We have catapulted straight out of summer and headfirst into another school year. (This journey actually happened a few weeks ago, but I’m still trying to land on my feet and catch my breath!) The transition for the kids was a simple one: same school, same friends, and even the same teachers as last year. If the kids had their way, they would have returned … Continue reading Back to School: Kids
This weekend was the much-anticipated Homer Sea Week field trip.
We weren’t sure what to expect when our children’s school group planned a 3-day field trip over Mother’s Day weekend down to Homer, Alaska, which is a 4 – 5 hour drive from Anchorage (depending on road construction and which spouse is driving).
We certainly didn’t expect the majority of the school to make the trek, but trek we all did. Over 75% of us.
Our son is obsessed with geography. Looking back, I think it started with a road trip between Nebraska and Missouri the summer before he entered kindergarten. He was contained in a car seat for seven straight hours, but thanks to a few road maps and a U.S. atlas he was as happy as tourist with a shiny new Canon. He spent the entire drive quizzing … Continue reading Part 2: Or Not To Bee
Spelling bees are shockingly intense events. I’ve been organizing them at my school for the past few years, and my heart simultaneously breaks for the kids who are eliminated and pounds with anticipation for those who volley through the final, tongue-twisting rounds. I serve as the pronouncer for our school bees, but I can still see the parents in the audience, nervously clenching their hands … Continue reading Part 1: To Bee
I adore Maggie’s teachers. They are a team of professionals with high expectations of not only themselves, but also the students and families in their classrooms. They have strong opinions about public education and literacy, some of them unconventional but all of them in alignment with my beliefs. Thanks to them, many inquisitive little minds absolutely love coming to school each and every day. Oh, … Continue reading Whoops!
I finally got the kids their own “real” library cards this weekend. Up until now they’ve had pretend cards they received years ago during a preschool story time, and all the books we borrowed actually went on my account. That worked when they were toddlers and we only wanted print books, but times have changed. Both for our family and for libraries! In this digital … Continue reading Living Libraries
The call finally came today!! When I saw the caller ID, I knew it was from the school. I was worried that it was the nurse, since Maggie has been coughing this week. Nope. It was the school secretary (the one who scares me). “We have a spot for Sam in the optional program,” she said. I was blindsided, as if I’d just been given … Continue reading One Size Fits Who?
Back-to-school season has arrived, which explains both my decreased posts and increased moodiness. Target’s back-to-school ads in July make me plain irritable, but by August I am ecstatic to purchase supplies for my own children. What gives? The same goes for clothing: buying new pants in a bigger size on an annual basis is exciting for the kids, but not so much for me. And … Continue reading Back To School
I still vividly remember sitting in a classroom at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln back in 1992ish. It was a small course at the Teacher’s College, and the professor asked the 30 or so of us why we wanted to become educators. One curmudgeonly old dude (he was probably 30) raised his hand and said, “Three reasons: June, July, and August.” Half the class laughed, but … Continue reading Hail Summer!
I tell our children that reading is a gift. A gift that cannot be stolen, and one they will have for life. I firmly believe it, too. History has a tragic track record of denying people the right to read in an attempt to prevent them from revolting against oppression. Ironically, there are many amazing books that best illustrate this point. Take Nightjohn by Gary … Continue reading All Buggy Eyed
Profoundly Ordinary 