August 22, 2012

A new school year & WIWW

Pants: Aerie,  Shirt:  Land's End (@Sears),  Boots:  BareTrap (3 years old), Dumb look on my face:  Sorry about that
Jeans and Boots:  JCP (Fall 2011), Flannel:  Lucky Brand, Necklace:  Tiffany
Note:  This was Saturday.
The Pleated Poppy WIWW
Wanderlust Wednesday
I mentioned that I've been been marking time during deployment by making a chain of construction paper links in red, white, and blue.  One link per day.  Today is 230-odd days.  Yaaaaay.

As a teacher, as someone who's always been in school, as someone who's always known she would be a teacher, I mark time in school years.  New years start in August, not January.  January is the middle of the year, silly.

It is surreal to me that I just began my third school year in Alaska.  Actually, it's my fourth.  That first year, we moved here in the fall and I subbed on and off for the Anchorage school district.  "On and off" means that if it was snowing, I didn't go to work.  Subbing was nice like that.

My first year at my school seems like it was just yesterday.  But it must not have been because those little baby 4th graders I had?  Yeah, they're in middle school now.  Ugh.

If year 2010-2011 seems like it was just yesterday, 2011-2012 seems like it was this morning.  I mean, howdiditgobysofast?  I'm not necessarily complaining.  I would not want to live the last 230-odd days over again.  But those kids!  I loved them. They were literally the only reason I had to get up in the morning with my husband deployed and all.

As I started with my third (THIRD!) group of kiddos last week, I couldn't help but think of last year.  I mean, my first year was my first year and I'll always remember it.  Some of those kids will live on in infamy...if you know what I mean (it was a rough year).  But there's very few of that group of 26 that I'll miss.

But I miss those little people from last year!  Truly, honestly, I want them back.  They were so inquisitive, and allowed me to teach them history..  Because of them, I have memories like this.  And my husband has notes like this posted on his bulletin board in his Afghanistan office.  

Also, maybe they could explain how things work to these new students.

Really, now, why can't students just walk in trained on day number one?  It's so much work.

Would you believe I had to utter the phrases, "If you jump off that desk again, you will no longer have a desk" and "If you don't get out of your desks, I will tape them shut" in the same afternoon??

Ridiculous.

Don't think I won't tape a desk shut.  I have before.

13 comments:

  1. hahaha if you ever tape a desk shut this year, I want to see pictures! I hope this group of kiddos is just as awesome as your group from last year. Love the cute outfits!

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  2. first of all I LOVE that first outfit - you look so cute! and second I am dreading all that training and getting into a routine. I'd like to skip a month ahead. And I too count the years in school terms, everyone should.

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  3. I never understood how kids would forget to behave over the summer. Or maybe they were just always that way? (Scary thought.) Love the boots!

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  4. The school year calendar is the one my brain goes by, when we talk about "last year" or "next year." I have 8th graders and I have taken away chairs and desks from those that can't figure out how to sit in them right. I think they would just like being taped to the desk...

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  5. I love these outfits! We're colored pant twinsies :)

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  6. You wear the cutest outfits, I love those boots. Been trying to find brown boots for a while but can't seem to find any I like :/

    You've taped a desk shut? Hopefully you used duct tape & not scotch tap haha.

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  7. Good luck on your new school year! I really hope you will link up to my blog today! :) This post is perfect.
    Wanderlust Wednesdays

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  8. Sounds like you need to train the PARENTS on how to raise children that don't jump off of desks. Good lord, what must it be like at home if they act like that in school?! Yowza.

    Bless you and all the teachers for putting up with the little demon seeds out there.

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  9. Hi there! Just stumbled across your blog! I'm in Alaska too...a bit south of you though, wayyy down in Sitka. :) I'm a bit jealous of the sunshine in your picture...it has been THE. CRAPPIEST. summer here...but your outfit is super cute!!

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  10. Love the outfits. :)

    I do not doubt that you would tape a desk shut. I've turned them around on my first graders! I also can believe that you had to utter both of the desk phrases in one day. People don't understand how difficult it is to begin a new school year. Your class from the following year is trained the way you want them and leave you as students closer to the next grade-level than the one in your classroom. When the new year begins, the new students are more like the previous grade-level than the one they're in.

    In other words, my students come to me like they are still kindergarteners. *sigh*

    The good news is, we should be smooth sailing by October....right!?

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  11. Wow, sounds like a fun day! ;) I'm not sure I want to know how exactly they were 'in' the desk. Hmmm.
    Anywho, love the outfits. At first, I was wondering how the skittles you were wearing boots in August until you mentioned Alaska. Then it made sense. ;) Hope you have a wonderful school year!

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  12. Thanks again for linking up today, this made my whole day! I hope to see you again next week with more great stories, same time and place. :) Have a good week!
    talesoftheyoungertwin.blogspot.com

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