End of the Summer

My favorite place in the summer: Home. Where I live
and work are neighboring towns, both beautiful country.

The blog has been somewhat quiet...I've at least had a post a week plus Sunday Sentence, but two things are slowing me down. I'm in the middle of the chunkster Crime & Punishment, which I am finding much more accessible than I expected, but has also kept me from reading for other reviews or thinking up other post ideas.

The rest of my time I have spent dreading the start of the school year. Not that I'm dreading school itself necessarily, just the whole "getting into the groove." There's so much prep work to get a classroom up and ready to run. Plus the graduation project I have to put in place for this year's Freshman class and any students moving into the district. There's also the thought of collecting paperwork and getting my book club running. Nothing very hard, just so much of it to do! So, as someone who is meticulously organized and will be a batty mess until it is done, this week I've been overwhelmed to the point of just doing nothing...just ugh.

I've also been spoiled, which ends this year. The past three years I had students who I already knew before they walked into my room because I'd had them in junior high before I was moved to the senior high grades. The beginning of a school year is so much easier when you already know students' names and what to expect. It was great! This year I know a few here and there, but otherwise, it's all new ground. (English 11 as before and Honors English 9, which I haven't taught for three or so years.)

So, it's about midnight now and tomorrow/today (8/19) is my first day back. (My up til 2am deal is going to crash me quick, but it's still hard to break. I've always been a night owl.) As you read this I am likely eating breakfast, which is kindly provided and served to us by a local church for our first teachers' day back. Or I'm sitting in one of many meetings we attend to establish ourselves for the year. Either way, summer is over and I'm ready to get myself organized. And more importantly, meet the young people with whom I'll be spending the year. Knowing what I do from years and students gone by, much of it from hindsight, I understand the prep is needed, but also secondary. Once those students and I get started, only God knows where the adventure will take us.

Here's to the end of the summer and the start of something new! (Yea, yea, I mixed Theory of a Deadman with High School Musical, so sue me...my creative juices are still on summer vacation.) I promise, by mid September I should be back to regular reading and blogging mode!