All around the country, our kids are back in school again. By this time—hopefully!—the students are settled into the routines of their new grade levels and the teachers have survived the new-school-year chaos. And it is chaos. I know too many teachers not to realize that!
Even a couple of my heroines are teachers. Kerry Anne MacBride, from FAMILY MATTERS, teaches high-school art classes. Kayla Ward, from A RANCHER’S PRIDE, teaches American Sign Language.
Of course, for the most part, it’s not the teachers or kids who are celebrating the start of the school year, but the parents. LOL
I’ve always been a student and probably always will be. There’s so much to learn in this great, big world—something as kids we don’t always appreciate.
But even as an elementary-school student, I looked forward to going back to school in the fall.
Did you?
There’s so much going on at the start of a new year. New teacher, classroom, textbooks. New classmates. New clothes! :-)
To this day, I get most excited over brand-new, never-been-cracked-open notebooks and an array of brightly colored pencils and pens. (I guess I was always meant to be a writer.)
How about you? What are your favorite items—or memories—from your first days back in school?
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
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15 comments:
Barbara, I think back to school is a fabulous time, and I sure hope so for today's kids. Something about advancing to the next level, and "do-overs." If you had a so-so year, children/students have a chance to do better this year. I loved organizing my school supplies and covering books and planning how well/hard I was going to try in each class.
Of course, if the teacher helped, that was all the better as well. I hope today's students feel the excitement about learning that we do. Education is something no one can take away from you. Just ask Kayla and Kerrie Ann ;) Great blog!
Hi, Donnell - I always loved the idea of do-overs, too, and having the chance to start fresh. The childhood versions of New Year's resolutions, I guess. ;-)
Thanks for stopping by and sharing.
Barbara
The best part was back to school shopping with my kids. I love all the boldly colored felt pens and crayons. Agonizing over which lunch box would be great enough to last a whole year. So much that wasn't around when I went to school.
Linda - great point on the shopping and the cool lunch boxes.
And what about backpacks! With pockets for those crayons and pens and all the other cool stuff. I could go on and on about backpacks. LOL
Thanks for commenting!
Barbara
A fresh start. And that maybe I won't be as dorky as I was the year before! Which never worked out. Sooner or later my true self emerged.
Marcie
And who can forget finding out that the sixth grade homeroom teacher was a man? My sixth grade heart fluttered seriously for the first time over (dare I name him??) Mr. Rogan. Yes, even now I see hero potential in his name. But he was married and had two kids, and I'm sure never had a clue of how bedazzled I was behind my glasses and braces. Wow, there's a memory for you!
I just plain loved school! I loved everything about it when I was a kid. I cried when I was sick and had to stay home. I was weird. It wasn't about new clothes or new school supplies, just about being in school
I think it was the clothes. I always had the hardest time deciding which new outfit to wear the first day!
And I loved the "fresh slate" of a new school year. New guys to date (or maybe the same guys but still... FRESH!)
And football! I love fall football. In high school, it was everything.
Marcie - oh, that's so true!
After a while, though, I managed to convince myself all that dorkiness just meant we were "finding ourselves" and becoming individuals. ;)
Barbara
Amy - great memory.
And you're not alone.
At one time or another, all of the girls wound up having a crush like that.
Or we so looked up to the teacher, we thought about becoming teachers, too.
Barbara
Mary - I think I felt that way back then, too.
It's probably part of the reason I'm a student to this day--and always will be. :-)
Barbara
Cynthia - that was the thing, wasn't it--the feeling we'd all been aired out over the summer and come back fresh!
I'll admit, the new clothes were a big incentive, too.
Barbara
I have a great memory of school and it was in 4th grade. My teacher was an older male and I remember his white, fluffy hair. The day I was baptized into the land of fairy tales occured during art time. We were drawing pictures and usually, he read to us as we doodled. He picked up this huge, colorful book and began reading...."In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort." Along with this book, he showed us the most amazing illustrations. Yep..."The Hobbit." From then on, I was hooked on reading.
Now, the sad part? I've been a high school English teacher for twenty years now. It seems all the government wants is "teach to the test." I'm so sad because our children are losing creative freedom.
Sigh....I still love my teaching and I sneak those little memorabl moments inbetween those rigid pacing guides!
Tina - what a wonderful way to be introduced to storytelling and to acquire the love of reading!
I've worked for a school district (though not as a teacher) and know what you mean. So many of my teacher friends love what they're doing and find creative ways to work despite the frustrations, just as you are.
I'm sure your students appreciate those memorable moments, too. Thank you! We need good teachers like my friends and you!
Barbara
very nice blog,,
i will visit you back:)
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