Friday I'm in Love: Back to School

I once had a (beloved) teacher who wrote a good-bye poem for each of her classes; she described each student perfectly with only a few lines. I don't remember her first sentence about me, but the second was, "Questions things others should, but do not."

I remember being incredibly flattered by her assessment; the poem is still in my antique precious things holder chest. Her ability to see beyond the dyed-blonde, carefully curled hair and Guess jeans and her demand that I speak up in class helped me turn into the loudmouth left-wing radical I became for my senior (very Republican) year and beyond. Way beyond.

I know I never thanked her enough for that.

Although seeing me jump into a political debate in front of half the senior class may have been all the thanks she ever needed.

Anyway, today my kids go back to school and I hope more than anything that they have a Miss Jordan. Not that they need to be turned any more left-wing or loudmouth (they've all got that covered, thanks very much), but I hope their teachers really know them. I hope their teachers really understand them. I hope their teachers find a way to inspire them. I hope their teachers are half as awesome as Miss Jordan was.

Last year. 

Teaching Tuesday: Class Lists

I have not spent so much time checking my email and Facebook since . . .this time last year. You see, the week before school starts, we get a letter in the mail telling us who we  our kids have for the year. Even though I don't usually know much about the teachers, especially for Ironflower, I am always dying to find out whose class the kids are in.

So that I can contact every other local mom I know and find out what other kids are in their classes.

This year, Lovebug has Ironflower's second grade teacher (at least I know what to expect) and Ironflower has the teacher who's been on maternity leave for the last year (so I've heard nothing, which is probably good) so I think I'm doubly obsessed with who else is in their classes. Of course, I think I'm pretty typical of the area - one friend described her phone as, "blowing up" yesterday and another didn't leave the house until her mail came - so my obsession seems perfectly reasonable.

They'll make new friends, right? And get along with their new teachers? 

The moms who've listened to me rant about homework, or who've gotten reading suggestions from me, always kind of look at me expectantly when the "How do they organize these classes, anyway?" discussions come up. Like I'm going to offer some insight about why it seems as though NONE of our children are EVER with their close friends. Or why that kid has this particular teacher.

But I have no actual clue. Where I taught, it was all about "continuity of care"  - a group of kids was put together (pretty randomly) in kindergarten or first grade and stayed together, through a set group of teachers. So a parent would know who all their kids' teachers would be (barring moves and firings) from first grade, plus know who would be in all their future classes (also barring moves and expulsions). I mean, once in a while a kid was switched to different grouping, but that was usually at the request of the parent.

I do remember helping when they put the new classes together way back in my student teaching days. Then the kids were sorted into high, medium and low boys and girls, so that each class would have an equal mix. The few kids with severe behavior problems were divided among the teachers, more or less evenly. But I know there are a lot more factors in my own district. The sheer numbers of people who specifically request that their children be with this kid or not with this kid has got to be a huge factor, for one thing. Another factor I know from personal experience; both Lovebug's and Ironflower's first grade teachers warned me that they were being separated from their best friends for at least the following year.

Then I think the teachers also try to take personalities into account - I really do believe that they want everyone to have a good year. Or at least a smooth one.

It's been a week and I still don't know everyone who will be in Ironflower and Lovebug's classes (yay for the preschool, where Hugmonkey has the same teacher and will be with almost all the same kids) next year, but at least they each have a kid they already know and like, plus a few familiar faces.

Hot Guy thinks they could have avoided all this angst and the all the phone calls they've probably gotten if they just sent a class list along with the teacher assignments. Hot Guy is very wise. And also sick of the drama, I'm guessing.

How does your district do it? Is there a lot of drama involved in finding out who else is in the class?

It Could Have Been Worse

I didn't cry. Ironflower didn't cry. Hot Guy didn't cry. But Lovebug threw a fit when we left Ironflower at preschool today. As we got her settled in, Lovebug discovered the Lego table. I think we could have left both of them there.

But we dragged Lovebug out and left Ironflower playing happily.

Hot Guy was convinced that we'd come back to discover that she'd thrown a fit when she didn't get her way. I was worried that she'd be pouting in a corner (because she didn't get her way).

Apparently, though, she was fine (except that she refused to have her picture taken, big surprise). . .at least until we got there. As soon as we arrived she was rude and unfriendly to her teachers and refused to talk to us. She did let me pick her up, but she was in a bad mood. I think the shortened day actually made it harder for her - she's not good at quick transitions.

Eventually she opened up, but it took a good half an hour. Interestingly, she drank milk at school - she NEVER does that at home. I'm hoping this bodes well for potty training. She also made pictures of (discernible) happy and sad faces and told us that she sang a song. She told her grandparents that she played with Ryan and Jillian. She's willing to go back on Thursday.

I'm not exactly sure how I will manage to deposit her lovingly and drag a screaming Lovebug out by myself on Thursday. But I guess I'll worry about that on Thursday.