Mourning the End of Summer and Embracing the Mission Once Again

This will be my 25th year in K-12 education.

Tim Cavey

Aug 22, 2025

Summary for Educators: Mourning the End of Summer and Embracing the Mission Once Again

By Tim Cavey | Teachers on Fire (Teachers on Fire blog) – August 22, 2025

Summer: More Than Just a Break For educators, summer imbues a much-needed pause—an emotional, mental, and physical reset. Tim Cavey, reflecting on nearly 25 years in K–12 education, acknowledges its necessity not as mere leisure, but as the foundation that enables sustainable, human-centered teaching. The season provides “sacred” space for recharging, restoring, and finding peace in everyday joys like quiet coffee, unhurried reading, long sleep, and deep moments with loved ones.

A Moment to Mourn—and a Purpose to Embrace Cavey shares the bittersweet ritual he practices each late August: taking a few moments to mourn summer’s end. As he returns to administrative duties—welcoming new colleagues, preparing classrooms, and reconnecting with school rhythms—he reflects on the mountains hiked, faraway travels, meaningful conversations, restful mornings, and internal calm he’s harvested during the break.

Yet this mourning is also a pivot. It ushers in renewed purpose. Cavey reminds educators that their work is deeply meaningful—that in the everyday labor of school lies the extraordinary power to transform lives. From fostering belonging, guiding adolescents, affirming students often unseen, supporting overwhelmed families, encouraging colleagues, to nurturing a community of care—teachers carry pivotal influence “in place of parents” (in loco parentis.)

The Human First, Educator Always Cavey emphasizes that teaching is deeply human work—not assembly-line labor. Each school day brings the chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with young people as they grow, wrestle, and discover themselves. This work can exhaust us. It can challenge us. Yet it also restores us when grounded in connection and impact.

When doubts or fatigue creep in—days when lessons fall apart, or personal doubts loom—Cavey’s message rings clear: “Your faithful service is making an important, inestimable impact. It matters.” Let that truth guide you. Lean in, support each other, grow together, and above all, love kids well. Even launching into year 25, he affirms, “I still get to do this” .

Implications for Educators

1. Honor transitions. Acknowledge the emotional shift from rest to routine—you’re not merely resuming work, you're reigniting mission.

2. Self-care is essential. Use those final days of summer to rebuild your reservoir of joy, calm, and well-being—it’s foundational to resilience.

3. Document what restored you. Reflecting on personal recharge can re-center your commitment when teaching feels demanding.

4. Remember the why. Education is powerful precisely because it is relational—students, families, and colleagues are transformed by your presence.

5. Live the phrase “I still get to do this.” It casts your profession as privilege, not burden—a sustaining mindset for challenging times ahead.

Original Article

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com