teachergeek

I went to the store.

Oh, my WORD, did I go to the store!!!

I went to the store to get multicolored gel pens and Crayola Multicultural markers. Can you tell that colors and options are a thing with me??

The store I went to was Target.

(Now some of you know why I'm writing this...)

As I perused the Dollar Spot innocently, I was overcome with back-to-school happiness. I bought stress-koosh-gel-ball-thingies for my classroom Safe Place, I bought dry erase slate boards to practice letters and numbers on, I bought a lesson plan book for a just a buck (!!!), and I bought a nonfiction book with great photos of amphibians and such.

*this is all I bought on my classroom budget card, don't worry*

My heart rose and went into palpitations as I stood in front of the pens. So many choices! There were less gel pens than I would have liked, and they were clicky. I don't really like clicky pens. The Bic pens now came in a multicolor pack with TWO shades of green, purple, pink, etc. Can I pass up TWO shades of green?? It was about this moment that I realized how anal retentive I am about office supplies. I LOVE office supplies, but I'm very exacting in my expectations of them.

I managed to avoid buying the little multicolored cards that were already on rings (perfect for sight words, but I already have the stuff to make sight word rings by hand).

As I rounded the corner of the aisle, I was greeted with the lunch boxes. There were so many wonderful lunchboxes of different types. My heart fell as I realized that there is no possible way that I can justify buying a lunchbox this year, no matter how cute the astrobright owls are. It was exactly this moment when I remembered that I am a TEACHERGEEK.

Trust me, I love my vacations, and I know how to rest. But about this time of year, fuhgeddaboutit. I love setting up a classroom, planning my long-term plans, deciding on projects for the first few weeks of class...

The pièce de résistance came as I saw It. The Lamp. You see, I'm not the hugest fan of flourescent lights in learning environments, or anyplace else humans are, for that matter. Because of this, I usually have at least one if not several alternate light sources in my classroom.

This Lamp... this Lamp is green. This Lamp is beautiful. This Lamp has a pattern of flowers and plants embossed on it. This Lamp has the power to bring me to terms with the shade of green that my classroom was painted that I, um... was slow to appreciate. Not only did I find THIS Lamp, I found a coordinating lampshade that is off-white with green trim that will go on the other lamp I already got for the room.

My heart soared. I literally felt in love during my time at Target (and as I write this). I know, I KNOW I am a teachergeek. I know I will always be this way. My Granny Goo was a teacher, is 96 years old, and still likes to decorate seasonally the way teachers do.

It is embarrassing to be in love with lamps and pens and books of amphibians.

But I am grateful that I love. I am grateful that I have work to do that I love. Of everyone, I am grateful.

I am the teachergeek.

Goodbye to the Good Ones

So, today I was watching my 4th grade students give presentations on their favorite books in the whole world... It was an assignment that I let them complete independently for the most part, and I was glad to see that my instruction in genre presentations has taken hold. They all did a fine, fine job.

See, the thing is, I love this class. As a teacher, every so often, a class comes along that is makes you laugh, think, pray, duck and run for cover on the days that they're playing "rock, paper, Spock..."

Some classes make you love them. I've had this class for three years.

That's one of the bonuses of my job. I don't have to say goodbye and recycle kids every year. However, next year, this class will most likely pass to my 1/2 time colleague.

These kids are all amazing. They are all artists, engineers, architects, actresses... I know that in the future, these guys will have jobs that aren't even created yet.

Sometimes, we are graced with a moment in life that helps us see how good and beautiful this world is. I tend to get this way in the mountains or staring at the ocean. I see how small I am, and I feel so grateful. So grateful to be here. To see this day, this wonder.

Today was that. I saw the future. Grateful to see it through these kids. So grateful to be a part of it, if even for a little bit. Every so often, when I am with the future, the kids, I wish to ask that I be remembered with kindness. It's a little hope that somehow, I've been a force for good, for life, for wholeness in a world that can be too broken.

So, goodbye to the good ones. Goodbye to these amazing kids through whom I see the rich sweetness of life. Godspeed, you silly chickens. Be good. Be safe. Have fun.