Life Beyond MA

What Teachers Really Do in the Off-Season

By Luella Shepard ‘26 in Spring 2025

As they barrel toward summer vacation, most Marin Academy students dream of sleeping in, summer camp, and maybe a job or internship. But what about MA teachers–the ones who have spent the last 9 months grading assignments, supporting students, and answering our endless questions? To answer this question I sent a form to MA faculty, and in this article I will be unpacking the surprising and informative responses I received.

A common theme among respondents was how summer offers rare, precious space for creativity, family, and reflection. One teacher will be traveling to Philadelphia to mentor Penn Fellows and squeezing in guitar lessons as well. Another will be diving into nonprofit cruise business on the Bay with their teenage son, offering free trips for underserved families in San Rafael. Across the world, one teacher will explore Denmark and the Faroe Islands.

For some, summer is about pursuing hobbies that might be pushed aside during the school year such as fly fishing, live music, and hiking. One teacher noted, “I'm an artist and much of my artwork is done during the summer months.” On the other hand, for teachers with families at home, summer leads to a shift in caregiving duties: “I have kids, so my summers are probably different from teachers without kids.”

Despite the perceived time off that summer offers, nearly every teacher admitted they’ll be doing some kind of work. Whether it’s writing college recommendations, preparing for new classes, or attending professional development workshops, many emphasized that summer is not exactly a vacation: “The vast majority of us will do work over the summer, just not every day from 8:40-3:15.” 

One surprising response pointed to “decision fatigue” as something that teachers get relief from during break. Without the constant barrage of daily questions—"how many points is that worth?" and "should I take physics junior year or senior year?"—teachers finally have space to think about their own work. This respondent claims, “the best part of summer break for teachers is not having to answer 100+ questions a day for 8 weeks in a row.”

MA teachers also want to clear up a common misconception that summer break means teachers have it easy. This is not the case: “While it’s true teachers have more time off from a paid-time-off perspective, we also work far more hours during the school year than most professionals.” Another added that teachers’ time off is limited to specific breaks, whereas professionals in other industries can take PTO at any time—an often overlooked detail. And one last thing, “We come back earlier!”

Summer, then, is more than just a break. It’s a reset—a time to breathe, think, and reimagine how to reach students in a new year. Whether they're writing recommendation letters, traveling with loved ones, or composing music, Marin Academy faculty will make the most of the next few months. Summer isn’t exactly time off, but it is time well used.