sometimes you can take a leave of absence w/o pay. If you have all your ducks lined up, find a retired teacher who knows your job to cover you, then you could do the end of spring and a little in fall to do your NOBO hike. There are lots of options, I would just think seriously before I quit a position mid-year (I'm a elem music teacher too, so YMMV)
Cedar Tree
12-09-2006, 10:03
I would just think seriously before I quit a position mid-year (I'm a elem music teacher too, so YMMV)
You just can't up and quit mid year. But, You can set it up to leave mid year with some advance planning. When I thru-ed, I just didn't sign a new contract, worked part time teaching at a women's prison during the Fall, and thru-ed the following spring (Start 2/13 and finished 7-21). Then, luckily, I got my original job back, although I didn't intend for it work out that way. A few years later, I was working at a new job and wanted to thru again. So when I contracts came out, I met with my principal and told her I wanted to hike again and she was agreeable to a half year contract. It didn't work out that way, mainly because I got married. But thats the way to go, if you know you want to leave mid year, negotiate a half year contract.
CT
I've been struggling with the same dilemma. If I go NOBO, which is what I prefer, I'd have to take a leave starting in April and extending into the next school year till the end of Sept. If I go SOBO, I can finish the school year, but would have to take a leave for the whole fall semester. I think I'm going to leave that decision to my principal. Whichever works for him, I'll take it. Course, this is years into the future. I do have one advantage, my principal's grandfather hiked 400 miles of the trail and built quite a bit of trail in N.C. Hoping I have an understanding ear when I ask.
shades of blue
12-09-2006, 12:25
JCP...are you hoping for a NOBO hike in 2007? Alot of what you do depends on your situation. As Cedar says, there are lots of options. I didn't thru (yet) but I used my summers and spring breaks to hike the trail. The last summer being from Pine Grove Furnace to Katahdin. That was the best option for me because I have 15 years in one school and had other ties that I just couldn't cut. If you don't have those ties, maybe now is a good time to cut whatever strings you have and go for it. I am just saying that how you cut those strings can make a difference. Teaching isn't like many private sector jobs that deal with products. You are dealing with children and the people that hire you for another position will look to see how you took care of them before you left. That doesn't mean you don't leave, but working out a leave like Cedar did, having conversations with your principal like lilredmg can make a difference with a future recommendation from your current principal. From reading your post, I'm unsure about the how and when of your leaving...what are your thoughts?
Like ShadesofBlue and Chris, I use my summers for long distance hikes. I've made it as far as Bland Va. so far. I imagine I'll finish the trail in sections before I get to do a thru.
I'm so sorry. I didn't realize I came across as wanting to quit right now. I would not do that. I'm looking at switching schools after this school year (3rd grade teacher). I'm just not sure this school is the school for me. I was thinking about working my summer job, subbing (hoping for another option though) during the fall, and heading out in early Marchish 2008.
Grey Blazer: I do the same thing ("I usually find that after the 1st faculty meeting on the 1st day that I usually just sit at my desk in shock after having done very little thinking about work the whole summer.")
Thanks to everyone for their feedback...if anyone has any more advice, keep it coming:)
warren doyle
12-09-2006, 17:15
If I was an elementary/middle/secondary school teacher, I would do the trail this way to keep my job:
Two year plan:
Do some low-elevation sections down south and in VA during your Feb. and/or spring breaks. Do some nearby sections on three-day weekends during the school year. Day hike some sections over Xmas break. If you do these 'off-summer' then you should be able to complete the remaining trail over two summers without having to miss work.
Jack Tarlin
12-09-2006, 17:33
I just saw your last post....if you plan on hitting the Trail in early March, you should have no trouble at all finishing the whole thing by mid-August, leaving you a bit of time before heading right back to work. While most folks seem to take 24-27 weeks, it is absolutley possible to have a great thru-hike in less time, i.e. five months or just over. You'll have to hike a bit faster than most folks and limit your town layovers a bit, but there's no reason you shouldn't be able to do the whole thing with a March start.
Almost There
12-09-2006, 18:53
Some of you have some great ideas about how much time us High School/elementary school teachers get off.
Speaking for many states today including Ga where I teach high school social studies you are required to report to school August 10thish. If you are a new teacher at a school, you must be there a week earlier. 3 day weekends are the following: Labor Day, MLK Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day. You get a 5 day weekend at Tgiving, 2 weeks at Xmas, 1 week in Spring. All said you are done with school by June 1st, leaving you two months to hike in the summer.
Some school districts give a week off in the fall and in the winter, but they start earlier and/or finish later, in other words they still work the same number of weeks. Many three day weekends have been eliminated in favor of Professional Learning Days which are a chance for administrators to show that they are making us better teachers by making us sit through boring seminars.
Truth be told, if you want to be finished and try to get a new job you need to be done by early July.
As a fellow teacher I have given this alot of thought, and decided the best thing would be to save up some money and start in July, you might be able to snag a partial contract if finished by Tgiving for the next Spring. If not Sub in the spring and get known where you want a job, and with a little luck the following fall you have another job.
I would rather finish teaching in the spring and get that money then take a chance of having to sub or take another job for a whole school year. Just my opinion, but I have tried to work out how I might do one and this seemed the best option for maintaining as normal an income as possible.
Either way...Good Luck!!!