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First Day of School, 2017

IT’S THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Which, at least for the time being, is super exciting around my house. One day, I’m sure this will not be such a happy day for them, but I’m going to soak up their excitement for as many years as I can.IMG_5826

Both kids were up and completely dressed by 6:30 this morning, all on their own. Which is a far cry from just last week when I was came home from preplanning most days around 4:00 to find them still in their jammies. Again, not sure how long that excitement will last, but it was pretty great today.

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I’m on the board of the PTA at my kids’ school and one of my events this year was a “Boo Hoo/Yahoo Breakfast” for kindergarten parents. So, I left our house earlier than everyone else this morning to get ready for that. I picked up donuts and coffee from Dunkin Donuts and then met my friend, Jamie, up at the school to set up for our breakfast. By the time I was done, Chris had gotten to the school with the kids and I made it around to both their classrooms before having to duck out to make it to my own school on time. It was pretty incredible that I was able to do all of that AND make it to work on time. Gosh, I love teaching in my own neighborhood!!!!

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I was a little nervous about my school day today. This new school has a few Title 1 schools that feed into it, and that’s new for me. But the kids were awesome and I think my classes are going to be great. Not to mention my administrative team and other teachers around campus who made my day fun, positive, and energetic. And, trust me, the energy was needed. It is TOUGH to come back to teaching after being away for a few months. You have to get used to talking all day, standing all day, and not peeing until after school! My body feels like it’s been through a blender right now and my voice is so tired I have barely spoken a word to Chris since the kids went to bed! I have reached my word quota for the day!

After school, Chris and I went to get the kids from aftercare together and ended up going to out eat for a celebration dinner (thank goodness because I was in no shape to cook!). Bean and Gracie talked 90 miles an hour and at the exact same time. I can’t tell you how many times we had to say, “One at a time, guys!” and “Slow down!” I even told Bean at one point, “Count to ten and start again!” They were WIRED after a full day in school and they had so much to share!

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Even more than talking, though, they were so happy to see each other! Of course, they don’t SAY that, but you can tell. They have their own way of talking to each other that I don’t even really understand sometimes and they were talking to each other like that so fast this afternoon that I had to finally tell them to simmer down! They were like puppies, all over each other, wrestling, poking, laughing. It was the sweetest!

All of this is to say that I think we are all going to have a great year and that makes me so happy!

3 Comments

  • Kelly

    We have a few more weeks until school in the Northeast. Mine are 13 now and definitely not excited anymore. It is nice to see excited kids – even if they are not my own!

  • Brigitte

    Interesting comment re Title 1 schools. Why nervous? Curious as to what (mis?) perceptions you may have about these kids. I say that as a parent and a PTA exec board member at a New York City title 1 school myself.

    • Katie

      It’s a very different style teaching in Title 1 schools. Their needs are very different from the A school where I taught before, as they deal with socioeconomic, health, and safety issues that I’ve never encountered. Naturally, I’m nervous because I’ve never had to meet those kinds of needs in my classroom before. Any decent teacher should go into a Title 1 situation with their eyes and hearts wide open. It would do them a disservice if I didn’t.

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