The New School Year Of Teachers

Each year around the middle of August we wait impatiently for the mail to arrive. The kids are waiting to see which teacher was given to them for the upcoming school year. They have already decided which teacher they want to have, but will they actually get that teacher? Nope!

This past summer, June 16th, the last day of school came and went. The girls were telling me who they wanted for the next year. I don't even remember the names that were floating through the air, but they were adamant about not wanting certain ones because of the homework load, or because they talk too loud. After a couple days they forget about the teachers they want and start enjoying their time off of school. As soon as July comes to an end they begin talking again about the teachers. "I hope I get...." "I don't want......" It goes on and on every day.

Well, the mail arrives the last week of August, I think they mail them as late as possible so they don't get bombarded by phone calls for classroom changes or something. This year I checked the mail pretty much knowing the envelopes would be in the mailbox and they were there looking right at me. I took them inside and sat down in the living room with my stack of bills and three envelops holding their future in my hands. Amber is about to jump out of her skin, Justin wants to know how many chances he has to misbehave and Kelsey is trying to pretend like she doesn't care, but I know the truth.

I open Amber's envelop, Mrs. Cancel. "Who? Is she new?" I begin my detective work in my brain. Maybe she is the young pretty teacher I saw last year on award day that didn't have on a wedding band, just an engagement ring. Maybe she got married. Amber thinks that over a bit and says, maybe. That wasn't the teacher she wanted, but that would do, for now.

I open Kelsey's envelop, Mrs. Albertson. "Who? I don't know who that is. Can I see last year's yearbook?"

I open Justin's envelop, Mrs. Hampton. Who? We decided that maybe she was a new because there was a 2nd grade teacher that retired last year. This must be her replacement since it is the same classroom as the retired teacher from last year.

Friday is the meet your teacher day. There is an hour during the day that we can go and say hi and see where the classroom is and find their desks, etc. We arrived right at 12:45 and went to Kelsey's room first. She went last the previous year, and they remember this somehow. They can't remember to brush their icky teeth after breakfast EVERYDAY but they remember who saw their teacher last a whole year ago? Whatever.

Kelsey's class is upstairs. We use the steps for exercise and see her bubbly, hip dressed, cool hairdo wearing teacher. She is bright, sunny, smiling and seems very happy to be a teacher. This is great. Kelsey needs someone who talks loud because she is easily distracted. She is very intelligent and needs her attention to be gripped and yanked and hopefully this teacher will not be annoyed by the fact that she eats her pencil erasers and plays with odd things in her desk. I hope, I hope, I hope.

Next we travel back downstairs Amber's class. Mrs. Cancel, is actually Miss Belcher. Mom was right (like always) and she was the one who apparently got married this summer. She is very young, maybe 22 or 23 and very pretty. She dresses like a college student. She should be in diapers, I think she was just born and she will be teaching my daughter about math, science, reading, grammar, and social studies. I actually hit it off very well with her teacher. She is very nice and I think Amber was placed perfectly into her class. Amber is my least difficult with school. She is smart, but doesn't get bored easily and if she is bored, you can't tell, she just smiles a lot.

Justin's class is directly across the hall from Amber's classroom. His teacher is very quiet and actually she just moved down from 5th grade. I let her know that he can be a clown and will randomly fall from his chair for no apparent reason other than to make someone laugh. I told her he means no harm in this he just loves to see people laugh. Even if they aren't laughing at him, he just loves laughter. She says she understands ( I hope she means it). She says she has a 7-year-old son, too.

Last year Justin had a hard time in class. His teacher rarely took the class outside. Children, especially boys, need to have recess. She didn't give them recess nearly enough and I think his esteem was damaged by this woman. He constantly brought home sad notes. He is very sensitive to disappointing his parents. He doesn't like for us to be upset with him. I tried to meet with the teacher, to see what he was actually doing besides "playing and talking in class." I would ask him what happened before the note and he would say nothing happened. She gave the note at the end of the day. What? How is he supposed to know what he did at 10:30 that was wrong when the note wasn't given to him until 2 p.m.? I tried to have her call me. I had no contact at all with this teacher. I told her that I could come anytime to meet her between 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. She would ask me to come at 2:30 p.m. Ummm, hello? I have four children and three of them get off the bus at 2:30 p.m. Should I bring them all with me? Now, after speaking with some other parents, figured she knew that he really wasn't doing anything that wrong. He had notes sent home when the little girl he was talking with had no notes sent home. How can that be right?

Tonight was open house for Justin. I met his teacher again. She went over her classroom rules and as I listened to her talk I could tell that he will do just fine in her class. I swear I could have hugged this lady for saying that she knows children aren't perfect. Some days will be days that they need a little guidance. She doesn't expect them to behave all of the time. As his teacher, Mrs. Hampton, was talking tonight I got the feeling from her that she loves teaching these children. She wants them to do well and she will be a great asset to my son and his learning. Tomorrow night I get to see the girl's teachers. I have a feeling this will be a good year. I think they will all enjoy school this year, maybe Justin will even decide he likes to read. Now I just have to figure out how to be classroom mom for both girls.