It is hot as hell here in Atlanta, although as they say, "It's not the heat; it's the humidity." And to be sure, we had hotter weather in South Dakota (104°) and in Texas (Dallas, 108°) on our trip. Here we feel as if we are swimming through the air. Thunderstorms now and then but it seems as if the rain barely falls before it is evaporated back into the air.
The boys start school in the morning. Yes, it is early August. The 8th. Bug is headed to second grade and Pook to fifth. He will be a Big Man on Campus and has even pointed out to me that "next year I'll be at the middle school." (Slow down, child, I'm not ready.)
I've asked them how they feel and don't discern any worries. I'm worried for them though. Neither is in a room of good friends this year. We aren't sure of all the classmates for Bug; there may be someone he enjoys who never had a chance to become a good friend, but those he knew to check were not in his class. There are a whopping six classrooms of second graders, the largest group in our school. I think it will go fine.
Pook has definitely been separated from all the kids he's been with for years, some since kindergarten. There are only three teachers and two of them taught him in fourth grade last year. I thought he'd have one of them as his homeroom teacher again this year for sure- I thought the point was the continuity. Not only is he not with one of those teachers, but he's down the hallway from the two, who kept their fourth grade classrooms. I wish his friends were with him. I'm a bit worried for him. He claims to not be concerned. I wish I could be more of an optimist for him.
I taught the boys the words optimist ("We can climb Mount Everest!") pessimist ("We're all going to die!") and pragmatist ("Let's pack some granola bars.") Cautiously optimistic. Is that the same as pragmatist? It describes me. I'm generally optimistic, but I'm not leaping into action, counting on good luck. I expect to plan a bit and be prepared 'just in case'. Yes, I would suggest granola bars on a long hike, but I'd probably nix Mount Everest.
I haven't said too much about it here, but tomorrow is my first day too. I start my new job tomorrow. There are a half dozen orientation dates, plus a CPR/1st aid day, before the school starts, after Labor Day. I won't meet the little guy I'm teaching for a few weeks. I'll have to pick a name for him so I can tell about him here. A new topic!
As a pragmatist, I have the route (to a busy part of town) mapped out. I have my paperwork ready. I even have my lunch packed. (I haven't picked out my clothes, although I had the boys pick theirs.) The pessimist realizes that I will be meeting piles of teachers whose names I will (mostly) forget immediately. The optimist thinks, maybe they'll all have name tags! It has occurred to the pessimist in me that most of them may be twenty-somethings, as I was when I began to teach, but surely not all. The optimist in me says that I will find a few whom I can enjoy spending my time with. The pragmatist says, get at least one name learned tomorrow! (Perhaps the two of the teachers whose room I will be sharing!)
New adventures await us all.
Good luck to all three of you tomorrow!
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