More work on last day??!!

Ok, I'm a whip-cracker when it comes to learning and my students. I'm a primarily green personality (http://www.truecolors.org/color_meanings.html) when it comes to the old True Colors Quiz (http://truecolorscareer.com/quiz.asp), which means that I value knowledge, data, logic, scientific fact above emotions, rules, and at times, relationships. Example: I actually plotted out a male friend's strong points as a potential "boyfriend" and realized he was as close to the total package that anyone would ever get. He was smart, hard working, clean, funny, and not-so-hard-on-the-eyes! I discussed this data/evidence with a girl friend, and decided that maybe I could begin to romantically like this guy; he and I'd been remote friends for a year and a half. Fast forward 13 years this weekend and we're still going strong as an old married couple--and we're still in our early 30's! Yep, I picked my partner based on cold, hard logic. I have NO idea how or why he picked me!! Needless to say, I value looking at things and situations logically, using time wisely, and above all else, the continuance of knowledge in its many incarnations. So I'm sitting here at 6am before the last day of school this year. I've already schemed a plan to get the kids to be EXCITED about coming in to summer school...they fight year round schooling, but I've made them an offer they couldn't refuse--use of their laptops for a period of time this summer to do a student/teacher designed independent project! But. I just found a series of new podcasts that COULD wait until next year. It's the QDnow (Quick/Dirty) series (http://www.qdnow.com/). These are a GEM find to me! I can't wait to have my kids listen in and begin to make similar podcasts of their own! I KNOW they'll be as excited as I am about hearing Grammar Girl and Mr. Manners talk about their areas of expertise! We'll learn so much from Money Girl!! (ok, they WON'T be excited at all, but dang, it...why NOT?--I say as I figuratively stomp my foot!) Actually, they really may honestly dig the Travelling Avatar podcasts. He apparently gives Second Life tips! :) But why won't they be excited? Why not indeed?! Learning styles. Expectations about what the last day of school should be, based on their traditional school experiences. Yet again, a myriad of other mis-alignments to their faithful teacher's personality. *sigh* Why can't they all just learn in MY style and the same level of passion for schooling and learning that I have?! ;-) *those of you who so well know me will not pre-suppose this to be a terribly serious statement* But seriously, I hate this "summers off" thing! Seriously-Seriously. I feel embarrassed and ashamed to be excited for the last day of school when I'm talking with my friends. They ALL work year round--I do too, but it's just not the same! This is simply one more out-dated mode of learning. An environment that tells kids they have a period of time where they no longer have to think. WHAT!!!????!?!??!? oh lord--my green personality is reeling in dismay! I want my school--my innovative charter school-- to run classes year round! And I want to get paid for it!! I'm not training my kids to be farmers to go work the fields in the summer, despite our location! Anyone remember the DEATH of the family farm in the 80's?? My kids have no clue as to how a farm runs, despite where we live in this US. So why the HELL are they getting out of school today??? Oh wait. Perhaps it's for my sanity... *sssshhhh. creep away silently and let the kids go!!*