I feel it only fair to warn you that, as a teacher during back to school season, my posts may be heavy on the school supply side of things. Which is fine by me, because the day when the supply order comes is Christmas for teachers. Something about all 8 markers being in the box, reams of paper waiting to be written on, pencils with the erasers that haven't been chewed off or used up, and crayons that haven't been shoved up any fifth grade noses yet. (What, still shoving crayons up noses in the fifth grade?) (Yes. And beyond.)
Yesterday I was at Walmart getting some school supplies. In the checkout line, there was a busy family in front of me. The mom turned around and said "these kids say you're a fifth grade teacher at our school." She introduced her darling oldest daughter who's going into fifth grade this year. The daughter wanted to know if she was in my class (wish we had our class lists already!). Then we discussed the decorative pencils in my cart, and how the green zebra stripe pencil was tied with the rainbow polka dot pencil for best pattern.
It was a 90-second conversation, but it was the link that had been missing this year. Until then, getting my class ready was mostly a checklist thing. That little conversation helped me get excited about the STUDENTS, the real life 10-year-old human beings who will be in my classroom losing one marker per box and erasing those erasers right off the end of the pencils. It was just what I needed, and now I'm truly excited for the year.
Here are a few more pictures of my classroom this year. As always, it's not done, but it's a good start!
And then the cashier lady asked me if I was a secretary(?). No ma'am I'm not, but if you find out about a major corporate office that writes with wide-ruled paper and has coloring time, let me know :)
